St Thomas - Beaches?

[herb]

Anyway my vote is definitely to go to Emerald beach. I'm not sure they have good snorkeling but the place is beautiful & only a 20 min walk from crown Bay or $4 pp shuttle each way from Crown Bay.

 

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/42056/2066835900103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

BEAUTIFUL PICTURE!!!! Hope to go to Emerald Beach this July :D

 

What airport is right behind the resort???

[rcacace]

BEAUTIFUL PICTURE!!!! Hope to go to Emerald Beach this July :D

 

What airport is right behind the resort???

 

It's St Thomas airport & the air traffic doesn't present any noise problems since they don't take off over the beach.

 

This is a shot of the entrance leading to the beach.

 

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/41801/2705292000103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

and a few others on the beach itself. It's worth the time & a break from "shopping". The first shot was taken nearby the water tank on the hill.

 

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/34595/2190713400103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/43748/2642804180103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/41776/2574765970103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

I've been to Crown Bay many times & never took the time to investigate Emerald beach- What a mistake. It's so close & convenient.

[herb]

It's St Thomas airport & the air traffic doesn't present any noise problems since they don't take off over the beach.

 

This is a shot of the entrance leading to the beach.

 

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/41801/2705292000103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

and a few others on the beach itself. It's worth the time & a break from "shopping". The first shot was taken nearby the water tank on the hill.

 

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/34595/2190713400103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/43748/2642804180103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/41776/2574765970103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

 

I've been to Crown Bay many times & never took the time to investigate Emerald beach- What a mistake. It's so close & convenient.

 

Thanks again... a picture is worth a thousand words.

Were you able to use any hotel facilities or did you just stay on the beach (ie. bars/restaurants etc.) Were you able to rent loungers/chairs etc? How about changing facilities?

[The Islander]

herb - at the Emerald Beach, non-hotel guests can buy drinks and food from the bar and restaurant. And you can rent chairs from them and rent a spot under a palapas umbrella if you want shade. There is also natural shade under the seagrape trees. There is a restroom. Watersports gear can be rented.

 

rcacace - The government has plans for Coki Beach including an elevated boardwalk and kiosks (for the vendors). Recently they told current vendors they had to go as of today (March 1st), the vendors and government officials were in discussions regarding whether they could stay in the area so they aren't in the way of the project but still be able to continue their businesses. Discussions were being made with landowners nearby to see about relocating the vendors temporarily while the project goes forward. Not sure what happened there. This has been in the works since around 2005 but they are making the move now, they still need to secure more money for the project which they stay will be completed in 18 months from when they start. The government needs to start the archaeological survey part of the project so that is why the vendors were told they had to leave. The survey is expected to take about 2 months. So, stay tuned to see if the beach gets a new look.

 

--Islander

[JMUMOM]

Thanks for all the info about the beaches. Our family is trying to decide if we should be dropped off in town after our 1/2 day sail (noon) or come back to the ship and then venture out again. My daughter wants a beach, so would you say that we could walk to Emerald and it would be a nice beach for a few hours before we leave on the ship at 4 pm? BIG QUESTION.....do we forgo shopping and visit Emerald and how does Emerald compare to Maegan's Bay? Thanks so much for your suggestions.

[rcacace]

Thanks for all the info about the beaches. Our family is trying to decide if we should be dropped off in town after our 1/2 day sail (noon) or come back to the ship and then venture out again. My daughter wants a beach, so would you say that we could walk to Emerald and it would be a nice beach for a few hours before we leave on the ship at 4 pm? BIG QUESTION.....do we forgo shopping and visit Emerald and how does Emerald compare to Maegan's Bay? Thanks so much for your suggestions.

 

I can't comment about shopping if that's what you're going to St Thomas for except that Crown Bay has hardly nothing compared to the downtown area or Havensight. If you want shopping then I'd suggest downtown especially since you haven see it before but if you want a nice beach then go to Emerald.

We've been there to many times & avoid the shopping altogether unless my wife has one item in mind & we just get it quickly & get to a beach or back to the ship.

