Anyone taken taxi to Secret Harbor?

[bellasdesk]

Has anyone been to Secret Harbor? Can you share what you know please? It looks just beautiful. How far is it from the port, and how much does it cost to get there? Do you have to buy an all inclusive pass to use their beach? How does it compare to Megans Bay? Thanks a million for any information!

[m steve]

It's a private resort condo with a nice beach bar and separate restaurant. No day passes but you might pay $5 for a lounger. Mostly resort guests and there several bathrooms where you can change. They expect you to eat and drink while there. Cab is $10 pp and desk will call one for your return. Allow 1 1/2 hours for return as traffic can be bad in pm.

[jackdiamond]

Also, I believe that you can no longer rent chairs.

[bellasdesk]

Originally Posted by m steve

It's a private resort condo with a nice beach bar and separate restaurant. No day passes but you might pay $5 for a lounger. Mostly resort guests and there several bathrooms where you can change. They expect you to eat and drink while there. Cab is $10 pp and desk will call one for your return. Allow 1 1/2 hours for return as traffic can be bad in pm.

m steve...Thanks for the info. So do you like Magen's better?

[m steve]

It's best enjoyed seeing it from a distance and admiring it's beauty. The actual beach is all sand, no fish and very crowded.

[laser110]

We were at Secret Harbor in June during our week on The Rock. You CAN rent chairs, when you enter the beach walk to the right past the Blue Moon Cafe and you will come to beach building with chair rental. It is something like $5 a day per chair, but you also need to leave a deposit so what ever the amount is, double it, you get your deposit back when you return the chairs.

Overall a great beach with nice snorkling and the water was cristal clear. Upon return 1 1/2 hours may seem a little too much. Traffic from the west side towards the East End ( i.e. Charlotte Amalie towards WICO) can be crowded. The VI Gov't is working on this problem by redoing the traffic patterns, but during the construction it does add alittle more time. If your coming from the East End towards the WICO or Crown Bay the traffic isn't as bad and the driver should know ways to avoid it. My sugestion is to arrange with the driver who dropped you off to pick you up. Tell him what time you need to be back at the ship and he will suggest the best time to pick up. He'll know the roads and should be able to get you back in the quickest time possible.


About Megan's Bay- A great beach, but if you have only been there while on a cruise, m steve's description is partially correct. Depending on how many ships are in, it can be crowded. We usually go the day when no ships are in, or if that isn't possible (depending on the time of year) when the least number of ships are in. The water there is clear, warm and perfect and laps up gently along the sandy beach. There are fish that do swim in close to shore and I have even heard reports of the occasional dolphin, but again the more people there, the less likely you are to see them. BTW Magen's Bay Pizza- some of the best I've ever had.

Scott

[trixie54]

Hi!
Do you recall whether the SH chair rental place was called the Aqua Action Dive Shop?
Thanx,
Robin

[laser110]

Robin,

I believe it was. But I didn't pay too much attention to the name.

Scott

[manateelover]

Originally Posted by laser110

We were at Secret Harbor in June during our week on The Rock. You CAN rent chairs, when you enter the beach walk to the right past the Blue Moon Cafe and you will come to beach building with chair rental. It is something like $5 a day per chair, but you also need to leave a deposit so what ever the amount is, double it, you get your deposit back when you return the chairs.

Overall a great beach with nice snorkling and the water was cristal clear. Upon return 1 1/2 hours may seem a little too much. Traffic from the west side towards the East End ( i.e. Charlotte Amalie towards WICO) can be crowded. The VI Gov't is working on this problem by redoing the traffic patterns, but during the construction it does add alittle more time. If your coming from the East End towards the WICO or Crown Bay the traffic isn't as bad and the driver should know ways to avoid it. My sugestion is to arrange with the driver who dropped you off to pick you up. Tell him what time you need to be back at the ship and he will suggest the best time to pick up. He'll know the roads and should be able to get you back in the quickest time possible.


