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Trunk Bay is a must do when in virgin Island national park. We were stopped in st Thomas on a cruise so had super limited time in the park. We realized we only had time to do one "thing" so trunk bay was it. After the ferry ride to St John we then took a van over to trunk bay. What interested us most is that Trunk Bay has the only underwater snorkle trail within the US national park system. We brought our gear and were ready to go. If you need gear you can rent all you need at trunk bay. It is a pristine beach in a national park and they do not have vendors and things on the beach. There is a small snack shake a 5 min walk from the beach with lots of cocktails and bites. The bay itself was beautiful. White sand and water so blue it made your eyes hurt. From the sand you can walk directly into the bay and snorkle the trail. There are buoys to keep you in the .25 loop. The snorkel trail was cool but a little small. There were placards on sea floor with informative info on the reef and wildlife. We were there 90 mins and snorkled the trail twice, had a little beach time and got a frozen bev at the snack shack. An amazing place that can't be missed when in USVI National Park
Loved our time there! This was my favorite of the 3 bays we snorkeled in. Had the most fish and they were beautiful! We heard someone saw a stingray here while we were in the water. Otherwise loved the fish at this spot. We also got to see a spotted moray eel.
The best beach on the island, one of the top beaches in the world. Pictures don't do it justice. The water is so blue it doesn't feel real. There is a fee to go into the beach but only 5 per person which is super cheap. Minimal parking but we found a spot. They have a snack shack, drinks, snorkel rentals and chair rentals. They have everything you need to stay there all day! If you go to St. John you have to go here!
A must-stop while visiting St. John & the Virgin Islands National Park. This beach is absolutely beautiful and is set-up so you can spend an entire day here without ever leaving. Plenty of beaches with water that's perfect for relaxing, swimming, and snorkeling. The water is the clearest water I've ever experienced - which is perfect for snorkeling and experiencing the underwater snorkel trail. My favorite beach while visiting USVI NP. Besides the beach, Trunk Bay is set up with a stand that rents out snorkel gear as well as lockers to store your belongings, multiple bathrooms, a small food shack, a small bar, and a little souvenir shop. It's also directly on the main taxi path, and many taxis are stationed in their parking lot, so it's easy to get there as well as get a ride back. This beach gets very busy, especially on days that cruise ships are docked in the area, so be prepared to get their early or have to look for a spot. That being said, there's a reason it gets so busy, and it's well-worth the stop.
Still the favorite spot of the family! The water is so clear with a soft sand bottom that it's like a swimming pool. Several rays swam along the beach on our visits, so it was really neat to see them up close in shallow water. We even saw a nurse shark this time! Soooo many fish! And the bartenders we had that week were phenomenal and made the best BBCs I have ever had.
We made the trip from St. Thomas. Ferry ride was only $8. About 15 mins. Took a taxi $9 pp on a nice ride to the beach. Then had to pay to get in. Rented the chairs $10. Found a nice spot and had a glorious day. We were unable to snorkel bc the conditions were too wavy but we still had a tremendous day at the beach. Highly recommend going here. It was beautiful.
This is rightfully known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! It has absolutely amazing views, perfect white sands, and beautiful blue waters. With a small rocky cay only about 200 feet off the beach, the snorkeling is amazing with tons of aquatic life. We even saw a 3-foot ray hovering around the sandy wading area in 2 feet of water. The underwater snorkel trail around the cay is a nice little feature which provides information about the habitat and aquatic life. It gets crowded after 11am, so getting there early is a good idea to if you need to get parking and a good spot on the beach. Parking is ridiculously limited. But there's plenty of space on the beach despite it being relatively narrow. The scene is pretty laid back with lots of families. There were no crazy party animals when we were there fortunately. Parking is indeed a challenge. We took an 11am ferry from Red Hook, and by the time we got there, all the parking was taken. There are probably only about 20 spots in the lot. We ended up parking up the hill in the side of the road about a quarter mile away. Not ideal, but worth the hike! They have a real nice snack shack for drinks (beer, cocktails, sodas, teas, water, etc.), gifts, and pub grub (burgers, sandwiches, snacks, etc.). They also have large and very well maintained restroom and shower facilities. You can rinse the sand off yourself, and they have places to clean your snorkel gear. They also rent snorkel gear if you don't have your own. This was our third time coming back to Trunk Bay. The next time we come back to the islands, it will definitely be on our list of destinations!
