The Most Beautiful Beaches on St John, US Virgin Islands

Discover the white-sand beaches of St John for a day.

Picture the perfect tropical beach scene and Maho Bay Beach comes pretty close. Anchor just offshore and swim into the narrow beach, lined with coconut palms. Both sides of the bay are prime spots for snorkeling with shallow reefs and plenty of marine life. Look out for schools of Atlantic blue tangs, grey and French angelfish. Feeling lucky? You might even see a nurse shark.

As the longest beach on St John, it is easy to find a patch of sand to yourself at Cinnamon Bay Beach. The coconut and sea grape trees offer plenty of shade if you get there early. There used to be snack shacks and toilets here but they were destroyed during a hurricane, so remember to bring supplies with you. For keen snorkelers, Cinnamon Bay offers an unusual wreck – a small aircraft.

What’s better than one beach? Two, of course. That’s exactly what you will find at Haulover Beach – divided into Haulover South and Haulover North. The north beach is pebbly, while the south beach is sandy and dotted with trees, which offer shade from the bright sunshine. Wherever you decide to anchor, both beaches offer incredible snorkeling – peer down at the spotlight parrotfish, puffers, reef squid and Atlantic blue tangs.

One of the best-loved beaches on St John is Salomon Bay. This local favorite is only accessible by dropping anchor and taking the tender ashore or via a 1.6km (1mi) hike. Its hard-to-reach location is part of the charm. Explore the coastline via stand-up paddleboard, kayak, or take a short hike to Lind Point and admire the ocean views.

On the northern shore of St John, Gibney Beach was once a privately owned stretch of sand, but now it is open to the public. Wade along the shallow sandy shoreline into the gin-clear Caribbean waters. Check the weather forecast before you go – northerly winds can whip up large waves, especially in the winter, making anchoring rather tricky.

Trunk Bay Beach is the most famous and most photographed beach on the island. Expect a quarter of a mile-long lick of white sand with a little island, plonked just offshore. Facilities include sun loungers with umbrellas, as well as food and drink shacks. Make sure you grab your mask and follow the self-guided underwater snorkeling trail. The bay is named after the leatherback turtle, after all, which the islanders call “trunks”.

As one of seven beaches within the Caneel Bay Resort and Virgin Islands National Park, Honeymoon Beach is among the nicest in the US Virgin Islands. Purchase a day pass, which gives you access to hammocks, loungers, kayaks and paddleboards for the day. However, the real highlight happens at night when the bay is illuminated with bioluminescence from the millions of plankton in the water.

Accessible only by boat or rugged trail, this beach has nothing but nature and greenery. A location within the Virgin Islands National Park means it’s rather tricky to access. Take your tender to the beach and remember to bring a picnic, drinks and sunscreen. If you enjoy hiking, Denis Bay Beach has a short trail up to Peace Hill, with a great ocean lookout.

Another of our favorite beaches is Hawksnest Beach, a narrow strip of sand between Caneel Bay and Honeymoon Bay. Spot locals enjoying their picnic on weekends under the covered benches; there’s always a friendly vibe here. Arrive early to beat the crowds. Some couples love this beach so much, they’ve even held their wedding ceremonies here.

Spend a day touring the white-sand beaches of St John.

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