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The Beaches of the Virgin Islands

Whether you visit the U.S. or British Virgins, you'll find plenty of beaches to enjoy

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the Virgin Islands Beach
 

The British and U.S. Virgin Islands may differ in many things, but they also share a great deal. For example, travelers will find beautiful white beaches and aquamarine waters on all of the islands.

The Virgin Islands are known for their incredible beaches, in fact, in 2011 St. John's Trunk Bay was voted as one of the "Top 10 Beaches We Love" by The Weather Channel. Whether you choose the quieter British islands or the more bustling U.S. islands, you'll find snorkeling and scuba diving off their shores. However, one thing that will change from beach to beach is the popularity.

As with many other things, the U.S. Virgins practically hold the monopoly on busy tourist spots. While some beachgoers appreciate plenty of activity, others are not so enamored of the crowds and prefer to escape to somewhere a little more secluded. While there are some quieter beaches in the U.S. Virgins, they're often far more difficult to reach than the crowded stops.

Meanwhile, the British Virgins are more sparsely populated and are free of heavy tourist traffic. Visitors seeking a quiet vacation without seeing a soul on the beach would likely find this an easier task on the British islands. However, those who want the action of the crowds will not find many options here.

Remember that every beach and every island have their own specialties. For example, beaches on the northern coast of Tortola in the British Virgins are home to waves favored by surfers. St. John in the U.S. Virgins is home to a national park with well-preserved beaches and incredible reefs.

Another positive point about the beaches in the Virgin Islands is that all but one are free. Only Magens Bay Beach on St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) charges a fee for entry. Still, not all free beaches are easy to reach. Getting to some may require a boat ride or a walk through a hotel, but these can easily be worth the extra effort.

Making a beach choice is easy if you know what you're looking for. However, those who simply want a powdery stretch of sand to enjoy will have far more options than those looking for something specific. Even so, you can rest assured that you'll find something to suit your vacation when you visit these islands.

As with many other aspects of a vacation in the Virgins, the island you stay on and the beaches you visit will depend greatly on the vacation style you seek. To learn more about beaches in both chains, check out the list of links below. They'll take you to detailed pages about each of the beaches, where you can learn more about what you'll find at each one.

Beach Name Location
Angilla Point North
Apple Bay North West
Baths North
Big Reef Bay North
Bolongo Bay North West
Brandy Wine Bay North
Brechers Bay North East
Brewer's Bay North West
Brewers Bay North West
Buck Island South
Buck Island North
Cane Bay Beach South West
Cane Garden Bay North West
Caneel Bay North West
Cinnamon Bay North West
Coki Point Beach North West
Cormorant Beach South West
Cow Wreck Bay North
Cowpet Beach North West
Cramer Park South
Davis Bay South West
Deadman's Bay North
Elizabeth Beach North
Fat Hogs Bay North
Grapetree Beach South
Great Cruz Beach North West
Great Harbour North West
Guana Island North
Hawksnest Bay North West
Honeymoon Beach West
Hull Bay North West
Isaac Bay Beach South
Jacob's Bay Beach South
Josiah's Bay North
La Grange South West
Lambert Bay North
Lameshur Bay North West
Leinster Bay Beach North West
Leverick Bay North
Limetree Beach West
Lindbergh Beach West
Lindquist Beach North West
Little Bay North
Little Magens Bay North West
Little Reef Bay North
Lobolly Bay North
Long Bay East North
Long Bay West North West
Lormer Bay North
Magens Bay North West
Maho Bay North West
Mahoe Bay North
Manchioneel Bay North
Morning Star Beach North West
Nail Bay North
Rainbow Beach South West
Reef Beach South
Renaissance Beach North West
Rogues Bay North
Salt Pond Bay North West
Sandy Point South West
Sandy Spit North West
Sapphire Beach North West
Savannah Bay North
Secret Harbor North West
Smuggler's Cove North West
Sprat Hall Beach South West
Spring Bay North
Tamarind Reef Beach South
Trunk Bay North
Trunk Bay North West
Trunk Bay North
Vessup Bay North West
White Bay North West
 

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