Voted the best beach in the world on several travel sites and they are correct. Easily the best beach I've ever been to. The bluest water, the best snorkeling and the whitest sand. If you're looking for an incredible beach experience this is the one. We took the ferry over from St. Thomas and rented a taxi. I would advise doing this, others in our party took their vehicle over and there was no parking for the beach so they had to find another beach. There is a snorkel trail that is marked by buoys. We did it it was ok. The real show is at the reef the best marine life we saw on our trip was at the reef to the right of the trail. Don't forget your snorkel and fins. The beach is the only beach that cost money, 5 dollars per adult. This is a don't miss opportunity to snorkel one of the best beaches in the world. The shack that sells burgers and things was really good eats, as well. Don't forget a go pro the best videos you will take here. Also a spot under the vegetation like pictured to get relief form the sun.
Our goto beach on St John. 5 dollar entry. Beautiful clean beaches. Crowds fade away around 4pm when facilities close and cruise tourists need to get back to ship.
Trunk bay really should be called Turtle beach. We saw so many turtles here in the grassy areas. It is a low key beach and not crowded. There is also a food truck across the street. No rentals for anything so you will need to bring chairs, umbrellas, etc if needed. Also not too many shady spots. Great area for beginning snorkelers.
After my visit, Trunk Bay is one of my favorite beaches! $5 per person to enter this National Park area. You just cannot beat the beautiful sand, endless views, rocky backdrop, and perfect waters. On either side of the beach are more rocky areas that are great for snorkeling. There are food and restroom options but they are tucked a little farther back (not right along the shore) which helps keep the beach itself more peaceful in my opinion. It is a very popular beach though, so my recommendation is to come early before the crowds come in.
One of the best beaches I have experienced in the world. This beach has everything you would want in a tropical beach experience. Clean, fine white sand and see through water. There are no shells or rocks for the most part so you won't have to worry about the soles of your feet. The sand of this beach is among the very best I have experienced in my travels. Thick layers of fine white sand more than a foot deep. It is the type that you want to run your feet through all day. It is soft and free of shells and other debris. Find yourself a mound of the shifty stuff and take a nap -- oh so comfortable!!!. The water a see-through turquoise color and is excellent. The depth increases gradually and the sand underneath is clean and free of shells. It is an excellent beach for families. One excellent part of this beach are the food stands and the bar that serves alcoholic. There is a good selection among the 3 food huts. Parking is decent -- there is a parking lot with a good amount of parking,
Trunk Bay Beach is one of my favorite beaches at the USVI. It's a busy beach, so get here early if you want a good spot and parking. The lot fills up fast. It's also a safe beach. We saw park ranger out. The people were super friendly. Our stuff was safe. The beach and sea was beautiful. The best coral and most beautiful and colorful fish are at this beach. There are also sea turtles here. The swimming is great. I swam across this bay several times.
