St. Thomas Beach Hopping — How We See Multiple Beaches Every Day
Sitting on one beach all day is fine. Seeing three different beaches, snorkeling two reefs, and watching sea turtles eat seagrass while a steel pan player performs on the beach where you got married is better.
Every day in St. Thomas is a different beach and a different activity. Here is how we structure it.
Quick Facts
| Best time to visit | Early morning to beat the cruise ship crowds |
| Getting there | Taxis from Margaritaville — stand right out front |
| Getting around | Taxis |
| Budget range | $ |
| Language | English |
| Passport required | No |
The System
Every morning we make our drinks in the room, fill the Hydroflasks, pack the sackpack with fins, masks, snorkels, GoPro, and snacks, and we are out the door early. The Hydroflasks go everywhere. The sackpack goes everywhere. Every day is built around a different beach and usually something else — shopping, a ferry to St. John, Mountaintop, Charlotte Amalie. The beaches are the anchor but they are rarely the whole day.
[AMAZON LINK — Hydroflask]
[AMAZON LINK — Under Armour sackpack]
[AMAZON LINK — snorkel gear]
[AMAZON LINK — GoPro]
Magens Bay
One of the most beautiful bays in the Caribbean and worth every trip. The beach is long, the water is calm, and the sea turtles feed in the seagrass throughout the day. We have swum alongside them multiple times — close enough to watch them eat, far enough to leave them alone.
Important note — it is illegal to touch or harass sea turtles in the US Virgin Islands. Look. Do not touch. The experience of watching them in their natural habitat is extraordinary enough without getting any closer.
There is a small entry fee for non-residents — cheap, worth every cent, goes toward maintaining one of the genuinely great beaches in the Caribbean.
One of our favorite trips to Magens Bay was when we brought the whole family — mom, sister, nephews. The kind of day that gets talked about for years afterward.
[AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Magens Bay parking and entry information]
Secret Harbor
This is where we got married. Steel pan player right on the beach. Family around us. The kind of ceremony that happens when you stop trying to plan the perfect wedding and just find the perfect place.
We keep coming back because the snorkeling is genuinely excellent. Squid. Wahoo. Endless small fish along the reef. The Secret Harbor Beach Resort has a restaurant right on site that is worth stopping at for lunch. The water is almost always calm and the bay stays quieter than Magens even on busy days.
[AFFILIATE LINK PLACEHOLDER — Secret Harbor Beach Resort]
Sapphire Beach
Good snorkeling, calm water, and a view of St. John sitting across the channel that never gets old. Less crowded than Magens Bay and a different pace entirely. Worth a half day on its own.
Coki Beach
Smaller and more local in feel than the bigger resort beaches. Close enough to Coral World Ocean Park that some visitors combine the two. The snorkeling is good and the vibe is relaxed. A short taxi ride from Margaritaville and worth adding to the rotation.
Beyond the Beaches
Not every day in St. Thomas is a beach day. We make one trip to Mountaintop per visit — the views are extraordinary, the shopping is genuinely good, and the banana daiquiris are the best on the island and heavier on the rum than you might expect. Go before a beach day not after.
Charlotte Amalie is worth an afternoon for shopping. Most cruise passengers stick to Havensight at the cruise port — which is fine. But Yacht Haven Grande nearby has better shopping and a fraction of the crowd. Most cruise passengers never find it. Worth knowing about.
More on both of these in our Complete St. Thomas Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do taxis cost between beaches?
Fares are regulated and charged per person per destination. Expect to pay $10–$15 per person for most trips. Always confirm the price before you get in — we learned that lesson the hard way.
Can I rent snorkel gear on the beaches?
Most major beaches have rentals available. We bring our own — better fit, saves money over a week, and the GoPro comes along for anything worth remembering.
Does Magens Bay charge an entry fee?
Yes — a small fee for non-residents to maintain the facilities. Cheap and worth it.
Is the snorkeling at Secret Harbor actually good?
Genuinely yes. Squid, wahoo, and plenty of reef fish. It surprised us the first time. It does not surprise us anymore.
What else is there to do beyond beaches?
Mountaintop for views, shopping, and the banana daiquiri you will talk about for the rest of the trip. Charlotte Amalie for shopping — skip the cruise crowd at Havensight and go to Yacht Haven Grande instead. The St. John ferry from Red Hook opens up an entirely different island twenty minutes away. Full guides to all of these elsewhere on the site.
When are sea turtles active at Magens Bay?
They feed in the seagrass throughout the day. Morning tends to be quieter before the crowds arrive but we have seen them at all hours. Remember — federal law prohibits touching or harassing sea turtles. Watch from a respectful distance and the experience is unforgettable.
Tell them we sent you.