Maho Bay Beach

One of our family favorites while on St. John from the water, to the paddle board rentals, the beach shops and bars, etc. Best part, it’s far away from all the cruise boat traffic, so it’s quiet, peaceful and makes for a great beach day in the tranquil water. Sea turtles graze here like crazy, so it’s nearly guaranteed that you’ll see some - bring a snorkel, mask and fins to enjoy.

Great beach with lots of room to find a spot to hang out. Great water and turtles! Any self respecting Deadhead needs to visit this beach!

It's a wonderful beach , it's relatively long so it's possible to find a spot for everybody. We were told that the main attraction is to watch turtles feeding on the grass on theseabed. Unfortunately there were none, maybe it depends on a season. But the beach itself is great and we spent a wonderful time. the parking can be a bit scarce but we found a spot.

Beautiful long beach. Lots of families. Several areas to rent chairs,snorkel gear etc. Bar and food available to purchase. Seemed family friendly oh an 🫏 donkeys 🥰

This beach is very awesome, beautiful and secluded. Gifts and eats after located across the street. The sand is white, the water is emerald, very good place to spend the day on a beach.

Beach is calm and clean. Get there early for parking, and there is plenty of room to set up. There are food and drinks for sale across the street.

I've been to many islands and many beaches, and to me.This is the most beautiful beach in the world. It is stunning the water the surroundings. Perfect day for snorkeling and exploring. you can swim around and see all types of fishies and turtles. Across the street, they have food, trucks and dream trucks, perfect for a day at the beach. I recommend this beach to everyone. It's a once in a lifetime, please to visit

Incredible! Much less crowded than Trunk Bay! Wonderful place to snorkel. We saw turtles, barracuda, sting ray, and tons of interesting fish! We loved or new friend, James! He makes the best tasting drinks. Make sure to find him at the bar a little further down from the entrance! Get The Lime in the Coconut! Lots of shade. You can rent everything you need for a fun beach day. There are 2 different vendors who sell chairs so check prices. Avg price is between $15 and $20 per chair. Shop it out first to get the best price! Didn’t see the donkeys this visit! Maybe later in the week!

The beach is getting smaller due to erosion however you can always find shade & parking. The concession stand accross the street (paddle in) is a great asset.

Still a great location to visit. The water was cloudy again on this trip and I don't like that boats can dock so close to shore. But we saw some huge rays and the largest sea turtle I've ever seen! But not many fish. There are food trucks and two bars. Please don't get the lobster roll, it was $36 that I immediately had to throw away!

Nothing not to love. Pristine and serene. Great cocktails. Rentals for kayaks & boards.

Took a great day trip here on a catamaran. Lots to see from multiple sea turtles to sting rays and fish. The water was warm and clear. It was busy, but lots of space to explore still.

One of the beautiful beaches that the Virgin Islands National Park has to offer. Water is beautiful, and they have good snorkeling here. Beaches can definitely get crowded. Across the street, they have a little bar and take-out restaurant as well as a rental and souvenir area. Maho Bay is right on the main taxi route, so it's relatively easy to get a taxi to and from the bay. While the beach is pretty, I found myself enjoying my time more at both Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. While Trunk Bay can be just as busy (if not more so), I felt the area was prettier and had much better snorkeling. Cinnamon Bay is not as crowded, also has beautiful water, as well as ruins to explore. Still a great stop while you're exploring the park.

Maho Bay is a popular Beach on St John due to its amazing snorkeling! There are a ton of sea turtles and stingrays to see. I wish I had one of those cameras that you can take great underwater photos with. The beaches on St John are pretty small but even during peak time it is not crazy crowded. There are always a lot of snorklers. But if you want to see the most turtles you have to walk quite a hike to the other end of the beach. This means hiking all your stuff to the far end over sand etc. There really is no other way to do it. The bathrooms and food and drinks are pretty far from that beach. It really depends on your goals. The shallow water is covered on rocks too. So be prepared for that. Water socks would probably help.

Wonderful, beautiful beach. Clear water - was the 4th beach we visited but finally saw many turtles here! Very cool and just picture perfect. Don't miss this beach.

