Beautiful beach with crystal-clear, lovely water and breathtaking scenic views. The atmosphere is peaceful and perfect for relaxing or enjoying nature. However, the bathrooms were a bit scary and could definitely use improvement. read more

We tried Trunk Bay first but parking was a nightmare so we headed on down (up, down, up down) the road to Maho Bay. We found a parking spot in a lot and only had a short walk to set up our camp in some nice sun/shade. There are a lot of kids and families here, so expect playing, screaming, etc. but eventually they have to eat something so you'll get some nice quiet. We snorkeled right in front of where we were sitting and saw sea turtles munching on the sea grass. So cool. The beach is not super wide but it's enough to plunk down a chair and have a little shade. Perfect. Water is calm. It's the first place we saw donkeys on the island. We loved it. read more

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Maho Bay is ethereal! The vibe here is laid back, a little wild, and completely out of this world. Spent the day watching wildlife and soaking it all in. The water is calm, clear, and perfect for floating and drifting along. So many beautiful, majestic sea turtles. Virgin daiquiris across the way were on point. We had a blast vibing with the locals. read more

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Probably our least favorite of the 3 bays we snorkeled in (also visited trunk and cinnamon), but definitely not one to miss! Had 2-3 sea turtles, beautiful schools of blue fish, barracudas, and beautiful coral. Love that the parking is so close to the beach, so you don't have to worry if you forgot something at the car. Small rocks to walk over as you enter the beach, so not a perfect white beach like trunk or cinnamon, but definitely beautiful and still easy to get into. read more

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If you go to Virgin Islands National Park and only visit one of the beaches - this is the one I would recommend. I went to four of the most famous beaches, and I'd picked this one because I saw online it has some of the best snorkeling on the island. That is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. I saw two stingrays, a sea turtle, and tons of fish/barracuda, plus just so much cool ocean life from plants to little corals, etc! This beach is actually fairly spacious so we didn't feel too crowded even tho it was pretty full that Sunday. One tricky thing was parking because of this - it took us a solid 15 mins of circling until we got lucky and someone was leaving around 11a so we took their spot. Otherwise there were NO spots and lots of jeeps/other cars were just parked along random areas of the road (including places where it said "no parking".). Another small thing that I liked is there were a lot of low trees here - I hung my bag on a tree branch and we were able to set up right underneath the same area. read more

Maho Bay - Pano at the beach - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

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Another amazing beach on St. John, I don't think there is a bad one. The water is so blue, sand so white and fine. They have a lunch spot and a place to rent stuff to snorkel. The cool things about this beach is I think it has the best snorkeling. You get to see sea turtles and all kinds of pretty fish. I got to see 2 sea turtles and they were so cute. I loved this beach! read more

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Maho Bay in St. John was an amazing, beautiful beach. The water was so warm and we were so excited to jump in that we didn't even take our phones with us. We just wanted to enjoy the beach experience. That means, unfortunately, no photos of Maho Bay--I know...missed a great opportunity to share this incredible find. We spent a few hours snorkeling, swimming, and playing with the little fishes that wiggled around our feet. Later, we " beach hopped" over to Trunk Bay bit that's another review. If you're in St. John USVI I definitely recommend visiting this beach. Try to arrive there early so you can grab a parking space, since after 11am the parking lot fills quickly, with both visitors and locals. Best transportation is by Jeep rental or taxi. A quick warning: St. John is very hilly with steep climbs and sharp curves. Driving can feel like an adventure, but it's really best for those drivers comfortable handling winding mountain roads. If that's not your comfort zone, a taxi is the way to go. read more

Still a great location to visit. The water was cloudy again on this trip and I don't like that boats can dock so close to shore. But we saw some huge rays and the largest sea turtle I've ever seen! But not many fish. There are food trucks and two bars. Please don't get the lobster roll, it was $36 that I immediately had to throw away! read more

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The beach is getting smaller due to erosion however you can always find shade & parking. The concession stand accross the street (paddle in) is a great asset. read more

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Nothing not to love. Pristine and serene. Great cocktails. Rentals for kayaks & boards. read more

