NORTH SHORE BEACHES
Honeymoon Beach
Honeymoon Beach has beautiful soft, white sand and shallow waters that are perfect for kayaking and snorkeling! With the All Day Pass, you’ll have access to water sports, beach chairs, a locker, changing rooms, and restrooms. This pass costs $49 per adult and $10 per child (under 10 years old). Visitors are also welcomed to drinks and snacks, available on the beach at the Bikinis on the Beach Bar & Grill.
Getting There: This beach is a part of the Caneel Bay Resort which can be reached by heading northwest on North Shore Road (Route 20). The entrance to the resort will be on your right and you can check in to the resort at the gate. You can also hike to Honeymoon Beach by taking the Lind Point Trail which begins on the east side of Cruz Bay.
Maho
Maho beach is universally loved by tourists and residents for its beauty and convenience. It has beautiful sandy shores, shade produced from coconut palms, light surf, and plenty of sea life to explore. Snorkel along the eastern or western shoreline of Maho Bay to see an abundance of sea turtles, rays, fish, and corals. Maho Bay has facilities, a bar, food truck, equipment rentals, local arts and crafts, and plenty of 'cool' lounge chairs. Definitely one of our faves! Because of its popularity, Maho Bay can get crowded during holidays and high season, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.
Getting There: Maho Bay is a quick 5 minute drive from Rotunda and can be reached by driving east on North Shore Rd.
Waterlemon
Waterlemon Cay features astonishing clear waters that make it the #1 spot for snorkeling in St. John as well as a great location for a relaxing hike. This beach is full of adventures that people of all ages and experience levels can take on confidently. See coral reefs, turtles, a multitude of fish, star fish, and rays while snorkeling in the clear waters!
Getting There: Waterlemon Cay can be reached from Rotunda by traveling southeast on North Shore Road
Trunk
A quarter mile of gorgeous white sand, blue waters, and a self-guided snorkeling trail makes Trunk Beach a true gem of the Virgin Islands. This beach comes with thoughtful amenities such as a bar/grill, beach chair rentals, snorkel gear rentals, bathrooms, lifeguards, and showers. Since it is the most visited beach on St John, Trunk Beach gets busy towards the entrance and does require an entrance fee.
Getting There: You can reach Trunk Bay by heading west on North Shore Road.
Cinnamon
This beach is the longest on St John, making it a great area for camping, water sports, and lounging on the white sands that extend about half a mile. Families with kids have adventure-filled days at Cinnamon Beach by partaking in activities such as windsurfing, paddle boarding, and snorkeling! A bar and grill, souvenir shop, restrooms, and cottages are also available on this beach - its the whole package!
Getting There: If you drive east on North Shore Road, this beach will be on your left.
Gibney
Purchased in 1950 by the Gibney family, this beach is off the map and has minimal crowds due to limited parking. Gibney Beach is a white sand beach with coconut palms and gorgeous clear waters that occasionally are choppy enough for surfing, depending on the north shore winds.
Getting There: After heading west down North Shore Road and parking along the entrance, Gibney Beach requires a short walk to reach the sandy shore.
Hawksnest
Hawksnest Beach is convenient and accessible with plenty of parking located up the road on Route 20. Soft, white sand, lots of shade, and clear blue waters that can be potentially choppy are some of the stunning features of this beach. In regards to snorkeling, you may want to pick a beach such as Honeymoon or Trunk because Hawksnest has occasional surf as well as weathered coral.
Getting There: A drive heading west on North Shore Road will eventually bring you to the parking lot associated with Hawksnest.
Jumbie
At only 100 yards, Jumbie Beach isn’t an area that most visitors get to see! Because it isn’t protected, lots of wind and surf are present on this beach which doesn’t make it a good candidate for snorkeling. On a sunny day with low wind, this beach is perfect to relax on and you won’t have to worry about crowding due to limited parking.
Getting There: Head west on North Shore Road until you pass speed bumps that preface two parking areas to your left. A walk down a path through the trees will bring you to Jumbie’s shores.
Francis
Francis Bay Beach is the perfect family spot to swim, snorkel, or relax in the shade. It is spacious enough to not cause crowds and has a wide beach no matter the tide. The shore has the perfect balance of sun and shade and the soft, white sand make it a great area to build sand castles or sunbathe. Successful snorkeling can be done on both east and west sides of this bay, too! There are plenty of exotic fish, rays, corals, and reef squid to see while exploring these waters.
SOUTH SHORE BEACHES
Salt pond
Located on the southern end of the island, Salt Pond is a walk away from the road and about a 30 minute drive from Rotunda. Salt Pond is a great place for an all-day visit: it has hiking, pristine water for snorkeling or swimming, and plenty of beautiful locations for sight seeing.
Getting There: Start by taking Route 20 heading east and then making a left onto Route 10. Follow Route 10 until it turns into Route 107 and the parking lot will come up. The beach is a hike away from the parking lot, but well worth it.
EAST END BEACHES
Hansen
Hansen Beach, also called Vie’s Beach, is a smaller beach with soft, white sand and lots of sunlight. This is a great place to explore underwater as the water is calm and there is lots of sea life.
Getting There: To get to Hansen Beach, head east on North Shore Road, turn left on Centerline Road which then turns into Route 10, and follow that road until you reach Hansen beach on your right.
Haulover
Haulover Beach is covered by pebble shores, flotsam, and jetsam. It is typically a nice area for snorkeling, however it can be a bit of a challenge when windy. The west side of the bay is the best area to explore underwater because it contains lots of corals and beautiful fish.
Getting There: Haulover is about a 25 minute drive from Rotunda and can be reached by starting east on North Shore Road. Once you make a left into Centerline Road, you’ll continue to follow it until you reach the destination on your left.