Situated on a 170-acre peninsula surrounded by the beauty of the Virgin Island National Park and seven pristine beaches, Caneel Bay is on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. With 3/5 of the island preserved under the national park system, the island remains the least commercial and most low key of the three USVI islands. This tiny Caribbean island getaway is only accessible by boat or ferry. Its beaches are considered to be some of the best in the world. The white sandy beaches shaded by seagrape trees and coconut palms make for a picture setting for honeymooners, families and friends.

NOTE:
No passport is required for U.S. citizens traveling to the USVI. An original copy of one's birth certificate with photo I.D. may be presented for entry.

Transportation/Transfers

Flights are available directly to St. Thomas on American Airlines as well as other major carriers. Consult your travel professional for airline reservations.

Upon receipt of the confirmation of your booking at Caneel Bay, we will have a Transportation Voucher (one per family) sent to you. This is required by the local Department of Tourism for the local taxi association, to show that your transfer to Caneel Bay is pre-booked and pre-paid. Please ensure that a hard copy of the voucher is readily available in your hand-luggage, as it may be asked for by a representative at the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas – your entry point when flying to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Walking through the arrivals gate, you will keep to the left and this will bring you into the baggage reclaim area. At the far right-hand corner of the room beyond the luggage belts, you will see a sign for Caneel Bay. Our reception area is located here. We suggest you proceed there immediately, while the baggage is processed. Our colleagues will be pleased to welcome you and undertake the registration process at this time. A selection of refreshments is available in our arrivals lounge, along with visitor information and maps. You will be provided with the requisite number of baggage tags showing your room number and once your luggage is retrieved and tagged it, it will be taken by a Caneel Bay representative. You are not required to handle your luggage from this point, until you arrive in your room.

At this time, you will be directed to our safari bus and taken down to the dock at Charlotte Amalie, about a 10-15 minute ride. The ferries are owned and operated by Caneel Bay and are clearly marked accordingly.

Subject to the ferry schedule, we suggest you walk around the attractive and historic area located adjoining the dock-side. There are a number of options for dining, interspersed with some world-renowned shopping or stalls offering local fare. Our airport representatives will be pleased to arrange transportation for you to Charlotte Amalie, in advance of the regular transportation provided to the dock. If you choose to enjoy a meal or some shopping, please keep an eye on the time and be at the point where our ferry departs, at least 10 minutes prior to departure.

As our ferry has the capacity to leave the U.S. Virgin Islands, you will be required to have your name checked against our guest manifest by a representative of Homeland Security. Our ferry personnel will then assist you aboard and offer iced water, fruit or rum punch. The boat ride to St. John takes a pleasurable 35 minutes, so we ask that you sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Cost for transfers which includes baggage handling, van transportation and unlimited use of the Caneel ferry between St. Thomas and St. John during your stay with us is $100 per adult (discounted 50% for children ages 5 to 12 years old and complimentary for children 4 years old or younger). The transfer fee is prepaid and applied against your advance deposit.

Ferry Schedule To/From St. John

Effective Mar. 14, 2010

During the day the Caneel Bay ferries depart either from downtown Charlotte Amalie, or from Red Hook at the east end of St. Thomas. Our airport lounge staff will arrange for your taxi transfer to the ferry. Ground transfer time from the airport to Charlotte Amalie is approximately 10 minutes; to Red Hook approximately 30 minutes. Ferry transfer time from Charlotte Amalie to Caneel Bay is approximately 35 minutes; from Red Hook to Caneel Bay approximately 15 minutes (transfer times are approximate and may vary depending upon prevailing conditions).

If you arrive after 5:30 p.m., our airport lounge staff will reserve a water taxi transfer from Red Hook to Caneel Bay.

The airlines request that you arrive at the airport three hours prior to your flight departure from St. Thomas. For further information concerning our ferry schedule, please contact Caneel Bay at 340.776.6111.

