ST. THOMAS BEACHES| Where to GO and one to AVOID

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide to the best beaches in St. Thomas for cruise visitors. The host, from Chy Travel, shares personal experiences and reviews from Trip Advisor to recommend beaches like Ki Beach, Sapphire Beach, and Secret Harbor, while warning against the overrated Magens Bay Beach. Tips on transportation, beach facilities, and rental costs are included, along with suggestions for Honeymoon Beach on Water Island and Trunk Bay Beach on St. John, which require a ferry ride for a more adventurous beach day.

Takeaways

• 🏝 St. Thomas is a popular cruise destination known for its shopping, but beaches are a major attraction.
• 🌊 The speaker often uses Trip Advisor for research on new and previously visited destinations due to its reviews and real-life pictures.
• 🚕 To reach the beaches, taking a taxi is recommended, and it's important to negotiate the fare before the ride.
• 🏖 Ki Beach is near Coral World, a marine park, and offers good views and snorkeling spots but can get crowded.
• 🍕 Sapphire Beach provides a larger area, water sports, and a beach bar with food and drinks, including decent pizza.
• 👣 Brewers Bay is a local favorite with no facilities but offers great snorkeling and a chance to see sea turtles.
• 🌴 Smith Bay, also known as Linquist Beach, is a raw beach with basic facilities and calm waters, good for avoiding crowds.
• 🌊 Secret Harbor is the speaker's favorite, offering full facilities, calm waters, and great snorkeling opportunities.
• 💰 Megan's Bay Beach is considered overrated by the speaker due to high costs, overcrowding, and poor service.
• 🚤 Honeymoon Beach on Water Island and Trunk Bay Beach on St. John require a ferry or water taxi and offer unique beach experiences with marine life.
• 📝 The script suggests planning is essential for beach visits, especially when considering travel time to and from the beaches.

Q & A

Why is St. Thomas known as a popular destination for cruisers?

St. Thomas is known as a popular destination for cruisers because it is often referred to as the shopping capital of the Caribbean.

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is to discuss various beaches in St. Thomas and provide recommendations for cruisers, including an overrated beach and five other beach options to check out.

What is the author's go-to website for researching travel destinations?

The author's go-to website for researching travel destinations is Trip Advisor, which they find reliable for reviews and real-life pictures.

What is the first beach mentioned in the script and why is it listed?

The first beach mentioned is K Beach, and it is listed because it is adjacent to Coral World, a marine park, offering a combination of beach and marine life exploration.

Why might Sapphire Beach be a good choice for visitors?

Sapphire Beach might be a good choice for visitors because it offers a larger beach area, more water movement, snorkeling, water sports, and a beach bar with food options.

What advice does the author give regarding transportation to the beaches in St. Thomas?

The author advises that taxis are the best way to get to the beaches, and it's important to establish the cost before the ride, including potential charges for bags.

What is special about Brewers Bay beach?

Brewers Bay beach is special because it is a favorite spot for locals, maintained by the University of the Virgin Islands, and is known for great snorkeling and the chance to encounter sea turtles.

What is the author's favorite beach in St. Thomas and why?

The author's favorite beach is Secret Harbor because it offers a combination of Caribbean charm and full facilities, including a dive shop, bar, and restaurant, with calm and clear waters for snorkeling.

Which beach does the author consider to be overrated and why?

The author considers Magens Bay Beach to be overrated due to its high entrance fee, overcrowded conditions, poor maintenance, and bad service at the bar.

What are two additional beach options mentioned that require a ferry or water taxi to reach?

The two additional beach options mentioned are Honeymoon Beach on Water Island and Trunk Bay Beach on the nearby island of St. John, both of which require a ferry or water taxi to reach.

What is unique about the snorkeling experience at Trunk Bay Beach?

The snorkeling experience at Trunk Bay Beach is unique because it has a self-guided underwater snorkeling trail with a lot of marine life, especially on the small island just off the beach.

