10 Best Beaches in the US Virgin Islands

Magens Bay Beach is easily the most popular beach on the US Virgin Islands’ main isle of St. Thomas. A 1-mile beach, it’s one of the few on the island that requires an entry fee, but you get a few nice perks for that, including facilities, lifeguards and rentals such as beach chairs and water toys.

While Magens Bay Beach isn’t a good spot for you to set off on a snorkelling excursion or for you to try your hand at surfing, the calm, tranquil waters are excellent for families with young children and not-so-strong swimmers.

Trunk Bay Beach gets its name from the “trunks” that have historically called it home – the endemic leatherback sea turtles. However, turtles aren’t the only marine life you’ll spot at this beach, which is the most popular on the island of St. John. Marine life is abundant when you head beneath the waves for a bit of snorkelling in Trunk Bay.

It’s worth noting that Trunk Bay Beach does get pretty crowded and it does require an entrance fee (the only beach on the island that does so). Still, you’ll find facilities, lifeguards and rental providers because of it. While visiting the beach, be sure to check out the surrounding Virgin Islands National Park, too.

Salt Pond Beach on St. John is named for the salt pond that’s just a short walk away. The beach is only accessible via a short hike, but the effort is well worth it. This more rugged (yet still fairly popular) beach boasts a protected location that makes it excellent for swimming and snorkelling, with little worry for waves or strong winds.

You can hike up and down the shoreline for more privacy and more rugged vistas. If you want to stay overnight, you can camp nearby, too.

Sandy Point Beach on St. Croix is only open for part of the year and only 2 days per week, but visiting is very rewarding. Three different species of threatened and endangered sea turtles nest within the habitat, including the leatherback sea turtle, the largest species of sea turtle in the world.

As for the beach, this white sandy stretch of shore is one of the longest in the entire Territory. There are no facilities, but that doesn’t detract visitors from parking nearby and walking down to the shoreline. Try to catch one of the refuge’s guided sea turtle nesting and hatching observations for an enriching experience that goes far beyond a mere trip to the beach.

Turtle Beach sits on Buck Island, one of the US Virgin Islands’ smaller isles, located off St. Croix. The small island is the centre of the Buck Island Reef National Monument and accessing the island requires either a permitted private boat or a trip aboard one of the National Park Service’s approved vendors. However, once you’ve actually make it to the island and Turtle Beach, the opportunities for adventure are near-endless.

Turtle Beach is known for its sugar-white sands and breathtakingly vibrant blue waters. But beyond simply taking in the scenery, you can also enjoy swimming, snorkelling and hiking up and down the shoreline.

Maho Bay Beach is one of the many small beaches that line St. John’s circumference, following the island’s grooves and edges. Mayo Bay is popular with both travellers and locals, with its waving palm trees, gentle waters and shallow depths close to the shore.

Snorkelling is very popular here as large amounts of underwater seagrass grow just off the beach, attracting hungry sea turtles, schools of fish and rays. There are also 2 reefs that stretch out on both the left and right sides of the beach, hiding even more marine life.

Honeymoon Beach sits within Caneel Bay Resort, but that doesn't mean you need to be a guest there to enjoy this St. John beach. Instead, you can either hike to the beach via a trail that starts at the Virgin Islands National Park visitor centre or you can use a shuttle service from the resort gatehouse.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll need to purchase a beach day pass, but what you get for that pass is quite impressive. Passes include not only basic amenities such as access to changing rooms, lockers and restrooms; you also automatically get beach chairs and sporting equipment rentals such as snorkels and kayaks.

Hawksnest Beach is the place to go if you’re frustrated with the lack of surf found on our list of the best beaches in the US Virgin Islands. There are waves and currents here that are just strong enough to keep things interesting without posing a serious hazard (though, of course, it’s important to watch the waves and currents and not head out into the water if you feel at all unsafe).

Another beach within the Virgin Islands National Park, Hawksnest Beach is pretty accessible, with lots of parking right near the shore.

Sapphire Beach provides excellent windsurfing conditions as well as stellar views. From the shore, you can look right over the reef-filled, turquoise waters to see various small islands and St. John off in the distance.

Though a favourite St. Thomas beach and close to a few resorts, Sapphire Beach is not necessarily overly crowded with people. In fact, it’s quiet enough that some visiting iguanas routinely make their way through the tourists. The white sands are flanked by a few rocks and shady sea grape trees.

Cinnamon Bay Beach delights with its smaller crowds – much smaller than those at Maho Bay Beach, on the other side of a small peninsula. Enjoy the snorkelling and swimming and, if you’re feeling adventurous, swim out to Cinnamon Cay. The little rocky island juts up from the water, creating the perfect habitat for colourful swarms of fish.

As this is the longest beach on St. John, whatever you decide to do during your beach day, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy it all.