Little Lameshur Bay
Little Lameshur Bay
4.5
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Bay with a beautiful, broad beach that is ideal for swimming and snorkeling, with a view of Bordeaux Mountain, the island's highest point at 1,277 feet, in the background.
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Amie B
Tucson, AZ94 contributions
Aug 2021
If you are serious about snorkeling, you have probably seen the name Little Lameshur Bay if you are looking on St. John. There is good reason. This bay is almost always quiet as it is mostly protected from all but the most severe weather, so a lot of coral can grow, bringing fish and sting ray. I saw 3 desert rays all gliding mere feet from me, like they had nowhere to be. It probably helped that I was the only person on the beach at the time, which is another good reason to go. It is true that you should have a 4x4 or at least a vehicle with good ground clearance. On my way out I happened upon some tourists who were stranded in a small car who could not go any further without bottoming out. So, rent or borrow a vehicle that can make the drive, you will thank yourself later. The amount of coral on the eastern rocks is fantastic and all the fish you see, you will not want to miss it. I went all the way east to Yawzi Point as the water was very calm. Besides the snorkeling, the bay has some spots for parking, trash bins, a restroom, some grills and a few picnic tables. But if you snorkel at all, get out here!
Written August 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jerseycamper64
South Jersey79 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
Getting There: Little Lameshur is at the end of the road (literally) on the south shore of the island. If you're staying near Cruz Bay, the drive is about 45 hilly and curvy minutes one way so it might make sense to consider one of the numerous more conveniently located North Shore beaches. We were looking for something a little different and decided to make the 20 minute drive from the Coral Bay area. The last half mile of driving is over unpaved and rugged terrain so you'll need a Jeep or similar vehicle with adequate ground clearance.
Limited Facilities: There are a half-dozen or so well-spaced picnic tables and a pit toilet. The parking area can accommodate about 10 vehicles.
The Beach and Bay: You'll find a couple hundred yards of sandy beach with some shady spots but be careful to steer clear of the little grassy patches that contain prickly burs that attach themselves to anything with which they come in contact. The bay is well-protected on 3 sides and unless the wind is blowing directly from the south (not typical) you will likely be greeted by very calm water well-suited to a relaxing dip or float. When entering the water, a few feet of mostly smooth cobblestones have to be negotiated in order to reach sandy bottom.
Snorkeling: Nothing special near the shoreline but if you are a fairly experienced snorkeler, consider making the relatively long swim out to either of the points (Yawzi is on east/left and Europa is on west/right) that ring the bay. We opted for Europa Point (a bit closer to the beach than Yawzi) and encountered intriguing underwater scenery featuring dramatic drop-offs, wide chasms, and an interesting variety of marine life.
Other Stuff: There are sugar mill ruins to explore a very short hike up the hill from the parking lot. You can take the much longer and more strenuous hikes (4 to 5 mile round trip, 500 foot elevation change) to the Petroglyphs and/or the Reef Bay Factory, but unless you like your hikes hot and sweaty it would be best to get started fairly soon after sunrise. Keep in mind that the National Park Service offers a guided, more shaded, and all downhill hike to those locations that concludes with a ferry ride back to the NPS dock in Cruz Bay.
Afterwards: Numerous options for satisfying your post-beach appetite a short drive away. We've enjoyed tasty and satisfying meals and drinks at The Tourist Trap, Cafe Concordia, and Shipwreck Landing.
Tip: On days when cruise ships dock in St. Thomas, the North Shore beaches tend to become a bit more populated with those who choose to make a day trip to St. John. Its out of the way location makes Little Lameshur something to consider if you desire something quieter and more secluded. When we arrived at 9:30 there was one other couple on the beach and 6 enjoyable hours later the "crowd" had swelled to 2 or 3 dozen.
Limited Facilities: There are a half-dozen or so well-spaced picnic tables and a pit toilet. The parking area can accommodate about 10 vehicles.
The Beach and Bay: You'll find a couple hundred yards of sandy beach with some shady spots but be careful to steer clear of the little grassy patches that contain prickly burs that attach themselves to anything with which they come in contact. The bay is well-protected on 3 sides and unless the wind is blowing directly from the south (not typical) you will likely be greeted by very calm water well-suited to a relaxing dip or float. When entering the water, a few feet of mostly smooth cobblestones have to be negotiated in order to reach sandy bottom.
