Trunk Bay

Located on the northern side of the island of Saint John in the United States Virgin Islands, Trunk Bay has a three-tenth of a mile-long white sand crescent-shaped beach that is recognized as one of the top ten beaches in the world.  Trunk Bay is named after the endemic leatherback turtle, which is locally known as trunks.  The beach is divided into two main parts: Trunk Bay Beach and Burgesman Cove, which is located on the western end of Trunk Bay.  The beach is home to a 48-foot-tall grass-covered islet popularly known as Trunk Cay that sits just offshore of Trunk Bay and has a beautiful backdrop of many oceanfront buildings that offer incredible views of the vast Atlantic Ocean.  The beach is part of the protected Virgin Islands National Park, which preserves the fragile ecosystem and biodiversity of the region.

Trunk Bay has many amenities, including lifeguards, restrooms, showers, a snack bar, picnic shelters, picnic tables, barbecue grill facility, portable water, a boardwalk, a beach equipment rental facility, a life jacket rental facility, a souvenir shop, an information kiosk, informational plaques, wheelchairs, and an underwater trail.  It is important to note that all shops and the snack bar are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Trunk Bay is a family-friendly beach that offers many fun activities, including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, boating, snorkeling, and diving.  If you are planning to go into the water, it is a perfect beach to go swimming, as the waves are usually calm.  This beach is home to the famous 225-yard-long Coral Reef Underwater Park Trail, which is positioned on the western side of the beach near a rocky islet, making it an ideal spot for nature enthusiasts that offers amazing opportunities to explore the coral reefs, marine creatures, underwater world, and the depths of the ocean.  In addition, visitors can collect interesting information about marine creatures and coral reefs from the nearby information kiosk and plaques.   Hikers can enjoy the nearby hiking trails, which offer unique insights into the local biodiversity.  It is important to note that surfing, body surfing, and skimboarding are not permitted on the beach.  Dogs are not allowed here, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Trunk Bay offers an access path for people with disabilities.  Visitors can also request lifeguards to provide wheelchairs.

It is important to note that the only way to reach Saint John, United States Virgin Islands, is by boat.  Visitors can fly to the Cyril E. King Airport, located in Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, from the nearby mainlands.  There are seven daily voyages from Saint Thomas to Saint John.  You can book a ferry that leaves from Saint Thomas Port, located at Urman Victor Fredericks Marine Terminal (Red Hook), Route 32, and reach Saint John (Cruz Bay) in around 15 minutes for a starting price of $15.

In addition, these ferry operators offer visitors the option to transfer their cars to the island on a ferry with them, for which they have to pay and book in advance.

Once you are on Saint John Island, getting to Trunk Bay is easy - it has several street parking spots located along the North Shore Road, which provides easy access to the beach.  It is important to note that visitors have to pay five dollars as an admission fee.

Laurence Rockefeller, a well-known industrialist, philanthropist, and conservationist, donated a substantial portion of Trunk Bay to the National Park Service, making it a permanent part of Virgin Islands National Park.

There are many attractions near Trunk Bay.  Lind Point Trail is a dog-friendly, one-mile-long easy-hiking trail positioned on the northern shoreline of Saint John, overlooking Cruz Bay.  It meanders through a dry forest on the slopes of Caneel Hill, which offers an interesting insight into the local biodiversity. Reef Bay Sugar Mill Ruins is a well-preserved sugar factory in the Virgin Islands, which illustrates the history of sugar production on the estate.  The factory building retains several pieces of its original equipment, including a horse mill, a free-standing bake oven, a cemetery, and the remains of three small cottages.  Franklin A. Powell, Sr. Park is a dog-friendly neighborhood park overlooking Cruz Bay that offers many amenities, including benches, a paved path, a cafe, a gift shop, and the famous Freedom Statue.  Coral Reef Underwater Park Trail is a perfect spot for nature enthusiasts that offers amazing opportunities to explore the coral reefs, marine creatures, underwater world, and the depths of the ocean.   If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Virgin Islands National Park is a protected natural area that is home to fragile ecosystems, including coral reefs, tropical forests, beaches, and the biodiversity of the region.  Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including hiking, picnicking, watching wildlife, boating, camping, and many historical sites that provide interesting insight into the island’s past.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within a twelve-minute drive of Trunk Bay.  Shambles Island Bar and Grill serves salads, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, meat, pork, beef, and poultry dishes.  1864 The Restaurant serves amazing soups, salads, hot bowls, sashimi, sushi, mussels, clams, seafood, beef, meat, and poultry dishes.  The Longboard serves delicious poke bowls, tacos, ceviche, nachos, salads, burritos, seafood, meat, pork, beef, and poultry dishes.  Cruz Bay Landing serves eggs, rancheros, tacos, pancakes, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.   If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Morgan's Mango serves amazing soups, salads, ceviche, pork, meat, beef, ribs, seafood, and poultry dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Trunk Bay, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Peter Bay Gatehouse is four minutes away by car and offers a few amenities including hot tubs and wifi.  A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star The Westin St. John Resort Villas, which offers many amenities, including an outdoor pool, a fitness center, hot tubs, a spa, and a Caribbean restaurant.  Another moderately priced option is the 4-Star Caneel Bay Resort, which has many amenities including a fitness room, tennis courts, four restaurants, and a kid’s club.  A more reasonably priced option is the 3-Star Gallows Point Resort, which offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, whirlpools, a fitness center, and a restaurant.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Estate Lindholm offers many amenities including an outdoor pool and complimentary breakfast.