I’m a water lover and could easily spend every day of the week snorkeling, diving or just floating. If you’re not a certified scuba diver or if you just want a break from the tanks, there’s certainly enough St Croix snorkeling beaches to keep you busy every day of the week. Because 3/4 of our shores are protected by barrier reef, St Croix offers some really stellar coral reefs right offshore. You can explore beaches on your own or book a guided snorkeling tour at Buck Island National Monument with one of the approved National Parks concessioners. You’ll find a diverse array of fish and other sea life in the seagrass beds, at rocky outcroppings or along the offshore reefs. You can purchase or rent gear at most of the dive shops on island. If you’re opting for a tour, gear will be included.
If you decide to explore St Croix and snorkel on your own, we highly recommend grabbing a copy of the St Croix Snorkeling Guide that highlights some of the island’s best beaches to search out underwater life. This terrific resource is full of colorful images that will guide you along your way and get you excited about the world underneath the water. It even includes an identification guide so that you can impress your friends by naming all the fish you saw! You’ll also want to make sure to gear up for your adventure with snorkel, mask and fins and be sure to prevent a scorched back by wearing a rash guard (trust me on this one!). Lastly, check out our article on Reef Safe Sunscreens to prevent harming our delicate coral reefs.Buck Island National Park
Buck Island National Park & Underwater Monument
Buck Island Snorkel Tours are by far the #1 excursion on St Croix and are not to be missed, so we’ve dedicated a whole page just to Buck Island National Park and Underwater Monument check out more info and tour operators.
Best St Croix Snorkeling Beaches
Cane Bay (North Shore) A popular beach for locals and tourists alike and also one of the best shore dive locations in the Caribbean. Snorkeling is easy and pretty spectacular right off shore. Cane Bay is a great location to spend the day with beach bars like eat@Cane Bay Discover more
Chenay Bay Beach A popular spot for locals, families and tourists Chenay Bay Beach is a lovely spot to spend the afternoon. The main part of the beach runs in front of the resort Chenay Bay Beach Resort and Shoreline at Chenay restaurant (and Beach Bar!). If you Discover more
Columbus Cove Beach Columbus Cove Beach is not only picturesque, but it's also one of the most archaeologically significant sites on St Croix. Co-managed by the National Park System and the local USVI Government, Columbus Cove was site of Christopher Columbus' landing Discover more
Jack and Isaac's Bay Jack & Isaac’s Bay are two of the most beautiful beaches on St Croix. These fairly remote beaches are never busy and can only be accessed by a short 15-minute hike from the parking area just below Point Udall. The hiking path down to Jack Discover more
Palms Pelican Cove | Blue Flag Beach The Beach at Palms Pelican Cove has a vibrant fringing reef that provides excellent snorkeling opportunities. When the water is rough, there is a bit of a rip current to be mindful of but the channel is well marked. It's also an active sea Discover more
Smugglers Cove Smugglers Cove Beach is tucked away on the East End and like many of our island's beaches isn't well marked other than a dirt road. To get there, take the East End Road and where the road bends towards Divi, stay along the coast towards Cramer's Discover more