Taxis: Locally operated taxis are readily available for hire at the resort entrance.

Car Rental : Hertz car rentals are available on property.

Local Currency: The U.S. Dollar is the official currency for both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

Immigration & Customs: A valid passport or original copy of your birth certificate with photo identification along with one additional form of I.D. is required for travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Time Zone: EST

Attire: Shorts or dry bathing suits with shirts or cover-ups and footwear are acceptable during the day in the dining rooms and public areas. Swimwear, shorts, jeans and tennis shoes are not permitted after sunset. Ladies may wear suitable evening attire. We invite gentlemen to wear collared shirts, slacks or Bermuda shorts and close-toed shoes for dining at The Equator, Caneel Terrace and the Beach Bar. Slacks are required for gentlemen in the Turtle Bay restaurant.

Island Attractions

Trunk Bay: A short drive from the resort, Trunk Bay is one of the Caribbean’s most photographed beaches and features a self-guided, underwater snorkeling tour.

Annaberg Sugar Mill: The ruins of this 1870 sugar mill, consisting of Danish stone, coral and brick, have been restored by the National Park. The mill is one of the island's best-preserved examples of its cultural past during the colonial and post-emancipation era. A self-guided tour explains the sugar and rum distilling process.

Moravian Churches: Ruins of the first Moravian church, built in 1749 by the first Protestants to minister to West Indians, can be explored at Estate Bethany.

Shopping: On St. John, there are numerous quaint shopping areas around Cruz Bay to explore on foot. Mongoose Junction, Wharfside Village and Lemon Tree Mall offer an array of Caribbean specialty shops. A ferry ride to the island of St. Thomas opens the door to almost unlimited shopping options from designer houses to bargain vendors.

Caneel's Beaches

Caneel Bay is home to seven magnificent beaches — one to explore for each day of the week.

SCOTT: Picturesque and postcard perfect, Scott Beach is great for strolling and watching turtles as they graze on sea grass along the white sandy ocean floor. The waters at Scott are calm and perfect for floating lazily about on a raft.

PARADISE: Tiny and tucked away at the end of Cottage Point just before Scott beach, Paradise is an ideal escape for quiet moments.

TURTLE BAY: The stunning white crescent of beach below Turtle Bay Estate House is a vantage point for watching boats journey between St. Thomas and Tortola and a fine spot for snorkeling.

CANEEL BAY: This is our most active beach, from which Sunfish sailboats, sea kayaks and sail boards are available for use.

HAWKSNEST: The large bay at Hawksnest harbors a number of alluring beaches along its shore. Facing eastward into the trade winds, Hawksnest is the first beach to catch the early morning sun, and a shady place to take refuge in the afternoon. Snorkeling is excellent along the rocks at both ends of the beach.

HONEYMOON: There are no guest rooms on Honeymoon Beach, located on the westernmost end of the resort, only pristine sand perfect for strolling along the shore. Snorkeling is excellent along the reefs at each end of the beach.

LITTLE CANEEL: Just west of the dock is a peaceful retreat for relaxing and studying the boats in the harbor.

The National Park

In the 1950s, over half of the beautiful, unspoiled island of St. John was brought under the U.S. National Park system. Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., a non-profit, conservation-oriented organization founded and supported by the Rockefeller family, purchased and then donated over 5,000 acres of the island to the U.S. federal government for the creation of a national park in 1956. Ever since, the park has remained a sanctuary in which wildlife, natural beauty and historic sites are preserved for the enjoyment of all who come to St. John. Caneel Bay resort lies within the boundaries of the park. St. John boasts over 20 hiking trails. They vary from carefully maintained, well-traveled and marked paths to rugged, secluded treks. The Reef Bay Trail is St. John’s most famous. The National Park Service leads tours down the shady 2.5-mile trail. Highlights along the way include ruins of four sugar estates, an array of interesting flora and fauna, and the Arawak Indian petroglyphs.