About Megan's Bay- A great beach, but if you have only been there while on a cruise, m steve's description is partially correct. Depending on how many ships are in, it can be crowded. We usually go the day when no ships are in, or if that isn't possible (depending on the time of year) when the least number of ships are in. The water there is clear, warm and perfect and laps up gently along the sandy beach. There are fish that do swim in close to shore and I have even heard reports of the occasional dolphin, but again the more people there, the less likely you are to see them. BTW Magen's Bay Pizza- some of the best I've ever had.

Scott

Can you tell me a little more about Secret Harbour? We're a family who loves snorkeling-two boys ages 11 and15. How is the lunch at the restraurant? Able to eat on the beach or sit inside? Also, able to get drinks? Snorkeling-do you have to go far from shore, or is it in shallow water? If you have any pics we would love to see them. I have read water is clear and good for snorkeling. Is it sandy or a little rocky? We will dock at Havensight-how long is the ride to Secret Harbour and what about the taxi fare? Are you able to use the bathrooms at the resort? Sorry about all the ?'s. Thanks so much we appreciate your help. We are deciding between Sapphire or S.Harbour. Help us figure this out! We want to be sure there is food, bathrooms, and the beach is safe, clean, and great for snorkeling.

[laser110]

Originally Posted by manateelover

Can you tell me a little more about Secret Harbour? We're a family who loves snorkeling-two boys ages 11 and15. How is the lunch at the restraurant? Able to eat on the beach or sit inside? Also, able to get drinks? Snorkeling-do you have to go far from shore, or is it in shallow water? If you have any pics we would love to see them. I have read water is clear and good for snorkeling. Is it sandy or a little rocky? We will dock at Havensight-how long is the ride to Secret Harbour and what about the taxi fare? Are you able to use the bathrooms at the resort? Sorry about all the ?'s. Thanks so much we appreciate your help. We are deciding between Sapphire or S.Harbour. Help us figure this out! We want to be sure there is food, bathrooms, and the beach is safe, clean, and great for snorkeling.

Hi. I like both beaches, but I have of recent that things at Sapphire are not going well. When I was there in June I heard the resturant was again closed and not sure when it was going to be open. Those living on the Island may have more up to date news than I, but it seems the situation changes daily.

I'll start with the easy questions first... Unfortunately, I can't tell you how much a taxi will cost. We have a car so I've never taken a taxi there. I can tell you I was on St. Thomas for the day in Feburary 2008. We took a cruise on Caribbean Princess, docked in Crown Bay and it cost us $10 a person each way to Sapphire then. A total of $80 round trip for 4 people! Crazy, but I wasn't going to rent a car for the 8 hours we were there. I can't see it being more than that to Secret Harbor. The ride from Havensite should take you approximately 25 minutes, but this depends on how the driver goes. I know how I go, and it usually doesn't take more than that.

Is there food and bathrooms- Yes and Yes. The Blue Moon Cafe is there and they they serve a full menu of items. We were there with my in-laws. My wife and mother-in-law had a nice salad, my father-in-law and I both had a burger which was good. I don't remember the full menu but a search online may yield it. The bathrooms were separate from the hotel near the Blue Moon Cafe and were used by my wife and mother-in-law. Should have no problem using them yourself.

Secret Harbor is excellent for snorkling and has reefs to the left and right of the beach. The beach is alittle rocky when you first get in and then truns to sand. If you are snorkling and have on flippers this should be a problem. If you are just swimming, some water shows might be advised. We sat by the Blue Moon cafe, but if you go to the right when you enter the beach and move towards the Seagrape tree the beach seemed better to enter with less rocks.


Below are some pics I took while there, enjoy.

Scott

[laser110]

Couldn't attach pics to my original editted e-mail. Please see below.

Scott

[manateelover]

Originally Posted by laser110

Hi. I like both beaches, but I have of recent that things at Sapphire are not going well. When I was there in June I heard the resturant was again closed and not sure when it was going to be open. Those living on the Island may have more up to date news than I, but it seems the situation changes daily.

