Top 5 Beaches on St. Croix

• Cane Bay Beach
• Rainbow Beach
• Mermaid Beach
• Fort Frederik Beach
• Turtle Beach

CANE BAY BEACH

The palm-tree lined Cane Bay Beach is a favorite of snorkelers and divers, with the famed Cane Bay Wall located some 200 yards offshore. Known as one of the top dive sites in the Caribbean, The Wall is part of the Puerto Rico Trench (the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean) and drops dramatically from 40 feet to more than 13,200 feet. Thanks to Cane Bay’s crystal-clear waters, divers can easily spot marine life that includes reef sharks, sea turtles, and colorful schooling reef fish such as tangs and wrasses. Snorkelers will find coral in as little as five feet of water off Cane Bay Beach, so you don’t need to go far to start exploring.

Sweet Bottom Dive Center, located just across the street from Cane Bay Beach, specializes in personalized small-group diving experiences from shore or by boat. Groups of up to four people with similar diving skills are matched up with one divemaster, keeping the focus on safety and the divers’ enjoyment. Sweet Bottom also rents both diving and snorkeling equipment.

After a day spent on Cane Bay Beach, head to the lively Off the Wall beach bar, perched on rocks just above Cane Bay. Have a seat at the blue-tiled bar or one of the pastel-colored picnic tables. The casual menu includes chili nachos, calzones, burgers and deli sandwiches. Catch live bands and play bingo every Tuesday and on the last Saturday of the month.

RAINBOW BEACH

With its clear, calm waters and soft sands, Rainbow Beach is favored by sun worshippers and water enthusiasts alike. Located on the beach, West End Water Sports rents everything you’ll need for fun in the sun, from lounge chairs and umbrellas to stand-up paddleboards, jet skis, single or double kayaks, floats and snorkel gear. West End also offers jet ski tours for experienced riders, taking off from Rainbow Beach and zooming out to fascinating sites like the Sandy Point Wildlife Refuge (a nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles) and the Hams Bluff Lighthouse.

Also on-site is the wildly popular Rhythms at Rainbow Beach, serving casual island eats and fruity frozen cocktails. Share a plate of blackened mahi bites or crispy clam strips. Then, choose from entrees like coconut shrimp served with Thai chili sauce, the huge fried pork loin sandwich or jerk chicken tacos. Side your meal with a frosty piña colada or a mojito made with fresh lime juice and mint. Music from live bands often leads to dance parties on the sand. Stay until early evening and you’ll be treated to one of the most spectacular sunset views on St. Croix.

MERMAID BEACH

Picture-perfect Mermaid Beach — with its swaying palm trees and crisp white umbrellas dotting its powdery sand — is located at The Buccaneer resort, although you don’t have to be a guest to access the beach and parking lot. Everything you could want for a beach day is located on-site. Paddleboards, kayaks and snorkel gear can be rented from a hut right on the beach. Casual swimmers will love wading out into the calm, clear waters.

Grab lunch at The Mermaid, the resort’s lovely beachside restaurant with wraparound tropical views. A special beach menu is offered on the deck daily from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Try the conch fritters, fish and chips battered with local Leatherback Brewing Co. craft beer, or the seafood pizza layered with alfredo sauce, shrimp and crab meat. For dessert, order the rum cake soaked in St. Croix’s famous Cruzan Rum or the Key lime cream pie. Refreshing beach drinks include the Caribbean Sunset, mixed with Cruzan light and dark rums, Amaretto, grenadine, and lime and pineapple juices.

FORT FREDERIK BEACH

As its name suggests, Fort Frederik Beach is located just outside the red walls of historic Fort Frederik. A short walk from downtown Frederiksted, the beach features soft sands and calm waters for swimming, paddleboarding or simply floating. Fort Frederik Beach is especially family friendly, with restrooms, picnic tables and a playground just across the street. Kids love to dig on the beach looking for chaney — shards of fine china from passenger ships that originated in Europe long ago.

Snorkelers will want to head to nearby Frederiksted Pier for an amazing underwater experience just steps from the shore. Coral formations have overtaken the pillars that support the pier, along with colorful sponges and teeming marine life. It’s not unusual to see barracuda, seahorses, stingrays, lionfish or sea turtles. Although the water here has an average depth of 45 feet, at the very end of the pier it can slope down to 90 feet. Diving is not allowed at Frederiksted Pier when cruise ships are docked.

Join Mermaid Adventures for a one-of-a-kind snorkeling tour. Using an underwater propulsion Seadoo Seascooter that gently pulls you through the water, snorkelers can conserve their swimming energy while enjoying the undersea sights. Experienced guides lead the Guaranteed Turtles Tour, where snorkelers explore the waters around Fort Frederik Beach and the Frederiksted Pier in search of sea turtles, as well as a manmade cavern that’s home to unique aquatic animals. Your two-hour adventure will be videotaped and photographed, available for purchase as a USB drive wristband.

Take a seat at an umbrella-shaded picnic table and soak in the blue sea views at Aquaholic Beach Bar & Grill. You’ll find traditional Caribbean foods on the menu, including pates stuffed with saltfish or lobster, whole fried snapper and pot fish plates, tostones, and beans and rice. Aquaholic offers drinks like lemonade spiked with Cruzan Coconut Rum and the locally loved Mamajuana — a spicy mix of rum, red wine and honey infused with tree bark and herbs.

TURTLE BEACH

Located on Buck Island Reef National Monument, beautiful Turtle Beach — named one of the world’s best beaches by National Geographic — is known for its sugary sand and dazzling turquoise waters. But because it’s a national monument, you’ll need to book a half- or full-day trip with an approved tour operator to visit the National Park Service-protected island.

Caribbean Sea Adventures offers a variety of Buck Island tours. The half-day snorkel tour includes a 30-minute trip via catamaran to reach Turtle Beach, where you’ll get a snorkeling lesson (gear is provided) and have time to take a swim in the calm, crystalline waters. Then, the expert crew will take you on a one-hour guided tour of one of the most pristine elkhorn coral barrier reefs in the Caribbean, including the Underwater Trail that passes through coral grottoes and features plaques identifying local marine life. The tour ends with a Cruzan Rum Punch toast!

Because Buck Island is uninhabited and there are no food vendors, you’ll need to plan ahead and pack your own picnic lunch. Before heading off on your tour, stop at Ziggy’s Island Market to pick up provisions. This combination convenience store and gas station surprisingly offers great food and cocktails. Pick up a Cuban sandwich, beef pate or a shrimp curry dish to-go. There are also tables if you want to dine on-site. Ziggy’s hosts a popular Sunday brunch featuring unique items like the surf-and-turf benedict and a Bloody Mary garnished with house-pickled vegetables.

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