Tag Archives: British Virgin Islands

BVI Anegada
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean

Caribbean Snapshots: Cow Wreck Beach, Anegada

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Finding a quiet beach on many Caribbean islands can be challenging. That’s why one of our favorite islands for a tranquil escape and plenty of unoccupied sand is Anegada. Separated from the rest of the British Virgins by ten miles of open ocean, this low- lying coral island has no major resorts, and lacks the green volcanic hills and harbors that are hallmarks of the rest of the chain.

Instead, visitors find miles of wild beaches set behind an expansive barrier reef. With a resident population of just 300, and only one village known as the Settlement, Anegada never sees crowds. Most head for the Big Bamboo beach club at Loblolly Bay, or travel to the island’s western end where the Cow Wreck Beach Bar & Grill overlooks one of the most spectacular white sand beaches in the Caribbean.

Aquadilla Puerto Rico
Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Play, Puerto Rico, Trip Ideas

Best Caribbean Islands for Surfing

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The travel brochures may feature calm turquoise waters, but make no mistake: there are coastlines in the Caribbean where the surfing is second to none. Whether you are an old-school long boarder, an aspiring rider or a big wave expert, there’s a wave waiting for you.

Puerto Rico

When winter swells roll in, breaks all along Puerto Rico’s north shore come to life, but it’s the island’s western end that lures most surfers to this U.S. Commonwealth. The towns of Isabela, Rincon and Aguadilla are surf central, home to a number of world championships, and famous breaks such as Crash Boat, Domes and Maria’s Beach. With dozens of world-class breaks, this area deserves it’s self-acclaimed title of “Surf Capital of the Caribbean,” but there’s also room for casual and novice riders, who can find support and instruction at a number of area shops and surf schools.

Rincon PR

Warm waters and long clean waves draw surfers from around the world to the shores of Rincon, on Puerto Rico’s northwestern coast. Favorite breaks include Antonio’s and Sandy Beach. Photo: iStock

Barbados

Barbados lures the world’s surfing elite to the challenging east-coast break known as Soup Bowl. But you don’t have to be a pro to surf this easternmost Caribbean island. The same long Atlantic swells that crash on the rugged eastern shore wrap around to create point and reef breaks on the island’s southern and western coasts. There’s a wave for everyone, from sponsored pros to first-time riders. Barbados is home to a number of surf shops and camps that can be tapped for local knowledge, lessons and rentals.

Barbados Bathsheba

On the east coast of Barbados, Bathsheba Beach is home to the famous surf break known as Soup Bowl. When the swell is up, this powerful wave is best left to the experts. Photo: Orietta Gaspari/iStock

Jamaica

Though better known as the home of Reggae and Rastafarians, Jamaica is gaining the respect of in-the-know surfers. Locals have been riding the north shore’s Boston Beach since the 1960s, and more recently brought attention to south shore breaks such as Zoo and Lighthouse. There are a number of novice to intermediate-friendly reef breaks around the island, along with a few point breaks that will earn bragging rights among experts. The most notorious is Makka, a long point break on the north shore, which delivers perfect tubes when conditions are right.

Jamaica Boston Bay

Boston Bay is generally regarded as the birthplace of Jamaica’s surfing culture. Though still relatively small, the island’s tradition of wave riding dates back to the early 1960s. Photo: iStock

Dominican Republic

With 300 miles of coastline exposed to North Atlantic swells, the Dominican Republic’s northern coast has more surf than surfers. Some breaks rarely see a rider, but more popular and pendulous areas such as Cabarete have developed a vibrant surf scene where visitors and locals mingle on waves that can range from comfortable long boarding to thrilling short boarding. There are several surf camps in the area, and most beachfront resorts cater to the watersports crowd, which can also include windsurfers and kite boarders. Less known are a number of breaks on the island’s south coast, which are still being discovered.

