St. John, USVI

St. John: The Caribbean's Best-Kept Secret
(That's Not So Secret Anymore)

Let me tell you about the jewel of the US Virgin Islands - St. John. At just under 20 square miles and with a population just over 4,000 people, St. John is the smallest of the 3 main islands that make up the US Virgin Islands. Some say it's the most beautiful. It is definitely the most exclusive and remote, as well as the most expensive. And you know what? After spending more time on this island than I probably should admit, I can tell you that every penny and every bit of effort it takes to get here is absolutely worth it.

What Makes St. John So Special

Here's the thing about St. John that'll blow your mind: somewhere between 60% & 75% of the island is part of the Virgin Island National Park, and therefore protected from further development. Think about that for a minute - in a region where every square inch of beachfront real estate is worth its weight in gold, most of St. John is permanently protected. That means the beaches you'll see today are essentially the same ones that greeted Columbus when he sailed through these waters over 500 years ago.

Two-thirds of the island of St. John is national park, making it a unique destination for visitors. This isn't just some marketing gimmick - it's the real deal. Virgin Islands National Park covers most of the island, and inside this protected paradise, you'll find not only the Virgin Island Coral Reef National Monument (on the South side of the island), but also some of the finest beaches in the world.

Getting There: Part of the Adventure

Since there is no airport on St John, you have to get there by boat. That might sound like a hassle, but trust me, it's actually part of the charm. There are ferry services that run out of Cruz Bay to and from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook on St Thomas (4 miles to the East), as well as the Island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands (4 miles to the North-West).

Most people fly into St. Thomas and then take the ferry from either Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook. The Red Hook ferry is more convenient if you're staying on St. John - it's a shorter ride (about 20 minutes) and runs more frequently. The Charlotte Amalie ferry takes about 45 minutes but offers spectacular views of the harbor as you depart.

Here's a pro tip from someone who's made this trip more times than I can count: if you're bringing a rental car, you'll need to take the car barge from Red Hook. It runs less frequently and costs more, but having a car on St. John opens up so many possibilities that it's usually worth it.

Trunk Bay: The Beach That Made St. John Famous

Let's talk about Trunk Bay, because this is probably why you're thinking about visiting St. John in the first place. Trunk Bay has consistently been voted one of the 10 best beaches in the world. Get this: it even has an underwater trail to follow when snorkeling along the coral reef just off shore.

I've been to a lot of beaches in my time, and Trunk Bay still takes my breath away every single time I see it. The sand is so white it almost hurts your eyes, the water is that impossible shade of turquoise that looks fake in photos, and the whole scene is framed by lush green hills that rise straight up from the shoreline.

The underwater snorkel trail is genuinely amazing - underwater plaques guide you through the coral reef ecosystem, pointing out different types of coral and fish. It's like having a marine biology class in one of the most beautiful classrooms on earth. Just remember that this is a national park, so there's an entrance fee, and it can get crowded when the cruise ships are in port at St. Thomas.

Trunk Bay on St. John, USVI photo by F H Mira used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Trunk Bay on St. John, USVI photo by Rennett Stowe used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License (CC BY 2.0)

Beyond Trunk Bay: Hidden Gems and Local Favorites

While Trunk Bay gets all the publicity (and deserves it), St. John has so many other incredible spots that most visitors never discover.

Cinnamon Bay is my personal favorite for camping and hiking. Places like Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay, both located on the island's Northern coast, offer completely different experiences. Cinnamon Bay has a more laid-back vibe, better facilities for families, and serves as the trailhead for some of the island's best hiking trails. The Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail is an easy walk through tropical forest, while the more challenging Cinnamon Bay Trail takes you up into the hills for spectacular views.

The Beach of Cinnamon Bay on St. John, USVI photo by Eric Mueller (pnoeric) used under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Maho Bay is perfect if you want to swim with sea turtles. Seriously - Maho Bay and Beach on St John is one of the most reliable places in the Caribbean to encounter these gentle giants. The sea grass beds here attract green sea turtles, and if you're quiet and respectful, you can often snorkel alongside them. It's an experience that'll stay with you forever.

Maho Bay and Beach on St John, US Virgin Islands photo by Thomas Kriese (thomas pix) used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License (CC BY 2.0)

Vie's Beach on the US Virgin Island of St. John is a bit more off the beaten path and perfect for those Instagram shots that'll make your friends back home seriously jealous. It's smaller and less crowded than the famous beaches, but the scenery is just as spectacular.

Vie's Beach on the US Virgin Island of St. John photo by Thomas Kriese (thomas pix) used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License (CC BY 2.0)

Hiking Paradise

Adventurous travelers and families alike have their choice of 20 trails to hike. The hiking on St. John is absolutely world-class, and most people have no idea. The national park maintains over 20 different trails, ranging from easy nature walks to challenging climbs that'll test your endurance.

