Serene St. John
Go to St. John as soon as you can. It’s restorative, relaxing and far enough away that you feel like you’re away, but because St. John is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, you don’t need a passport and there’s not as much palaver getting in and out. There are four main islands in the chain: St. Croix, St. Thomas, Water Island and St. John. St. Croix and St. Thomas are larger and have more amenities, like golf courses, more shopping, casinos and fancier dining. Water Island is the smallest, at 491 acres and a population of a scant 200. And then there’s glorious St. John.
It takes a little effort to get there: a flight or two, a cab or two and a ferry, to be marginally precise. My sister Amy and I left from Baltimore around 5am (ouch) and were in sunny St. John, via Atlanta and St. Thomas, by happy hour. We went in April, and while we had to upload proof of vaccination, there was no COVID testing requirement to visit or return.
You can be as busy or as relaxed as you’d like on St. John. If you’re a person who loves a jam-packed vacation, read on for a nice big list of amazing experiences, meals, hikes and more. We, however, chose to really and truly relax.
Upon landing in St. Thomas, we took a car to the Red Hook ferry station, about half an hour away. From there, a passenger ferry carried us over to Cruz Bay on St. John. As our ferry rocked and rolled its way through the choppy Caribbean, tensions began to fade. The air was fresh and the sky cerulean. In the space of a moment, the early morning, packed flights and full day of travel dissolved in the salty spray. Our villa at Gallows Point was perhaps half a mile from the ferry station, but we’d studied the photos enough to spot it excitedly long before we docked.
Gallows Point’s provisioning service and concierge teams are brilliant. Anything we asked for was quickly arranged: a jeep for tooting around the island one day, dinner reservations and, most importantly, a fully stocked larder so we didn’t have to leave the grounds if we didn’t want to. (Spoiler: We hardly ever did.) We arrived to a fully stocked villa, overlooking the ocean. We’d ordered ourselves baguettes and cheeses, fruit, salad greens, stuff to make nachos, breakfast goodies, fresh ground coffee, plenty of wine, a healthy snort of tequila and a good bottle of gin for post-snorkeling evening martinis.
The routine: Wake up when we woke up, sip coffee on the balcony. Breakfast was at the villa — poached eggs and toast for me; Greek yogurt and berries for Amy. While we ate, we’d decide when to hit the water and talk about what we hoped to see or what we’d seen the day before. Next, we’d suit up, spray ourselves with plenty of reef-safe sunscreen, grab our snorkels and fins and head for the water.
Snorkeling from Gallows Point is easy. The property is surrounded by a coral reef, and we’d walk down a little gangway, pop on our fins and masks, descend a few rungs down a ladder and off we went! There’s a floating deck to swim to, a small private beach (rocky not sandy), a shaded lounge deck, large saltwater pool and Jacuzzi overlooking the ocean and a small but serviceable fitness center. We’d snorkel for an hour or so, hop out when we got chilly or tired, rejuvenate in the saltwater Jacuzzi and get back in the ocean for more. This routine was the backbone of our days.
Our diligently low-key routine was handsomely rewarded. Each day brought excellent sightings. We saw incredible schools of hundreds of vivid blue, gold, silver and multi-colored fish, vibrant purple coral, anemones, skinny needlefish hanging out near the surface, giant stingrays, a darling little ruffled flying squid … and a black-tipped reef shark, whom we saw twice, just below the swim-out deck.
It’s a funny thing seeing a shark larger than my 6’2” husband, maybe a hundred feet away. Recognition comes in two quick phases: With a jolt, the body recognizes a predator and freezes, and the senses become hyper-focused and clear; milliseconds later the brain catches up, forming the words “I think that’s a shark.” It’s an awesome experience. Of course, our shark wanted nothing to do with us on either day and was gone in an instant, sliding through the water and out of view.
After days spent in and out of the ocean, the evening routine was equally pared-down. Shower, nap, happy hour, dinner. The evening meal was often some assemblage of the cheeses and fruit, plus a leafy green salad, plus a lovely martini or two.
We dined one night at Ocean 362 at Gallows Point, an open-air, sunset-facing slice of paradise with great charcuterie, cocktails, seafood and extravagant desserts. Ask for a table at the edge of the balcony.
Finally, after three solid days of our self-imposed snorkel-in-place protocol, we decided to tour the rest of the island, specifically to try to spot some of its cutest residents. St. John is home to an unknown number of feral donkeys, who were released into the wild as plantations shuttered. You can spot the donkeys all over the island, hanging out in groups of three to five, happy to be petted or fed.
About St. John
St. John offers visitors pristine beaches and hiking with plenty of choices. Want to camp on the beach? Terrific. Prefer a luxe, beachfront villa? Perfect. It’s all here. The United States purchased St. John from the Danish West India and Guinea Company in 1917. In 1956, Laurance Rockefeller donated more than 5,000 acres of the island to the National Park Service.
With two-thirds of the island designated as a national park, St. John has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, like the much-beloved Trunk Bay. This beach is renowned for its crystal sands and underwater nature trail, and it is just one of the many memorable beaches on St. John.
The Luxiere List: St. John Edition
Lunch: Sundog Café in Mongoose Junction, sundogcafe.com
Happy Hour: The Beach Bar, near the Cruz Bay Ferry Dock, beachbarstjohn.com
Dinner: Ocean 362, Gallows Point Resort, ocean362.com OR order excellent pizza for delivery from Ronnie’s by calling +1 340-693-7700.
Book a massage at Mago Bliss Spa in Cruz Bay. Set against the backdrop of the Caribbean's turquoise waters, this oasis offers a haven of peace and tranquility, mangoblissspa.com
Swim at Maho Bay beach, one of the most popular spots to see sea turtles. You don’t need to swim far from the beach to see them — bring in your snorkel equipment, go for a casual swim and make new friends.
Don’t miss the key lime pie. Key limes grow locally in the Virgin Islands, so make it your mission to at least have one. Fellow travelers raved about The Lime Inn, thelimeinn.com
Hike the Reef Bay Trail. It’s an easy trail spanning over five miles out and back. You'll pass plantation ruins, native plants and historical buildings as you journey down the path. Enjoy the tranquility and beauty of Reef Bay Beach at the end of the trail.
Hire a boat from St. John Yacht Charters, stjohnyachtcharters.com. Several of the top snorkeling spots and beaches around St. John are only accessible by boat, like Little Cinnamon beach. With views of the nearby islands, this beach is spectacular. It makes an excellent spot for a family picnic, a midday nap or a swim/floating session to pass the time right on by.
Watching the sunset over the blue waters of St. John is an unforgettable experience. Wherever you are, pause and enjoy the splendid, sherbet-colored display offered by nature each evening.
Snorkel the Salt Pond. Head out to the southernmost peninsula of the Island near Coral Bay. A moderate hike from the road, you’ll find this protected cove with a white sand beach and some of the best snorkeling. Make your trip to the salt pond a spa day; lather yourself with the mineral-rich mud, then rinse it on the beach.