Dominican Republic

On the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, just west of the town of Cabarete, Encuentro Beach offers five distinct breaks, including one of the island’s best, known as La Derecha. Photo: iStock

British Virgin Islands

One of the Caribbean’s best point breaks isn’t a sure thing, but when the winter swells roll in, Tortola’s Cane Garden Bay delivers an extra-long, high- energy right that’s not for the faint of heart. For a somewhat mellower wave, head to Capoon’s Bay, where the infamous Bomba’s Surfside Shack overlooks a reef that breaks both left and right. Those just getting into the sport, or anyone looking for an relaxing ride, can hone their skills at the beach break at Josiah’s Bay. To really get away from it all, hop a ferry to the less-visited island of Anegada, where deserted beaches front a 28-mile barrier reef that offers an endless supply of unridden waves.

Tortola BVI

At Tortola’s Capoon’s Bay, the waves are as consistent and mellow as the vibes. This West End beach is also home to Bomba’s Shack, and the island’s infamous Full Moon Party. Photo: iStock

Tortola Long Bay Beach
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Snapshots: Long Bay Beach, Tortola, BVI

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Though you may hear locals refer to it as the “big island,” Tortola is actually just 12 miles long by three miles wide. The nickname may have as much to do with the island’s role as the British Virgin’s hub of government and commercial activity. But if you hike the forested slopes, drive the coastline or explore hidden coves by boat, its 22-square-miles can seem larger than the statistics would suggest. Scattered across this landscape are a collection of vacation villas and boutique hotels that provide a relaxing retreat, or a base for daily adventures to area beaches and nearby islands.

One of Tortola’s best stretches of white sand is Long Bay Beach. Located on the island’s north shore, the mile-long swath of sugar- fine granules is ideal for swimming, beach walks or just relaxing. Never crowded, there’s always plenty of room to stretch out a towel or borrow beach chairs from Long Bay Beach Resort, which offers hillside suites with views of Jost van Dyke. The resort bar and restaurant are within easy reach of the beach, providing a break from the sun and a welcoming spot for lunch or cocktails. Picturesque and calm, the bay is dotted with sailboats and flanked by palm trees that offer a cool bit of shade. Come sundown the vibrant blues of the water and the dazzling white of the sand transition to pinks and oranges, providing a mellowing cast to the scene just in time for happy hour.

BVI Virgin Gorda Baths
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Snapshots: The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI

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There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the Caribbean. At The Baths, giant granite boulders are scattered helter-skelter along a white sand beach, as if a giant had abandoned his rock collection. Located on the island of Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, this unique rock formation is the eroded remains of an ancient volcanic upheaval.

The bathers who flock to this oversized rock pile care less about the geology than the topography, which includes a trail that meanders through shaded grottoes and tidal pools hidden within the rocks. After negotiating the boulder maze, explorers can linger at the adjacent beach. The Baths are visited by day trippers from as far away as St. Thomas, so its best to arrive early if you want to stake out a prime piece of sand.

British Virgin Islands Sandy Spit Snorkeling
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Play, Trip Ideas

Into the Blue: Best Snorkel Sites in the British Virgin Islands

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The British Virgin Islands are washed by clear waters and fringed by colorful coral reefs. There are hundreds of places all across this scenic archipelago where you can don mask and fins to enjoy a memorable afternoon of snorkeling. Some sites lie within a beachside stroll or a boat ride from a shoreside resort, while others may require a lengthier voyage to discover. Either way, you are in for a treat when you slip below the surface to discover a realm of waving sea fans and colorful fish.

Tortola

Whether you are staying on island, passing through or coming ashore from a cruise ship, Tortola is the primary starting point for day trips to the region’s premier snorkeling destinations. The most popular is a group of rock formations known as the Indians, which lie a half hour boat ride across the Drake Channel from Tortola. The submerged portions of these jagged pinnacles are riddled by swim-through passages and covered in colorful corals and sea fans. Fish are plentiful, but so too are snorkelers, so the best times to avoid the crowds are either morning or later in the afternoon. Some operators will add a second stop to an Indians itinerary by moving on to the coast of Norman Island, where a west-facing cliff is cut by a trio of sea caves. There’s a fish-filled reef just off shore, but the main event is a chance to fin into these shadowy passages, where legend has it that the pirate Bluebeard once hid his treasure.

BVI Indians Snorkeling

The rock formation known as the Indians is the most popular snorkeling destination in the British Virgins. It offers both dramatic drop offs and shallows filled with waving sea fans. Photo: iStock

Day trips also depart Tortola for the wreck of the RMS Rhone. The remains of this famous shipwreck lie scattered along a seafloor slope off Salt Island, at depths ranging from 20 to 80 feet. This site is a favorite with scuba divers, but snorkels can also enjoy the view from the surface, as details such as the hull, props and massive boiler tanks are clearly visible through the clear water.