6 months ago
Trunk Bay is an absolute must when you're in the USVI National Park! Took the Red Hook Car Ferry over to St. John. Talk about a wildly stunning ride! Trunk Bay is home to the only underwater snorkeling trail in the U.S. national park system. The beach is pristine, tucked into the park with soft white sand and crystal blue water. The marine life is incredible! Full of depth, color, and light. Totally dreamy, super chill, and the perfect spot to soak up the sun. Out of all the beaches in VI National Park, this is my favorite. A radiant, sun soaked escape! read more
8 months ago
absolutely heaven on earth!! clear blue waters, soft sand, snorkeling (lots of fishes and saw a permit fish almost a yard big!!), showers & restrooms, bar with alcohol, food & dessert shacks (get the shrimp burger), rentals (for chairs, canopy, snorkel gear), $5 admission I do appreciate how they don't give out plastic!! Please protect the oceans and be green :) recycle + reusable metal straws read more
2 years ago
This is a really cool beach and probably the most famous of those inside Virgin islands national park. The coolest thing about this beach by far is the underwater trail - it's such a cute idea and I love that the national park service set it up! There are trunks with marked signs along the underwater trail with info about the fish and wildlife. The day we came was a Saturday and we arrived kinda late (like 3:30, almost 4p). The parking lot was full when we arrived but someone happened to be leaving so we got lucky and took one of their spots. This beach charges $5 per person for maintenance (the park entrance itself is free so that's part of why), although we came right after the desk closed so we were able to go for free. Of note, they do turn off the running water at the bathrooms after 4:30p or so, so when we were leaving around 6 there was no shower available or water fountains. All this aside - it's a pretty spacious beach, we got a spot under a tree pretty easily and we were able to hang our stuff on a branch. The water was a little bit rough; I overheard someone say there had been a tsunami the day prior so maybe that's why~? But it was still calm enough I was able to snorkel no problem! I saw tons of fish and the corals are stunning!!! There were lots of other snorkelers too, it's a very family friendly area. But bear that in mind - it can get crowded! When we drove past this beach the next day on our way back from maho beach, the lot was CRAZY crowded and folks were filling the random areas along the road as well (which are tight). Overall: you should ABSOLUTELY make at least one trip to this beach, even if just to see the underwater trail! But if you spend an hour to two here, you can feel confident you saw it all. I didn't feel the need to come back :) and out of all the beaches in VI national park, this was my second fav, Maho had the coolest snorkeling imo! But no underwater trail there - that's unique to this beach. read more
Trunk Bay is a must do when in virgin Island national park. We were stopped in st Thomas on a cruise so had super limited time in the park. We realized we only had time to do one "thing" so trunk bay was it. After the ferry ride to St John we then took a van over to trunk bay. What interested us most is that Trunk Bay has the only underwater snorkle trail within the US national park system. We brought our gear and were ready to go. If you need gear you can rent all you need at trunk bay. It is a pristine beach in a national park and they do not have vendors and things on the beach. There is a small snack shake a 5 min walk from the beach with lots of cocktails and bites. The bay itself was beautiful. White sand and water so blue it made your eyes hurt. From the sand you can walk directly into the bay and snorkle the trail. There are buoys to keep you in the .25 loop. The snorkel trail was cool but a little small. There were placards on sea floor with informative info on the reef and wildlife. We were there 90 mins and snorkled the trail twice, had a little beach time and got a frozen bev at the snack shack. An amazing place that can't be missed when in USVI National Park read more
Loved our time there! This was my favorite of the 3 bays we snorkeled in. Had the most fish and they were beautiful! We heard someone saw a stingray here while we were in the water. Otherwise loved the fish at this spot. We also got to see a spotted moray eel. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
The best beach on the island, one of the top beaches in the world. Pictures don't do it justice. The water is so blue it doesn't feel real. There is a fee to go into the beach but only 5 per person which is super cheap. Minimal parking but we found a spot. They have a snack shack, drinks, snorkel rentals and chair rentals. They have everything you need to stay there all day! If you go to St. John you have to go here! read more
