Excursions-do you need to book one to go to a beach?

[Nickymouse]

Just wondering if there are any beaches in St. Thomas or St. Martin that we could go to on our own, without booking an excursion. If so, are they in walking distance from the port or can you take a cab?

 

[muntzfab4]

You can go on your own and it is a lot cheaper than an excursion. Cabs are available at both ports and I don't remember if any beaches were within walking distance. We found the cab drivers to be very helpful at both ports. They will even come back to get you if you give them a time to pick you up.

 

[PoohJen]

I'll give you the short answer - yes, you can take a cab to many (any!) beach on both islands, and many people do!

Also, there is a beach w/in walking distance on St. Martin, although I've read it can be crowded if lots of ships are in port.

Now I'll leave the longer answers for other folks to share their favorite beach itineraries with you!

 

[RebeccaLovesDisney]

Yes you can definitely go on your own to the beaches. Not only will you save money, you will also have total control over your schedule and can enjoy the beach at your own pace.

In St. Maarten, popular beaches include Great Bay, Orient Beach and Dawn Beach. (I know there are others, but these come to mind.) Here are links to some websites that describe St. Maarten beaches. It is easy to get a cab or van at the port to any beach you want to go to. When you get there, you can arrange with the driver to return and pick you up at a designated time.
http://www.kctravel.net/sxm/beach.html
http://www.odrc.com/beaches/beaches.htm

In St. Thomas, people usually go to Coki Beach, Sapphire Beach or Megans Bay. IMO, the best beaches are found on St. John. Because most of the island is a National Park, the beaches are in their natural state. St. John was definitely a top highlight of our trip. This site describes beaches on St. Thomas:
http://www.virginisles.com/activities/beaches.html#stthomas

Here is a link to the ferry schedule between St. Thomas and St. John.
http://www.st-thomas.com/week/ferries.html

Have fun planning!