BVI Rhone Wreck

The wreck of the RMS Rhone is popular with scuba divers, but snorkelers can also view the scattered remains from the surface, as water clarity is usually quite good. Photo: Kelli Dickinson/iStock

Another popular excursion that launches from the west end of Tortola is a trip to Jost Van Dyke, and the picture-perfect site known as Sandy Spit. On this miniature island, a deserted beach provides an idyllic backdrop for explorations of the nearby fringing reef. Boat tours to Jost Van Dyke may also stop at two additional small islands—Green Cay and Sandy Cay— or include a dip in the tidal pool on Jost Van Dyke, where waves create a natural bubble bath within the enclosed rock-lined basin.

On Tortola itself, there are two sites worthy of mention. The shallow waters of Smugglers Cove are ideal for young and novice snorkelers, as conditions are benign and the waters hold a colorful array of tropical fish. Nearby Brewer’s Bay delivers a more varied underwater landscape, with a sea floor cut by small canyons and ledges decorated by a wide range of corals. Here, snorkelers stand a good chance of seeing turtles, stingrays and lobster.

Virgin Gorda

With house-sized boulders piled on bone-white sands, The Baths is one of the world’s most scenic beaches. This site is a must-do for anyone visiting the island of Virgin Gorda, and it’s worth bringing the snorkel gear. Fish life and coral growth are sparse in the flooded grottoes created by the giant rock formations, but the interplay of light and shadow can be stunning. If ambition strikes, you can continue snorkeling along the rocky coastline south to Devil’s Bay. Boat tours to The Baths often make a secondary stop at a nearby site known as the Aquarium. Here, submerged rock formations are covered by a thicker coating of corals and sponges than at The Baths, and fish life is more abundant and varied.

BVI The Baths Snorkeling

On the southern end of Virgin Gorda, giant boulders are piled in the shallows and on the beach, creating a series of swim-throughs and grottoes known as The Baths. Photo: Gary Blakeley/iStock

From the harbor at Spanish Town, snorkel trips launch to the small group of uninhabited islands known as the Dogs. On Great Dog, a reef parallels the island’s lee shore, dropping dramatically from depths of 10 to 60 feet, with plenty of ledges, overhangs, and tunnels to explore. Resorts in the Leverick Bay area on the island’s north coast have access to an extensive reef system that extends east and north from the Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba Rock. Signature named sites include Eustatia Reef, Oil Nut Bay, Necker Island, Cactus Point, and Mosquito Island, but don’t get hung up in the titles. This entire area is filled with rich coral growth and abundant fish life, and most anywhere you roll overboard you are likely to discover something memorable. The truly adventurous can sign up for an all-day cruising adventure to remote Anegada Island, where the beach at Loblolly Bay overlooks a maze of coral heads and a barrier reef that stretches for miles, hiding the remains of several hundred unfortunate ships that came to grief here.

BVI Anegada

The beach at Anegada’s Loblolly Bay overlooks an expansive barrier reef riddled with coral heads and underwater ledges that provide hours of snorkeling adventure. Photo: Christian Wheatley/iStock

Charter Boat

The British Virgins are home to the world’s largest fleet of charter sailboats. Experienced crews can go it alone, while others can set sail with a captain and crew. Either way, a charter vacation unlocks a wealth of additional snorkel sites, with access as easy as stepping off the transom. In addition to the Caves, crews stopping at the popular Bight anchorage on Norman Island can come ashore at Pirate’s Bar and take a short walk down the beach to visit a lively reef on the southern side of the bay. For an added dose of excitement, this site can be visited at night, when underwater dive lights will attract large, silver-sided tarpon. A short sail from the Bight brings you to Peter Island and the pristine reef at secluded Buttonwood Bay, where you can spend a relaxed afternoon away from the crowds.

