Beaches

Our Everyday Beach

If you're staying at Oceans, start here.

Cane Bay Beach is just an eight-minute walk from the villa, with clear Caribbean water, a relaxed North Shore atmosphere and some of the island's best-known snorkeling and diving just offshore. It's equally good for an early-morning swim, an afternoon under the palms or a drink after the beach.

We swim here most mornings after coffee, which probably tells you everything you need to know.

Best For: Swimming, snorkeling & an easy beach day

From Oceans: About an 8-minute walk

Amenities: Restaurants, beach bars & dive shop nearby

Good to Know: No need to bring beach chairs from the villa. Win at The Landing graciously provides colorful beach chairs, along with WiFi at the beach.

The Showstopper

If you have an image in your head of an enormous sweep of untouched Caribbean sand, Sandy Point is probably it.

This protected wildlife refuge on St. Croix's West End has one of the longest and most dramatic beaches on the island, with powdery sand and brilliant blue water. It feels wonderfully wild — partly because development and amenities are intentionally absent.

Sandy Point is also an important sea turtle nesting habitat, so public access is seasonal and limited. When it's open during your stay, it's worth planning around.

Best For: Spectacular scenery & long walks

Location: West End

Amenities: None

Good to Know: Access is generally limited to weekends during the refuge's public season. There is very little shade, and umbrellas cannot be driven into the sand because of turtle nests. Check current refuge hours before making the drive.

Best for an Easy, Comfortable Beach Day

For calm West End water with a few creature comforts, head toward Dorsch Beach and the stretch in front of Sand Castle on the Beach.

Dorsch has soft sand, beautiful Caribbean water and wonderful sunset views toward Frederiksted. The water on this side of the island is often calm and inviting for swimming and floating.

What makes this particular stretch especially easy is Sand Castle on the Beach. The resort offers a limited number of day passes that can include lounge chairs, umbrellas, restrooms, outdoor showers, pools, Wi-Fi and food and drink service at the beachfront café.

It's a great choice when you want a proper beach day without packing half the villa into the car.

Best For: Swimming, lounging & resort amenities

Location: Frederiksted / West End

Amenities: Available through Sand Castle on the Beach

Good to Know: Day passes are limited, so check current availability and pricing before you go.

Best for Beach-Bar Energy

Rainbow is the beach to choose when you want a little more going on.

Just north of Frederiksted, it combines a beautiful stretch of sand and typically calm West End water with the lively atmosphere of Rhythms at Rainbow Beach.

You can settle in for a swim, order lunch and a cocktail, rent watersports equipment when available, and stay through the afternoon.

This isn't the beach we'd choose when we're looking for solitude. That's exactly the point.

Best For: Drinks, lunch, watersports & a social beach day

Location: North of Frederiksted

Amenities: Beach bar, food, chairs & watersports

Good to Know: Sundays and cruise-ship days can be especially lively — or crowded, depending on your perspective.

Best Beach + Town Day

This is one of the most charming ways to spend part of a day in Christiansted.

From the waterfront, hop aboard the tiny ferry to Protestant Cay, the little island sitting directly in Christiansted Harbor. A few minutes later, you're on a sandy beach looking back toward the historic town and its waterfront.

The water is generally shallow and calm, and Hotel on the Cay provides the amenities that make this an especially easy stop, including food, drinks and beach rentals.

Spend the morning exploring Christiansted, ferry over for a swim and lunch, then head back to town when you've had enough sun. It feels like a mini island escape in the middle of a day in town.

Best For: Combining Christiansted with beach time

Location: Christiansted Harbor

Getting There: Short ferry ride from the Christiansted waterfront

Amenities: Restaurant, bar & beach rentals

Good to Know: There is a small ferry fee for non-hotel guests. Check current ferry operations and beach services before going.

The Postcard Beach

Buck Island is best known for its protected reef and underwater snorkeling trail, but don't overlook the beach itself.

Turtle Beach, on the western side of Buck Island, is the kind of Caribbean beach that barely looks real: brilliant water, pale sand and virtually nothing built around it.

Most Buck Island excursions combine time in the water with a stop at the beach, making this one of the classic St. Croix days.

We particularly like Caribbean Sea Adventures and Big Beard's Adventure Tours for trips to Buck Island.

Best For: The quintessential Caribbean day trip

Location: Buck Island Reef National Monument

Getting There: By boat

Amenities: None on the island

Good to Know: Buck Island is protected National Park Service land. Choose a permitted operator and leave everything exactly as you found it.