The Beaches of ST Thomas USVI

St Thomas is located in the US Virgin Islands. It is a picturesque
little island of only 31 square miles with many breathtaking beaches. As
for the first question people usually ask there are no nude beaches in
St Thomas as they are illegal. I have listed my most favorite beaches
and their individual attributes.

Magen’s Bay is the most famous beach on the island of St Thomas. The land
here was donated by the late Arthur Fairchild. It was a condition of the
donation to keep this area public therefore unlike many beaches in St
Thomas there are no hotels built overlooking this beach. It was rated
one of the world’s ten best by national geographic. In my opinion they
are right on the money. The water is calm and crystal clear. There are
small fish that swim along the shoreline but other than that you won't
see much in the way of sea life. Magen's Bay is not that great for
snorkeling. The beach area is equipped with washrooms and showers. There
are lifeguards on duty most days. There kayaks for rent to paddle around
the bay. You can also rent windsurfing and diving equipment. This is the
only beach in St Thomas that charges an entrance fee $3 for adults and
$1 for kids. Don't be scared off by this tiny fee the beach at Magen's
Bay is not to be missed. The view from the beach of the hillside is awesome.

The best kept secret here is an area known as Little Magen’s Bay. It is
on the right hand side of Magen’s Bay if you are facing out toward the
sea. If you walk around the beach past the rocky area you will come upon
a nice hidden beach area. The sand is talcum powder soft and the water
is shallow and bathtub like warm. This is the unofficial area that
attracts clothing optional sunbathers although this is strictly
prohibited in St Thomas.

Morningstar beach has gentle rolling surf. This allows for fair
conditions for snorkeling. Volleyball on the beach is popular here and
windsurfing too. The beach bar is available to serve you up the
requisite pina colada of every vacation. There are washrooms inside the
hotel that fronts the beach. The best thing about Morningstar beach is
that jet skis are available for rent here. Beware though there is little
to no shade at this beach. Generally this is not ideal for children due
to the distance of washrooms and lack of shady areas.

Sapphire beach had a darker blue water color hence the name. The sand
here is somewhat coarse and pebbly however the views overlooking the bay
towards St John are spectacular. This beach is good for water sports but
there is nowhere to buy food unless you eat at the hotel so bring your own.

Emerald beach is also known as Lindberg Bay. This beach is never crowded
so if you arrive by ship and there are many ships in port this is the
place to go for sun. The water here is calm but the snorkeling is not
good. Food is available from several restaurants and two hotels that are
on the beach. Restrooms and chairs are available for your use. You can
also rent windsurfing and diving equipment as well as kayaks. Iguanas
frequently sit on the rocks surrounding the hotels. There is also a
playground for children to enjoy very nearby. In my opinion this is the
beach to go to if you are traveling with small children.

Coki beach is located at Coki point. This is the best beach for
snorkeling in St Thomas probably because people visiting Coki beach are
supplied with dog biscuits to feed the fish. There is food and drink for
humans sold from food vans and restrooms on location as well as lockers
for when you are snorkeling. The water gets deeper gradually and is
clear. This beach area is a little more commercially developed than the
rest. You can rent a beach chair for the day. There are women braiding hair
and vendors selling t-shirts and souvenirs and the beach is small so be
prepared to turn them down firmly if you are not interested or you will
be annoyed all day.

St Thomas has many more beaches than these but these are the most asked
about and most frequented by tourists. They are also the ones that
ordinarily have taxis available without prearrangement to and from them.