BVI Coral

Many reefs in the British Virgins are covered in luxuriant arrays of soft corals and sponges. Popular snorkeling sites are protected with mooring buoys that help prevent anchor damage. Photo: iStock

Along the string of small islands leading eastward to Virgin Gorda are several more sites worth a mention. The channel between Salt and Cooper Islands is particularly rich in fish life, especially around Vanishing Rock, a coral-encrusted outcropping that is exposed only at low tide. A stopover at the beach club at quiet Cooper Island puts you within an easy dinghy ride of Cistern Point and Little Carvel Rock, while adjacent Ginger Island offers the richly overgrown coral slopes of Alice’s Backside. If your route takes you to the north side of Tortola, a site that should not be missed is Guana Island’s Monkey Point, where you will be enveloped in swirling schools of blue-striped grunt and yellowtail snapper. In calm weather, you can also visit Coral Gardens on nearby Camanoe Island. Here, parrotfish, snapper and barracuda patrol an expansive field of sea fans and brain corals, while shy garden eels and jawfish peek cautiously from their seafloor burrows.

BVI Hogfish

A young hogfish on a shallow reef. Because fishing is not allowed within the waters of the British Virgin Islands’ marine parks, marine life on these sites often show no fear of humans. Photo: iStock

 

BVI Sandy Spit
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Snap Shots: Sandy Spit, British Virgin Islands

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It’s the classic deserted island. A single patch of greenery and a swatch of ivory-white sand surrounded by clear tropical waters. Chances are you’ve seen it before, either in the pages of a travel magazine, as the backdrop for an advertising campaign, or featured in a video by country/Caribbean crooner Kenny Chesney.

This diminutive dollop of dry land lies just east of the island of Jost Van Dyke, and is the smallest of a trio of uninhabited islands that also includes Sandy Cay and Green Cay. These are favorite stopovers for sailors aboard private or chartered yachts, and several tour operators will also ferry you there from St. Thomas or Tortola for an afternoon of snorkeling, sunning and beach walks.

Caribbean Hammock
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cozumel, Mexico, Nevis, Stay, Trip Ideas

Six Caribbean Resorts Where Irresistible Hammocks Await

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The word comes to us from the Taino people: amaca. These woven strands evolved from fishing nets into chairs, beds and carry sacks. Sailors slung them in the holds of their trading vessels and jungle explorers carried them in lieu of bedding. Today, hammocks evoke relaxation and provide a perfect place to rest or nod off for an afternoon nap as a sea breeze tempers the heat of the day. Whether suspended over lush green grass, beachfront or just outside your private palapa, a hammock is always a welcome site when you arrive at a Caribbean resort.

Jost Van Dyke Foxys, biggest parties in the caribbean
Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Central America, Honduras, Play, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Biggest Parties in the Caribbean

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Some say that just being in the Caribbean is a cause for celebration. True, but there are also times when crowds come together to escalate the revelry and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Here are seven of our favorite Caribbean parties. Mark your calendar.

New Year’s Eve at Foxy’s Bar on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

It’s the Caribbean’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Jost Van Dyke is a ferry ride away from Tortola, St. Thomas or St. John—sorry, there’s no airport or helipad, and no large hotels. The rest of the year, the island is sleepy, but for what Foxy’s calls Old Year’s Night. The limited supply of villas and beachfront campsites start to book up the preceding summer, and the anchorages fill up days in advance. For many, the play is to stay up and greet the dawn, then catch a morning ferry out. As for the party itself, it’s an all-night rager, fueled by painkiller cocktails and live reggae.

Carnival on Trinidad

Locals start hand-sewing their feathered and beaded costumes a year in advance. The two-day event takes place on the Monday and Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday and is preceded by days of elaborate pre-parties known as fetes. The energy is infectious thanks to nonstop soca music (think calypso, but faster). Anyone willing to flaunt their stuff can join the parade by signing up with a band and purchasing a costume, which can run from $250 on up. In a nod to the digital age, fete tickets, costume orders and band registration can even be made online.

Sunjam on Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

It’s one night only of all-night dancing, light shows and electronica music, held the first weekend of August. Started in 1996 as a free party organized by former island resident and house DJ Alun Gordon, the festival now draws around 1,500 die-hard fans, who must first make their way to the Honduran island of Utila by plane or ferry. The party is actually on the satellite island of Water Cay (uninhabited and ideal for camping the rest of the year), and local fishermen provide transport. The crowd is mainly twenty-somethings and the vibe backpacker, but all are welcome.

