Trunk Bay Beach
Trunk Bay Beach
4.5
About
The good news: this world-class stretch of white sand and turquoise water is St. John's most photographed beach, which features a marked underwater trail for beginning snorkelers. The bad news: because of its popularity, it can get very crowded with cruise ship passengers and members of sightseeing tours.
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  • Marian E
    Portsmouth, New Hampshire527 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous!
    We, unfortunately, arrived just as a huge group from a cruise ship did so if was quite crowded. That made the snorkeling a little less enjoyable than in some other spots we tried, but the underwater trail was cool (if a little hard to follow). We got the last spot in the lot at 9:30 am, so plan to get there early if you’re driving! There are great facilities with showers and changing areas and a rental hut for chairs and snorkel gear. We didn’t use that, but it was well stocked. There are food and drink options that are adequate but very pricey. That’s to be expected, though. Everything is pricey in the USVI. We spent about 2 hours there and then moved on to other beaches. However, we came back at the end of the day to change and freshen up. Keep your receipt, and you won’t have any problem. They do have a hard closing time for the showers and changing areas, though. They shut off the water and lock the gate to the facilities. We just made it! A gorgeous spot!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 March 2023
  • Tom
    Fort Valley, Georgia3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Trunk Bay, St. John
    The most beautiful beach we visited while in the USVI. Beautiful turquoise water and white sandy beaches. The snorkeling trail was not up to what I was expecting - not much coral and not an abundance of sea life. Good for first time snorkelers and close to the beach.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 March 2023
  • Drew S
    London, Canada167 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Review
    Beautiful calming beach. You’ll be able to get beautiful family photos here. Bring bug spray or your legs and arms will get bit for sure. There is washrooms and showers and spot to fill up your water bottles. There is couple spots to buy cooked food likes burgers, fries sandwiches. There is a bar to buy drinks. State park. Cost $5.00 per adult. They take credit card or cash. Wheel chair assessable Minimal parking. Lots of taxis available for convenience (bring cash for taxis) Enjoy your visit.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 April 2023
  • Matthew T
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The white donkey is cool
    You have to pay a fee to park your car there. But it’s worth it. Comes with showers. There’s an underground water trail that is on one side of the little island off the beach. There’s a white donkey that frequents the place too
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 23 April 2023
  • Laura L
    Hudson, New Hampshire1,042 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice beach to swim, not so much for snorkeling
    This was the first beach we hit at at John and we were anxious to snorkel, hearing this was a great stop. Nice beach but there are WAY BETTER snorkel spots on the island. Left side of the rock island was NOT good, right side was way better and we saw some cool cuttlefish. $5 pp to get in and you have to go early to nab a parking spot. Looking to snorkel? Go elsewhere like Maho, waterlemon cay, salt pond bay or little Lameshur!
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 April 2023
  • VT_Travelerx2
    Brattleboro, Vermont49 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful white sand beach
    This is a beautiful beach with white sand. We were lucky enough to get a parking spot at noon and came on a day when no cruise ships were in town. On the Continental U.S. coast, this beach would be a 5+. On this island, there are better beaches for snorkeling and away from crowds. If you are looking for a more out-of-the-way beach, this is not it.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 April 2023
  • KK78
    Bay Shore, New York730 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Beach!
    Very nicely maintained beach with a snorkel trail (unfortunately it appears the reef is dying, but we saw a few fish). The drinks bar was awesome, lots of blended options to stay cool on a hot day served in metal containers and you can borrow a metal straw. The food was not as good, I had the pulled pork and my roll was so stale I couldn't even eat it. There are also rentals for sunshades, beach chairs and snorkel equipment if you don't have your own - it was expensive, but a nice option.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 5 May 2023
  • escapewhenIcan
    71 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Short beach trip from cruise ship
    Reef from snorkel trail is dead, don't expect much. The beach is nice and good drinks, entrance fee reasonable. Taxi Charged $10pp for ride for ferry dock which was reasonable also.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 7 May 2023
  • Jen M
    Phoenix, Arizona153 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful and good amenities
    This beach is easily accessed by taxi from Cruz bay. There is a $5/pp admission fee for adults but it has shower and changing amenities, bars and snack shacks, and chair, snorkel and shade rentals. The snorkeling was great. Clean and beautiful beach.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 14 May 2023
  • louraedude
    201 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Most scenic beach on North side w good services available.
    We drove a jeep for the week and only did north side beaches. Trunk was best for us. Prettiest, best bathrooms, least walking to get in from parking. Beautiful wide beach. Snorkeling not that good though - better at Gallows Point and Hawks nest with turtles seen. If Trunk is filled Hawk nest, Maho, and Cinnamon are fine. All pretty close to each other.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 28 May 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,148 reviews
Excellent
2,379
Very good
548
Average
172
Poor
37
Terrible
12

