The Smallest US Virgin Island Is A Verdant Paradise With One Of The World's Best Beaches

Marooned in the Caribbean Sea is a trio of islands where no U.S. passport is required: the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. The latter is also the smallest of the three, measuring in at just 28 square miles, and has long been considered the most beautiful and unspoiled. St. John is blessed with over 7,200 acres of protected land as part of the Virgin Islands National Park. This national park, which encompasses about 70% of the island, was pioneered by Laurance Rockefeller in the mid-20th century, and thus, St. John is blissfully free of overdevelopment, retaining a lush, hilly landscape and dreamy sweeps of sand lapped by aquamarine waters. Though sugarcane was originally the main export of the economy during its time as a Danish colony, today St. John relies on tourism. The island is still rebuilding from two devastating hurricanes in 2017, but its natural beauty remains captivating. 

Since St. John does not have an airport, travelers fly into Cyril E. King International Airport on St. Thomas. From Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook on St. Thomas, you can take the public ferry or charter a boat for the 45-minute and 20-minute rides respectively to Cruz Bay on St. John. St. John is additionally connected by ferry service to St. Croix and the British Virgin Islands. The best time to visit is during the sunny and dry months between December and June when the temperatures hover around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you're a first-time visitor, to get a sense of St. John, rent a car to drive around and explore the undulating green landscape carved out by impossibly blue coves. Most travelers will want to beeline to the beach, especially the island's famous Trunk Bay Beach. Part of the Virgin Islands National Park, the idyllic beach has been ranked as the best in the world for its powdery white-sand stretch fringed by a canopy of palm trees and washed by translucent waves. Here you can swim, sunbathe, and stroll along the quarter-mile crescent. Other top shorelines include Cinnamon Bay, the longest beach on St. John, and Hawksnest Beach, where sea turtles can be spotted. 

And underwater, even more beauty abounds: around St. John are healthy coral reefs teeming with tropical fish and unique marine life. There are many top snorkeling spots in St John, from family-favorite Maho Bay to remote Saloman Bay. St. John also has some of the best hikes in the Caribbean. An easy option is the Leinster Bay Trail, which boasts an interesting historic site along the way: the 18th-century ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation. At the end of the hike, you'll be rewarded with the stunning Waterlemon Bay. For more of a challenge, try out Reef Bay Trail in Virgin Islands National Park. This four-mile trek can be rocky, but along the way you'll discover hidden gems such as a waterfall and Pre-Columbian rock carvings. 

For those looking for a classic resort experience on St. John, the Westin St. John Resort Villas fronting a private stretch of Great Cruz Bay is a lovely option for families, who can stretch out in spacious accommodations with privacy while enjoying all the amenities of a larger resort. Couples who want to be near all the restaurants and bars of bustling Cruz Bay harbor should opt for one of the 14 rooms at the intimate Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel. For more rustic lodging, St. John has some of the most gorgeous campgrounds in the Caribbean, such as Camp St. John. With gorgeous views over Caneel Bay and Hawksnest Beach, Camp St. John is set on the former site of an 18th-century Susannaberg sugar plantation. For the pinnacle of luxury on the island, St. John boasts fabulous multi-bedroom villas in the exclusive gated enclave of Peter Bay, which is flanked by Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. 

If you're fine with being a 10-minute boat ride away from St. John, Lovango Resort and Beach Club is located on Lovango Cay, a petite 118-acre isle one mile off the island's northwestern coast. This dreamy private island retreat delivers a castaway-chic vibe with treehouses, villas, and luxury tents, as well as a buzzy beach club with an infinity-edge pool.