Went here on a sail/snorkel half day trip out of Caneel Bay. Nice sail, but the snorkeling was nothing much.
everytime I travel to the VI I must make a few trip to maho. Water is calm and the snorkeling is amazing.
The beach has a wide shallow area. Watch out for Sting rays that like the warmer water. Lots of boats dock in the bay adding more interest. Not a busy as Cinnamon and Trunk.
Turtles! Not much reef, but turtles love the grass easy to get to via a taxi or rental car. White sandy beaches and no waves.
Finally a beach you don't have to take a long hike to get to! Not that I'm lazy but after a long day of paddle boarding I was too exhausted to take a long hike to another beach so Maho was perfect. Plenty of parking was right next to the beach with beautiful, calm water which actually would have been great for paddle boarding. Saw several manta rays while snorkeling and apparently this is the beach to go to if you want to see turtles, however we didn't see any at our visit.
It is a beautiful calm beach. I recommend getting there early before 11am or after 4:30, if you want the beach without a crowd.
If you have a family with young kids (3-10 yrs.), Maho Bay is a wonderful beach on St. John's. The water is shallow and calm (due to winds being blocked by the mountain to the north). It's a great place for snorkeling newbies. Our 7 year old son repeatedly said it was his favorite beach, and our 9 year old son agreed. On the south end closer to the pit toilets, the coral reef is pretty but limited. On the north end, the shallow rocky areas offer many colorful fish and sea cucumbers, but beware of the black sea urchins and a friendly barracuda. We missed the sea turtles in the late afternoon (4:30pm), but early afternoon (12pm-2:30pm) may improve your chances for viewing sea turtles based on the advice of other Yelpers. Parking can be difficult from late morning to early afternoon. We found plenty of parking in the north lot on a Wednesday at 4:30pm, but it was probably because the sea turtles had already disappeared. Facilities are limited (i.e., no washing station for sandy feet, no flushing toilets) so you need to bring your own stuff. Pit toilets were OK and less stinky than expected (they seem to use tons of chemicals), but the "Jackson Pollock"-like artistry inside the toilets is not for the faint-hearted. Overall, if you have young kids or snorkeling newbies in tow, Maho Bay is the one kid-friendly beach that you absolutely must visit.
Get there early for a great spot on the beach. Snorkel out to find sea turtles, lots of fish, and maybe a stingray or two. Lots of fish around Maho Point reef.
It is still a beautiful setting with terrific snorkeling on the east side by the rocks.Love watching the pelicans dive bomb for flying fish. Gets too crowded before 11am with no parking available and sand space limited.
Excellent beach- good snorkeling. Saw many Sea turtles. Need to take a taxi to get there. Beach is not overcrouded.