St. Patrick’s Day on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Seven flags have flown over St. Croix—none Irish—but that doesn’t mean the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in downtown Christiansted are anything short of epic. Most locals take the day off work; quite a few start the morning with Irish car bomb shooters. Pacing matters. The streets are shut for the parade that starts midday, followed by an outdoor after-party with live music sponsored by the Fort Christian Brew Pub.

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Four days, four nights and more than 200 boats from 32 countries. It adds up to the Caribbean’s largest regatta, held annually in early March since 1980. Bring your own boat, charter one or grab a slot on a pick-up crew. Otherwise, watch from a beach or spectator vessel. The finish line is just the beginning, as Apres Sail parties become warm- ups for nightly concerts that feature big-name artists and draw huge crowds to match. Past performers include Wyclef Jean, Shaggy and The Black Eyed Peas.

Junkanoo on Nassau, Bahamas

Junkanoo, a loud and lively street parade, happens throughout the Bahamas—and beyond in places like Key West, Florida—on Boxing Day (December 26) and again on New Year’s Day. The biggest celebration is on Nassau, where troops costumed in intricate crepe-paper creations compete for top honors as they move down Bay Street to the incessant rhythm of cowbells, goat-skinned goombay drums, whistles and brass. The action, known as a rush-out, gets started around 2 a.m. and continues on into midmorning. The crowd gets in on the action, and spectators soon become revelers.

Full Moon Parties at Bomba’s Shack on Tortola, British Virgin Islands

The mushroom tea isn’t as potent as it used to be, but that’s good—it’s easier to locate your dinghy come night’s end. The full moon parties at Bomba’s Shack, found on Cappoons Bay on Tortola, have a history dating back decades, explaining why sizable crowds appear every month for the live music. The place has a street-party feel thanks to a flow of revelers who spill from the beach and open-air bar to the grass on the other side of the dirt road where the stage stands. The average partygoer is mid-30s to 40s, and likely to come off a boat. These folks tend to party hard, and the rowdiness lasts well into the wee hours.

Snorkeling Destinations
Bahamas, Bahamas-Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas-New Providence, Bahamas-Out Islands, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Plan, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

See the Sea: 5 Prime Caribbean Snorkeling Destinations

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It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when drifting weightless over a living coral reef, engulfed in a cloud of colorful tropical fish and forests of sun-dappled sea fans. For some, it brings total relaxation. Others find it thrilling. Either way, a good snorkel adventure is all about one thing: location. Simply swimming out from a resort beach may yield nothing but a vast expanse of sand desert. But if you pick the right spot to don mask and fins, you can enjoy calm seas, rich sea life and easy access from boat or beach. To help you find your own underwater nirvana, we’ve rounded up some of the best and most easily-accessed tropical snorkel sites in the upper Caribbean and provided some recommendations on where to stay once you resurface.

Bahamas

Pelican Cays Land & Sea Park on the Bahamian island of Great Abaco.

Exploring the shallows in the Pelican Cays Land & Sea Park on the Bahamian island of Great Abaco. Photo: Walt Stearns

The 700-plus islands and rocky outcroppings of the Bahamas offer innumerable snorkeling opportunities. Some require small aircraft transfers, and many more can be reached only by liveaboard dive charters or private boats. The primary resort islands—Grand Bahama and New Providence—offer numerous guided encounters that include everything from family-friendly fish-watching excursions to adrenal-packed shark feeds. Visitors who range into the Out Islands can often find an interesting patch of coral by simply wading out from the beach, and a bit more swimming may bring them to a fringing reef on the edge of blue water. One of the best places to enjoy snorkeling freedom is on the northern end of less-visited Andros Island, with a stay at Small Hope Bay Lodge. The family-owned property has been a favorite of fishermen, divers and solitude seekers for more than 50 years, but its amenities have kept up with the times. The resort offers both guided and DIY snorkel adventures, including trips to the fascinating blue holes that dot the island’s wooded interior. 

