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Best beach for fun/shade/chairs/snorkel??


singbluesilver1
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Which beach on St. Thomas would be best to go to for a fun day?? Banana boat rentals? Umbrellas are a must as I can’t stay in the sun long due to my medication... comfy chairs, beautiful water, beautiful beach... I would love to snorkel too

 

Advice please!! Thanks!! [emoji228]🦑[emoji227]

 

 

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Just got back from St Thomas. We took a taxi to Coki beach and the snorkelling was amazing. You can feed the fish and they eat right from your hand! There were chairs / umbrellas and restaurants with good food and music. Great day.

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Just got back from St Thomas. We took a taxi to Coki beach and the snorkelling was amazing. You can feed the fish and they eat right from your hand! There were chairs / umbrellas and restaurants with good food and music. Great day.

 

Do you remember the price of the cab to get there? How much are the chair and umbrella rental? Trying to get my money separated by port and how much I will need. Thanks

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It was 9 dollars per person each way so 18 each roundtrip. We are towel on the sand people so I can't help with the rental prices but I'd assume standard prices as its not a posh beach club or anything. There is food, ice cream, and washrooms right by the taxi drop and a fresh caught fish / lobster grill two minutes down the beach, with live music / dj. A lady was also circulating with fresh made empanadas and they were delicious. The fish food they sell at the souvenir stall is just dog milk bone biscuits but it really works at attracting groups of fish.

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If that’s the case then I feel pretty deceived. Sorry, but literally everyone we asked at the beach assured us that the biscuits do no harm to the fish, (but only the biscuits, not other random food items). When you proactively ask the locals before engaging in the activity and they all assure you it’s legit... like, why would they want to destroy their own local ecology? For two dollars? Wouldnt there be signs or government measures in place to prevent it? Literally everyone was doing it and zero measures to educate or discourage this.

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Just got back from St Thomas. We took a taxi to Coki beach and the snorkelling was amazing. You can feed the fish and they eat right from your hand! There were chairs / umbrellas and restaurants with good food and music. Great day.

 

Thank you for the latest update. My favourite beach because it is so shallow for a long way. Is it still like that after the Irma as I want to take our small grand kids in Feb.? How far out did you go for snorkelling?

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Yes, there are many fish where you can still touch, in the shallow area by the rocks. The beach does not appeared damaged by hurricane to me, other than a couple of beach huts that sustained damage. The beach itself was lovely.

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xvi

There have been a number of studies over the years of the harm feeding the fish does. I am sure you can search and find them.

The vendors at Coki all know each other and while $2 may not mean much to anyone, if you do it over and over all day every week it is meaningful to the vendor.

As far as government regulation goes, there is a lot I could say about that but lets say the government is struggling with what it is dealing with on a daily basis.

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How much for umbrellas at coki beach? I have lupus and can’t be in the sun due to my medication!!

 

 

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I am just passing on info (not first hand), as I noticed you asked twice with non reply.

 

I read that beach chairs on Sapphire Beach were $9 -- I would think they would be similar. No info on umbrellas . Sapphire has some shade trees, not sure about Coki

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Please don’t feed the fish or iguanas it is harmful to them. Many have been trying unsuccessfully to stop the sales of anything for the fish. Some people care more about making money than protecting the environment.

 

A couple of years ago, a family wanted to pull one of the iguanas from the sea grapes at Sapphire to take a picture with it. I screamed, yes screamed, "Don't do that!! You know they bite!" :eek:Yes, they bite, but I was honestly just as worried about the iguana. I do not understand why people think the fauna is there for their pleasure. :(

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Just got back from St Thomas. We took a taxi to Coki beach and the snorkelling was amazing. You can feed the fish and they eat right from your hand! There were chairs / umbrellas and restaurants with good food and music. Great day.

 

 

 

The problem with Coki beach is you won't be seen fish in their natural habitat, it is a bare beach, no corals not even rocks for fish to linger, the reason hundred of fish are there if for the handout of whatever food people bring, I rather go where fish are swimming in their natural settings but that is just me

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
The problem with Coki beach is you won't be seen fish in their natural habitat, it is a bare beach, no corals not even rocks for fish to linger, the reason hundred of fish are there if for the handout of whatever food people bring, I rather go where fish are swimming in their natural settings but that is just me

 

Where would that be on st Thomas. I want to snorkel

 

Going in April

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Following, .... we too want a great day trip with nice beach and snorkeling while in port for St. Thomas, we are visiting mid December 2018. Our ship docks at 11:30, so we are a bit worried about joining an excursion to Trunk Bay.....already half of the day is gone.