This beach should really be cold turtle Bay because of all of the turtles that are in this area. They come near the grassy area and are so friendly. We saw a medium size turtle But there were others that said they saw very large turtles here. There is also a taco truck across the street. You should bring your own chairs or umbrellas as there are no where to rent these.

This was my personal favorite beach on St John. The water was so calm and beautiful and I could have snorkeled for hours, it is a great bonus to spot the turtles. There were a lot of fish in the shallow part of beach too which is fun for small kids to spot. Across the road is a great eating area and bar, we got the Mahi Mahi bites and Banana Hammock drink both were absolutely perfect. This beach day was outstanding.

You can't miss this beach if you are driving along the road. It is right off the road so you will hear car noise when laying on this shallow depth beach. That said, the snorkeling is good here and the water is very clear. There was a sea turtle and a decent amount of fish. The beach is long so there was plenty of room to spread out, but there were no tall trees for shade. There were several yachts and catamarans in sight when we were there that made the ambiance better. Another pro is that there is a small market across the street that has a bar and place to get food. There are also lots of taxis waiting here so getting a ride back into town should not be a problem either. Definitely spend some time here, but not sure it is an all-day thing.

Swim with Sea Turtles! All the sea turtles are here. Big ones, small ones, all the ones! It's amazing! There's also sting rays and a nurse shark. The water is crystal clear. It's easy to see the turtles, nurse shark, and sting ray. It's also very easy to see the coral which is incredible. I was able to swim across the entire bay. That was quite a swim but a lot of fun. There were not many swimmers. But the bay was very calm and easy to swim.

Well....there are 2 parts to my story..... First I'll say that after leaving Cinnamon Bay Beach and while next heading here to Maho Bay Beach....there was a FANTASTIC roadside pullover that I highly recommend for everyone to stop at. This quick overlook provided an expansive view of Maho Bay. And....yes, the turquoise blue waters (especially when the sun was unobstructed by the clouds) were so stunning and appealing....it was like a picture perfect setting from off of a postcard! I sat down on the viewpoint ledge with the boats docked in the waters and the lush St. John mountains capped in the distance....this setting (remember...just before arriving at Maho Bay Beach) was quite memorable! Seriously...I'll never forget the colorful water and surroundings of this stunning spot right as I drove along North Shore Road (btw, North Shore Road is the main pathway to drive around St. John and Virgin Islands National Park). Don't forget to make this overlook a priority as you'll witness Maho Bay from high above the ground. Now....arriving at Maho Bay Beach.....here's what was unfortunate for me during my visit. There was nowhere to park!!! I got to the beach in early afternoon (about 2pm) on a Sunday and I was "too late to the party". Not only could I not find a spot....but since there's no shoulder anywhere along North Shore Drive or even throughout the St. John roads...there was nowhere to pull over. And you can't stop in the middle of the road! Initially I drove past all the parking and finally turned my car around which was hard enough considering in the US Virgin Islands...they drive on the left hand side of the road and I'm not used to that whatsoever. Heading back towards one of the main parking lots, I turned into it and there wasn't anything available. Not only was there tremendous congestion with people walking in and around my car, but the street pavement had huge bumps and potholes that made even squeezing through the parking lot quite a hassle. Ultimately, I decided since I had explored the other main beaches of the Virgin Islands like Hawksnest, Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay before arriving here in Maho Bay....I was content in skipping this beach. So...I never got to experience what this place was all about.....but getting to view Maho Bay from the terrific overlook on my way here...I got a sampling of what this area entailed. Had I found a parking spot, I'm sure I would've appreciated all the amenities Maho Bay had to offer. Instead, I continued along North Shore Drive and simply stopped at Colombo's Smoothies for a midday refreshing Pina Colada, lol. In the end...I could understand why Maho Bay Beach was so crowded. The turquoise blue and translucent waters here attracted not only myself but many other visitors and tourists.

So beautiful, and they have turtle spotting while snorkeling. There is no entry fee, but there is chair rental, a gift shop, food, and drinks. There are also snorkeling and paddle boat rentals. Oh, and restrooms. :-) It's a long, thin strip of beach and the day we were there wasn't super busy. I recommend!