Snorkeling: Nothing special near the shoreline but if you are a fairly experienced snorkeler, consider making the relatively long swim out to either of the points (Yawzi is on east/left and Europa is on west/right) that ring the bay. We opted for Europa Point (a bit closer to the beach than Yawzi) and encountered intriguing underwater scenery featuring dramatic drop-offs, wide chasms, and an interesting variety of marine life.
Other Stuff: There are sugar mill ruins to explore a very short hike up the hill from the parking lot. You can take the much longer and more strenuous hikes (4 to 5 mile round trip, 500 foot elevation change) to the Petroglyphs and/or the Reef Bay Factory, but unless you like your hikes hot and sweaty it would be best to get started fairly soon after sunrise. Keep in mind that the National Park Service offers a guided, more shaded, and all downhill hike to those locations that concludes with a ferry ride back to the NPS dock in Cruz Bay.
Afterwards: Numerous options for satisfying your post-beach appetite a short drive away. We've enjoyed tasty and satisfying meals and drinks at The Tourist Trap, Cafe Concordia, and Shipwreck Landing.
Tip: On days when cruise ships dock in St. Thomas, the North Shore beaches tend to become a bit more populated with those who choose to make a day trip to St. John. Its out of the way location makes Little Lameshur something to consider if you desire something quieter and more secluded. When we arrived at 9:30 there was one other couple on the beach and 6 enjoyable hours later the "crowd" had swelled to 2 or 3 dozen.
Written July 24, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elib_travels
Israel942 contributions
Feb 2020
You definitely need a 4x4 or SUV to get there but boy is it worth it. You can also hike it from the reef trail but that is a really long hike AND you have to hike back up, Great clear water and snorkeling so bring equipment with you . There is a picnic table ( I think one)in the shade you you may just get lucky. walk along the road and get to the sugar mill ruins . One more thing watch out for the mongoose they will eat anything not tied down
Written March 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Goombagirl1
Golden, CO351 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
Because I heard the roar was pretty rough, I was nervous about going to this south side beach which is at the end of 107, the road out of coral bay. You go past salt pond to where the road turns into a dirt road & keep going. At this point, there is a USVI parks sign that says it's 0.6 miles to Great Lameshur & 1 mile to Little Lameshure. We decided to go to the furthest beach, Little Lameshur, since we heard it's less rocky than Great Lameshur. This was definitely the case.
You definitely need a jeep or a vehicle with good clearance. (Having said that we were parked next to a minivan.) There are 2 bigger hills on the way in which are paved (made us wonder why they didn't pave the whole road) which is definitely helpful.
Once you are past the hills the road is pretty bumpy with several good size pot holes filled with muddy water. If you've ever gone down the road in Catherineburg, it was just a bit worse than driving down the hill on the Catherineberg road.
As far as the beach itself, there are picnic tables, a grill & a restroom. There is plenty of sand & some shade. We read this beach isn't usually crowded but there were MANY families when we were there. Could be because there were significant swells on the north beaches. The water at Little Lameshur was pretty calm. My guys even paddle boarded.
Snorkeling: underwhelming on the left side (as you look to the ocean from the beach) but I REALLY enjoyed the snorkeling on the right side. I swam to a rock sticking up in the middle of the bay then went to the right to explore the rocks & fish along the shoreline.
There's several hiking trails here along with some interesting ruins. You can even hike to reef bay & the reef bay petroglyphs.
You definitely need a jeep or a vehicle with good clearance. (Having said that we were parked next to a minivan.) There are 2 bigger hills on the way in which are paved (made us wonder why they didn't pave the whole road) which is definitely helpful.
Once you are past the hills the road is pretty bumpy with several good size pot holes filled with muddy water. If you've ever gone down the road in Catherineburg, it was just a bit worse than driving down the hill on the Catherineberg road.
As far as the beach itself, there are picnic tables, a grill & a restroom. There is plenty of sand & some shade. We read this beach isn't usually crowded but there were MANY families when we were there. Could be because there were significant swells on the north beaches. The water at Little Lameshur was pretty calm. My guys even paddle boarded.
Snorkeling: underwhelming on the left side (as you look to the ocean from the beach) but I REALLY enjoyed the snorkeling on the right side. I swam to a rock sticking up in the middle of the bay then went to the right to explore the rocks & fish along the shoreline.
There's several hiking trails here along with some interesting ruins. You can even hike to reef bay & the reef bay petroglyphs.
Written January 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
9Elfer
Santa Fe, NM126 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
Picturesque remote beach within the USVI Nat. Park on the South side of St. John, where the water is typically tranquil. Hasn't change a bit in 40 years since my fist visit. The snorkeling is really great, with lots of interesting rock formations along the coastline. Because it is protected from the wind, the beach gets a little hotter than others on the island. I wouldn't even think about going without a Jeep wrangler or similar high clearance 4x4.