Outlines

00:00

🏝️ St. Thomas Beaches Overview

The script introduces St. Thomas as a popular cruise destination, known for shopping but also sought after for its beaches. The narrator, from 'chy travel', prefers discussing beaches over shopping and shares their experience with several beaches on the island. They mention using Trip Advisor for research and planning a visit to St. Thomas, aiming to explore underrated beach options beyond the commonly recommended ones. The script teases the revelation of an overrated beach later in the video.

05:03

🚕 Exploring St. Thomas Beaches by Taxi

This paragraph details various beaches in St. Thomas, starting with K Beach, which is close to Coral World, a marine park. The narrator notes the beach's popularity and availability of water sports, but also the potential for crowds and vendor presence. Sapphire Beach is next, offering a larger area, water activities, and a beach bar with food options. The narrator advises on transportation and rental costs for chairs and umbrellas, and mentions the proximity of the two cruise ports to the beaches discussed.

10:04

🌊 Diverse Beach Experiences in St. Thomas

The script continues with a description of Brewers Bay, a local favorite without facilities but known for its snorkeling and potential sea turtle sightings. Smith Bay Beach, also known as Linquist Beach, is highlighted for its raw beauty, available facilities, and calm waters. The narrator's favorite, Secret Harbor Beach, is part of a resort and offers full facilities, calm waters, and great snorkeling. The paragraph concludes with a warning about the overrated Magen's Bay Beach, which the narrator found disappointing due to high costs, poor service, and overcrowding.

🚤 Offshore Beach Adventures in St. Thomas

The final paragraph suggests two additional beach destinations that require a ferry or water taxi to reach. Honeymoon Beach on Water Island offers full facilities and water activities, while Trunk Bay Beach on St. John is praised for its marine life, snorkeling opportunities, and underwater trail. The narrator emphasizes the importance of planning and checking schedules for these excursions. They encourage viewers to share their experiences and secret spots, and remind them to subscribe and share the video.

Keywords

💡Cruiser

A 'cruiser' in the context of the video refers to a person who is on a cruise vacation, typically traveling by ship to various destinations. The term is relevant to the video's theme as it discusses a popular destination for cruise travelers, specifically the island of St Thomas, known for its appeal to this demographic.

💡St Thomas

St Thomas is an island in the Caribbean and a key subject of the video. It is highlighted as a popular destination for cruisers due to its reputation as a shopping and beach paradise. The script discusses various beaches on the island, emphasizing their appeal to visitors.

💡Shopping capital of the Caribbean

This phrase describes St Thomas as a major shopping destination within the Caribbean region. It is mentioned in the script to contrast with the focus on beaches, which is what the video primarily addresses, despite the island's well-known shopping attractions.

💡Beaches

The term 'beaches' is central to the video's content, as it lists and describes various beaches on St Thomas that are of interest to visitors. The script provides insights into the beaches' features, amenities, and suitability for different types of visitors.

💡Trip Advisor

Trip Advisor is a website mentioned in the script as the main resource the speaker uses for travel research. It is highlighted for its reviews and real-life pictures, which help in planning visits to St Thomas's beaches and other attractions.

💡Overrated

The term 'overrated' is used in the script to express the speaker's opinion about a particular beach on St Thomas that does not live up to its reputation. It is a key concept as it sets the stage for the video's critique and alternative recommendations.

💡Coral World

Coral World is a marine park adjacent to one of the beaches mentioned in the script, K Beach. It is defined as a place where visitors can explore and learn about local marine life, adding to the appeal of the beach area for tourists interested in aquatic activities.

💡Snorkeling

Snorkeling is an activity discussed in the script as a feature of several beaches on St Thomas. It is an important aspect for those interested in water activities, and the script mentions specific beaches known for good snorkeling opportunities.

