Help me out again...going back to St Thomas

Once again, we are going back to St Thomas in a month and a half. Need some place new to go to this time around.

Have been to Sapphire, Paradise Point, Coki and just returned from Linquist. Find us another beach. I love to snorkel, but that's not a "must". Just some place beautiful. :D

Another factor...we are only in port from 7-2pm. :(

...and.....go

As a former St T resident & fellow Buckeye,I can say you've already hit my favorite beaches. I was going to suggest that you head to St John, until I saw your port time, so here are some on island suggestions

Secret Harbor is nice & there is some snorkeling

http://www.secretharbourvi.com/hotel/

If you haven't been to Magen's yet, your early port time might mean this is the perfect trip to beat the crowds. Not good for snorkeling.

Hull Bay is just past Magens has snorkeling & the coolest beach bar on the island. http://www.hullbayhideaway.com/

Have fun

As a former St T resident & fellow Buckeye,I can say you've already hit my favorite beaches. I was going to suggest that you head to St John, until I saw your port time, so here are some on island suggestions

Secret Harbor is nice & there is some snorkeling

http://www.secretharbourvi.com/hotel/

 

If you haven't been to Magen's yet, your early port time might mean this is the perfect trip to beat the crowds. Not good for snorkeling.

 

Hull Bay is just past Magens has snorkeling & the coolest beach bar on the island. http://www.hullbayhideaway.com/

 

Have fun

So wait, let me get this straight...you lived in St Thomas and now are a Buckeye??? :eek: Did you hit your head on a rock snorkeling or something? :D Never ever would I end up here if I lived in St Thomas. :p

But anyhow...I will check out Secret Harbor. How is the water? Calm or not so calm?

Looking at Hull Bay, I'm seeing a lot of pictures and things saying that they surf there and the waves are pretty rapid. We will have some children with us, so not ideal for us if so.

I was thinking about Magens as well since I have never really had a desire to go there because it's the "touristy" thing to do and will be crowded plus no snorkeling (which we can deal with). But with such a short period of time here...it may be what we end up doing.

Is there any water sports here at Megens? Maybe parasailing? What's the best way to get to Megens? Just grab a cab at the port? How much?

Secret Harbor is a great recommendation. Lots of families with kids stay there. Calm water and good snorkeling because the area is a protected reserve.

Magens is popular with locals as well as tourists. No motorerized vessels at Magens or any protected areas. Kayaks and standup paddleboards at both Magens and Secret Harbor.

I would not recommend Hull Bay for a cruiser. Taxis most likely not willing to go there. Also, water can be rough.

The best way to get anywhere on St Thomas for a cruiser is taxi from the port. Taxi to Magens $8 per person each way. Taxi to Secret Harbor $10 per person each way if docking at Havensight.

Secret Harbor is a great recommendation. Lots of families with kids stay there. Calm water and good snorkeling because the area is a protected reserve.

 

Magens is popular with locals as well as tourists. No motorerized vessels at Magens or any protected areas. Kayaks and standup paddleboards at both Magens and Secret Harbor.

 

I would not recommend Hull Bay for a cruiser. Taxis most likely not willing to go there. Also, water can be rough.

 

The best way to get anywhere on St Thomas for a cruiser is taxi from the port. Taxi to Magens $8 per person each way. Taxi to Secret Harbor $10 per person each way if docking at Havensight.

Is Secret Harbor a resort property that you just buy a package to for the day? Or just a beach you can just walk on to and stay for the day? About how far from the port is it? Remember, we are only in port from 7-2pm :(

Secret Harbor is a resort but no day passes. You rent chairs and snorkel equipment separately from the dive shop if you want. All beaches in VI are free to the public.

St Thomas is not a big island so nothing is considered far by stateside standards. Secret Harbor is about as far as Sapphire but on the other side of the island. If you want closer beaches (you didn't ask for closest, though) Emerald or Morningstar. Emerald is prettier thsn Morningstar and has calmer water. It's not considered a snorkeling beach but the beach has attracted turtles.

Secret Harbor is a resort but no day passes. You rent chairs and snorkel equipment separately from the dive shop if you want. All beaches in VI are free to the public.

 

St Thomas is not a big island so nothing is considered far by stateside standards. Secret Harbor is about as far as Sapphire but on the other side of the island. If you want closer beaches (you didn't ask for closest, though) Emerald or Morningstar. Emerald is prettier thsn Morningstar and has calmer water. It's not considered a snorkeling beach but the beach has attracted turtles.