Escape709105
United States4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Beautiful beach, not much shade and the snorkeling was disappointing. This was a must do thing on our St John list and we came away somewhat let down. The coral seemed dead and I can't help but wonder if all the people and sunscreen contributed to its demise. We saw some fish but generally they were small. Still, the water and area are gorgeous!
Written 16 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ShelleyVIRock
St. Thomas35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
The best beach in the Caribbean. The views of the water are magnificent. It's located in the national park. We love St. John it's the idyllic Caribbean island. We took the Red Hook ferry over from St. Thomas. It leaves on the hour from each island. We had a great time, everyone was so friendly.
Written 11 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jerry M
Streamwood, IL4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
We were on a cruise that stopped at St Thomas and booked a snorkeling excursion to Trunk Bay on St John which entailed a 45 minute ferry to St John and a 20 minute open air transport vehicle with about 30 people on board. Not terrible transportation but as far as the snorkeling goes it’s terrible. The beach is beautiful but as far as seeing any decent coral (pretty much dead) or fish is a waste of time. Big expense and an even bigger let down.
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grfy86
Little Canada, MN61 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Gorgeous beach with decent facilities. Restaurant, bar, gift shop, bathrooms, showers to rinse off. They have a snorkeling trail with buoys to mark spots to swim to. The surf here can get quite rough but there are plenty of spots to find shade when you’re not in the water. There is charge to enter the national park, $5 per adult.

My only complaint would the lack of adequate parking. Arrive early if you want a parking spot or don’t have a 4x4. When the lot runs out you need to climb over a steep curb into a ravine on the side of the road for parking.
Written 29 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dkep2002
Atlanta, GA9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
This was the most beautiful beach I have ever been to in my life (including the south of France)! Literally “stupid” gorgeous like straight out of a magazine. A bit of a haul to get there, but sooooo worth it! I wish we found it sooner in our trip. Cleanest beach and clearest water. Best beach of any USVI that we went to hands down. Plenty of space (lack of shade though). Everything closes at 4pm so something to keep in mind if you are renting chairs or needing a taxi.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

esappenfield2016
Southaven, MS23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Breathtaking views. Nice beach. Ritz gave us chairs to take and that was plus. Bar and food available. Closes @ 4 as to bathrooms and water and I mean he was kicking everyone out. Taxi drivers in St. john and St Thomas are a pain but car rental outrageous.
Written 23 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Joelle S
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
The best beach we came across during our whole trip. We went later in the day so can’t say anything about the food or drinks there. But the beach itself is breathtakingly beautiful and a perfect spot to watch the sunset!
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cassandra W
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
If you are not at the beach really early, don’t waste your time. Minimal parking at all the beaches. Very disappointing, wasted money on a car ferry for nothing.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nodoor
Irving, TX437 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
Just nuts. Only certain remote beach’s in Hawaii can touch this place. Forget the snorkeling part - just sit on the beach and stare at the amazing water for hours. THAT is what you will remember. Hands down the best.
Written 23 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

1952ja
Massachusetts120 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Beautiful soft sand beach. It has everything you need for a day of sunshine, snorkeling and relaxing. Can get crowded but get there early and you're all set. There's beach chair rentals, snack bars, showers, bathrooms, etc. I found it to be very similar to Magens Bay on St. Thomas. The water is just superb and the snorkeling is some of the best we've experienced. We'll go back for sure. It's a lovely way to spend the day.
Written 23 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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TRUNK BAY BEACH: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Trunk Bay Beach