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One of the beautiful beaches that the Virgin Islands National Park has to offer. Water is beautiful, and they have good snorkeling here. Beaches can definitely get crowded. Across the street, they have a little bar and take-out restaurant as well as a rental and souvenir area. Maho Bay is right on the main taxi route, so it's relatively easy to get a taxi to and from the bay. While the beach is pretty, I found myself enjoying my time more at both Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. While Trunk Bay can be just as busy (if not more so), I felt the area was prettier and had much better snorkeling. Cinnamon Bay is not as crowded, also has beautiful water, as well as ruins to explore. Still a great stop while you're exploring the park. read more

Maho Bay is a popular Beach on St John due to its amazing snorkeling! There are a ton of sea turtles and stingrays to see. I wish I had one of those cameras that you can take great underwater photos with. The beaches on St John are pretty small but even during peak time it is not crazy crowded. There are always a lot of snorklers. But if you want to see the most turtles you have to walk quite a hike to the other end of the beach. This means hiking all your stuff to the far end over sand etc. There really is no other way to do it. The bathrooms and food and drinks are pretty far from that beach. It really depends on your goals. The shallow water is covered on rocks too. So be prepared for that. Water socks would probably help. read more

Maho Bay - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

Wonderful, beautiful beach. Clear water - was the 4th beach we visited but finally saw many turtles here! Very cool and just picture perfect. Don't miss this beach. read more

This beach should really be cold turtle Bay because of all of the turtles that are in this area. They come near the grassy area and are so friendly. We saw a medium size turtle But there were others that said they saw very large turtles here. There is also a taco truck across the street. You should bring your own chairs or umbrellas as there are no where to rent these. read more

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Took a great day trip here on a catamaran. Lots to see from multiple sea turtles to sting rays and fish. The water was warm and clear. It was busy, but lots of space to explore still. read more

Well....there are 2 parts to my story..... First I'll say that after leaving Cinnamon Bay Beach and while next heading here to Maho Bay Beach....there was a FANTASTIC roadside pullover that I highly recommend for everyone to stop at. This quick overlook provided an expansive view of Maho Bay. And....yes, the turquoise blue waters (especially when the sun was unobstructed by the clouds) were so stunning and appealing....it was like a picture perfect setting from off of a postcard! I sat down on the viewpoint ledge with the boats docked in the waters and the lush St. John mountains capped in the distance....this setting (remember...just before arriving at Maho Bay Beach) was quite memorable! Seriously...I'll never forget the colorful water and surroundings of this stunning spot right as I drove along North Shore Road (btw, North Shore Road is the main pathway to drive around St. John and Virgin Islands National Park). Don't forget to make this overlook a priority as you'll witness Maho Bay from high above the ground. Now....arriving at Maho Bay Beach.....here's what was unfortunate for me during my visit. There was nowhere to park!!! I got to the beach in early afternoon (about 2pm) on a Sunday and I was "too late to the party". Not only could I not find a spot....but since there's no shoulder anywhere along North Shore Drive or even throughout the St. John roads...there was nowhere to pull over. And you can't stop in the middle of the road! Initially I drove past all the parking and finally turned my car around which was hard enough considering in the US Virgin Islands...they drive on the left hand side of the road and I'm not used to that whatsoever. Heading back towards one of the main parking lots, I turned into it and there wasn't anything available. Not only was there tremendous congestion with people walking in and around my car, but the street pavement had huge bumps and potholes that made even squeezing through the parking lot quite a hassle. Ultimately, I decided since I had explored the other main beaches of the Virgin Islands like Hawksnest, Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay before arriving here in Maho Bay....I was content in skipping this beach. So...I never got to experience what this place was all about.....but getting to view Maho Bay from the terrific overlook on my way here...I got a sampling of what this area entailed. Had I found a parking spot, I'm sure I would've appreciated all the amenities Maho Bay had to offer. Instead, I continued along North Shore Drive and simply stopped at Colombo's Smoothies for a midday refreshing Pina Colada, lol. In the end...I could understand why Maho Bay Beach was so crowded. The turquoise blue and translucent waters here attracted not only myself but many other visitors and tourists. read more

You can't miss this beach if you are driving along the road. It is right off the road so you will hear car noise when laying on this shallow depth beach. That said, the snorkeling is good here and the water is very clear. There was a sea turtle and a decent amount of fish. The beach is long so there was plenty of room to spread out, but there were no tall trees for shade. There were several yachts and catamarans in sight when we were there that made the ambiance better. Another pro is that there is a small market across the street that has a bar and place to get food. There are also lots of taxis waiting here so getting a ride back into town should not be a problem either. Definitely spend some time here, but not sure it is an all-day thing. read more