The thing that worries me about Secret Harbor is all the of the people saying that they run out of chairs quickly there, or you have to rent them from a dive shop and they are in full sun and the shade areas is the area for the hotel guests and so on. Although I love the sun, I'm not sure everyone in my party would enjoy that. I love the beaches with some natural shade when possible. We are going to be in port with 3 ships...one includes the Oasis :eek:. Is there any problem getting a return taxi from here? I had read that they don't usually come here or hang out but I would assume someone at the rental shop could call someone?

I'm not sure what you mean when you say Secret Harbor in as far as Sapphire but on the other side of the island? :confused: When I look it up on a map, it looks like it's in the same direction.

Any thoughts about Bolongo?

Your ship gets in early so you shouldn't have to worry about not getting chairs or a spot in the shade.

From Havensight the taxi driver may take route 30 to Secret Harbor instead of the road by Sapphire.

During the day there's no problem getting a taxi back to ship. There may not be one waiting, but either the resort or the dive shop can call you one. The resort is the better place from which to call.

Bolongo is rocky with little shade and I don't know if they rent chairs.

Emerald will get crowded with the Oasis in, but if you go down to the "local" section, that area doesn't get crowded. Nice shade tree in that section. Not sure if they will let the chairs go that far, though.

I would agree with the Secret Harbor recommendation--lovely beach with a nice beach bar that serves food. It opened at 8am when we were there last.

So it looks like everyone is recommending Secret Harbor. I will run this by the rest of the family and see what their thoughts are. I will have them pick either Secret Harbor or Magens (only because of the time frame we are there).

How long does it take to get to either SH or Magens?

What is the cost for a taxi to either?

How much to get into Magens? Is there chair rental and if so, what is the cost?

Anything else anyone can think of I might need to know (price-wise), please feel free to throw that in.

Anyone have any idea if this dive shop also offers scuba classes for young children (my daughter is 8)? She just completed her PAID Seal training and has done 1 aquamission here at home. She will be missing her next aquamission next month because we will be away on the cruise. I found out that COKI beach offers this class/experience and she could do a dive there with them (she was so excited to learn this). But I don't see where they offer it to children at this particular dive place.

Anyone know or have seen children doing dives there? (I did email them and hopefully I will get a response). I like the idea that everyone has sad this area is very calm and protected and that would be perfect for her first experience in the ocean.

Aqua Action, the dive shop at Secret Harbor, offers a summer water program for kids called Tiny Bubbles. The description was on their website at one point. I think they're the only dive shop with any kind of kids' water program.

Like Coki and Sapphire, a taxi to SH is $10pp each way and 20 - 25 minutes from Havensight. I've also read that you can reserve lounges and umbrellas ahead of time through their site (their email address is on the aadivers site) if concerned about not getting there early but check on their cancellation policy.

They will be happy to show you any avauilable condos that are for sale if you are interested. But if you do go to SH I will be curious to read what you thought of the overall beach experience as compared to Sapphire!

Mitsugirly--you post quite a bit and I saw this note of yours:

"We are going to be in port with 3 ships...one includes the Oasis :eek:."

I have forgotten how to find out how you know which ships are in harbor on any given day. Would you please share that information? I am cruising shortly in the Caribbean, also spending one day in St. Thomas.

Thank you!

Mitsugirly--you post quite a bit and I saw this note of yours:

 

"We are going to be in port with 3 ships...one includes the Oasis :eek:."

 

I have forgotten how to find out how you know which ships are in harbor on any given day. Would you please share that information? I am cruising shortly in the Caribbean' date=' also spending one day in St. Thomas.

 

Thank you![/quote']There are several sites out there that you can get this information from: HERE and HERE are 2 sites I use.

Aqua Action, the dive shop at Secret Harbor, offers a summer water program for kids called Tiny Bubbles. The description was on their website at one point. I think they're the only dive shop with any kind of kids' water program.

I did end up contacting them and they were willing to do a bubble makers class for my daughter and we could join in on a discover scuba class as well. However, they want $90 pp (adult or child) and Coki has a wonderful program for much less and seems to come highly recommended by others and on other review sites. I think we are just going to head back to Coki this time around to do the scuba dives and then next time we are in port we'll try SH. :)

Mitsugirly--you post quite a bit and I saw this note of yours:

 

"We are going to be in port with 3 ships...one includes the Oasis :eek:."

 

I have forgotten how to find out how you know which ships are in harbor on any given day. Would you please share that information? I am cruising shortly in the Caribbean' date=' also spending one day in St. Thomas.

 

Thank you![/quote']

 

As mentioned http://www.cruisett.com is pretty accurate although schedules can and do change. Just select either your ship, or the port you are interested in and the dates.

Vinow dot com has a cruise ship schedule for St Thomas specifically that also shows where you will be docked.

 

This map is helpful for STT -

http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/st-thomas/maps/st-thomas-island-road-map.html