A must-stop while visiting St. John & the Virgin Islands National Park. This beach is absolutely beautiful and is set-up so you can spend an entire day here without ever leaving. Plenty of beaches with water that's perfect for relaxing, swimming, and snorkeling. The water is the clearest water I've ever experienced - which is perfect for snorkeling and experiencing the underwater snorkel trail. My favorite beach while visiting USVI NP. Besides the beach, Trunk Bay is set up with a stand that rents out snorkel gear as well as lockers to store your belongings, multiple bathrooms, a small food shack, a small bar, and a little souvenir shop. It's also directly on the main taxi path, and many taxis are stationed in their parking lot, so it's easy to get there as well as get a ride back. This beach gets very busy, especially on days that cruise ships are docked in the area, so be prepared to get their early or have to look for a spot. That being said, there's a reason it gets so busy, and it's well-worth the stop. read more
Still the favorite spot of the family! The water is so clear with a soft sand bottom that it's like a swimming pool. Several rays swam along the beach on our visits, so it was really neat to see them up close in shallow water. We even saw a nurse shark this time! Soooo many fish! And the bartenders we had that week were phenomenal and made the best BBCs I have ever had. read more
2 years ago
We made the trip from St. Thomas. Ferry ride was only $8. About 15 mins. Took a taxi $9 pp on a nice ride to the beach. Then had to pay to get in. Rented the chairs $10. Found a nice spot and had a glorious day. We were unable to snorkel bc the conditions were too wavy but we still had a tremendous day at the beach. Highly recommend going here. It was beautiful. read more
1 year ago
This is rightfully known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! It has absolutely amazing views, perfect white sands, and beautiful blue waters. With a small rocky cay only about 200 feet off the beach, the snorkeling is amazing with tons of aquatic life. We even saw a 3-foot ray hovering around the sandy wading area in 2 feet of water. The underwater snorkel trail around the cay is a nice little feature which provides information about the habitat and aquatic life. It gets crowded after 11am, so getting there early is a good idea to if you need to get parking and a good spot on the beach. Parking is ridiculously limited. But there's plenty of space on the beach despite it being relatively narrow. The scene is pretty laid back with lots of families. There were no crazy party animals when we were there fortunately. Parking is indeed a challenge. We took an 11am ferry from Red Hook, and by the time we got there, all the parking was taken. There are probably only about 20 spots in the lot. We ended up parking up the hill in the side of the road about a quarter mile away. Not ideal, but worth the hike! They have a real nice snack shack for drinks (beer, cocktails, sodas, teas, water, etc.), gifts, and pub grub (burgers, sandwiches, snacks, etc.). They also have large and very well maintained restroom and shower facilities. You can rinse the sand off yourself, and they have places to clean your snorkel gear. They also rent snorkel gear if you don't have your own. This was our third time coming back to Trunk Bay. The next time we come back to the islands, it will definitely be on our list of destinations! read more
11 months ago
Voted the best beach in the world on several travel sites and they are correct. Easily the best beach I've ever been to. The bluest water, the best snorkeling and the whitest sand. If you're looking for an incredible beach experience this is the one. We took the ferry over from St. Thomas and rented a taxi. I would advise doing this, others in our party took their vehicle over and there was no parking for the beach so they had to find another beach. There is a snorkel trail that is marked by buoys. We did it it was ok. The real show is at the reef the best marine life we saw on our trip was at the reef to the right of the trail. Don't forget your snorkel and fins. The beach is the only beach that cost money, 5 dollars per adult. This is a don't miss opportunity to snorkel one of the best beaches in the world. The shack that sells burgers and things was really good eats, as well. Don't forget a go pro the best videos you will take here. Also a spot under the vegetation like pictured to get relief form the sun. read more
Trunk bay really should be called Turtle beach. We saw so many turtles here in the grassy areas. It is a low key beach and not crowded. There is also a food truck across the street. No rentals for anything so you will need to bring chairs, umbrellas, etc if needed. Also not too many shady spots. Great area for beginning snorkelers. read more
4 years ago
After my visit, Trunk Bay is one of my favorite beaches! $5 per person to enter this National Park area. You just cannot beat the beautiful sand, endless views, rocky backdrop, and perfect waters. On either side of the beach are more rocky areas that are great for snorkeling. There are food and restroom options but they are tucked a little farther back (not right along the shore) which helps keep the beach itself more peaceful in my opinion. It is a very popular beach though, so my recommendation is to come early before the crowds come in. read more
