Pam

Been looking into day excursions from St John to Virgin Gorda "Baths", Tortola, and Jost Van Dyke. Many or these are 100.00 per person or more. We are travelling with children. There are also ferries that run from Cruz Bay to these places on certain days. Is it worth it to take these excursions or would snorkling around St John be just as nice? Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any advise!

Laura

Definitely worth it. Most beautiful snorkeling I have ever seen. I was in St John years ago and stayed at Caneel Bay Resort. The resort has a daily ferry over to the Baths, but probably is for resort guests only. The children would love the boulders on the beach and the "caves" of shallow water they create. Have fun!!

Joan

Pam,<BR>If you've never been to St John before I wouldn't worry about taking an excursion to go snorkeling. St John has some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean! <BR>On our most recent we did do a day trip to Jost Van Dyke but snorkeling wasn't the focus. I'd strongly recommend a book called "Feet, Fins and Four Wheel Drive" by Pam Griffin. She describes in detail all the best snorkeling locations on St John. You and your kids will have a fantastic time. <BR>I'm not saying you shouldn't go to Virgin Gorda, Tortola or Jost, all I'm saying is that you don't need to do that to do great snorkeling. We snorkeled out to the little cay in Cinnamon Bay on St John and felt like we were in a tropical aquarium!

susan

Hello,<BR><BR>Went to st. john april of this year with 4 children ages 14 to 4. I can not tell you what an awful experience we had using the ferry to go to virgin gorda to the baths. The ferrys are always late, they never tell you anything about the schedule or even if your on the right ferry. We were late getting to the baths so we only had two hours there tops. Also a warning if you have kids, they are topless at the baths, which I didnt know taking my sons age 12 and 14. When we came back we had to stop at immigrations where the second boat to st. john never showed up for two hours and nobody told us anything, oh they did tell us to be quite and wait out side when people were asking when the ferry would show up, anothewr mechanical problem. All in all we left for virgin gorda at 8:30a anr return to st john at 6:00p, that was very difficult with a 4 year old. Also the baths are very difficult to get to, it is at least a 20 minute hile under boulders sometimes very difficult to squeeze thru, we even had to scale up a rope up and down wet sandy slopes. Older people and people with small children should be warned not to go to this place. This poor woman in our group had a walker!! Anyways the snorkeling was better at st. john. My husband refers to the baths as the trip from hell. It would have been better minus kids and a private boat because it was beautiful.

Pam

Thanks alot Laura, Susan and Joan. It is our first trip to St. John and my cousin and her family are going also. Maybe we should wait until we arrive in mid June to decide. Thanks for the input, it's appreciated!!