Best beach on the island. There's always sea life to see and makes amazing memories for our family. The little stores/cafe with drinks are great!

Moho Bay is not only beautiful but it is also known for being the best place to go snorkeling to see sea turtles. Recently a small parking area was put in across the street from the beach area but we went old school and found a space on the side of the road. If you do this make sure that your vehicle is completely off of the road or you will get a ticket. On the last day of our vacation to Saint John we set the alarm to wake up very early in the morning so that we would be able to see the sea turtles one last time. In the early morning the beach area is not crowded and the temperature outside is cool. It is a plus that the water temperature is always comfortably warm. It did not take long to find the first turtle. We snorkeled for about an hour and was able to see turtles, stingrays and various fish. I highly recommend that you visit Maho Bay while on the island.

Favorite St John beach. You're pretty much guaranteed to see a turtle (actually turtleS) here!! It can get kind of busy because everyone is coming to see the turtles but there is plenty of room to spread out on the beach. One of the easiest beaches to access ... parking across the street.

How else can I describe this place, other than PICTURE PERFECT. Palm trees swaying from the warm carribbean breeze and the inviting blue water most tempting to be jumped in. The famous twin palms as you enter is perfect for climbing and taking your best beach pictures in. They are very strict in this beach as turtles do nest here and are very often seen swimming in this beach! The Virgin Island Parks make sure to keep it safe for the species that also share this place with us. This is what I would imagine a beach to be, so calm, not crowded at all, and very well kept!

We always hit this beach when in STJ because it is good for children. The water is very calm. There are small shops and a food truck across the street. There is plenty of local wildlife to see as well including sea turtles, fish, pelicans and crabs. Plus the drive over is nice, plenty of spots for great photos. Parking is limited so get there early.

Quite simply, Heaven on earth. St. John is an absolute paradise and Maho Bay is one of many magical spots on the island. This is the best snorkeling we found all week. Just off shore in the swimming area, we saw 3 sea turtles (!!!!) and tons of colorful fish. We found parking (free) right across the street from the beach, which made schlepping all our chairs, bags, snorkel gear, etc. pretty easy. Access to the beach is also free. Annnnnd, as if all that wasn't reason enough to convince you to go, it's not super crowded!

If you're looking to see lots of marine life, maho is for you. We saw a moray eel, a sting ray, a barracuda, and a turtle in one trip. If you're like me, I like to snorkel coral and not see scary animals, but it was cool to see them once. Trunk Bay is the best calm snorkeling in my opinion, but Maho definitely has more wild life.

Maho is one of my favorite beaches of all times. Bring your snorkeling gear there is no shortage of Sea turtles, fish, coral, I've even seen a sting ray and nurse shark. They have bathrooms there and across the street some locals selling handmade stuff, theres a place that has food and drinks. I seen they had rentals there as well. I did see kayaks and canoes, not sure what else. They had a giant Jenga, connect four, some lounge chairs, picnic table. Its a one stop beach!.

Best beach on St. John. Food a d drinks are expensive and not a large variety of food but the beach is priceless. Some of the best waters in the Caribbean. I highly recommend coming to Maho Beach for the day even though it's still covid and the beaches close at 4. Get out there early to soak up the sun

My favorite beach on the island. Beautiful calm aqua water and plenty of turtles. Cocktail bars were on point with fun bartenders and it was easy to eat and rent a SUP.

This is a public beach that was pretty crowded. Lots of boats and tons of people. Beach is pretty narrow but long. A couple of food trucks and equipment rentals available. Snorkeling was just ok, not many if any fish but a few turtles. Personally I would skip this one

Too many tourists at this beach for our liking. They are there to see the sea turtles and we did see one which was really neat. But if you're looking for some solitude, few people and an absolutely gorgeous, no frills beach skip this one and try to get one of the few parking spots at Jumbie Beach and walk down to that.

One of our best experiences while visiting the island. The beach is amazing. There were two bar options and one food truck. Everything was amazing. I would not miss this if you're looking for a fun beach day.

Gorgeous small beach and best drinks from a drink truck across the street- margaritas and painkillers were delicious, you can find shade under the sea grape trees close to the water. You can rent clear kayaks or snorkel equipment to see sea turtles and stingrays.

