Turtle Beach, Buck Island: What to Know Before You Go

On Buck Island, the beach most visitors remember is West Beach, also known as Turtle Beach: soft white sand, clear water and a view back toward St. Croix. National Geographic rated it one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Nearly every Buck Island trip, ours included, spends time here. This guide covers what’s on the beach, what to bring and how to enjoy it responsibly.

Where is Turtle Beach and how do you get there?

Turtle Beach is on the west side of Buck Island, part of Buck Island Reef National Monument. The island sits about 1½ miles off St. Croix and is a 5.5-mile trip from Christiansted. There’s no road, bridge or public ferry: the National Park Service says the monument is accessible only by vessel, either a private boat or an authorized concessioner. Private boats anchor only in the designated area off West Beach.

The simplest way to go is on a tour. Ours leave from the Christiansted Boardwalk and Green Cay Marina, and the ride on our power catamaran takes about 30 minutes. Our full guide to getting to Buck Island compares every option.

What’s on the beach (and what isn’t)

Buck Island is uninhabited, and the NPS says there are no visitor services on the island. Here’s what you will find, according to the park’s outdoor activities page:

• Picnic tables, charcoal grills and vault toilets at West Beach and at Diedrichs Point. There’s also a 20x20-foot shelter at Diedrichs Point.
• No shops, food, drinks or chair rentals. Bring what you need, and take all your trash back off the island.
• No overnight stays. The park is open 7 am to 5 pm, and camping isn’t allowed.

On our trips, drinking water, snorkel gear and park fees are included, and every boat has cold storage for the food and drinks you bring. Celebration, the power catamaran on our Half Day Snorkel and Sunday Funday, has a freshwater shower and a full bathroom on board.

Things to do at Turtle Beach

Swim, float and relax

The NPS says the water in the park is crystal clear on most days. Wading in from the sand is an easy way for kids and nervous swimmers to get comfortable before snorkeling. Always check conditions with your crew first.

Take a snorkel lesson

On our Half Day Snorkel, Turtle Beach is the first stop. Your crew gives a snorkel lesson before you head to the underwater trail, which is just what the NPS recommends: practice in shallow water at the beach before you go out to the reef.

Hike to the overlook

A marked trail crosses the island from the West Beach picnic area to Diedrichs Point. The NPS says it takes about 45 minutes at a walking pace and is fairly strenuous. It climbs through beach forest and over hillsides of turpentine and pigeon-berry trees to the crest, where a side trail leads to an observation point overlooking the reef. From there, the NPS says, you look out over the darker, deeper water where the island’s shelf drops toward the Puerto Rico Trench, 5,000 feet deep. On a clear day you can see from Puerto Rico to Virgin Gorda, and it’s common to spot turtles in the reef below.

For something easier, the NPS describes a gentler West Beach trail through the beach forest to giant tamarind and sandpiper trees, returning along the water’s edge. Wear shoes and a shirt, and bring plenty of water. On our trips, the Full Day Sail and Beach & Hike include time for the hike.

Sea turtles, terns and the “Turtle” in Turtle Beach

Buck Island’s beaches are important nesting habitat. The NPS lists hawksbill, green, leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles among the endangered and threatened species that use them. It also says Buck Island and the beaches of St. Croix’s east end hold the most important hawksbill nesting in the Virgin Islands (animals of Buck Island). That’s why the park closes from sunset to sunrise.

Turtle Beach is also a nesting site for least terns. The NPS says they nest on open sandy beaches from May to August and leave their eggs exposed if people come too close. If you see roped-off areas or birds flying up at you, give them room.

Seeing a turtle in the water is never guaranteed, but it happens often around Buck Island, both in the shallows and from the overlook.

Stay safe on the beach

• Avoid the manchineel trees. The NPS warns that their sap, leaves, bark and fruit (which look like small green apples) cause chemical burns, and touching your eyes after contact can cause swelling or blindness. Stay on the beach and marked paths.
• Cover up. Wear a hat and a sun shirt, drink plenty of water and use reef-safe sunscreen. Oxybenzone sunscreens are prohibited on our trips.
• Don’t swim alone, and watch for crosscurrents and sharp coral near shore (NPS safety tips).
• Take nothing home. Buck Island is a no-take marine protected area, and shells stay on the beach.

Which tours stop at Turtle Beach?

What to bring for a Turtle Beach day

• Bathing suit, towel, hat and sunglasses
• Reef-safe sunscreen or a sun shirt
• Snacks or a packed lunch (lunch isn’t included on our trips) and a reusable water bottle
• Sneakers or sturdy sandals for the trail
• A waterproof phone case or GoPro
• Cash for your crew’s gratuity