Megan's bay is beautiful especially viewed from Drakes seat (top of the mountain). The beach itself is definitively a decent beach (I think is $4 pp admission fee ?) but the last time we were there I brought snorkel eqpt. & there aren't to many fish & no coral worth seeing. I don't know about the snorkeling at Emerald(???):confused: I didn't see anyone snorkeling.

Last cruise I ate lunch at the buffet after walking downtown & back & wandered over the hill to Emerald beach (20 min walk) and thought it was beautiful. My wife didn't go with me & only saw my pictures & was disappointed she didn't. I think I left for the beach at 11:30 AM & got back at 1 PM. If you're tight for time you can get a shuttle for $4 pp to Emerald, stay for a few hours & either walk back since you'll know the way or take a shuttle back.

This is the drop off point in front of the Best Western hotel by Emerald beach.

http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/44837/2894618630103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

And the shuttle wait down the street until needed. As you can see there were plenty of them just hanging around. It can't be more than a 5 minute ride back to the ship.

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/44330/2542585590103243266S600x600Q85.jpg

[JMUMOM]

Let's see if I have this right? We can walk to Emerald Beach from the ship or we can take a taxi. If we walk it would be about 20 minutes. Is it safe to do this. Our 1/2 day sail captain said he could drop us off in town (to shop) instead of at the ship and then we would find our own way back to ship. Is being dropped off in town worth it, or should we just come back to the ship?

[rcacace]

Let's see if I have this right? We can walk to Emerald Beach from the ship or we can take a taxi. If we walk it would be about 20 minutes. Is it safe to do this. Our 1/2 day sail captain said he could drop us off in town (to shop) instead of at the ship and then we would find our own way back to ship. Is being dropped off in town worth it, or should we just come back to the ship?

 

If you have an option of being dropped off in town (and you had the intent to shop at some time during the day) I would go with it since the shopping at Crown Bay is very limited. I am not a shopper & the only reason I ever venture down town is because my wife is interested in a particular item. The crowds downtown are overwhelming in the morning hours, especially when there are 4 or 5 ships in at a time. To get back to the ship you can either take a shuttle (I think it's $4) or walk by following the main road back. There are side walks to stay on if that's you concern about safety. If crime was you concern, there's no problem during the day. It'll take about 20 to 25 minutes to get back to the ship by foot. The scenery isn't all that beautiful since you be passing along an industrial area but it isn't unsafe to walk but I do it for the exercise.

http://maps.google.com/maps/empw?url=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%3Ff%3Dd%26source%3Ds_d%26saddr%3DSub%2BBase%2BEstate%26daddr%3D18.339544,-64.934263%26geocode%3DFV28FwEdT9sg_A%253B%26hl%3Den%26mra%3Dmi%26mrsp%3D1%26sz%3D15%26sll%3D18.338273,-64.938684%26sspn%3D0.020653,0.054245%26ie%3DUTF8%26ll%3D18.338273,-64.938684%26spn%3D0.020653,0.054245%26output%3Dembed%26s%3DAARTsJpvpDs0BAWEgGiSTgN2rh-1Oo3z9Q&hl=en&gl=us

 

From the ship to Emerald beach it's a 20 minute walk. Follow this map for the easiest route with sidewalks. Again it's perfectly safe to walk & you'll have no problems walking unless time is a factor.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/empw?url=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%3Ff%3Dd%26source%3Ds_d%26saddr%3DAirport%2BRd%26daddr%3D18.337132,-64.958811%2Bto:Sub%2BBase%2BEstate%26geocode%3DFRjKFwEdlrEg_A%253B%253BFZS8FwEddtsg_A%26hl%3Den%26mra%3Ddpe%26mrcr%3D0%26mrsp%3D1%26sz%3D16%26via%3D1%26sll%3D18.334036,-64.960892%26sspn%3D0.010327,0.018969%26ie%3DUTF8%26ll%3D18.334036,-64.960892%26spn%3D0.010327,0.018969%26output%3Dembed%26s%3DAARTsJpcg-jtvW-8Onpks6qdARv_-mHl5Q&hl=en&gl=us

