An Island Tour -St. Thomas

With great anticipation we scoured the map plotting our course for the day.  We had planned this first day to quickly give ourselves a snapshot view of the best and most notable strands of St. Thomas’ shorelines.  We charted a path on this trip to tour the eastern and north-shore beaches,  map and requisite camera in hand we headed out.

Nearest our B&B was the westward facing Secret Harbour.  I was feeling pretty good about myself and the lovely evening I had arranged.  We stopped in and had a nice dinner to watch the sunset and I thought I was really scoring a few

points here with my bride.  Then I spied that some over-achiever had left me in the dust with his seaside preparations!  Needless to say, this small section of soft golden sand makes this a great place for a romantic sunset dinner at water’s edge.

But alas the night was not all lost.  We had the great privilege of meeting and spending a little time with William Torrillo, a professional photographer whom we follow as Old Mango on Facebook.  I even tried to replicate an image he had posted from this beach.  What a miserable failure it was.  This guys has sick talent!

Our next target was an overshot, so we made a quick detour to Coki Beach instead.  This beautiful beach has a couple small bars and grilles, and is home to Coral World Ocean Park, and the Marine Park & Observatory,  The relatively short length was more than compensated for by the numerous barkers looking to park your car and point you to a chair of their choosing.

We then heeded the recommendations of nearly every “islander” we met, and retraced our steps back to Lindquist Beach.  All we could say was “Fantastico”!  We absolutely loved this quiet, beautiful, and pristine stretch of sand.  We had the entire beach to ourselves, save one lone family celebrating the father’s 40th Birthday.  Such clear water and gentle surf makes for a perfect playground.  Thanks to all who pointed us in this direction!

We reluctantly waved a hasty goodbye and headed out for the infamous Magens Bay.  This is the one seen in so many St. Thomas postcards and websites.  Upon stepping through the trees of this US State Park we quickly understood why.  What a beautiful stretch of brilliant, soft white sand, and the entirety is lined with quiet shady retreats.  It was instantly clear why this beach is a favorite of tourists and locals alike.  Absent the usual throng of cruise ship tour buses, we had the beach nearly to ourselves. The crystal clear waters are perfect for wading at a considerable distance from shore.  One of the best tips we got during this trip came from our friends at Uncommon Caribbean.  When leaving the park, stop in at the sinfully refreshing Udder Delight!  Shakes, malts, sherbert, and even Adult Milkshakes, all guaranteed to satisfy.  Thanks for the tip guys!

We then followed the requisite path of every tour bus and headed to the top… Mountain Top that is.  This treetop giftshop and bar, situated at 2,100 ft. above sea level, is one of the oldest and more infamous attractions on St. Thomas.  They claim to be the home to the World Famous Banana Daiquiri.  In reality, they are home to the World Famous views of Magens Bay!

Our final stop was in search of the elusive Neltjeberg Beach.  We really didn’t know how elusive this would prove to be.  Instructed to drive past the gas station, beyond the dumpsters parked along the roadside, just past the restaurant Thirteen, and turn down the path along side the carport with the ‘blue’ tarp.  After a few laps passing the immediate area, we eventually turned at the ‘white’ tarp and found our way.

What we encountered was the absolute worst road known to man.  This was pothole after pothole, separated by deep crevices, and short unexplained patches of perfectly reasonable concrete pavement.  But the resulting stop proved to be yet another beautiful section of quiet shoreline, and we netted the quintessential Caribbean beach photograph.

All in all, we were profoundly impressed with the parks and beaches of St. Thomas.  On our final day on the island, we decided to drop our towels on just one beach and spend the entire day soaking up its vibe.  For this special day we ultimately settled on Magens Bay.  But hey, that’s just our opinion.  If you’ve been to St. Thomas, we would love to hear you voice your opinion,  What is your favorite STT Beach?

Live the Life,
JVbytheSea

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