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Following, .... we too want a great day trip with nice beach and snorkeling while in port for St. Thomas, we are visiting mid December 2018. Our ship docks at 11:30, so we are a bit worried about joining an excursion to Trunk Bay.....already half of the day is gone.

If you can get a tour to St Johns (and Trunk Bay) that is going to be your best bet. Most of the decent coral around St Thomas has been severely damaged (or destroyed) by ignorant tourists/cruisers and the big storms. DW and I have our favorite spots, but they are small areas adjacent to some less popular beaches....and the coral has really suffered in recent years.

 

So where to go to snorkel? Bonaire does still have some decent snorkeling if you use a boat (such as the Woodwind) to do a drift snorkel. We know a spot off Aruba that is accessible from a beach, but it requires that you have your own equipment and the ability to swim out a few hundred yards from the beach. Curacao has a few decent snorkel spots. And then there are some of the more remote islands (and motus) in the South Pacific...some of which are amazing. And let us not forget the Great Barrier Reef (off Australia) which has some fantastic spots (but beware of sharks and some nasty jellyfish).

 

Why do I mention these other places? Because when I started going the the Caribbean in the 70s there were lots a great snorkel spots. But now, many have been destroyed by humans and major storms. Tis sad. And now, even the Great Barrier Reef is suffering damage (due to warmer waters and some creatures). It takes hundreds (and even thousands) or years for these reefs to grow...but now they are being damaged in a very short period of time (we are talking a few years). There are still some excellent snorkel/dive places around the world...but fortunately many of them are in areas difficult (and expensive) for humans to access.

 

Hank

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Me and my sis are going in March I heard that Lindquist Beach (Smith Bay Park) is very nice mostly locals. There are no vendors with food or drinks so you have to bring your own but the bath facilities are very nice. Anyone comments?

 

Yes it’s a gorgeous beach but it is a more touristy spot now, unfortunately. Consider Hull Bay for a beach with a beach bar and very few fellow cruisers and a beach bar.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hull-Bay-Hideaway/384459201575509

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Me and my sis are going in March I heard that Lindquist Beach (Smith Bay Park) is very nice mostly locals. There are no vendors with food or drinks so you have to bring your own but the bath facilities are very nice. Anyone comments?

 

We are going to Lindquist in March also. A friend of mine returned from a cruise and took the ship excursions there. Said it was one of the most beautiful beaches they ever saw. On the excursions, they had chairs, drinks, and snacks as well.

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If you can get a tour to St Johns (and Trunk Bay) that is going to be your best bet. Most of the decent coral around St Thomas has been severely damaged (or destroyed) by ignorant tourists/cruisers and the big storms. DW and I have our favorite spots, but they are small areas adjacent to some less popular beaches....and the coral has really suffered in recent years.

 

So where to go to snorkel? Bonaire does still have some decent snorkeling if you use a boat (such as the Woodwind) to do a drift snorkel. We know a spot off Aruba that is accessible from a beach, but it requires that you have your own equipment and the ability to swim out a few hundred yards from the beach. Curacao has a few decent snorkel spots. And then there are some of the more remote islands (and motus) in the South Pacific...some of which are amazing. And let us not forget the Great Barrier Reef (off Australia) which has some fantastic spots (but beware of sharks and some nasty jellyfish).

 

Why do I mention these other places? Because when I started going the the Caribbean in the 70s there were lots a great snorkel spots. But now, many have been destroyed by humans and major storms. Tis sad. And now, even the Great Barrier Reef is suffering damage (due to warmer waters and some creatures). It takes hundreds (and even thousands) or years for these reefs to grow...but now they are being damaged in a very short period of time (we are talking a few years). There are still some excellent snorkel/dive places around the world...but fortunately many of them are in areas difficult (and expensive) for humans to access.

 

Hank

 

For STJ Trunk Bay would not be recommended. You’ll want to hire a diver who will take you to one of the good snorkel spots like Waterlemon Cay or Maho and and return for you.

On STT Sapphire would be our choice - there is a coral area as well as a sea grass area where you may spot rays or turtles.

 

On some eastern Carib cruises you hit Tortola and the snorkeling off Norman and the Indians. There are some great day sails that survived.

 

The western Carib (Cozumel, Belize, etc) is a great itinerary for snorkeling and diving. ;)

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