Spotlight on Maho Bay Beach
Ask anyone who’s visited St John and they’ll likely tell you that Maho Bay is among their favorite beaches. And why not, with its easy to reach location, beautiful shallow water, soft sand beach, towering coconut palms, parking, facilities and excellent snorkeling.
Planning to spend the day on one of St John’s beaches?
Voted a “Visitors Favorite Beach”- Maho deserves it’s fame. Located on North Shore Road, the beach is just a few yards from parking. This makes it a top choice for anybody with kids and chairs and coolers and snorkeling gear and floatation.
The beach is narrow, but the water is usually calm – with only the lightest surf. The sand is as soft as sugar and extends a fair distance from the shoreline. The shoreline is rimmed with sea grapes and coconut palms that cast an inviting shade throughout the day. There are plenty of “pockets” along the beach so that you feel almost like you’ve got Maho to your self!
But, popularity comes at a price …and the beach can get crowded especially at high season and on holidays! The best times to avoid a crowd are early in the morning ( before 10:30am) or late in the day ( after 3:30pm). Because of its location, Maho is fairly shaded by late afternoon.
Snorkeling
Maho is home to a large variety of marine species that live and feed on the extensive sea grass beds of the bay. Chief among them are sea turtles and rays that frequent the bay. You’re also likely to sea schools of young Tarpon hunting for small fish and crabs in the shallow waters. Looking for corals? The best spots are along the western edge of the bay. There you’ll find a mix of shallow water coral outcroppings and colorful fish.
America Hill Great House Ruins – Look high up on the ridge to the west and you can see the ruins of this 19th century Caribbean great house. If you’re looking for a wonderful hike – it can be reached via the Cinnamon Bay Trail > America Hill Trail.
Getting there:
From Cruz Bay – take Rte 20 ( North Shore Road) approximately 5 miles. There is a small parking area beach side or a larger parking area at the eastern end of the beach.
