jcjc

Can anyone give me any information on this area? How is Reef Bay beach? The villa rental agency says that there is snorkeling and beach combing at Reef Bay beach. Has anyone been there? I realize it's not a well traveled location, not one of the North Shore beaches, but we are thinking of staying at a villa within walking distance to Reef Bay beach so that we are close to a beach. We don't want to drive to a beach every day of our vacation. Any opinions, suggestions, experiences would be greatly appreciated!

tess53

i think the beach is beautiful but it is more "wild" than the north shore beaches.depending on the villa you rent it could be a jaunt to the beach..imo..this isn't a place i would like to veg on and since there is "surf" i don't know how the snorkeling is, we just went down to the beach to explore. we did enjoy staying in the reef bay area, very peacefull.

Tuxedocat

The snorkeling is varied and interesting in Reef Bay. There are big stretches of grass so it attracts turtles. Saw a large octopus there and many rays. Not visited much because it's not easily accessible by land except by a 3 mile trail through the national park land. Some villas are situated close enough to it so that you can walk to it easily. It's not a touristy beach at all. Also, you shouldn't be afraid to drive to different beaches. There are so many gorgeous beaches on STJ and also the island is pretty small. It's only about three miles wide and eight miles long. IMO, you should experience a few more special beaches than less.

jcjc

Thank you for the replies!

tess53-the info you supplied is just what I was hoping for. The opinion of someone whose visited the area. I have heard that the surf can be a bit rough and that occasionally there are even surfers in this area. That was worrying me. The idea of a "very peaceful" location within walking distance to a "beautiful" "wild" beach sounds great to me.

Tuxedocoat-your entry was invaluable! It really has helped to sway me to finalize our villa rental. Hopefully the surf won't be too rough and we'll be lucky enough to see an octopus like you did! (And sea turtles, too! We saw a few in Grand Cayman this past summer and that was just amazing!)

Thank you both so much. I can't wait to go... (and Tuxedocoat we will visit as many beaches as we can!)

sharondi

Our first trip to St John, we stayed in a villa in Reef Bay, Second Wind. Very quiet area and private, which is what we wanted. There is a steep but short trail down to Reef Bay from the dirt road. We love Reef Bay since you don't see many people and you can walk all the way to the ruins from the villas. Plenty of nice little sandy areas to swim along the way. We did not have rough seas while we were there; plus there is a visible reef a little way out which keeps the shoreline calm. Here are some pics of Reef Bay:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/7798515

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/7798774

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/7798769

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/7798775

Pretty gorgeous. But if you prefer perfect sand, less privacy and more amenities, you may want to stay elsewhere. It was a bit of a drive to get to anywhere from Reef Bay. The road was very slow going (although it was 5-6 yrs ago.

jcjc

Thanks for the great pictures Sharondi. Wow. I really appreciate your taking the time to post a reply. The villa we are thinking of staying at is right near Second Wind. I guess this area is pretty far away from the North Shore beaches? The rental agent said around 30 minutes, does that sound right? What about town? Grocery stores?
I do think it is worth it to be within walking distance to a beach, however. We love to beachcomb and of course, snorkel. Do you remember how long it took you to get to the beach from the house? Is the trail horribly steep? Thanks again for the pictures!

Tuxedocat

There's one main road which more or less runs along the length of the island called Centerline road. I imagine most Reef Bay villas are accessed by an extension of the South Shore Road. There's a road which cuts up the middle of the island from South Shore to Centerline, and then you can take another cut over to the North Shore area. I suppose, with the slow going, it may take between 20 to 30 minutes, but the distance is only about 4-5 miles. You'll hardly notice the time because you'll be too busy admiring the scenery. Enjoy!

sharondi

Glad you enjoyed the pictures, jcjc. It has been 5-6 yrs since that trip - not sure how much has changed but I suspect the road is still slow. But, as Tuxedocat said, you're too busy admiring the views.

It probably took 20 mins to Cruz Bay/groceries, a little longer to the North Shore beaches (maybe). The island is small and traveling to all the beautiful beaches is part of the fun of St John.

The trail down to Reef Bay from the villas is short but steep. There is a rope to guide you. It's pretty easy. It was only a minute or two walk from Second Wind to the trail. An add'l 3-5 minutes on the trail - real quick. And the beachcombing was amazing - the beaches are coral rubble. I loved just sinking my hand into the rubble and sifting thru the beautiful pieces. You could spend hours down there doing that and maybe see 1 or 2 people the whole time. Man! That sure sounds good to me! Especially since it's about 10 miserable degrees here in the northeast tonight.