Honeymoon Beach is one of the quieter stretches of sand on St. John, and the reason is simple: you have to work a little to get there. There's no North Shore Road pull-off and no sign pointing you down a hillside. Reaching the beach means choosing one of three approaches: driving to the Caneel Bay entrance and taking a short golf cart shuttle, walking in from the Virgin Islands National Park visitor center on the Lind Point Trail, or arriving by boat across Cruz Bay harbor.
For guests willing to plan ahead, Honeymoon Beach rewards the extra effort with calm, protected water, soft sand, and an afternoon that feels removed from the rest of the island without actually being far from it. This guide covers all three ways to reach the beach, what to expect once you're there, and whether it belongs on your itinerary.
Honeymoon Beach with palm trees and calm water along the sandy shoreline, St. John USVI
Honeymoon Beach occupies a sheltered cove on the Caneel Bay peninsula, just north of Cruz Bay along the coastline that curves toward the island's North Shore. It sits within Virgin Islands National Park, which protects the forested hills behind the beach and limits the kind of development that might otherwise have grown up around a stretch of water this close to town.
Cruz Bay harbor with Lind Point extending north — Honeymoon Beach sits just beyond the headland
The geography matters for understanding why Honeymoon feels different from beaches further east. The cove faces west and is protected from the prevailing trade winds by the Lind Point headland. The water tends toward calm even when the north shore beaches are choppy, and the afternoon sun stays on the beach longer than it does at more exposed spots. This is the kind of bay that suits swimmers, families with young children, and anyone who prefers shallow, still water over waves and surf.
For context on where Cruz Bay ends and the national park begins, our guide to Cruz Bay covers the town itself and its place on the island.
Caneel Bay Resort: What It Means for Beach Access
Caneel Bay Resort, once the landmark property on this peninsula, shaped how visitors reached Honeymoon Beach for decades. The resort was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and has remained closed since, with long-running plans for a rebuild that have moved slowly. For guests who visited St. John before 2017, the change in access is meaningful: the walk-through route through the operating resort no longer exists in the form it did.
What has emerged in its place is a reorganized access setup. The former Caneel Bay entrance now serves as a staging point: free parking, the VI Eco Tours shuttle to Honeymoon Beach, and access to the trails that continue into the national park. ZoZo’s, a waterfront restaurant that operated at Caneel Bay before Hurricane Irma, has since reopened independently of the resort. It operates dinner service only and is open to the public, but it is not accessible from the beach — it has its own entrance and works better as a standalone dinner destination than as an add-on to a beach day. Worth knowing for orientation, and for visitors who remember the resort in its earlier form.
How to Get to Honeymoon Beach
There are three ways to reach Honeymoon Beach, and the right choice depends on how much effort you want to spend and what else you have planned for the day. None of them are difficult, but each has its own rhythm.
The first and most common option is driving to the Caneel Bay entrance and taking a short golf cart shuttle operated by VI Eco Tours. The second is the Lind Point Trail, a walking path that begins near the national park visitor center at the edge of Cruz Bay and leads through dry tropical forest to the beach. The third is by water — a private boat or a water taxi from Cruz Bay.
For families, guests carrying coolers or snorkel gear, or anyone who wants to skip the hike, the shuttle from Caneel Bay is the easiest route and includes access to beach amenities most visitors assume don’t exist here. For travelers who enjoy a morning walk and want the free option, the Lind Point Trail works well and the trail itself is worth experiencing. Arriving by water is faster than both but involves more coordination and cost.
Driving and the Golf Cart Shuttle
The most straightforward way to reach Honeymoon Beach is to drive to the former Caneel Bay Resort entrance and take VI Eco Tours’ shuttle from there. Parking at the Caneel Bay entrance is free. The entrance is a short drive north of Cruz Bay along the North Shore Road, and the turn-off is marked, though not conspicuously.
From the parking area, a golf cart shuttle runs the short distance down to Honeymoon Beach at regular intervals throughout the day. The shuttle costs $10 round trip per person and runs during operating hours, roughly 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
The shuttle fare is separate from VI Eco Tours’ beach day pass, which covers equipment and beach amenities and is discussed in the facilities section below. The total for someone taking the shuttle and purchasing a day pass (as of early 2026: $49 per adult, $10 per child) comes to roughly $59 per adult for the day. For guests who want to reach the beach without walking the trail or arranging a water taxi, this is the most straightforward route. Walk-up capacity is generally available on weekdays and during shoulder months; booking the day pass in advance through VI Eco Tours’ website is worth considering during peak winter weekends.