This is my FAVORITE bay to snorkel at in St. Johns. We saw turtles, sting rays, sharks, giant clams, octopi (they hide in the conch shells), jellyfish, and a variety of fish. This is the place to go to see turtles!! As soon as I went in the water I would see turtles right away. It's free - just make sure you get there early to get a good parking spot. Sand is nice and not rocky like the other bays

My husband and I were headed to Trunk Bay, when a couple recommended we go to Maho instead since we wanted to see sea turtles. We were not dissapointed! Definitely stop here if you're looking to see sea turtles. We saw 3-4 and a lot of fish. There's limited parking, but if you keep driving once you see the first part of Maho, there will be more parking at the end. It's also safe to park alongside the street as well. There are fun little shops on the other side of the road with all types of rentals (SUP, kayaks, snorkels), drinks, and food. There's also games like janga and giant connect 4. It wasn't super crowded, enough space for everyone to feel safe and distanced. Highly recommend.

I mean, it sucks. Don't go here. Seriously though, this place was my absolute favorite! I rented a snorkel and fins at a reasonable price from a friendly lady across the street (she takes debit/credit-- you can get food and drinks here too) and away I went! The water was beautiful and I got to see so many beautiful, majestic sea turtles. The beach wasn't crowded, besides a few donkeys lounging in the shade. Bathrooms are also available. I'll come back again. Well worth the extra couple minutes on the shuttle!

Beautiful setting close to the road. Great if you have a lot of stuff you want to bring with you for the day and if you're early enough to get parking across the street. We arrived after 2:00 by taxi, and just turning the taxi around caused mayhem and flared tempers in one vehicle (why so quick to anger in such a beautiful place, I say?) Unfortunately we missed the turtles but got some lovely photos nonetheless. Tip: Taxis are not readily available for a return trip down the mountain so you might want to arrange ahead of time.

The snorkeling here is actually spectacular. Actually, the wildlife here is just spectacular, in and out of the water. Even if you aren't lucky enough to spot the turtles that are apparently everywhere EXCEPT WHERE I AM, there's rays, huge leopard fish, pelicans divebombing...swim out to the edges and you'll see it all. Unfortunately, there isn't that much room between the edge of the water and the tree line, and vast swathes of the beach are overrun with ants and other crawly bugs that don't fall under the category of wildlife I am trying to check out. We eventually found a great, non-insect-infested area of the perfectly powdery Caribbean sand, but just keep an eye out.

Paradise! The water here is beautiful. Super clear on a non wavy day. There are a lot of sea turtles swimming around and schools of fish. You won't regret coming here. The actual beach is a bit torn up from the hurricane but it doesn't take away from the beauty of the water. Make sure if you get here on a taxi to let them know to pick you up at a certain time. You can rent a paddle board steps away for a very reasonable price, that's a must in addition to snorkeling.

A very nice beach with small restrooms to change in and some picnic tables. Water was nice and clear and the sand fine and light colored. I like how it wasn't that busy, and there was close parking off the road.

Wow. What a great spot! White sands and open spaces. Beautiful scenery. We snorkeled with several gorgeous sea turtles. Tons of fish!!! Absolutely a must when you're in St. John!

Simply spectacular! (The turtles made me go for the alliterate opener.) We stayed at Chocolate Hole, which placed this magical bay on the polar opposite end of St. John, and the 25 minute drive was worth every second. Amenities are camping sparse, and rightfully so -- the bay neighbors a campground where tent sites cost a paltry $37 a night. BYOEverything, but a steal for steps from silky sugar sand, natural shade, minimal wind and more marine biology than you can shake a snorkel at. Coral divers may not find what they're looking for (although, there is a patch near the northeastern tip of the bay), but you better believe the patches of sea grass draw in scores of sea turtles. Even the impatient will hit pay dirt with a timed trip in the early afternoon hours -- a flock/school/gaggle/murder of the shelled critters swoop in to graze when the sun is high. Just look for the occasional surface-dweller (turtles gotta breathe, yo) and lazily fin your way over for a view of sea life snacking. Skates and rays abound, too! There's a decent sized lot near the northernmost stretch of the small beachfront, and it gets a little full because of its tranquil beauty. Go early or arrive later to get a spot, and bring a waterproof camera!