I'll start with the easy questions first... Unfortunately, I can't tell you how much a taxi will cost. We have a car so I've never taken a taxi there. I can tell you I was on St. Thomas for the day in Feburary 2008. We took a cruise on Caribbean Princess, docked in Crown Bay and it cost us $10 a person each way to Sapphire then. A total of $80 round trip for 4 people! Crazy, but I wasn't going to rent a car for the 8 hours we were there. I can't see it being more than that to Secret Harbor. The ride from Havensite should take you approximately 25 minutes, but this depends on how the driver goes. I know how I go, and it usually doesn't take more than that.

Is there food and bathrooms- Yes and Yes. The Blue Moon Cafe is there and they they serve a full menu of items. We were there with my in-laws. My wife and mother-in-law had a nice salad, my father-in-law and I both had a burger which was good. I don't remember the full menu but a search online may yield it. The bathrooms were separate from the hotel near the Blue Moon Cafe and were used by my wife and mother-in-law. Should have no problem using them yourself.

Secret Harbor is excellent for snorkling and has reefs to the left and right of the beach. The beach is alittle rocky when you first get in and then truns to sand. If you are snorkling and have on flippers this should be a problem. If you are just swimming, some water shows might be advised. We sat by the Blue Moon cafe, but if you go to the right when you enter the beach and move towards the Seagrape tree the beach seemed better to enter with less rocks.


Below are some pics I took while there, enjoy.

Scott

Scott-thanks so much for the great info and the pics. SH looks very nice. We want to be sure we have a place to eat-so I guess we can't really depend on Sapphire for this-I've also read some mixed reviews.
At SH the pics for the hotel-on trip advisor-look like there are some "rock free" parts to the beach to enter-looks nice and sandy. My youngest likes to hang out in the shallow sandy parts of the beach-so that is why I was concerned-when we were in Mexico he got scraped up badly in the water due to rocks-so its always a concern since he does not like to go out into the deeper water.
So when you arrive do you just go onto the beach or do you have to go inside for a "pass" or anything? Rent chairs on the beach? Was it safe to leave belongings on the beach while you ate? Is Blue Moon close enough to keep an eye on your stuff? Just asking for convenient purposes(cameras, snorkel stuff...)
Should we give ourselves about an hour to return to Havensight to be safe on the ride back? Are there taxis infront of SH to return to port? Or will a driver return if you ask for a specific time?
Thanks so much! I appreciate all your help and for sending the pics! Thanks again!

[topspot]

No pass needed, just go onto the beach. Our taxi driver asked us when we wanted to be picked up, and he returned for us. Didn't rent a chair, just sat under the trees, but I believe the chair rental is in the dive shop, which is right on the beach. There were some sandy spots, but water shoes for your youngest might be your best bet. The water was calm when we were there so your young one won't get tossed around in the surf. Try to find the sunken sailboat to the right of center as you face the water. This is where a sea turtle was "living" when we were there. Also some squid on one of the boats anchor lines. Cab fare was 10 per person, each way.

Enjoy your day.

[manateelover]

Thanks for the information!

[m steve]

We never had ant worry about leaving stuff by the loungers. Most people there are hotel guests so you don't find many day visitors. As for rocky beach entry, we usually use reef walker shoes at snorkling beaches. They make a very good planter's punch at the bar and will make it as strong as you like. Great t shirts sold there.

[laser110]

I could answer your questions, but it looks like others already have.

Scott

[rick_1955]

Can you rent snorkle equipment at Secret Harbour? How Much is it? Do the TOurs give you snorkle equipment?

[topspot]

you can rent snorkel gear at scret harbor, don't recall price. any snorkel trip i went on had equipment.

[caribbean2000]

Just back from five days at SH - booked after spending the day there off a cruise a few years ago - HIGHLY recommended! The dive center there does half-day snorkel excursions for $65 per person (not sure if they provide equipment as we have our own). A great value as it is a relatively small dive boat and they do their best to get to their destinations before the HUGE cats with 50 or more passengers arrive. There is excellent snorkeling right off the beach too - we saw the usual myriad colorful reef fish, plus turtle, and octopus, cuttlefish, a moray and even a large ray! Taxis are easy to get to get back to the ship.

[rick_1955]

Will a taxi take you right to Secret Harbour or how far do you have to walk? If he takes you in to the resort does he have to pay?