💡Megan's Bay Beach

Megan's Bay Beach is a specific beach on St Thomas that the script identifies as overrated. The term is significant as it represents the beach that the speaker was most disappointed with, providing a counterpoint to the other recommended beaches.

💡Water sports

Water sports are mentioned in the script as activities available at some of the beaches on St Thomas. The term encompasses various aquatic activities that visitors can enjoy, contributing to the overall appeal of the beach destinations.

💡Secret Harbor

Secret Harbor is the name of a beach and resort on St Thomas that the script recommends as a favorite spot. It is described as having a perfect combination of Caribbean charm and resort facilities, highlighting its appeal for a day visit.

💡Ferry

The term 'ferry' is used in the script to describe the mode of transportation needed to reach certain beaches, such as those on Water Island and St John. It is an important detail for planning a visit to these remote but recommended beach locations.

Highlights

St. Thomas is a popular cruise destination, known as the shopping capital of the Caribbean.

Cruise travelers often seek information on St. Thomas beaches rather than shopping.

Trip Advisor is a reliable source for reviews and real-life pictures of destinations.

Ki Beach is adjacent to Coral World, offering marine life exploration and snorkeling opportunities.

Sapphire Beach provides a larger area and water activities, with a beach bar and restaurant.

Taxis are recommended for reaching beaches, with an emphasis on agreeing on prices beforehand.

Brewers Bay is a local favorite with no facilities but offers great snorkeling and potential sea turtle sightings.

Smith Bay Beach, also known as Linquist Beach, is a less crowded option with basic facilities.

Secret Harbor is the speaker's favorite beach with full facilities and calm, clear waters for snorkeling.

Megan's Bay Beach is considered overrated with high entrance fees, overcrowding, and poor service.

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island requires a ferry and offers full facilities and water activities.

Trunk Bay Beach on St. John is accessible by ferry and is known for its underwater snorkeling trail.

It's important to plan transportation and time effectively when visiting beaches that require ferries.

Personal experiences at beaches can vary, and travelers should explore different options.

The video encourages viewers to share their thoughts and secret spots in the comments.

Transcripts

one of the most popular destinations in

the Caribbean for Cruisers is the island

of St Thomas it's known as the shopping

capital of the Caribbean but when I book

a cruise for someone that's not what

they want to talk about they want to

know about the beaches we've cruised to

St Thomas a few times and have visited a

number of beaches and it always makes me

laugh because the first Beach that

people ask me about is the one I tell

them not to go

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to Hello I'm from chy travel whenever

