Please tell about Megans Bay! Saphire Beach!

[CRB#33]

Trying to figure if St. Johns is really worth the time it takes to get there and how little time there is to stay.

Are these other beaches too crowded? The pictures look beautiful! Anybody been there?

 

[Jon in SC]

Meagan's Bay is beautiful.

The sand is soft, the trip there is short but very picturesque and both times we were there the surf was non-existant.

Not very crowded, especially if you move down the beach a little way from the taxi dropoff.

Nobody tries to sell you things.

Many times brouchure pictures for Carribbean cruises are of Meagan's Bay (even when the cruise doesn't stop at St. Thomas). After we were there the first time I started noticing.

Several travel magazines rate Meagan's Bay as a Top 10 beach in the world.

 

[mariamard]

JON IN SC IS RIGHT! IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!NO ONE BOTHERS YOU, EITHER. WHICH IS A HUGE PLUS. IT WAS BUSY AND PACKED THAT DAY DUE TO 9 SHIPS DOCKING OR TENDERING CRUISERS ASHORE, WHEN NORMALLY THERE IS 4 TOPS. WE LEARNED THAT FROM OUR NICE, AND HELPFUL TAXI-DRIVER. TAKE A TAXI FROM IN FRONT OF THE SHIP. I CANT REMEMBER HOW MUCH, BUT IT WASNT BAD. IT $3 ADMISSION INTO MEAGANS BAY FOR ADULTS, THEY DIDNT CHARGE US FOR THE KIDS.THIS IS THE BEACH TO BRING LITTLE ONES--ZERO SURF. CRYSTAL CLEAR. THERE ARE CHAIRS TO RENT AND TUBES/FLOATS. THERE ARE PICNIC BENCHES AND FOOD STANDS WITH BURGERS, CHICKEN, ETC.. THAT WAS EXPENSIVE. A CAN OF COKE WAS $2, BAG OF CHIPS WAS $2, BUT HEY, ITS RIGHT ON ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES IN THE WORLD, SO WE EXPECTED IT. HAVE YOUR CAMERA READY FOR THE DRIVE OVER THE MOUNTAINS.......OUR DRIVER WAS KIND ENOUGH TO PULL OVER TO GET SOME OF THE MOST BREATH-TAKING SHOTS WE HAVE EVER TAKEN ON VACATION.DH HOBBY IS PHOTOGRAPHY. AS SOON AS WE LOAD THEM TO DISK, ILL POST THEM FOR YOU ALL.
WWW.USVI.COM HAS A DECENT WEBSITE FOR INFO ON SAPHIRE AND MEGANS.
ST THOMAS WAS WORTH IT!!!NEVER BEEN TO ST JOHN, BUT, THE DISERS SAY ITS AMAZING AS WELL! EITHER WAY, YOU CANT GO WRONG.HAVE A NICE TIME!

 

[markey]

We were at Megans Bay in August. It is beautiful! In fact, don't shoot me here, I have been to CC 4X's and to me there are advantages to Megan's Bay. It was not full when we went, arrived around 9:30 and left at 1. So that means that compared to CC the water stayed clear all day and you did not have to fight your way into the water, everybody puts chairs at the waters edge. The water was calm and the beach area and bathrooms clean with no one selling anything. The disadvantage would be if you wanted to buy lunch, prices were very high. We went back to the ship, which was planned and ate in our room while changing to go into town shopping. It is really worth the time to visit, seems like all the ads you see for tropical beaches. If I could only go to either CC or Megans Bay I would pick Megans Bay.

 

[mmouse37]

Sorry to be the one to disagree about Megans Bay but we have done both Megans Bay and Sapphire Beach and we found we liked Sapphire beach better.

No denying that Megans beach is beautiful, it is just when we were there there were many shady people walking around. Many locals that just looked like they were looking for trouble.

Did not like the fact they we had to drag our own beach chairs/loungers (that we had to pay for) down the beach ourselves and return them to get our deposit back...yes, you had to leave a deposit to rent chairs. The last thing I want to do after a hot day is drag my own chairs back to the garage where they are kept. I did not find the service of the employess there very good either. Plus the fact that there is a charge to get into Megans Bay.

Sapphire beach had chairs and we never had to pay to use them or pay to get into it the beach club. They had a built in pool on the premises that we could use and the beach is beautiful!!! Clean bathrooms, a small snack store with souvenieers for sale. We like Sapphire beach much better. Took about the same amount of time via taxi.

MJ

 

[b1glamb]

Both Beaches are exceptional but have distinct differences.

Megans Bay while closer to the port seems a bit more secluded. It is by far the most beautiful spot on the Island. (Warning) Watch out for the dive bombing pelicans.

Sapphire Beach is more of a traditional beach. Clearer water / whiter sand (more coral). The snorkeling was outstanding especially around the reefs just a few meters out from the beach. When I was there a calypso band was playing at one of the resorts and just added that much more to the feel.

Neither beach was overly crowded.

Hope this helps...Have fun.

 

[bahama97]

We absolutely loved Magen's Bay! Very beautiful place and the waters were calm. Both my 2 & 12 year old had a great time.

 

[KeenHo]

While on St. Thomas recently we went to Magan's Bay for the day. There are restrooms and showers available (although not the Ritz). I don't remember seeing any lockers there. We rented chairs and bought lunch at a bar/grill just off the beach.

The beach is beautiful and we had a wonderful time there. The water is clear, calm, with hardly no waves at all. Our friends and family were able to find starfish in the shallow water while "walking on the bottom on our hands." It was a great time.

There is also some snorkeling there, although we didn't participate in it. If you chose to go there, it is very nice.

Enjoy your cruise!

Howard

 

[Luv2Dream]

We chose Sapphire Beach over Megan's Bay when chosing our excursions in April based on the recommendations of Dave Marx from the Passporter board. I can't really remember why he picked Sapphire over Megan's but I'm hoping he's right! I'll let you know in April.

 

[Miss Eeyore]

I still don't understand some of the differences. You apy to go on Meagan's Beach, and then pay again to rent beach chairs that you must lug from a garage to the water. And at Sapphire you do not pay to use the beach, and do not pay to use a chair, and there is a private pool?

What am I not seeing correctly?

Marilee

 

[markey]

We didn't rent chairs while at Megan's Bay, we just don't have the need for chairs. Neither my husband or myself can just sit and relax have to be doing something, and we are with our gandkids so no spring chickens here. We are in the water most of the time and if not just sit on towels on the sand. I cannot compare Megans to Saphire, just know that Megan's Bay is a very lovely, quiet place. We do not want a pool when the beautiful ocean is there. If a resort is right there is also takes away some of the tropical feel of the beach and is more comericial.

 

[aaronamy]

Meagans Bay is beautiful but I thought it was pretty crowded when we were there. The water is very still but my family (kids are 8 and 11) was a little bored with it. No waves at all and nothing to see while snorkeling. We went to St. John last time and we really loved it. We would have done it again but we had to tender in and by the time we finally made it to port we decided there wasnt enough time for St. John. Next time if we are short on time we'll try Sapphire beach.

 

[Jillie]

We did Sapphire Beach on our 2002 cruise and I honestly do not think we would do it again! The beach was okay, we did like that we could rent jetskis but the lunch was awful...there was no way to keep the food cool and it was out in the sun for hours....I ended up eating the bread, some chips and a cookie because i was afraid of the food!