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Hello! I am planning a trip at the end of May, and I've been looking up on day sails and sunset cruises. Sorry if this topic has been brought up numerous times, but I am curious as to the best day sails and sunset/cocktail cruises on St. Thomas. Money isn't (too much) of an option. All of them seem to offer about the same thing for around the same price. It's pretty hard to pick from such a similar list!
Basically, I would like a full day on the sea with great snorkelling, good food and drinks, and a fun crew. I would like something a bit more romatic for a sunset cruise, but good food and drinks would also be much appreciated.
(Sorry to throw this in) If anyone can give me an opinion or suggestions of my overall itinerary, that would be great!
Day 1: Get into Bolongo Bay mid afternoon and just hang out
Day 2: A very awesome day sail
Day 3: Hit some of the pretty beaches around St. Thomas and the Kon Tiki boat
Day 4: St. John
Day 5: Screamin' Eagle, pretty beaches around St. Thomas, Paradise Point
Day 6: pretty beaches around St. Thomas, sunset cruise
Day 7: Maybe St. John again...I don't know!
Day 8: cry a lot because we're leaving
I apologize for being annoying! Thanks for your help!
How about a day trip to the BVI for day 7?
Do you have to have a passport to go there? Virgin Gorda looks amazing, but he doesn't have a current passport.
If you are a US citizen, you do not need a pasport for a day trip to BVI. You will need a birth certificate or such to prove citizenship.
A very popular day sail to BVI from STT is to Jost Van Dyke.
Hello Valerie,
Your plan sounds good. Your day sail can be a private day sail with just a max of 6 people so you could charter the boat just for you (your group) and have a great private sail. Or you could go out with Heavenly Days out of Bolongo for a group sail with other people. Wear lots of sunblock on your sail day - since its your first day and because you have sun coming down on you and reflecting on the water and when you are snorkeling on your back and back of legs - you could get a terriable burn which would put a damper on your other beach days.
Beaches around St. Thomas - you could go check out Secret Harbor, Sapphire, Coki Beach all on the East End and then go do the Kon Tiki.
St. John - if you have a rental car you can take it over on the car barge or take the passener ferry and rent one there or just use taxis. If you are without transportation you can hike from Cruz Bay to Soloman then Honeymoon then Caneel Bay - thats a nice day, bring some picnic food with you. Then take a taxi tour from Caneel to see some of the island. Bring a change of cloths and stop at Cinnamon Bay and change there (they have showers and bathrooms). Then have dinner on St. John and take the passenger ferry back. If you have a car then drive around, beach hop, have lunch there.
On your next St. Thomas beach day you could go to Magens Bay.
You could go over to Water Island for a litlle hiking and beach time. Then the sunset cruise in the evening.
Do island tour of St. Thomas, maybe some souvenir shopping, see some sites in town.
--Islander
🙂 Thanks so much for your reply! I'm going to print it out and bring it along with me since it's really helped with my itinerary.
I decided on the Ike Witt Charters based on the wonderful reviews its received. It sounds perfect. I learned from my dad when we went to Cancun 15 years ago that a good sunblock applied frequently is necessary! He got burnt at the beginning and was miserable the whole trip. Luckily, I learned that lesson young!
We weren't planning on renting a car, but maybe we'll do that when we go to St. John. It would allow us to see more of the island. I'm sure that getting taxis constantly would add up anyways. Thanks for the great idea for touring it!
I'm really looking forward to my trip, and I'm so glad that this site exists! It has been a huge help for me in planning our vacation. Thanks so much for your input!!!
Hi, Valerie
Pirate's Cove Marina on the East End of St. Thomas offers a sunset cruise every Thursday at 5:30PM. They sail aboard the Jolly Roger, a 40 foot catamaran, and the route varies weekly. It's only $10, and that includes your first Heineken. It's a lot of fun.
Their number (for reservations) is 714-2135.
Hope you enjoy your visit to the islands- St. Thomas is a beautiful place, and you'll have a great time!
Best,
LR
I am trying to plan a romantic virgin island getaway with my fiancee, does anyone have a idea of a great place to go? Hotel, ect.
Thanks so much!
Matt
Matt
Check out Caneel Bay resort on St.John - http://www.caneelbay.com. A bit pricey but it may be what you are looking for in a quiet, romantic place. We are booked there for the last two weeks in May.
Curmudgeon
Your suggestion of a day at St. John's sounds great!
Are there any restaurants along this hiking patch that we can eat at rather than bringing food with us. . . . . . . a casual restaurant that doesn't mind us looking like we've been laying out on the beach for a few hours. . . . . .
Thanks so much!
Are there any private yachts that sail to Jost Van Dyke? We to have an extra day to fill when we come down in August. I'd like to also check out "the baths". Just wondering if any private cruises go there?
Hello Vals,
No restaurants along the hiking trails on St. John. There are restaurants in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay (the two main "towns"; Cruz Bay is where the ferry comes in).
There are restaurants at four of the beaches; Caneel Bay and Great Cruz Bay have resorts on them that have restaurants. And Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay have some beach restaurants with picnic table types environment. If you are hiking Honeymoon Trail or Reef Bay or Drunk Bay or Lameshur..... no food you need to bring your own and definately bring bottles of water for each person hiking. If you don't want to do picnic then you can take a taxi to Cinnamon Bay and hike around there; there are some trails and some plantation ruins with the same name Cinnamon... and then you can eat at the little restaurant there (don't go to late they aren't open all day but if you miss them there is a little store so you can grab junk food) and then you can cool off at the beach - great day.
rtsunset; The Baths are on Virgin Gorda... yes you can do a charter to the BVI and visit the baths and perhaps also Jost. Which island are you leaving from St. John or St. Thomas?
--Islander
We are staying at the Wyndham STT. I guess Red Hook would be the place to leave from??
Hello rtsunset,
Yes most of the charters leave from Red Hook; some leave from hotels ie. Sapphire has some charters that use the marina there and Ritz has their own charter leaving from there and so does Bolongo Bay Resort.
You might visit http://www.newhorizonsvi.com and www.limnoscharters.com for a charter with other groups and individuals; they are larger boats and take more then 6 people. If you want a private charter with one of the 6 packs you could look at www.sailvi.com
--Islander
your vacation plans sound exciting. My family is not going until next spring, please let me know how your plans went, especially the sails, cruises,etc. Also, is it as expensive to eat there as it sounds? Thanks a bunch, Pat
Consider taking a full day cruise for snorkeling, sailing, and lunch with Captain Max. Her boat 'Lou' carries no more than six people, and my husband and I have gone out with her two years in a row. She will take you to wonderful coves and beaches on St John which are not crowded, and provide you with great snorkelling equipment from her husband's drive shop. She has a website www.sailwithcaptainmax.com that gives you more info--we highly recommend her!