 

This route may look faster & easier but there are no sidewalks & it goes over a somewhat steep hill where the other route goes around some of it.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/empw?url=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.com%2Fmaps%3Ff%3Dd%26source%3Ds_d%26saddr%3DAirport%2BRd%26daddr%3DRoute%2B304%2Bto:Sub%2BBase%2BEstate%26geocode%3DFRjKFwEdlrEg_A%253BFSC9FwEdWscg_A%253BFZS8FwEddtsg_A%26hl%3Den%26mra%3Dmr%26mrcr%3D0%26via%3D1%26sll%3D18.335523,-64.959991%26sspn%3D0.010327,0.018969%26ie%3DUTF8%26ll%3D18.335523,-64.959991%26spn%3D0.010327,0.018969%26output%3Dembed%26s%3DAARTsJo41xCkcR160dfaHDNzmXkJnqJk0Q&hl=en&gl=us

[xrayjng]

Anyone ever take a tour with Sunny Liston. I was thinking of doing that.

 

shopping/sightseeing and beach

Would like to hear if anyone has ever used him.

Price seemed good.

[richtersl]

Anyone ever take a tour with Sunny Liston. I was thinking of doing that.

 

shopping/sightseeing and beach

Would like to hear if anyone has ever used him.

Price seemed good.

 

There are a number of folks who have written back about their experiences with Sunny. All you need to do is click the link at the top of the screen that says Search (3rd one from the right) and then enter "Sunny Liston" as the search term. You can also enter "Sonny Liston". Sunny has quite a following. here. :) Don't click the link that says Search this Thread because that will just search this particular thread. The link I'm talking about is above that one and will search the entire St. Thomas/St. John forum.

[trixie54]

We'll be on St. T from 7am-6pm. Would it work to take a taxi to Magen's Bay by 10am, sun & swim there, then take a taxi over to Coki, snorkel there at least an hour, then taxi back to the ship? We'll have a 7 mo. old baby with us, if that makes a difference. And the Coki part depends on what's going on with the "renovation" at that point (early Feb. 2010).

[SQLMike]

No entrance fees at Coki or Sapphire (only beaches with entrance fees on St. Thomas are Magens Bay and Lindquist/Smith Bay Park).

--Islander

 

Islander thanks for the info. We have been to Lindquist a couple times and we were the only people there which was pretty cool. There was generally security sitting out by the fence, but it still did not feel like a secure place for a couple so we only go if we are with a group. Have things changed there?

 

My vote for best beach would be Sapphire. I've been to Coki and Magens and I just don't think they compare to Sapphire in terms of snorkeling and view.

[poglios]

Hi.

This is my first cruise. We are going to visit ST Thomas. since it is my first time in ST Thomas, i would like to ask some questions.

 

1. I dont know if we should go to the beach in ST THOMAS or go to ST JOHN. We prefer a beach with not too many people but at the same time not windy, calm waters, just to enjoy at beach (not snorkeling). So the first question is : Should we go to ST John or stay in ST THOMAS.

 

2. In case of ST THOMAS, what beach?

 

 

The Ship will arrive to Crow Bay. We would like after the beach visit ST Ammelie, it is worth doing that?

[SQLMike]

Hi.

This is my first cruise. We are going to visit ST Thomas. since it is my first time in ST Thomas, i would like to ask some questions.

 

1. I dont know if we should go to the beach in ST THOMAS or go to ST JOHN. We prefer a beach with not too many people but at the same time not windy, calm waters, just to enjoy at beach (not snorkeling). So the first question is : Should we go to ST John or stay in ST THOMAS.

 

2. In case of ST THOMAS, what beach?

 

 

The Ship will arrive to Crow Bay. We would like after the beach visit ST Ammelie, it is worth doing that?

