This beach feels different and also attracts a different crowd, since it is a very long drive from Cruz Bay and a relatively long walk down from the parking (about 15 minutes). Salt Pond is a beautiful bay with amazingly clear water. Bring a picnic and sit on the tables in the shade, enjoying the view.

Salt Pond Bay Picnic, St. John, USVI

Salt Pond is a great beach on windy days and for small children, it is always calm and flat. Aside from the picnic tables it has BBQ pits and a toilet (w/o running water).

A short trail will lead you to the actual salt pond. After a few very dry months like we had from February to June, something amazing happens at Salt Pond: You will be able to harvest salt around the edges! Sea salt has traces of every mineral from gold to uranium. It also includes iodine which disinfects the salt. Many scientists believe that by using sea salt we can meet all of our bodies mineral needs (Source: http://stjohntour.com/SaltPondBay.html)

The brownish red color of the pond is due to algae, like those that redden the Red Sea.

salt-pond-bay-stjohn

Salt Pond Beach Snorkeling

It also offers great snorkeling along the rocky edge and in the middle (where you will reach some rocks breaking the surface after a long swim). You will for example see Angelfish and Sea Turtles.

How to get Salt Pond

Drive towards Coral Bay (centerline road starting at Dolphin Market Roundabout) and make a right into town at all the signs, follow the road all the way to Salt Pond

Other attractions near Salt Pond

From there you can make your way to Drunk Bay to make some Jumbies or do the Ram’s Head Trail