Dare I say best beach on St. John? Come early, grab a spot under the trees by the road, and enjoy. You can see all kinds of sea life out in the calm waters: sea turtles, fish, a reef shark or two, little (non-stinging) jelly fish, and even a sting ray! The walk from the parking lot to your chair is about a minute, while the walk from your chair to the aqua blue waters is about two seconds. It doesn't get any better than that.

Rays and Turtles galore! You ever read something and expect to to be too good to be true? That is how I felt about the reviews of Maho...until we went there. First of all, we drove by it because either we missed the sign or there wasn't one. Chances are we missed it because it seems like there was a sign at every other bay. Keep an eye out for the parking lot directly across from it. Parking was free and literally, 30 yards from the water. As soon as we got to the beach, we looked out to the water and there were two rays swimming directly across our sight line. We oohhhed and ahhhed and looked as the other people who were on the beach ignored them as the novelty had already wore off for them. After wading in with snorkel gear, we swam over countless rays bureid in the sand on the way out to deeper water. 3/4 of the way to the buoy which marks the line that boats can't cross, you come upon some sea grass. Stick around here. The turtles will come by. When one does (and will), follow that one to other turtles. Amazing trip. No reef here to really speak of. You are coming here for the turtles and rays. Beach in extremely narrow also. MAYBE 20' deep. Completely worth the trip, especially if you like underwater photography or video.

The best view!! We actually reserved one of the pavilions for a BBQ Cookout with the family. It was atleast 20 of us. Perfect spot for the kids, to play in the sand. Barely any waves, the water was gorgeous, and the view. WOW!!! Mountains on both ends, and a beautiful secluded island towards the middle. Take bug repellent, just like on any spot in the island. But for the most part, it was a wonderful day in Maho beach. Just locals hanging out with their families, and us spending time together with a good cookout. Wonderful day in paradise!

Pretty bay with a nice sandy beach. We came shortly after 2 major hurricane and it was obvious that St. John hadn't recovered yet. There's one small bathroom that took a beating from the storms. Because of this there was nothing but a few small fish to see when we snorkeled. We have heard that there's usually a lot of turtles, but we didn't see any on our trip. I hope to get back to see the turtles another time.

Calm, serene and gorgeously beautiful. We were here for a little bit as I drove our rental Jeep across the island like a badass :p Anyways, this is a very family beach - not much in terms of amenities - Did not see any bathrooms, food/ snack bar or water gear rental places here. The crowd was mostly families that had driven here and had all brought everything they might need.I know this beach is next to a popular campground, so that would explain the sparsity of touristy amenities. We only had enough time to take a quick dip into these pristine waters and did not get a chance to snorkel. Lots of trees around to grab a place to sit in the shade and the parking is right across the road. I spotted some beautiful exotic birds larking around, and the beach is perfect to just forget the world and maybe come read a book for a bit or take a snooze (if you can haul yourself out of the beautiful water that is)

If you have a family with young kids (3-10 yrs.), Maho Bay is a wonderful beach on St. John's. The water is shallow and calm (due to winds being blocked by the mountain to the north). It's a great place for snorkeling newbies. Our 7 year old son repeatedly said it was his favorite beach, and our 9 year old son agreed. On the south end closer to the pit toilets, the coral reef is pretty but limited. On the north end, the shallow rocky areas offer many colorful fish and sea cucumbers, but beware of the black sea urchins and a friendly barracuda. We missed the sea turtles in the late afternoon (4:30pm), but early afternoon (12pm-2:30pm) may improve your chances for viewing sea turtles based on the advice of other Yelpers. Parking can be difficult from late morning to early afternoon. We found plenty of parking in the north lot on a Wednesday at 4:30pm, but it was probably because the sea turtles had already disappeared. Facilities are limited (i.e., no washing station for sandy feet, no flushing toilets) so you need to bring your own stuff. Pit toilets were OK and less stinky than expected (they seem to use tons of chemicals), but the "Jackson Pollock"-like artistry inside the toilets is not for the faint-hearted. Overall, if you have young kids or snorkeling newbies in tow, Maho Bay is the one kid-friendly beach that you absolutely must visit.