Swim with Sea Turtles! All the sea turtles are here. Big ones, small ones, all the ones! It's amazing! There's also sting rays and a nurse shark. The water is crystal clear. It's easy to see the turtles, nurse shark, and sting ray. It's also very easy to see the coral which is incredible. I was able to swim across the entire bay. That was quite a swim but a lot of fun. There were not many swimmers. But the bay was very calm and easy to swim. read more

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So beautiful, and they have turtle spotting while snorkeling. There is no entry fee, but there is chair rental, a gift shop, food, and drinks. There are also snorkeling and paddle boat rentals. Oh, and restrooms. :-) It's a long, thin strip of beach and the day we were there wasn't super busy. I recommend! read more

This was my personal favorite beach on St John. The water was so calm and beautiful and I could have snorkeled for hours, it is a great bonus to spot the turtles. There were a lot of fish in the shallow part of beach too which is fun for small kids to spot. Across the road is a great eating area and bar, we got the Mahi Mahi bites and Banana Hammock drink both were absolutely perfect. This beach day was outstanding. read more

Moho Bay is not only beautiful but it is also known for being the best place to go snorkeling to see sea turtles. Recently a small parking area was put in across the street from the beach area but we went old school and found a space on the side of the road. If you do this make sure that your vehicle is completely off of the road or you will get a ticket. On the last day of our vacation to Saint John we set the alarm to wake up very early in the morning so that we would be able to see the sea turtles one last time. In the early morning the beach area is not crowded and the temperature outside is cool. It is a plus that the water temperature is always comfortably warm. It did not take long to find the first turtle. We snorkeled for about an hour and was able to see turtles, stingrays and various fish. I highly recommend that you visit Maho Bay while on the island. read more

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How else can I describe this place, other than PICTURE PERFECT. Palm trees swaying from the warm carribbean breeze and the inviting blue water most tempting to be jumped in. The famous twin palms as you enter is perfect for climbing and taking your best beach pictures in. They are very strict in this beach as turtles do nest here and are very often seen swimming in this beach! The Virgin Island Parks make sure to keep it safe for the species that also share this place with us. This is what I would imagine a beach to be, so calm, not crowded at all, and very well kept! read more

Maho Bay - Palm trees swaying - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

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Quite simply, Heaven on earth. St. John is an absolute paradise and Maho Bay is one of many magical spots on the island. This is the best snorkeling we found all week. Just off shore in the swimming area, we saw 3 sea turtles (!!!!) and tons of colorful fish. We found parking (free) right across the street from the beach, which made schlepping all our chairs, bags, snorkel gear, etc. pretty easy. Access to the beach is also free. Annnnnd, as if all that wasn't reason enough to convince you to go, it's not super crowded! read more

Maho Bay - View to my right. - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

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Maho is one of my favorite beaches of all times. Bring your snorkeling gear there is no shortage of Sea turtles, fish, coral, I've even seen a sting ray and nurse shark. They have bathrooms there and across the street some locals selling handmade stuff, theres a place that has food and drinks. I seen they had rentals there as well. I did see kayaks and canoes, not sure what else. They had a giant Jenga, connect four, some lounge chairs, picnic table. Its a one stop beach!. read more

Maho Bay - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

Best beach on the island. There's always sea life to see and makes amazing memories for our family. The little stores/cafe with drinks are great! read more

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We always hit this beach when in STJ because it is good for children. The water is very calm. There are small shops and a food truck across the street. There is plenty of local wildlife to see as well including sea turtles, fish, pelicans and crabs. Plus the drive over is nice, plenty of spots for great photos. Parking is limited so get there early. read more

Maho Bay - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

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Best beach on St. John. Food a d drinks are expensive and not a large variety of food but the beach is priceless. Some of the best waters in the Caribbean. I highly recommend coming to Maho Beach for the day even though it's still covid and the beaches close at 4. Get out there early to soak up the sun read more

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Favorite St John beach. You're pretty much guaranteed to see a turtle (actually turtleS) here!! It can get kind of busy because everyone is coming to see the turtles but there is plenty of room to spread out on the beach. One of the easiest beaches to access ... parking across the street. read more

