Maho Crossroads

St John


This minimum-footprint pop-up village has a beach shop, a food truck, water sports, cornhole (a lawn game) and colorful picnic chairs, all set amid a papaya grove at Maho Beach. Most folks come to sidle up to the bar and sip Painkillers or Bushwackers (both local cocktails). Rent your snorkels (US$20 per day) or paddleboards (US$30 for two hours) here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby St John attractions

1. Maho Bay

0.21 MILES

The water here is shallow and less choppy than elsewhere (good for snorkeling and kids), and it’s a good bet you’ll see green sea turtles in the early…

2. Francis Bay

0.6 MILES

Francis Bay is home to one of the most serene stretches of sand on St John, with calm waters and fewer tourists than at any other beach of its size. It's…

3. Cinnamon Bay

0.65 MILES

Mile-long Cinnamon Bay is St John’s biggest beach and arguably its best. At research time, however, it was a sad sight: Cinnamon's archaeological museum,…

4. Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins

1.16 MILES

Part of the national park, this site near Leinster Bay is home to the most intact sugar-plantation ruins in the Virgin Islands. A 30-minute self-directed…

5. Trunk Bay

1.45 MILES

This long, gently arching beach is the most popular strand on the island and the only one that charges a fee. There are showers, toilets, picnic…

6. Leinster Bay

1.74 MILES

This bay adjoins the Annaberg mill ruins. Park in the plantation’s lot and follow the trail along the water for 25 minutes. Some of St John’s best…

7. Jumbie Bay

1.82 MILES

Jumbie is the word for ghost in the Creole dialect, and this secluded beach has a plethora of ghost stories. Look for the parking lot on North Shore Rd…

8. Peace Hill

2.07 MILES

Look for the Peace Hill sign as you drive between Hawksnest and Jumbie Bays. Pull into the small parking lot, and if you’re willing to walk 0.1 miles you…