The Best Snorkeling on St. John, US Virgin Islands: A Complete Guide
Snorkeling is a must-do activity on any trip to the Caribbean, and St. John in the US Virgin Islands is no different! You can find a wide range of snorkeling on your trip to St. John whether you prefer to go on a group tour, a private charter, or even just snorkeling right off the beach, you’ll definitely find some perfect snorkel spots in St. John!
In this blog, I’ll go over my top 2 favorite beaches for snorkeling on St. John, along with sharing some of the best snorkel tours to take when visiting the island. St. John is only a 15-minute ferry ride from St. Thomas so even if you’re only visiting St. John for a day, you’ll still be able to fit a few of these snorkel activities into your itinerary!
St. John is the smallest of the 3 major US Virgin Islands. Although small, the island is full of adventure with two-thirds of the island being made up by the Virgin Islands National Park! Virgin Islands National Park covers 5,500 acres of St. John. This makes St. John the perfect island for outdoor and adventure travel lovers!
As always, it is important to remember to respect the nature and wildlife when snorkeling in St. John, but even more important here as all of the beaches are part of Virgin Islands National Park and are protected areas and this island is considered to be more “untouched” compared to other islands you may be used to visiting in the Caribbean!
An Overview of St. John
Before we dive into all the best snorkeling on St. John, lets go over everything you need to know before you visit this unique Caribbean island!
When is the best time to visit St. John?
December through April is considered the high season in St. John and the rest of the Virgin Islands. During this time, you will get the best weather with cooler temperatures around 80 degrees during the day. Unfortunately, nice weather also brings larger crowds and higher prices. This is also the best time for snorkeling on St. John!
June through November is the Caribbean Hurricane season so it is best to avoid the islands during these months. If you’re willing to risk the weather, you might be able to score some good deals on flights and hotels during this time.
Where is the best place to stay in St. John?
The most popular hotel to stay at on St. John is The Westin St. John Resort. This is a luxury resort on St. John so it is on the pricier side however, most accommodations on St. John do tend to be more expensive, especially in the high season!
My favorite way to book luxury hotels for less is through credit card points! My favorite credit cards for booking hotels are the Chase Sapphire and Capital One Venture cards!
If you’re looking for a more affordable option for places to stay on St. John, Cinnamon Bay is a popular beach on the island that is also a campground! They have cabins available for rent here at a more affordable cost.
Do I need to rent a car while visiting St. John?
This depends on the type of trip you want to but personally I would say yes! There are taxi’s widely available on St. John that run daily to the most popular and busy beaches on the island. The cost of taxi’s can start to add up and if you want to explore at your own pace, it is probably best to rent a car. If you want to explore all the best snorkeling on St. John it is probably best to rent a car since taxi’s do not go to the off the beaten path areas!
If you do decide to rent a car, you can pick it up at the St. Thomas airport and then take the car ferry over from St. Thomas to St. John! The car ferry runs daily from Red Hook in St. Thomas to Cruz Bay in St. John and cost $65 round trip per car.
Do I need to bring my own snorkel gear?
Again, it depends! If you’re taking a snorkel tour, they will have snorkel gear you can use on the boat. A lot of the popular beaches that have amenities will also have snorkel gear available for rent at the visitor center.
For me personally, I never travel to a beach destination without my own snorkel gear! I usually borrow fins from the tour company when taking a tour but always prefer to have my own mask and snorkel.
THIS snorkel set from Amazon is my favorite and the one I always have in my suitcase!
Now, lets talk about the best snorkeling in St. John!
Best beaches for snorkeling on St. John
If you are looking to snorkel right off the beach in St. John instead of going out on a group tour, there are two main beaches that I would recommend. There are tons of beaches on St. John and you’re sure to have a great time snorkeling on all of them, however these are the top two that I would recommend to give you the best snorkeling experience at your own pace!
1. Trunk Bay
The absolute best beach and snorkeling spot on St. John is going to be Trunk Bay! This is a stunning beach with views of the Virgin Islands and has crystal clear blue waters.
Trunk Bay was rated the number one beach in the world for 2023 and with good reason! The beach is long with room to spread out but does get very crowded due to its popularity. There is a $5 entrance fee to enter the beach.
I recommend coming early to Trunk Bay because parking in the parking lot is limited and fills up quickly around 8 AM, especially if you are visiting during the high season.
Trunk Bay has great amenities available such as a gift shop, coffee, bar, and restaurant. There are also beach chairs and snorkel gear available for rent.
The most unique thing about Trunk Bay that makes it the best St. John snorkel spot is that there is an underwater snorkeling trail! The trail is 650 feet long and is marked with underwater signs that teach all about the coral and marine life at Trunk Bay! The best time for snorkeling is the afternoon when the sun is high and makes the water clear.
2. Maho Bay
One of the other best St. John snorkeling spots is Maho Bay. This ended up being my personal favorite of all the bays in St. John!
Maho Bay is close to Trunk Bay, just a few minutes away by car or taxi. Maho Bay is smaller than Trunk Bay and has very limited parking. There is also a beach bar area with food and games right across the street!
I loved Maho Bay because of how lush and tropical this beach was. The view from the lookout on your way down the road to the beach is something you definitely don’t want to miss!
