Sapphire beach or Honeymoon Beach--St. Thomas?

[Stinasmom]

Our first choice was to go to Honeymoon Beach on Water Island based on some Youtube videos but We are docking at Havensight and not Crown Bay with the Magic next month...
I am a bit worried about the taxi to Crown Bay, water taxi to WI, then shuttle to Dinghy's for Honeymoon Beach-- as someone said that you risk not getting on the water taxi back in the late afternoon as it could fill up forcing you to wait an hour for the next one...

So we researched and found Sapphire Beach... is it a mear taxi ride from Havensight? Is it just as good, better, or a let down from Honeymoon beach?

Our interest is more in the beauty of the beach, water, crowds, food & drink, willing to pay for chairs & umbrella; maybe snorkeling but unlikely.

Also, Sapphire Beach appeared to be a bit better for beach goers as it wasn't also a boat launch and sailboat marina area....

Thoughts and experiences??

Thanks so much DIS friends!!

Marcy

 

[auntlynne]

I find the view at Sapphire to be very pretty. The water is actually a sapphire color. The mountains on the other islands are numerous and plentiful. Their is a bar that opens around 11 am. I didn’t look for food, but I’ve seen reports that it is available (I think there was a menu on the wall). Some people were eating breakfast foods from a coffee shop. Snorkeling is hit or miss. My sister saw many schools of fish in Dec 2021. People on my excursion in Oct 2021 were saying it the fish were not abundant. The resort is just ho-hum as far as buildings go. It does take 20-30 minutes? to go across the island.

We did Honeymoon Beach on Water Island during a land vacation, so we were unlimited by all-aboard time. It is a series of transportation modes - taxi, water taxi, golf cart. It has a Gillian’s Island vibe to me - low-key, smooth water in a small bay. Yes, boats anchored right in the water. There’s a bar. And there was a food truck. We tried the bar. It’s a bar. Loungers, tables and chairs available. It was a slow day and we didn’t pay for our seating.

I’d say Sapphire Beach is better.

 

[DWillowBay]

Sapphire...IMHO....is the prettiest beach anywhere! Stunning beauty! Great snorkeling, if that's important to you. Not overly developed, but not void of food/ drink.

 

[Lisa Lisa]

We did two land vacations on St. Thomas in 2020 and 2021 and visited quite a few of the beaches. I have to say that while a lot of people love Sapphire, we didn't care for it. The beach was very narrow, and we were getting side eye from people who were staying there when we set up. If you want chairs, concessions, bathrooms/showers, a wide beach and beautiful water, you really can't beat Magens Bay. Rather than rent chairs in the area near the concessions building (where it gets quite crowded), we took our towels and walked down the beach (to the left when you're facing the water). There were just a few other people down there, so it was really quiet.

Another favorite of ours is Secret Harbour. The beach there isn't huge, but the water is beautiful and there is decent snorkeling from shore. They rent equipment there and there is also a restaurant onsite.

FWIW, we went over to Water Island on our first trip, and we really enjoyed it. I don't think I'd do it on a cruise, though, unless you have a nice, long port day. And in that case, I'd probably take the ferry over to St. John instead!