It's a nice beach but super busy. Food/drink/snorkel rentals are available on site with kind of upgrade porta potties as restrooms. The beach is lined with a bunch of rocks. I'd suggest trunk bay beach or cinnamon bay instead.

THE GARDEN (OR BEACH) OF EDEN Maybe the Bible got it wrong. Maybe the Garden of Eden was actually a beach. If so, I think Maho Bay could have been it. I've been to beaches all over the world and Maho Bay is one of the best. Long stretches of white sand, warm azure water, and best of all seclusion. When I was there, there were fewer than 10 people on the entire stretch of beach. Most visitors get pulled to Cruz Bay, Hawksnest Bay, and Trunk Bay which leaves Maho Bay blissfully quiet and peaceful. There are no facilities here so bring your own drinks (there's a store at the Cinnamon Bay campgrounds down the road) and just park your car in one of the clearings in the trees across the street. I dream about this place. P.S. A garden/beach of Eden wouldn't be complete without forbidden fruit. Like on many Caribbean beaches, there are these little apple-like fruits on the beach which smell and taste sweet, but are extremely poisonous. Be sure to steer clear of the fruit, the trees, and any talking serpents.

I love Maho-- It's always SUPER calm there and you can park right next to the beach. In the late afternoons you are almost guaranteed to see both turtles and rays feeding there. Off the beach, you'll find a large bed of sea grass growing where these guys love to feed. You'll also see the occasional starfish and conch chilling out. There is a barracuda that skims in foot-deep water. He's totally friendly just don't wear loads of sparkly stuff in the water- he may think you food. Bring your supplies. You can't buy anything here because there are no stores. If you find yourself reading this on the beach and wishing you'd read it BEFORE- you can swim or drive over to Little Maho- to the right if you're looking at the water- and walk into Maho Bay Camps, up the stairs.. they have a small store with provisions and also a potter and glass studio that's pretty cool. Late afternoon and early morning get pretty buggy and you'll want to have bug-spray with ya'-

A day spent at Maho Bay is a day spent in heaven. We took a taxi-bus up to the beach from the ferry. A perilous scenic drive up and down on twisting turning roads sure to give you an anxiety attack but it's sooooo worth it. The beach is beautiful. As picturesque as they come, with sugary sand, clear sparkling water, shade trees growing just so, all encased within the mountains that enclose the bay. It's past Trunk Bay and as not tourist-y so not crowded. Just enough people for just enough beach on our visit. There are bathrooms, one shelter with four picnic tables, and another building that houses I don't know what. I saw at least one other picnic table but it was under a shady tree. Not sure if there are food and drinks sold at this beach. We took our own snacks and beverages. The water is calm and clear. No debris, no seaweed, no rocks on the shoreline or in the water. There are little fish here that like to nibble. My sisters and I got nipped throughout the day but only when we swam and played in the surf close to shore. The only minuses were the bathroom and the shoreline. The bathroom is a bit dark and stinky. Not for the squeamish (me) but in an emergency, it's a life-saver. From the road to the shoreline is a very short walk. There is a mile or so of beach stretching horizontally but not a lot of room vertically. So unless you're putting your towel very close to the picnic shelter, you'll be very close to the water. At high tide it's probably an issue but we left around 4:30 and didn't have that problem. A rain shower drenched us mid-visit but it passed quickly. We ran for shelter because the rain was cool but we were back in the ocean 10 minutes later.

If you have been to the beach on the Gaza Strip and liked it, then Maho Bay is your spot. But if you are looking for pristine beaches and peaceful relaxation, this is NOT your choice anymore. We've been coming to st john for 30 years, and this is now more like a bazaar or county fair than a peaceful beach. Cars are everywhere, and the beach is only a few feet wide. The water is as beautiful as it ever was, but like so many other places, the people are ruining it.

Gorgeous, perfect beach! All the beaches on St. John have crystal clear water, sugary sand and spectacular views, but this one is more secluded and less crowded than its neighbors, since there's nothing there but a road, a line of trees and then a long stretch of the best beach ever.

A pretty enough beach, but it felt rather crowded when my friend and I were there.