One of the best beaches I have experienced in the world. This beach has everything you would want in a tropical beach experience. Clean, fine white sand and see through water. There are no shells or rocks for the most part so you won't have to worry about the soles of your feet. The sand of this beach is among the very best I have experienced in my travels. Thick layers of fine white sand more than a foot deep. It is the type that you want to run your feet through all day. It is soft and free of shells and other debris. Find yourself a mound of the shifty stuff and take a nap -- oh so comfortable!!!. The water a see-through turquoise color and is excellent. The depth increases gradually and the sand underneath is clean and free of shells. It is an excellent beach for families. One excellent part of this beach are the food stands and the bar that serves alcoholic. There is a good selection among the 3 food huts. Parking is decent -- there is a parking lot with a good amount of parking, read more
Trunk Bay Beach is one of my favorite beaches at the USVI. It's a busy beach, so get here early if you want a good spot and parking. The lot fills up fast. It's also a safe beach. We saw park ranger out. The people were super friendly. Our stuff was safe. The beach and sea was beautiful. The best coral and most beautiful and colorful fish are at this beach. There are also sea turtles here. The swimming is great. I swam across this bay several times. read more
3 years ago
One of the most beautiful, secluded, charming beaches in the world!!! I highly recommend ! read more
People keep asking what it's like now: What's it like 13 months after this area was struck by two category 5 hurricanes each with wind speeds topping 180MPH within two weeks of each other? Short answer: The beaches are fine. Longer answer: Many buildings have no roofs, many more are uninhabitable for other reasons, there's a lot of clean-up still underway, the residents who lived through it experienced significant trauma, and it'll be years before the region has fully recovered. But the beaches are fine. More than fine, actually; beautiful, stunning, free of debris/Sargassum Seaweed, warm, clean, and irresistible. Trunk Bay is probably the most beautiful big beach on St. John. Sandwiched between the charming and intimate Hawksnest Beach and the larger Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay is the only one of the three sporting an underwater snorkeling trail*. There's not much shade to be found here (and no lifeguards on a Sunday) but it hardly mattered as the water itself was a siren song calling me back in repeatedly. There's little better for the head than lolling in warm blue waters for an entire day. Trunk Bay is free to enter. It also offers free parking, restrooms, showers and, on the day of my visit, some beach gear for rent (no chaise lounges). By contrast, Cinnamon Bay is a ghost town replete with building after building destroyed by the force of the hurricanes. The beach itself is good though. Priorities in the USVI are in order. There's currently no food or drink for sale at St John beaches so stock up on what you'll need before heading there. The beach officially closes at 4 p.m. but all that's really closed at that time is the showers and restrooms; stay as long as you wish in that water but, if you need to get back to St Thomas, be mindful of the time of the final ferry run of the day**. * Snorkeling not allowed the day of my visit due to (not very) "rough" water. ** I took the car ferry over from St Thomas at a cost of $53 round trip. If you arrive by foot ferry you'll need to taxi to and from Trunk Bay. read more
6 years ago
Trunk Bay is by far my most favorite beach! I used to love Magen's Bay but Trunk Bay really WOW'd me this trip. We went twice, once was early in the morning and not a single person other than us was there. It was pure serenity. The sand is soft white and the water is crystal clear. The second time we went it was around 11am and it was super packed by the time we left at around 2pm. We did try their drinks and food and it was pretty good as well. Trunk Bay will always be my go to beach on St. John. read more
6 years ago
Nice beach! This was recommended per the resort as one of the best beaches to go to. I would like to know what factors played into that determination. To me, it was nice, clean, and well managed. But it was a bit too crowded. Nonetheless, this was our last beach stop of the day and it was time well spent. I would definitely say add this to the list to see. They have a bar in the back along with a rental department for activities. read more
Trunk Bay is part of the Virgin Islands National Park. It costs $5.00 per person to visit and opens at 8am. What you receive in return is a beautiful white sand beach with bathroom facilities, lifeguard and a self guided underwater snorkeling trail of reefs. Exploring the coral and sea life is very enjoyable and educational. It gets crowded with most people sticking around the snorkeling trail. If you want more seclusion go further down the beach and the crowds will thin out. read more