Maho Bay is a turtle nesting area. This makes it a popular snorkeling spot on St. John because you are likely to see some turtles here while snorkeling right off the beach! If you do come across a sea turtle make sure to keep your distance, allow them to have space, and NEVER touch the turtles! Sea turtles will not come up for air if they are being chased or have someone swimming directly over them, this is why it is important to enjoy them from a distance.
Pro-Tip: In efforts to protect the reefs and marine life on St. John, it is illegal to wear anything other than mineral-based reef reef-safe sunscreen. THIS mineral sunscreen from Sun Bum is one of my favorite reef-safe sunscreens. I also love THIS ONE from Blue Lizard!
The Best Snorkel Tours on St. John
Are you looking to book a group snorkel tour on your trip to St. John or maybe even a private boat charter? In this section of this blog, I’ll go over some of the best snorkel tours you can book on St. John! A few of my go-to websites when booking tours on my trips are Trip Advisor, GetYourGuide, and Viator!
3 Hour Kayak and Snorkel with Turtles Tour
Price: $95 per person
This 3 hour snorkel tour will take you kayaking and snorkeling through Virgin Islands National Park! This tour has a 4.9 star rating and stops at Scott Beach where you can snorkel in the crystal clear waters off the white sand beach with sea turtles and stingrays! Your guide will teach you everything you need to know about the endangered sea turtles. The tour departs from Cruz Bay on St. John.
Snorkel, Pizza, and Sunset Cruise
Price: $120 per person
This snorkel cruise is rated 4.9 stars and is a great option for anyone looking for a snorkel tour AND a sunset cruise! This tour departs from both St. Thomas and St. John. It will depart from Red Hook in St. Thomas and Cruz Bay in St. John.
The tour will first take you snorkeling around Virgin Islands National Park. After snorkeling, you will get drinks from the bar and pizza from Pizza Pi which is a floating pizza restaurant on a boat in Christmas Cove off the coast of St. Thomas! After pizza and drinks there will be a sunset dance party onboard before heading back to St. Thomas and St. John.
St. John Full Day Lime Out Snorkel
Price: $179 per person
This snorkel tour was probably my favorite part of my trip to the Virgin Islands!
The tour departs from The Westin on St. John and starts the day with a continental breakfast onboard. After breakfast, you’ll stop for snorkeling at a coral reef. After your morning snorkel you will head over to Lime Out Vi which is a floating taco bar off the coast of St. John where you can hang out on the lily pads and have some drinks and tacos.
After lunch you will do some more snorkeling before heading back to St. John. There is also and open bar onboard during this tour!
On this tour, we saw many tropical fish, a sea turtle, and some other people in our group even saw a nurse shark!
Jost Van Dyke & Soggy Dollar Snorkel Tour
Cost: $299 per person
Want to take a day trip from St John to Jost Van Dyke? This snorkel tour leaves from The Westin St. John and takes you on a day trip to see the smallest of the British Virgin Islands! If you decide to take this tour, you will need a passport to get on the boat!
The tour includes a continental breakfast on the boat, snorkeling at the coral reefs near the island, and enjoying the white sand beach near the famous Soggy Dollar Beach Bar.
After snorkeling and enjoying the beach, there is an open bar onboard to enjoy on your way back over to St. John!
St. John Pizza Pi Snorkel Sail
Cost: $149 per person
Another pizza snorkel tour! This tour departs from The Westin St. John on a luxury catamaran and you’ll then spend the day snorkeling at all the best beaches and cays on St. John.
After snorkeling pizza will be delivered to the catamaran from Pizza Pi! There’s also an open bar and snack bar on the boat to enjoy in the afternoon.
FAQ
Which St John resorts offer the best beachfront accommodations?
The Westin in St John is the best beach hotel/resort on the island. The resort offers a private beach with views of Cruz Bay. There’s also an outdoor pool and bar and grill.
What are the fun activities to do in US Virgin Islands?
Aside from snorkeling, there are tons of activities to do in the US Virgin Islands! A few of the best things to do in the US Virgin Islands include exploring the world-class beaches, hiking in the US Virgin Islands National Park, and trying a world-famous banana daiquiri in St. Thomas.
Where is the best place to snorkel in the Caribbean?
Aside from St John and St Thomas, some of my favorite places to snorkel in the Caribbean are Belize and Aruba!
What is St John USVI known for?
St. John is known for being home to the Virgin Islands National Park and Trunk Bay which was rated the number one beach in the world for 2024! It is also the smallest of the 3 main islands in the US Virgin Islands.
What to wear in St John USVI?
Pack for St. John the same way you would pack for any beach destination! Shorts, tank tops, and swimsuits are really all you need on this island! I always like to pack a few fun dresses to wear to dinners at night. Some other things that might come in handy on a trip to St. John are your snorkel gear, water shoes, hiking boots, and reef-safe sunscreen. I also highly recommend to bring bug spray and bug repellent bands especially if you are visiting Trunk Bay, this is where I got the most bug bites on my trip and will not forget it next time!
Are there sharks in St John USVI?
Yes! There are several shark species in St John and the US Virgin Islands! We even saw a nurse shark on our snorkel trip when we were snorkeling around Lovango Cay! Some other shark species you may encounter in the US Virgin Islands are Caribbean Reef Sharks, Great Hammerheads, Lemon Sharks, and Blacktip Sharks!