I'm traveling to a new destination or

even some I've been to already I turn to

the internet to do research I have a few

different websites I use but the main

go-to site has always been Trip Advisor

I can always find plenty of reviews and

real life pictures and so far Trip

Advisor has not let me down well I'm

planning a port stop on our next cruise

to St Thomas and although we have been

to St Thomas a few times in the past I

wanted to take a look at the option and

kind of get a refresher of what there

might be to do while searching things to

check out I came across Trip Advisor

rankings on St Thomas beaches once again

this overrated beat was ranked at the

top of the list so I decided it was time

for me to talk about why I think this

beach is overrated and to give you five

other Beach options to check out on your

next trip to St Thomas don't worry I'll

cover that overrated Beach later in the

video but for now let's talk about a few

Beach options you should look into if

you're visiting St Thomas first on my

list is Ki Beach this beach is a 15 to

20 minute cab ride from the cruise port

it's not my favorite Beach but I list it

here because it's adjacent to Coral

World which is a very nice marine park

where you can explore and learn about

the local marine life we spent a day

here visiting Coral world and then

walked over to K beach the beach itself

was great with amazing views plus there

are rocks off to the right side of the

beach where there's some great

snorkeling Co I is a smaller Beach so

you can expect it to get pretty crowded

when there's multiple ships in Port you

will definitely see many vendors on the

beach selling their goods and some also

offering water sport activities you can

rent chairs and umbrellas and they also

have some shopping as well as a beach

bar and restaurant recent reviews

mentioned not to expect too much from

ordering food One reviewer said they got

a bag of Doritos when they ordered chips

and salsa again not my top place to go

but Coral world next door really helps

the cause next up is sapphire Beach

another 25 minute taxi ride from the

port Sapphire Beach offers a little more

Beach area to work with maybe a half a

mile or so and there's a little more

Motion in the water versus some of the

motionless Bay beaches that you might

encounter on some of the other beaches

bring your water shoes as you may run

into some rocks in the water this area

offers snorkeling and water sports and a

constant Breeze makes it a great spot to

try out wind surfing you can rent chairs

and umbrellas and enjoy Burgers tacos

some great drinks at the beach bar plus

they do have Paradise Pie Pizza which

makes a pretty decent Pizza I mean as

far as the Caribbean Pizza goes they do

have facilities there you can find a

little shade if you need to get out of

the Sun for a minute this is a great

Beach and a good combination of being

touristy with a little local Vibe now

I've mentioned taxis as this will be the

best way for you to get to the beaches

that I'm talking about today assuming

you are going on your own and not taking

a cruise ship Excursion and I want to

make sure that you remember to establish

how much the taxi will cost before you

take the ride you might expect $15 per

person not per taxi and possibly a

charge for bags you are carrying as well

definitely have that conversation before

you get into the taxi also when it comes

to renting chairs and umbrellas you

might expect to pay $5 to $10 a chair

and maybe 10 to 15 per umbrella you may

have a little haggle room at some of

these beach rentals so don't be afraid

to make an offer if you are renting a

few of each and on a side note there are

two Cruise ports in St Thomas and they

are only about five minutes apart so

these time frames I'm giving you here to

get to the beaches are roughly about the

same no matter what port you're coming

into now back to the beaches another one

to check out is Brewers Bay now this

beach is strictly for the beach lovers

it's a favorite spot for locals and it

is maintained by the University of the

Virgin Islands there are no facilities

here no bars no restaurants no chairs or

umbrellas it's just a beautiful beach

with some pretty great snorkeling it's

known as one of the best places in St

Thomas to run into sea turtles while

exploring you'll usually find some food

trucks stopping by here where you might

be able to grab a bite to eat or a local

brew but if you just want a beach with

all the bells and whistles this is not

the one you can even do some plain

spotting since the beach is so close to

the airport it's about a 10 to 15 minute

taxi ride you should try to pre-arrange

your taxi ride back if you are on a

tight time schedule next up is Smith Bay

Beach also known as linquist Beach you

may hear both of these names used but

they are the same Beach another

beautiful but raw Beach you can rent

chairs and there may be a Snack Shack

available you will also find a shower

and restroom near the entrance the beach

is part of the Smith Bay Park and there

is a $5 fee get into the beach area you

can pack your own lunch and enjoy a

great day at the beautiful beach which

is a local favorite if you want to get

away from the crowds this beach is the

place it's about a 25 minute drive from

the port and it's very close to Sapphire

Beach although they say the water is

much calmer here and it has a Sandy

Beach bottom this beach also has a

swimming area that will drop to 25 ft in

depth so keep your eye on the little

kiddos as the shallow water can become