Although it's considered one of the top ten worlds best beaches, we were sat somewhere that was covered with ants and had lots of rocks closer to the shade. If you move closer to the water there are fewer ants and rocks but instead you may find washed up coral. The water was pristine and it wasn't too crowded because we picked a day where there weren't too many cruise ships coming in. Thank you USVI website for providing this crucial info! We were going to snorkel but the water was too rough that day and apparently some other more experienced snorkelers said there was not much to see and that the best spot was by far near Annaberg sugar plantation. Although this and Maho Bay are catered to more beginner snorkelers, the water was too rough at both these sites. I also wished I had brought my own which would have been more convenient since most rental places close at 330/430PM on site. read more
We arrived at this beach for a visit around 9:15 during the busy holiday week (they open at 7:30). At that time of day we were ahead of most people and after paying the $5 pp entrance fee (cash or credit) we headed in. First stop was the gear shop just inside were we rented snorkel gear ($10 pp cash or credit plus $50 deposit) where we met James who was super cheerful and helped us out right away. You can also rent chairs $8 if you didn't bring your own-much more comfortable than a towel on the soft fine sand. Next on to the beach. At that time of the day we had our pick of spots and walked left quite a ways down. The beach was still all in shade which was great. We chose a spot in front of some large palm trees so had shade until just past noon which was perfect for our light northern skin. We headed out for a snorkel, and even in late December the water was very nice, clear and relatively warm. They've got this weird underwater snorkel trail you can do but we ignored that and just headed out along the rocks and saw a nice variety of fish large and small as well as interesting coral formations. We were getting hungry so about 11:15 we walked up to the snack bar (just over from the bathrooms and showers) and ordered burgers and hot dogs and a couple of diet cokes-around $50 for lunch for four. A bit of a wait but it's a small operation so be patient-remember you are on vacation! By the time we left around 1, the beach was pretty crowded-not spring break in Cancun crowded, more like 4th of July crowded-although less so at the farther ends (most people carting chairs, towels, coolers and not wanting to walk far I guess). Reminder: NO SMOKING is allowed and no beverages in glass (they will check your cooler on the way in) Beautiful sand, clear warm water, great people watching-what's not to like-unless you arrive at noon! Enjoy. read more
4 years ago
This place is great, beautiful beach, it does cost you $5 bucks to get in. But the beach is great, beautiful sandy beach. (This is what I pictured in my mind of a white sandy beach.) Go snorkeling here, very easy and beautiful, peaceful. Go get your spot early, parking is limited. We got there at 8:30 and found one parking spot , the beach has small trees for shade, but they go quickly. There is a resting area for turtles, but we didn't see any. After snorkeling, I kicked back an took a snooze. There is a bar, a store and clean restrooms. read more
5 years ago
16 years ago
Absolutely as gorgeous as I remembered. Calm and just so relaxing. Bf was sick so we didn't get to enjoy the underwater snorkeling trail :( but it was nice being here for a while on our last day in usvi. Definitely our fave on the US side :) It's too bad the facilities are shut off at 4pm or so...if you need to rinse or use the bathroom after this? you're out of luck...so plan ahead read more
Landed on St. Johns today for the first time and I must say that if paradise on earth exists...I saw it today. I went to a couple beaches and from what I saw I need to go back and see more. This beach here is absolutely amazing. I will post a couple pics but they will not do it justice. It is simply breathtaking. This beach here...clean, great sand, perfect clear blue water and some of the best snorkeling to be found. There is an admission fee of 5.00 but for some reason, the ticket booth was closed when we went. Not complaining. The snorkeling is a must-do. They have a coral reef with a snorkeling trail and you will be inside the best tropical fish tank you have ever seen. No need to bring equipment as they have a rental as soon as you walk into the park(this is national parkland)/beach. Definitely, pay the extra 5 bucks and go with the full face mask option. This and the fins will set you back 20 bucks. When you get off the ferry it is a trek and not advisable. You will need to take a taxi, rent one of the jeeps (75.00 for the day), or hitchhike. The last option is the norm on this island. Or maybe you will get lucky as we did and get offered a ride from a stranger while asking for directions. Any way you choose to get there...just get there. You will be very happy. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
Beautiful views, gorgeous clear water, rentals available (snorkel, chairs) and snack shack for when you get hungry! read more
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More info about Trunk Bay
North Shore Road
St John, Virgin Islands 00830
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http://www.nps.gov/archive/viis/viis/page3.html
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