Magens Bay, Trunk Bay, and Coki Point rightfully earn their spots on every USVI must-see list. But ask any captain who’s spent seasons exploring St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, and they’ll tell you about dozens more anchorages that deliver everything those famous beaches promise, minus the crowds.
What makes these hidden spots special? You’ll find the same turquoise waters teeming with sea turtles and tropical fish. The same powder-white beaches backed by swaying palms. The same protected harbors are perfect for peaceful evenings aboard. The difference is you might have the entire cove to yourself.
Our local charter captains have identified seven exceptional anchorages that remain off most charter itineraries despite being accessible by yacht. Each offers something unique, from underwater plane wrecks to floating pizza restaurants.
Here’s where to anchor when you want to experience the USVI the way locals do.
1. Little Cinnamon Beach: The insider’s Cinnamon Bay
Location: North shore of St. John, west of Cinnamon Bay
Distance from Frenchtown: 9-10 nautical miles
Anchoring: Use Cinnamon Bay moorings, 15-20 feet, $26/night
Access: Dinghy from moorings or 200-yard rocky scramble
Most visitors reach Cinnamon Bay via North Shore Road, but Little Cinnamon? It remains virtually untouched. The palm-fringed beach delivers that genuine castaway feeling you’re after, reached primarily by dinghy from Cinnamon Bay’s eight mooring balls.
What transforms Little Cinnamon from beautiful to unforgettable lies just eight feet beneath the surface off the eastern end. Snorkelers discover the scattered wreckage of a small crashed plane: engine, propeller, and wing creating an unexpected underwater landmark surrounded by tropical fish and coral formations.
The anchorage at Cinnamon Bay provides good holding in sand, though the area can become uncomfortable in northeast swells, making settled weather essential for overnight stays. Charter captains recommend visiting in the morning when conditions are calmest and the light is optimal.
2. Francis Bay: Where sea turtles feed
Location: North shore of St. John, near Annaberg Sugar Plantation
Distance from Frenchtown: 11-12 nautical miles
Anchoring: Moorings required (no anchoring), 10-15 feet
Ask charter guests where they spotted the most sea turtles, and Francis Bay dominates the conversation. This National Park spot requires moorings, but it’s worth securing one early because the turtle encounters here live up to every expectation.
The bay’s extensive sea grass beds attract Green and Hawksbill sea turtles, particularly in the early morning hours before 9 AM. Charter guests regularly report sightings of six or more turtles during a single snorkeling session, along with stingrays and occasionally giant manta rays.
Beyond the wildlife, Francis Bay offers St. John’s north shore something rare: genuine overnight protection when other anchorages turn uncomfortable. Day boats keep things lively mid-afternoon, but by evening the bay settles into peaceful perfection.
3. Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay: St. John’s snorkeling crown jewel
Location: North shore of St. John, east of Francis Bay
Distance from Frenchtown: 8-10 nautical miles
Anchoring: 19 moorings available (no anchoring), reliably calm
Approach: Must approach around western end of Waterlemon Cay only
Among local captains, there’s little debate: Waterlemon Cay ranks as St. John’s finest snorkeling spot. The fringing reef creates an underwater forest. Purple sea fans sway beside boulder brain coral as healthy stands of elkhorn and pillar corals descend about 20 feet.
Snorkelers encounter schools of 60-100 Atlantic Blue Tangs, multiple species of parrotfish, sea turtles grazing in the grass beds, southern stingrays, and the occasional reef shark or barracuda. Crystal-clear visibility and dramatic coral formations make the 0.2-mile swim from beach to reef a journey through one of the Caribbean’s finest marine gardens.
Vessels must approach around the western end of Waterlemon Cay only; the shallow area between the cay’s eastern side and St. John serves as a designated swimming zone. Strong offshore currents around the western side intensify during new and full moons.
4. Christmas Cove: The family-friendly free anchorage
Location: West side of Great St. James Island, between St. Thomas and St. John
Distance from Frenchtown: 5-7 nautical miles
Anchoring: 22 free mooring balls, 30 feet, up to 10-day stays
Here’s something refreshing: National Park-quality waters with 22 free mooring balls. Christmas Cove sits just 5-7 nautical miles from your Frenchtown base, positioning it perfectly for first or last charter nights. And those 22 mooring balls? You can stay up to 10 days without paying a cent.
The cove’s 30-foot crystal-clear waters reveal abundant sea turtles and spotted eagle rays, with charter guests reporting more turtle sightings here than anywhere else in the Virgin Islands. These calm, protected conditions make Christmas Cove particularly appealing for families with children, who can safely snorkel the long rock ledge covered in coral.