 

I think if it was your first time and wanted to shop I would go to Magens Bay (easy by cab) and then downtown to shop. Magens is perfect for kids, the water does not get any calmer.

[caribsun]

Emerald Beach is less then 5 min. by cab from Crown Bay. I have been to this beach 2x and it was never crowded. The cab will drop you off at the Best Western Hotel, just take the walkway at the right of the lobby to the beach. Pics of entrance, beach, Best Western Beach Bar.

 

 

 

[poglios]

Thank you very much for your reply!

We are going to a cruise on APR 11th in EURODAM (HAL). We are a couple (48&40) no kids.

 

So if it is my first time in ST THOMAS is worth considering remain in ST THOMAS and not go to ST JOHN and go to MAGEN bay because if you have to go to a beach in ST THOMAS for first time the best one is MAGEN, it is correct?

 

Thank you

[SQLMike]

Thank you very much for your reply!

We are going to a cruise on APR 11th in EURODAM (HAL). We are a couple (48&40) no kids.

 

So if it is my first time in ST THOMAS is worth considering remain in ST THOMAS and not go to ST JOHN and go to MAGEN bay because if you have to go to a beach in ST THOMAS for first time the best one is MAGEN, it is correct?

 

Thank you

 

48 and 40 on HAL? You are the kids :-) If I was making a recommendation to someone that didn't know if they would ever go back to St. Thomas and it was their first time I would tell them to go to Sapphire beach, then the tram, and then a little shopping downtown. I have nothing against Emerald, that is just one of the beaches I have not been to and my understanding is that it's not a place to go if you want to snorkel. Whatever you decide, allow plenty of time to get back to the ship. More than any other port people seem to miss the ship leaving St. Thomas because the main road gets very busy towards the late afternoon. Going to St. John takes up a lot of time unless you are on a ship tour and I personally don't think Trunk Bay is any better than Sapphire beach.

 

We will be in St. Thomas in April as well on Princess.

[SoccerMomTerry]

We are going to be in St. Thomas on April 26 and I understand that is Carnival. We are interested in going to Sapphire Beach, will that be possible on our own or should I look for a Tour Guide to take us there.

[SQLMike]

We are going to be in St. Thomas on April 26 and I understand that is Carnival. We are interested in going to Sapphire Beach, will that be possible on our own or should I look for a Tour Guide to take us there.

 

I've been to St. Thomas 7 or 8 times and I've never used a Tour Guide so I can't recommend using one or not. We either rent a car and drive ourselves or just grab a cab. The cabs will be waiting at the end of the pier and they fill up with 10 to 12 people and let you know how much it costs to go to Sapphire. I did this last April, but I don't recall what I paid. There are plenty of cabs at Sapphire to bring you back. We will be in St. Thomas in early April and going to Sapphire so I should be able to provide an update for ya if someone else doesn't by then.

[Ei_N_Tom]

Islander, you have a provided a wealth of information about the beaches, taxi fares, travel times, etc. THANK YOU! :)

 

I am curious to know how you would rank the beaches for someone who is a first-time visitor to St. Thomas. Which should we NOT miss if we're looking to relax on the sand (probably rent a lounge), get our feet wet and maybe do a bit of snorkeling? Having beverages and restrooms onsite or very nearby is required, since we'll probably spend 4-5 hours at the beach.

 

We're docking at Havensight aboard RCI's FOS during the week of April 19th. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[richtersl]

Islander, you have a provided a wealth of information about the beaches, taxi fares, travel times, etc. THANK YOU! :)

 

I am curious to know how you would rank the beaches for someone who is a first-time visitor to St. Thomas. Which should we NOT miss if we're looking to relax on the sand (probably rent a lounge), get our feet wet and maybe do a bit of snorkeling? Having beverages and restrooms onsite or very nearby is required, since we'll probably spend 4-5 hours at the beach.

 

We're docking at Havensight aboard RCI's FOS during the week of April 19th. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

Since you're interested in snorkeling, either Sapphire Beach, Coki Beach, or Secret Harbour will fit the bill.