deep very quickly after getting dropped

off at the parking lot it is just a

short walk down a path to the beach this

is another spot you might want to

pre-arrange your taxi ride back if you

are working against the clock the next

Beach is actually our favorite Beach to

visit on St Thomas it is called secret

Harbor almost 30 minutes away from the

cruise port this awesome spot is part of

secret Harbor Resort and part of secret

Harbor Beach half of the beach area is

for the resort and the other half is

open to the public we stumbled upon this

uh place on our last visit to St Thomas

and ended up loving it there are full

facilities here including a dive shop

that offers chair and umbrella rentals

there's a full bar and restaurant as

well the water is calm and crystal clear

and snorkeling is great and the area is

just gorgeous there's not a lot of Beach

area but the public side is big enough

where you shouldn't expect to be crowded

for us this place was the perfect

combination of Caribbean charm and all

the facilities we would want from a day

at a resort I will link a video that we

made on our Norwegian Encore cruise that

shows our last visit here in the

description box below this video okay

you've been very patient and now it's

time for me to reveal my most overrated

beach in St Thomas many cruise ships

have excursions that go here and it's

also called one of the most beautiful

beaches in the world but when we spent

the day there we were extremely

disappointed and we ended up leaving

earlier than we had to and that beach is

Megan's Bay Beach

all right maybe some of you have already

guessed it but Megan's Bay Beach is not

what it's cracked up to be they have an

entrance fee I think it's currently $7

and recently I read that two chairs and

an umbrella is $40 it was extremely

overcrowded not well-kept including

dirty bathrooms I didn't even look at

the showers they had a bar and food but

the service was horrible I went to the

bar to get a beer for Jamie and a

margarita for myself and the bartender

told me that a margarita isn't a real

drink and tried to give me some type of

banana Frozen drink he was very rude and

I just ended up getting the beer and

kind of abandoned my efforts for the

margarita and if you know me you know

that didn't sit very well the water was

murky due to the amount of people in it

and there was no good snorkeling to be

had we really wanted it to be amazing

but it was far from it maybe it was just

an off day but when you're built as one

of the top beaches in the world you

really need to do much better now before

I let you go I have two more spots to

look into but for each of these you will

have to take a ferry or water taxi to

get to First is Honeymoon Beach and the

one I'm talking about is on water Island

a small Island located just south of the

cruise port in Charlotte amaly I mention

this because it's not the only Honeymoon

Beach in the Virgin Island you can grab

a water taxi from Crown Bay Marina and

visit water Island and take a short

10-minute walk to the Honeymoon Beach

they have full facilities a great Beach

Bar and water activities as well you

will have to get get a ticket for the

short ferry ride to and from water

Island but if you want a little more

Adventure from your beach day check this

place out finally another one of our

favorite spots but you will need a

fairly long Port day to do this

comfortably on your own and that is

Trunk Bay Beach it's located on a nearby

island of St John there are three

locations to grab a ride over to St John

one by each of the cruise Terminals and

one at the East End of the island at Red

Hook you will need to check the fery

schedule to make sure that the time's

going there and getting back are times

that will work for you each Ferry drops

you off at St John's Cruise Bay which is

simply gorgeous there you can grab a

taxi and take the scenic couple mile

drive to Trunk Bay Beach this beach is

amazing not too crowded it has a $5

entrance fee and basic facilities like

restrooms a snack bar and grill chair

rentals and snorkel rentals if you like

to snorkel this place is fabulous the

small island just off the beach has a

lot lot of marine life and there's even

a self-guided underwater snorkeling

Trail we have been there twice and loved

it both times now this trip might be

included as a cruise ship Excursion and

if you see it do it or you can do it on

your own like we did our second time

going there you just need to plan

accordingly since it does take some time

to get there and back on the ferry well

there you have it a handful of options

if you are looking for a beach day when

your cruise has a stop in St Thomas now

if you're planning a trip to Megan's Bay

Beach

by all means go check it out don't let

our experience stop you if it's on your

bucket list maybe your experience will

be different than ours I hope this video

helps you have an amazing day in St

Thomas on your next Cruise if you have

been to any of these beaches before

please let us know in the comments what

your thoughts were and if you have a

secret spot that I didn't mention share

that in the comments as well we won't

tell anyone it'll just be between you me

and a few people that are watching this

video plus it'll make you feel good that

you've helped someone else have a great

time on their vacation before you go if

you enjoyed the video hit the Subscribe

button give it a thumbs up and remember

to share it with family and friends

thanks for watching and I'll see you in

the next

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