The Lind Point Trail
The trailhead stairs behind the National Park visitor center — the sign includes a map of both trail branches
The Lind Point Trail starts behind the Virgin Islands National Park visitor center, which is located just north of the ferry dock in Cruz Bay. The trailhead is marked with a modest sign, and the path begins as a gentle climb through scrub forest before leveling out and continuing along the ridge toward Honeymoon Beach and, eventually, Caneel Bay beyond.
The walk takes about thirty to forty-five minutes at a relaxed pace, depending on which branch of the trail you take and how often you stop at the overlooks. The terrain is uneven in places and includes some rocky sections, but the overall grade is manageable for anyone comfortable on a casual hike. Good walking shoes help. Flip-flops work if you take your time. The trail passes a few overlooks with views across Cruz Bay toward St. Thomas, which makes the walk itself worth doing even independent of the destination.
The overlook at Lind Point Battery — about 15 minutes from the trailhead
Shade varies along the route. The dry forest provides intermittent cover, but sections of the trail are exposed, and the heat builds in the middle of the day. Morning walks are consistently easier than afternoon returns. Bring water. The visitor center has bathrooms and a water fountain to refill bottles before you start. There are no facilities along the trail itself. At the beach, restrooms and water are only available through the VI Eco Tours day pass.
For travelers looking for a broader sense of how to spend their time on the island, our guide to things to do on St. John puts this kind of walk-in beach experience in context with the rest of the options.
Arriving by Water
The second way to reach Honeymoon Beach is across Cruz Bay harbor by boat. This is faster than walking and far easier if you’re carrying coolers, snorkel gear, or young children. Several operators in Cruz Bay run water taxi services, and the crossing takes only a few minutes from the ferry dock area to the beach itself.
Rates and schedules vary by operator and season. Cruz Bay Watersports and a handful of independent operators work out of the waterfront area — ask at the dock or check with your villa concierge for current options. Confirming a return pickup time before you leave matters more than which operator you choose. The crossing is short, but being stuck waiting on the beach for an unclear schedule is avoidable. Some visitors with their own rental boats simply anchor in the cove and swim to shore, which works well in calm conditions and eliminates the coordination entirely.
Visitors arriving by boat can purchase the VI Eco Tours day pass at the beach on arrival. For a broader view of how visitors reach St. John in the first place, our guide on how to get to St. John covers the ferry logistics and arrival options.
What the Beach Is Like
Once you arrive, Honeymoon Beach is a modest crescent of pale sand backed by sea grape trees and low palms. The sand is soft. The water enters shallow and stays shallow for a considerable distance before deepening, which makes it one of the more swimmable beaches on the island for families and for anyone who prefers to wade in rather than navigate drop-offs and currents.
The rocky edges of the cove are where the snorkeling improves
The beach itself is short by north shore standards. A brisk walk from end to end takes only a few minutes, and the usable sand is narrower at high tide. On calm mornings, the bay looks glassy. The trade winds, when they pick up during the day, mostly miss this cove because of the protection provided by the headland, which means conditions stay calmer here than at more exposed spots further east.
Shade is limited but available. The sea grape trees at the back of the beach provide some cover during the middle of the day, and a few of them grow low enough to shelter a towel or a chair. Bringing a small pop-up shade makes a hot afternoon more comfortable if you plan to stay more than an hour or two.
Snorkeling at Honeymoon Beach
The snorkeling at Honeymoon is pleasant rather than exceptional. The sandy center of the bay holds some seagrass and the occasional fish, but the real reef structure sits along the rocky edges of the cove on either side. Swimming toward either point and following the rocks into slightly deeper water reveals more coral, more fish, and better variety than the open sand offers.
The sandy center is calm; the reef structure sits along the rocky edges on either side
Expect the usual Caribbean reef cast: parrotfish, sergeant majors, blue tang, yellowtail snapper, and sometimes a barracuda cruising along the edges. The occasional sea turtle passes through, though Honeymoon is not a dedicated turtle beach in the way Maho Bay is. Visibility is generally good in the calmer months and can drop briefly after heavy rain or north swell. For a full overview of where to snorkel across the island, our guide to snorkeling on St. John covers the main sites and what makes each one distinct.
There are no equipment rentals on the beach when the concession is not operating, so bringing your own mask and snorkel is necessary. Fins are helpful for reaching the rocky points, but a decent session in the shallows requires only a mask.