 

• Sapphire Beach has stunning views of St. John. There's plenty of natural shade and there are chairs to rent. Someone who's been there recently can better describe the food and drink situation than I can. There used to be a restaurant on site but I do not know its current status.
  
• Coki does not have much shade, so you'd need to rent an umbrella and chairs if you decide to head there. Bathrooms can get nasty if the beach gets crowded, but if you're going in April they shouldn't be too bad. There's a snack bar on the beach and someone usually comes around to take a drink order.
  
• Secret Harbor has lots of natural shade and also a nice bar and restaurant on site. Chairs and umbrellas are reserved for hotel guests but I think you can rent.
  

[Ei_N_Tom]

Thanks, richtersl! I appreciate the insight from a past visitor of St. Thomas. We're steering clear of Coki Beach in an effort to avoid crowds. Sapphire Beach and Secret Harbor on our list of possibilities.

 

Enjoy!

[richtersl]

Even though Coki is probably the smallest of all three, it wasn't too bad when we visited there at the end of April 2003 (good God has it really been that many years? :eek: :D).

 

During the winter season as many as 7 ships can call on St. Thomas on a given day. After Easter, it's not too bad at all. Maybe 1-3 / day?

 

We only stopped by Secret Harbour to see what it looked like and it was really nice. It's gotten some good reviews on this forum, too. And if we get a chance to go to St. Thomas again, we'll probably head there.

[rcacace]

Thanks, richtersl! I appreciate the insight from a past visitor of St. Thomas. We're steering clear of Coki Beach in an effort to avoid crowds. Sapphire Beach and Secret Harbor on our list of possibilities.

 

Enjoy!

 

Even though Coki is probably the smallest of all three, it wasn't too bad when we visited there at the end of April 2003 (good God has it really been that many years? :eek: :D).

 

During the winter season as many as 7 ships can call on St. Thomas on a given day. After Easter, it's not too bad at all. Maybe 1-3 / day?

 

We only stopped by Secret Harbour to see what it looked like and it was really nice. It's gotten some good reviews on this forum, too. And if we get a chance to go to St. Thomas again, we'll probably head there.

 

Since you're interested in snorkeling, either Sapphire Beach, Coki Beach, or Secret Harbour will fit the bill.

 

• Sapphire Beach has stunning views of St. John. There's plenty of natural shade and there are chairs to rent. Someone who's been there recently can better describe the food and drink situation than I can. There used to be a restaurant on site but I do not know its current status.
  
• Coki does not have much shade, so you'd need to rent an umbrella and chairs if you decide to head there. Bathrooms can get nasty if the beach gets crowded, but if you're going in April they shouldn't be too bad. There's a snack bar on the beach and someone usually comes around to take a drink order.
  
• Secret Harbor has lots of natural shade and also a nice bar and restaurant on site. Chairs and umbrellas are reserved for hotel guests but I think you can rent.
  

 

I can't believe that anyone would want to visit Coki beach at any time. Sure the snorkeling was good but you have to overlook the filth when you enter the area- the piles of rubbish have been ignored for years. Besides that the stench of urine & smell of pot drifting on the beach was enough to make us leave early. Do yourself a favor & choose any other beach until they get the place cleaned up. (which I hear they are doing shortly). I wish I had taken a few pictures of the garbage when we were there in Feb.

If you do decide to go there, be sure to take a photo of what I described & post it when you return.

[Ei_N_Tom]

Islander, you have a provided a wealth of information about the beaches, taxi fares, travel times, etc. THANK YOU, again! :)

 

I am curious to know how you would rank the beaches for someone who is a first-time visitor to St. Thomas. Which should we NOT miss if we're looking to relax on the sand (probably rent a lounge), get our feet wet and maybe do a bit of snorkeling? Having beverages and restrooms onsite or very nearby is required, since we'll probably spend 4-5 hours at the beach.

 

We're docking at Havensight aboard RCI's FOS during the week of April 19th. I'd love to hear your thoughts!