The Reef Bay Trail is probably the most popular - it's about 2.2 miles downhill through tropical forest to a secluded beach. Hike to historic plantation sites to learn about a challenging past when sugar and enslaved labor dominated life on the island. Visit the Indigenous Taino's ancient petroglyphs. You'll pass old sugar plantation ruins and even see ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks by the island's original Taino inhabitants.

My favorite is the Ram Head Trail, which takes you to the southernmost point of St. John. It's a bit of a scramble at the end, but the views from the point are absolutely incredible - you can see all the way to St. Croix on a clear day.

The Reality Check: It's Not Cheap

Let me be completely honest with you about St. John - it is definitely the most exclusive and remote, as well as the most expensive of the Virgin Islands. Everything costs more here because everything has to be brought in by boat. Groceries, restaurants, accommodations - you're looking at premium prices across the board.

A basic villa rental that might cost $150 a night on St. Thomas could easily be $300-400 on St. John. Dinner for two at a decent restaurant will set you back $100+ without even trying. Even the beach bars charge resort prices for drinks.

But here's the thing - the experience is worth it if you can swing it. You're paying for exclusivity, pristine natural beauty, and the kind of peace and quiet that's increasingly rare in the Caribbean.

Where to Stay: From Camping to Luxury

St. John offers accommodations for every budget (well, every budget above "shoestring"). Cinnamon Bay Campground is located inside the park, as is Caneel Bay Resort on the north shore, offering options from rustic to ultra-luxury.

Cinnamon Bay Campground is the budget option and an adventure in itself. You can rent a tent or a bare site and camp right on the beach inside the national park. It's basic, but waking up to the sound of waves and having one of the world's best beaches as your front yard is pretty hard to beat.

Caneel Bay Resort is on the other end of the spectrum - one of the most exclusive resorts in the Caribbean. It was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and has been working on renovations, so check current status before booking.

Villa rentals are probably your best bet for most visitors. St. John has some of the most spectacular vacation villas in the Caribbean, many with private pools and jaw-dropping views. Yes, they're expensive, but when you split the cost among a group, it becomes more reasonable.

Island Life and Local Culture

Despite its small size, St. John has a real community feel that's missing from many Caribbean tourist destinations. Cruz Bay, the main town, is tiny but charming, with local restaurants, bars, and shops that cater to both tourists and locals.

The pace of life here is genuinely slower - partly by choice, partly by necessity. With limited infrastructure and everything arriving by boat, St. John operates on "island time" in the most authentic way possible. Don't expect fast internet, rapid service, or anything to happen quickly. That's not a bug, it's a feature.

Activities Beyond the Beach

Water-based activities include snorkeling, boating and fishing (permits are required to fish select species). The waters around St. John are perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding, and sailing. Many visitors charter boats to explore the surrounding cays and islands - the British Virgin Islands are just a short sail away.

The coral reefs here are some of the healthiest in the Caribbean, making St. John a world-class diving and snorkeling destination. Snorkel coral reefs to discover hidden marine life. The variety of marine life is incredible - everything from colorful tropical fish to rays, turtles, and even the occasional reef shark.

My Take

St. John isn't for everyone, and it doesn't pretend to be. It's not the place to go if you want duty-free shopping, casino gambling, or non-stop nightlife. What it offers is something increasingly rare in our connected world - a chance to truly disconnect and experience the Caribbean the way it used to be.

I've watched St. John change over the decades I've been visiting, and while it's definitely become more expensive and developed, the core experience remains the same. The beaches are still pristine, the hiking trails still lead to spectacular vistas, and the pace of life still forces you to slow down and appreciate what's around you.

The national park designation was the best thing that ever happened to this island. It means that no matter how popular St. John becomes, two-thirds of it will remain exactly as nature intended. In a region where overdevelopment has ruined so many beautiful places, St. John stands as proof that conservation and tourism can coexist.

The bottom line? If you can afford it and you appreciate natural beauty over artificial attractions, St. John should be at the top of your Caribbean bucket list. Just don't expect it to be cheap, easy, or fast-paced. But if you're looking for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, hiking trails that'll blow your mind, and the chance to swim with sea turtles in crystal-clear water, well... that's exactly what St. John delivers.

Oahu  *  Maui  *  "Big Island" of Hawaii  *  Kauai  *  Molokai  *  Lanai 
St Thomas  *  St John  *  St Croix  *  Key Largo  *  Key West  *  Puerto Rico  *  Guam 

© 2007 - 2025  USTropics.com - All rights reserved.