When to Visit
Morning is the consistently better time to visit Honeymoon Beach. The water is at its calmest, the trade winds have not yet picked up, and the walk in from the visitor center is cooler and more pleasant before the sun climbs. Arriving at the trailhead between 8 and 9 a.m. gets you to the beach by mid-morning with plenty of day still ahead.
Afternoons work too, particularly for guests arriving by water who can skip the walk. The beach tends to stay quieter than the more famous north shore destinations even during peak season, partly because the walk-in access filters for visitors willing to commit to the trail, and partly because the boat operators charge enough that casual day-trippers often default to free alternatives.
Shoulder season, roughly May through early July and again in October, tends to have lighter visitor numbers than the peak winter months. Hurricane season runs June through November, with the highest storm activity typically in August and September. Weather on St. John is generally reliable, but plans do sometimes shift around weather systems during those months.
Facilities and the VI Eco Tours Day Pass
What’s available at Honeymoon Beach depends on whether you use VI Eco Tours’ day pass or not, and this distinction matters more than it does at most St. John beaches.
With the day pass (as of early 2026: $49 per adult, $10 per child), you’ll have access to a lounge chair, full snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins, and life jacket), a standup paddleboard, a sit-on-top kayak, a floating mat, hammocks, a locker, picnic tables with umbrellas, and restrooms. The Honeymoon Hut, a small on-beach shop, sells cold drinks, gelato, and beach souvenirs. “Bikini’s on the Beach” operates for food service during beach hours. The day pass can be purchased on arrival at the hut or reserved in advance through VI Eco Tours’ website. Visitors arriving by boat or on foot on the Lind Point Trail can purchase the pass separately; the $10 shuttle from Caneel Bay is a separate charge.
Without the day pass, the beach itself has no public park facilities. No park-maintained restrooms, no fresh water, no lifeguard, and no trash service beyond what rangers periodically clear. Visitors who hike in via the Lind Point Trail and don’t buy a day pass should plan to bring everything they need and pack out what they bring in. This remains a legitimate option for travelers who prefer a quieter, unserviced beach experience over the concession setup.
Regardless of route, bring reef-safe sunscreen. Mineral-based formulations such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are required throughout the national park. Bring more water than you think you need if you’re walking the trail. Bring a dry bag for phones and keys if you plan to swim. Bring snacks. If you’re hiking in without a day pass, pack light — the trail is manageable but not the place to carry a large cooler.
Nearby Beaches
Honeymoon Beach sits on the western edge of the north shore sequence, closer to Cruz Bay than any of the other famous beaches. The Lind Point Trail continues past Honeymoon toward Caneel Bay and eventually connects to other points further along the coast, which makes longer hiking loops possible for guests who want to combine several beaches into a single morning.
Hawksnest Beach is the next stop east along the North Shore Road, about two miles from Cruz Bay and a five-minute drive. Trunk Bay sits further east still, with its famous underwater snorkeling trail and the larger crowds that come with its reputation. For a complete view of the island’s beaches, including the south shore options that rarely appear in standard visitor guides, our guide to the best beaches on St. John covers each one with honest notes on crowds, snorkeling, and what to expect.
An Honest Assessment
Honeymoon Beach is not the most dramatic beach on St. John. The sand crescent is short, the reef is modest, and without the VI Eco Tours day pass there are no facilities at all — while committing to a $49 day pass may feel steep for a beach that already requires effort to reach. The walk in adds friction that some visitors genuinely appreciate and others find unnecessary given how many easier beaches the island offers. If a classic postcard beach day is the goal, Trunk Bay or Maho are more reliable choices.
What Honeymoon offers instead is a different kind of afternoon: calm water, fewer people, and the sense of having earned a small piece of the island by walking in rather than driving up. For guests who prefer swimming to snorkeling, for families with young children who need shallow water, or for anyone who wants a quieter alternative close to Cruz Bay, the beach works in ways the more famous destinations do not.
Guests staying at Indo House are well-positioned to reach Honeymoon by either route. The drive to the visitor center is a few minutes from Great Cruz Bay, which makes a morning walk in a manageable start to the day. Coordinating a water taxi from the Cruz Bay waterfront is equally straightforward. Either way, the beach is one of the closer quiet spots on the island, and it rewards the small amount of planning it asks for.
Hawksnest Beach is the first north shore beach east of Cruz Bay and the quieter, easier-to-reach alternative to Trunk Bay. Here's what to know before you go.
Maho Bay Beach on St. John is a year-round sea turtle habitat. Green and hawksbill turtles feed in the seagrass shallows, often visible from the shoreline.