Belize

Belize, Ambergris Caye reef

A lone French angelfish patrols a shallow reef in the waters near Ambergris Caye, Belize. Photo: Dennis Sabo/iStock

The green jungles and coastal swamps of Belize are flanked by the Western Hemisphere’s longest barrier reef. A number of low lying islands—known locally as cayes—punctuate these reefs, some of which are home to thatch-roofed eco huts offering a true out-island experience. If the Robinson Crusoe lifestyle isn’t for you, Ambergris Caye is your destination. Though no longer the sleepy fishing village it once was, Ambergris still manages to exude a small-town vibe, but with a first-class collection of beachfront resorts tossed into the mix. Finding a snorkel site can be as easy as finning out from the sand to one of the numerous patch reefs. A guide is usually needed for visits to signature sites such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, where regular feedings have attracted a resident population of gregarious rays and nurse sharks—relax, they won’t bite. When weather permits, the more adventurous can sign up for an all-day offshore excursion to Lighthouse Reef, home to the famous Blue Hole and the stellar shallow reefs of Half Moon Caye. Accommodations on Ambergris range from idyllic beachfront suites at low-key properties such as X’tah Ha to upscale resorts such as Coco Beach Resort or the fully-cloistered luxury retreat Matachica Resort & Spa, which are a boat ride away from the downtown. 

British Virgin Islands

BVI, snorkeling the baths

The Baths on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands provide a dramatic backdrop for snorkelers. Photo: Christian Wheatley/iStock

This group of islands has a number of sites where one could don mask and snorkel and explore the coral-encrusted rocks along the shores of the British Virgins, but most require a boat for access. This proves ideal for those who charter in this sailor’s paradise; land-based vacationers can book a trip through dive shops or tour companies scattered across the major islands. Perennial favorite destinations include the Indians, near Norman Island, and the Baths, Dogs and Prickly Pear Island on Virgin Gorda. For the best self-guided, wade-in snorkeling experience, travelers will have to make their way to the somewhat remote island of Anegada. In contrast to its mountainous green siblings to the south, Anegada is a low-lying coral isle covered in scrub, but blessed with one of the region’s finest beaches, Loblolly Bay. There, you can establish a beachhead at the Big Bamboo beach club before swimming out to discover Horseshoe Reef, home to an enchanting world of coral grottoes and shallow reefs. The Bamboo has cottages for rent in case you linger too long at the open-air bar and loose ambition. If the remote and somewhat rustic isn’t for you, day trips to Anegada can be staged from Virgin Gorda, where you can enjoy a more civilized stay at Little Dix Bay. 

Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman's Stingray City, tropical snorkeling destinations

At Grand Cayman’s Stingray City, resident southern stingrays are conditioned to human interaction. Photo: Walt Stearns

Popular west-end snorkel sites such as Eden Rock and the Cali Wreck are best visited when the cruise ships aren’t in town, lest you find yourself awash in a sea of day-trippers. There’s no avoiding the crowds at much-publicized Stingray City, but it remains a must-do. If possible, book your boat ride with a smaller operator who doesn’t cater to the cruise ships; try to arrive at a slack or incoming tide for best water clarity. To find snorkeling solitude, head for Rum Point, where you can fin out from the palm-shaded beach for a self-guided tour of the north shore’s shallow fringing reefs. To escape the bustle of Seven Mile Beach, stay at the adjacent Retreat at Rum Point.

St. Croix

USVI, St. Croix snorkeling

The coral reefs of St. Croix’s Buck Island Reef National Monument provide guided snorkel trails. Photo: U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism

A snorkel trip to Buck Island is an almost mandatory aquatic pilgrimage for visitors to St. Croix. It’s been more than 50 years since this uninhabited island and its surrounding reefs were granted protective status as a national monument. The reefs have held up well to the ongoing stream of human traffic, thanks in part to the marked underwater snorkel trails that guide swimmers through the coral mazes. But Buck Island is far from the island’s only noteworthy snorkel venue. A short swim from any of several beaches along the island’s northeastern shore will lead to less-visited shallow reefs, and there are several waterfront resorts that sit just inshore of great snorkeling. East of Christiansted, the Tamarind Reef Resort offers upscale amenities and a beach that’s just a short swim away from an excellent and well-protected shallow reef that teems with fish life. Other properties within easily reach and lively reefs include The Buccaneer on Mermaid Beach, and, well to the west, the more secluded environs of The Palms at Pelican Cove.