Our Favorite Beaches

You could spend weeks finding the perfect beach on St. Croix, there are so many contenders. But the definition of what makes a perfect beach could change day to day based on your mood. Do you want a wide strand of sand or a rocky tide pool? Do you want to take a dip while hanging out at a lively beach bar or lay on a completely secluded, untouched stretch of sand? You can find it all on STX.

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Pelican Cove Beach

Pelican Cove Beach, also known as Cormorant Beach, is right at the condominium complex. It’s long stretch of sandy beach dotted with swaying palm trees has something to offer for everyone. Parts of Pelican Cove Beach may be rocky, but there are areas conducive to swimming. There is a stretch of reef just off the beach that is great for snorkeling. The towering palms lining the beach provide great natural shade, should you want to escape from the sun.

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Mermaid Beach at the Buccaneer Resort

The resort is gorgeous and it is amazing just to drive onto the property. The Terrace restaurant is a nice ending to a day on the beach, and the views are a must-see! Also, try the hibiscus pomegranate martini while you are there. Mermaid Beach is a spectacular white sand beach located at the Buccaneer Resort. For those seeking refuge from the bright Caribbean sun, the shore is shaded with tall coconut trees. A beach bar and open-air restaurant are located a short distance from the sandy beachfront. For non-hotel guests, a fee is collected for parking on the hotel grounds. The resort offers restrooms, a bar, and a restaurant close to the water. The lounge chairs, water sports equipment rentals, and the pool at The Grotto are reserved for guests of The Buccaneer. When available, non-hotel guests may rent a chair from The Buccaneer.

 

Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Beach is located on the West End of St. Croix, and has calm waters, perfect for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding or snorkeling. The beach features some of the best water colors and is completely crystal clear. The restaurant/bar, Rhythms at Rainbow Beach, has delicious food and drinks.

 

West End Water Sports is by the beach and rents jet skis and offers jet ski tours of the West End from Rainbow Beach. You can rent beach chairs and an umbrella for shade and treat yourself to lunch at the beach side restaurant and bar. NOTE: This is also a very popular spot for cruise ship guests visiting St. Croix for the day, so watch the timing. You can see the cruise ship schedule here. There is usually live music, and a volleyball net set up on the beach for players. This is one of the top Sunday hang out spots on St. Croix, so Sundays will be lively and fun, not a serene secluded paradise. 

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Cay Beach

Cay Beach is about 200 yards off the Christiansted Harbor. It's a short two-minute ferry ride that departs continuously from the Christiansted boardwalk, right in front of the King Christian Hotel. $5 round-trip.  The island features a beach bar and restaurant that is quite yummy!

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Chenay Bay Beach

Home to a hotel with the same name, this cozy beach is open to the public. Windsurfers, snorkel gear, kayaks and other rentals are available. There is also a popular beachside bar, restaurant and children’s playground. The bay has a grassy bottom close to shore, which makes it the perfect environment for starfish, conch and sea turtles. Three species of sea turtles nest on the beach berm – all are classified as threatened or endangered. Swimming out along the right side of the bay near the point offers good snorkeling. There is plenty of shade and there are beach chairs to lounge on near the resort. Lounge chairs are free if food and drinks are purchased at the small pavilion restaurant. Wind surfers, snorkeling gear, and sunfish are for rent. This is a fantastic beach for young children, as the water is shallow and calm.

 

Chenay Bay Beach runs along the Southgate Coastal Reserve. The Reserve is located a little over 3 miles east of Christiansted, totaling 100 acres, and encompassing a coastal salt pond, mangrove forest, beach forest and upland grassland. The pond and surrounding wetlands provide a habitat for many resident and migrant birds including several species classified as threatened or endangered.

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Cane Bay Beach

The Landing at Cane Bay Beach is another spot to enjoy for beach, lunch, and drinks. The beach is beautiful with a wide sandy strand with moderate surf, but great diving and snorkeling sites. A full-service dive shop, along with the hotels and restaurants nearby, make this a great place to hang out.

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It is also a popular place for families to hang out with their kids and dogs, because it’s a one stop beach that has everything. Bask in the Caribbean sun, play volleyball, rent some beach chairs and dive into a good book, or take a dip in the clear warm water. Scuba diving and snorkeling are a popular pastimes here, as Cane Bay offers easy access from the shore.

This beach can get busy on the weekends with restaurants offering specials and live entertainment, and many families barbecuing or having birthday parties on the beach. Cane Bay is also where the annual Mardi Croix parade and celebration takes place, a St. Croix tradition very similar to Mardi Gras.

Cane Bay is rated one of the top dive locations in the Caribbean, and deservedly so. Sweet Bottom Dive Center is located right across the street from the beach. They offer scuba instruction, guided shore dives, night dives, as well as gear rentals and sales. If you’re not already a certified diver, you’d be fortunate to discover it here, or get certified at this very special location.

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Dive the famous Wall, where the ocean floor turns into a steep cliff that drops more than 2 miles deep along the Puerto Rico Trench. The shelf and the wall are perfect for seeing many species of fish, turtles, moray eels, garden eels, shrimp, squid, lobster, crabs, seahorses, reef sharks, maybe even the occasional dolphin or humpback whale if you’re lucky. This is also home to a grant-funded coral restoration project. 

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Davis Bay
This is a picturesque, long, sandy white beach, located at the Carambola Beach Resort. Davis Bay is quiet and serene. Behind the beach are rolling hills, lots of palm trees, and rocky cliffs being sprayed by the ocean mist from the crashing waves.

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Davis Bay is a resort beach, so there are beach chairs and hammocks tucked among the trees for guest use. There is an onsite dive shop with snorkel equipment rentals. Be aware that the beach has a rocky bottom in some areas and often has strong currents, so please be careful if you choose to swim here. Swimming and snorkeling are great when the conditions are right, but the surf can get rough and the currents can be strong.

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Shoy's Beach

Shoy's is one of the prettiest beaches on the island with clear water, white sand, and shady palms making this an ideal spot. The beach is ringed by private homes, so there are no food or personal facilities available. The east end of the beach is the best for swimming, the west end has great snorkeling.

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Reef Beach

This beach is a favorite among wind surfers and East Enders. Watersport equipment and lounge chairs are for rent. Seagrape trees bordering the beach provide shade, and make a perfect picnic spot for bring-you-own cooler outings. Because the wind is good for the windsurfers, the water can be choppy.

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Dorsch Beach

Dorsch Beach is a beautiful stretch of extra soft, white sand just south of Frederiksted, past the fish market. It has plenty of shade under palm and sea grape trees, so it’s a great place to relax and spend the day limin’. Dorsch Beach is a favorite with locals on the weekends and holidays, but is generally nice and quiet during the weekdays.

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With a mostly sandy bottom, there is not much to see while snorkeling except around the small rocky patches. However, the calm waters of the West End are great for swimming and floating. Dorsch Beach is also a fantastic location to watch the sunset.