If you're looking to see lots of marine life, maho is for you. We saw a moray eel, a sting ray, a barracuda, and a turtle in one trip. If you're like me, I like to snorkel coral and not see scary animals, but it was cool to see them once. Trunk Bay is the best calm snorkeling in my opinion, but Maho definitely has more wild life. read more

This is a public beach that was pretty crowded. Lots of boats and tons of people. Beach is pretty narrow but long. A couple of food trucks and equipment rentals available. Snorkeling was just ok, not many if any fish but a few turtles. Personally I would skip this one read more

Maho Bay - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

Gorgeous small beach and best drinks from a drink truck across the street- margaritas and painkillers were delicious, you can find shade under the sea grape trees close to the water. You can rent clear kayaks or snorkel equipment to see sea turtles and stingrays. read more

Maho Bay - Maho Bay - Beaches Near Me - St John, Virgin Islands

This is my FAVORITE bay to snorkel at in St. Johns. We saw turtles, sting rays, sharks, giant clams, octopi (they hide in the conch shells), jellyfish, and a variety of fish. This is the place to go to see turtles!! As soon as I went in the water I would see turtles right away. It's free - just make sure you get there early to get a good parking spot. Sand is nice and not rocky like the other bays read more

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My husband and I were headed to Trunk Bay, when a couple recommended we go to Maho instead since we wanted to see sea turtles. We were not dissapointed! Definitely stop here if you're looking to see sea turtles. We saw 3-4 and a lot of fish. There's limited parking, but if you keep driving once you see the first part of Maho, there will be more parking at the end. It's also safe to park alongside the street as well. There are fun little shops on the other side of the road with all types of rentals (SUP, kayaks, snorkels), drinks, and food. There's also games like janga and giant connect 4. It wasn't super crowded, enough space for everyone to feel safe and distanced. Highly recommend. read more

My favorite beach on the island. Beautiful calm aqua water and plenty of turtles. Cocktail bars were on point with fun bartenders and it was easy to eat and rent a SUP. read more

I mean, it sucks. Don't go here. Seriously though, this place was my absolute favorite! I rented a snorkel and fins at a reasonable price from a friendly lady across the street (she takes debit/credit-- you can get food and drinks here too) and away I went! The water was beautiful and I got to see so many beautiful, majestic sea turtles. The beach wasn't crowded, besides a few donkeys lounging in the shade. Bathrooms are also available. I'll come back again. Well worth the extra couple minutes on the shuttle! read more

Beautiful setting close to the road. Great if you have a lot of stuff you want to bring with you for the day and if you're early enough to get parking across the street. We arrived after 2:00 by taxi, and just turning the taxi around caused mayhem and flared tempers in one vehicle (why so quick to anger in such a beautiful place, I say?) Unfortunately we missed the turtles but got some lovely photos nonetheless. Tip: Taxis are not readily available for a return trip down the mountain so you might want to arrange ahead of time. read more

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Too many tourists at this beach for our liking. They are there to see the sea turtles and we did see one which was really neat. But if you're looking for some solitude, few people and an absolutely gorgeous, no frills beach skip this one and try to get one of the few parking spots at Jumbie Beach and walk down to that. read more

The snorkeling here is actually spectacular. Actually, the wildlife here is just spectacular, in and out of the water. Even if you aren't lucky enough to spot the turtles that are apparently everywhere EXCEPT WHERE I AM, there's rays, huge leopard fish, pelicans divebombing...swim out to the edges and you'll see it all. Unfortunately, there isn't that much room between the edge of the water and the tree line, and vast swathes of the beach are overrun with ants and other crawly bugs that don't fall under the category of wildlife I am trying to check out. We eventually found a great, non-insect-infested area of the perfectly powdery Caribbean sand, but just keep an eye out. read more

Paradise! The water here is beautiful. Super clear on a non wavy day. There are a lot of sea turtles swimming around and schools of fish. You won't regret coming here. The actual beach is a bit torn up from the hurricane but it doesn't take away from the beauty of the water. Make sure if you get here on a taxi to let them know to pick you up at a certain time. You can rent a paddle board steps away for a very reasonable price, that's a must in addition to snorkeling. read more

One of our best experiences while visiting the island. The beach is amazing. There were two bar options and one food truck. Everything was amazing. I would not miss this if you're looking for a fun beach day. read more