Magens Bay Transportation?

[paul5689]

If one wants to go the this beach for 3 hours or so, is it best just to secure your own cab or do an excursion?

 

Paul L

[Island Annie]

If you're wanting to go to Megan's Bay for only 3 or so hours, I'd suggest getting your own cab rather than booking an excursion.

 

Taxis are readily available at the cruise ship dock when you arrive in St. Thomas. Ask your driver for a "one-way" to Megan's Bay rate before you get in.

 

Once you've agreed on a price, hop in and enjoy the ride. It's about a 20 minute very scenic ride over the mountain to Megan's. (Don't hesitate to ask your driver to stop at one of the many scenic overlooks for a picture).

 

Once you arrive at Megan's Bay your driver will ask you for the "admittance" fee. ($2 0r $3 last time I was there). Once he pays this fee to the booth attendent he'll be allowed to enter.

 

Look to your left. there's a small unmarked building. It's the Restrooms/changing rooms where you can change into your swimsuits if you're not already wearing them. Just beyound that closer to the water is another small building. This is their Restaurant/Bar/Gift shop. The restaurant serves salads, soups, sandwhiches, pizza, etc. and has a small patio with a few tables to enjoy your lunch and/or drinks overlooking the bay.

 

The giftshop sells everything from St. T suveniors, bottled watered, sunscreen, resortwear, to local artwork. This is where you can also rent a chaise lounge chair, floating mat, or snorkle eqt.

 

Enjoy the beach for as long as you like. When you're ready to leave, walk back to the restroom/changingroom building. This is where all the taxi gather. Just tell the Taxi Director where you want to go (he tries to group people together who are going to the same destination and will hook you up with the next available car. No worries, there's always plenty of people returning to the cruise ship dock so the wait isn't too long. (still, play it safe allowing yourself plenty of time before your ships departure).

[eh2zed]

Agree you just take a taxi. Some drivers will arrange for a return trip as well and you only pay when you get back to the ship. Lots of taxis in St Thomas.

[Langley Cruisers]

The taxi fare is usually fixed - we paid (and have read others have also paid the same) $8.00 per person each way for a safari-style taxi. You'll wait a few minutes at the pier for the taxi to fill up, and then you'll be on your way. The admission to Magen's Bay is $4.00 each.

 

What we did was go early in the morning, before 9 am. We took the taxi and were swimming before 10:00 in the morning. It was absolutely beautiful. We decided not to eat there (expensive) but we did have a few drinks on the beach. We took a cab back walked around town for the rest of the day. It was one of our favorite ports and we can't wait to go back.

 

Feel free to read the many threads on Magen's Bay in this forum (just go back a few pages) - there is lots of information here.

[lle]

Does anyone know what the temp in the water would be mid August? I wonder if the early morning is to cold for the water that time of year.

[The Islander]

August is one of the hottest months of the year in terms of air temperature, along with July and September. Temperature-wise its really not a big change from other months, just a couple degrees however those months there is usually less of a breeze so you feel the couple degrees :).

 

In the summer months the water temperature is about 83 degrees.

 

--Islander