Exploring St Thomas Snorkeling Beaches
Saint Thomas US Virgin Island is known for its snorkeling and beaches. With so many small Islands around it including Buck Island it is a great underwater experience.
The small Island of Saint Thomas is also known for its Pirates. A must see is the 1679 watchtower called blackbeards Castle.
Saint Thomas is by far one of my favourite Islands to visit. And here are some things you will find when you visit.
Places to Snorkel or Dive in St Thomas
Saint Thomas is a wonderful island with a tropical feel and beautiful snorkeling beaches. What many people don’t know about the island is that there are some really great places to go snorkeling and diving! Here is a list of the best locations for snorkeling in Saint Thomas given
Buck Island
Not a far boat ride from Saint Thomas, is Buck Island. It is a great place for snorkeling and i would keep going back. This is also a perfect place to dive on a shipwreck. You should know there is a barracuda that lives near the wreck. Although it is not aggressive it is still a barracuda. This Island is also well known for the green turtle and I loved swimming with them. It is also a bird sanctuary so while you are taking a rest on your boat have a look around.
Trunk Bay St John
Another place is a short boat ride to St Johns Trunk Bay. With amazing colorful coral and an array of fish all over, it makes it the snorkelers dream. It is not rough here so even pretty easy for beginners. The water is not deep than 16 feet. So you can easily enjoy your snorkeling in Trunk bay around a small cay which is approximately 30 yards away from the beach shore.
Coki Beach
Coki beach is another perfect area to spend your time in Saint Thomas. This is one of the more popular places for snorkeling in Saint Thomas. With popularity come busy with lots of people.
When you get there make your way out the the rocks on the right side. And the snorkeling here is quite easy for all ages especially for beginners and people with minimal snorkeling skills. Here you will find so many types of fish because they have been fed by tourists for years.
Secret Harbour Beach
Are you like me and love to swim around stunning coral? Secret Harbour in Saint Thomas is a great place for that. This spot has access from the beach. And its equally favorite among residents and visitors for swimming and snorkeling. Head out just past the docks, beware of boats and the current, to where you will find two reefs.
Brewers Bay
So I mentioned before at Buck Island you can see turtles. Well Brewers Bay is another amazing place, once again from the beach, where you can see them again. Your not going to find much reef here but who cares when you can get to visual fill of turtles while snorkeling and diving in deep waters.
Sapphire Beach
Once again a very popular place, especially for cruisers. Sapphire Beach has 3 places from the amazing white sands for you to venture to. To the left, right and straight down the middle. You will find 3 large areas to see fish and reef. And even though there are a lot of people that come here, there is so much grounds that it doesn’t feel overcrowded.
Places to Eat in St Thomas
This was my favorite place to eat. Not only was the food great, the view was stunning and it was close to the ship. This is Fat Turtle, a beautiful restaurant in the bay. It is an amazing place to enjoy a glass of wine and a stunning sunset.
Shopping and Souvenirs
Havensight Mall
Havensight Mall is right at the cruise port but it is for everyone not just cruisers. You can find huge deals on jewelry and electronics, probably the best in the Caribbean. If you are like me and love surf gear head to Caribbean Surf. Pay attention to prices in the mall as some are great and others you can lose out.
Mountain Top and Paradise Point
Two other lovely places for souvenirs but also getting a great view is the Mountain Top and Paradise Point. Both have a fun ride up to and also have a restaurant for a quick bite.
Overall review
I very much enjoyed Saint Thomas. Safety is very important in the tourist areas and hagglers are few. As with any place petty crime such a theft is here but not common as they rely very much on tourism.