Beyond the exceptional natural environment, Christmas Cove offers the unique experience of Pizza Pi, a floating pizza restaurant operating seasonally where guests order via VHF radio and pick up their food by dinghy. The completely undeveloped shoreline means evenings are accompanied only by the sounds of birds and crickets, yet Red Hook’s provisioning and marine services lie just minutes away.
5. Little Magens: The undiscovered neighbor
Location: Eastern Peterborg Peninsula side of Magens Bay, St. Thomas
Distance from Charlotte Amalie: 3 miles
Anchoring: Main Magens Bay, 15-25 feet in sand, avoid central sandbar
Access: Quarter-mile swim or kayak along rocky shoreline
Magens Bay sees 300,000 visitors each year drawn to its world-famous mile of sand. Meanwhile, just around the headland, Little Magens hosts almost no one. Reaching it requires anchoring in the main bay, then swimming or kayaking a quarter-mile along the rocky shoreline.
The effort proves worthwhile. Little Magens typically sits empty, offering charter guests a private white sand beach with crystal-clear, calm water framed by lush vegetation and impressive hillside estates. Sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and families of fish inhabit the shallow sea grass beds, creating more intimate wildlife encounters than the main beach provides.
The primitive conditions at Little Magens—just a picnic table and trash barrel, no restrooms or vendors—feel refreshing after provisioning at the main beach’s facilities. The timing strategy matters: cruise ship passengers clear out by 4-5 PM, transforming the entire Magens Bay area into a peaceful evening anchorage.
6. Honeymoon Beach: Water Island’s convenient escape
Location: Western shore of Water Island
Distance from Frenchtown: 2-3 nautical miles
Anchoring: 10-20 feet in sand, good holding, protected from easterlies
They call Water Island “the secret fourth Virgin Island,” and for good reason. At just 2-3 nautical miles from Frenchtown—”spitting distance from Charlotte Amalie” as one captain puts it—Honeymoon Beach somehow manages to feel worlds away while keeping civilization close.
The beautiful white sand beach stretches beneath dozens of palm trees, where Dinghy’s Beach Bar and Heidi’s Honeymoon Grill serve cold drinks and excellent BBQ. The snorkeling along the northern coastline rates as very good, with vibrant coral, turtles, rays, and excellent visibility in the calm, clear waters.
What makes Honeymoon Beach exceptional for charterers is its positioning as the perfect first or last night anchorage. It’s close enough to bases that late flight arrivals or early departures cause no stress, yet far enough that guests immediately feel they’ve escaped to island time. The boat-access primary entrance limits crowds compared to St. Thomas’s resort beaches.
7. Buck Island: St. Croix’s pristine reef monument
Location: 1.5 miles northeast of Christiansted, St. Croix
Distance from St. Thomas: 38-40 nautical miles (5-7 hours sailing)
Anchoring: Free day-use moorings or 15-20 feet in sand off western beach
Approach: Early departure required, arrive Christiansted channel by early afternoon
Making the passage from St. Thomas to St. Croix requires commitment. It’s a 5-7 hour sail that separates cruisers from true adventurers. But the reward? What President John F. Kennedy called “one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea.” Buck Island Reef National Monument features an underwater snorkeling trail marked with plaques, one of only 2-3 such facilities nationwide.
The barrier reef creates fortress-like walls of endangered elkhorn coral descending to 12 feet. The monument harbors over 250 fish species, including schools of blue tangs, parrotfish varieties, trumpet fish, butterfly fish, and angelfish, along with both green and endangered hawksbill sea turtles.
The 5-7 hour passage requires early departure and careful attention to westerly currents. Most visitors anchor in 15-20 feet of sand off the western beach. This adventure suits experienced sailors, 10-day or longer charters, or crewed charters where the captain handles navigation and weather planning.
Discover these exceptional anchorages with expert guidance
The USVI’s best moments happen at anchorages exactly like these, where pristine waters meet authentic Caribbean beauty, and where you’ll discover corners of paradise most charterers never find.
From our US Virgin Islands base in historic Frenchtown, St. Thomas, puts six of these seven anchorages within easy reach. Little Cinnamon Beach, Francis Bay, Leinster Bay, and Christmas Cove on St. John lie just 5-12 nautical miles away. Little Magens and Honeymoon Beach sit even closer at 2-3 nautical miles, ideal for afternoon sails or convenient first and last charter nights.
For those seeking the ultimate adventure, Buck Island’s pristine reef monument awaits 40 nautical miles south on St. Croix, a passage that rewards experienced sailors or extended charters with world-class snorkeling in one of only two underwater national monuments in the United States.
Ready to discover the USVI’s most exceptional anchorages? Contact our Waypoints Yacht Charter Consultants to plan your custom itinerary today.