Written January 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
paulenewell
Freehold, NJ64 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This bay is in the National Park, and there are no facilities, bars, or other distractions. The water is warm and clear, the coral is great and it is uncrowded. The crew was reluctant to leave.
Other than snorkeling and swimming, there is not much else to do, except read a book, take a nap, watch the pelicans diving for fish, etc.
We actually saw a very rare sight. A school of small bait fish were being pursued by something down below, and about a hundred of them suddenly came jumping up out of the water. The sun angle was perfect and they all lit up like a flashing neon light. It only lasted for a second, but it was more spectacular than a fireworks display. A truly amazing sight that you only get to see if you are in a place like Lameshur.
Other than snorkeling and swimming, there is not much else to do, except read a book, take a nap, watch the pelicans diving for fish, etc.
We actually saw a very rare sight. A school of small bait fish were being pursued by something down below, and about a hundred of them suddenly came jumping up out of the water. The sun angle was perfect and they all lit up like a flashing neon light. It only lasted for a second, but it was more spectacular than a fireworks display. A truly amazing sight that you only get to see if you are in a place like Lameshur.
Written June 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OregonRainGuy
Newberg, OR411 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
Little Lameshur Bay is not easy to get to, but well worth it. To get there you have to go over to the Coral Bay side of the island, go past Salt Pond, to the "end of the road." Most guidebooks tell you not to go there but all of the hills are now paved so if you have a Jeep you are fine. We even saw little compacts there. Just be ready for ruts on the flat stretches.
The best snorkeling we found was to the left along the rocks. There are tons of great spots to explore. You can actually snorkel for quite a distance. Two things were of interest to us in particular - one was a giant spotted eagle ray. The first day we snorkeled he actually startled us because it was getting a little dark and we were on him before we knew it. What a wonderful creature to see flying through the water.
The other interesting thing was a little fish that kept swimming along right next to us like he/she had adopted us. Pretty cool though we felt bad after we got out and worried the little one was in danger so far from its home.
We also saw a Toby - they look so human it's almost scary. Definitely worth the trip it takes to get out there. By the time we got out we literally were the only ones on the entire beach. There is also a ruins off to your right (facing the water) that are pretty cool.
The best snorkeling we found was to the left along the rocks. There are tons of great spots to explore. You can actually snorkel for quite a distance. Two things were of interest to us in particular - one was a giant spotted eagle ray. The first day we snorkeled he actually startled us because it was getting a little dark and we were on him before we knew it. What a wonderful creature to see flying through the water.
The other interesting thing was a little fish that kept swimming along right next to us like he/she had adopted us. Pretty cool though we felt bad after we got out and worried the little one was in danger so far from its home.
We also saw a Toby - they look so human it's almost scary. Definitely worth the trip it takes to get out there. By the time we got out we literally were the only ones on the entire beach. There is also a ruins off to your right (facing the water) that are pretty cool.
Written July 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FrankDiB
Philadelphia224 contributions
Jan 2014 • Friends
The drive there was a real challenge. Huge ruts, unpaved portions of road, steep and some areas full of water. We had a jeep so not a real problem. Once there, nice beach and good snorkeling. No facilities.
Written January 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Redhawksskins
Milford, MA42 contributions
Nov 2019 • Couples
Long drive on unpaved road. Only take if you have a Jeep or truck. Beach was very quiet which was nice. But zero amenities since so remote. We noticed Pelicans diving into the water constantly catching fish so decided to see what was out there. Snorkling was intense - saw a Nurse shark, barracuda, sting ray, as well as large schools of fish. When facing the beach we saw all of this on the right.
Written November 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ron S.
3 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
This bay is at the far end of the island, from Cruz Bay. We visited late morning, in July 2019, and had the place to ourselves for a while. Because it's remote, not many people visit here. It is very beautiful, with white sands and blue water, tucked into a small bay protected by rocky points on both sides. There is a coral reef on one point, surrounding Yawzi point, accessible by snorkel or hiking. Well worth the visit!
Written July 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does anyone know of a jeep tour that tours the whole park? I'd like to explore but would like an expert/local. Please advise. Going next week!
Written October 8, 2016
I'm going to be staying here in the beginning of February. I work out almost 5 days a week. Is there a gym nearby, maybe in town?
Written December 22, 2014
Too late now but yes there is downtown right by the pizza place in wharfside village area. Hope you found it.
Written April 23, 2015
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