When researching the best things to do in St. Croix, one activity popped up above everything else: taking a trip out to Buck Island. This uninhabited national monument is world-renowned for its incredible underwater snorkelling trail, and booking a half day tour with Big Beard’s Adventure Tours is easily the best way to experience it!
What Makes Buck Island So Special?
Spanning over 170 land acres and 18,800 marine acres, Buck Island is a federally protected sanctuary, meaning you can only visit with an approved tour operator. The island is famous for its unique underwater trail, which features sunken placards directing you through the reef and introducing local marine life. Even after damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017, the reef is thriving with tropical fish and vibrant coral.
Choosing the Right Tour & Booking
Big Beard’s offers two options: a half day excursion and a full day tour. Because my trip to the USVI was super fleeting (only 3 nights!), I opted for the half day tour so I’d still have the afternoon free to explore more of St. Croix.
For the half day trip, you can choose between a morning (9:00 AM) or an afternoon (12:30 PM) sail. The whole trip lasts around 3 to 3.5 hours.
Booking online was a breeze; their website shows real time availability, but they also have a walk in office in Christiansted where you can book directly. Once you book, they send a super detailed confirmation email with a run through of the day, including what to bring, where to meet, and parking info (a huge help since I was brand new to the island and unfamiliar with town parking!).
Check In & Getting Ready
On the day of the tour, you’ll need to arrive at their Christiansted office 30 minutes before departure (8:30 AM for our 9:00 AM trip).
Pro Tip: You’ll get an email waiver to sign beforehand. A few people on our trip had trouble loading it on their phones at the office, so try to sign it at your hotel before heading out to speed things up!
Checking in was seamless and the staff were wonderfully friendly. Their shop is surprisingly well stocked with snacks, drinks, motion sickness meds, reef safe sunscreen, rash guards, and cute souvenirs. They also share a restroom with the neighbouring Rum Runners restaurant—just hop through the back door of the store and turn right!
What to Pack (And What’s Included)
For the half day trip, Big Beard’s provides water and a complimentary alcoholic punch on the sail back, but no meals are served. There are no vendors or outlets on Buck Island, so bring any snacks or extra drinks you might want!
- What to Bring: Reef safe sunscreen (preferably not the spray kind, as it makes the boat deck slippery!), a towel (if you don’t already have a travel towel, I highly recommend this one – I’ve taken it on 20+ trips with me – it’s fast drying, lightweight and doesn’t smell), snacks/drinks, a hat, sunglasses, your swimsuit (wear it!), and cash to tip the awesome crew. You’re also welcome to bring your own snorkel gear if you’d prefer (this is the one I take on every trip, excellent quality and comes in a few colours)
- Prohibited Items: Avoid glass containers for safety reasons.
- Coolers: They have a large cooler on board that guests can use.
- Planning Ahead: We bought our snacks and drinks the afternoon before. We noticed very few places were open early in the morning before check in, so definitely plan ahead!
Setting Sail to Buck Island
Right on time at 9:00 AM, our boat crew greeted us and walked us through the day’s itinerary. We were lucky to have a smaller group, so the boat felt wonderfully uncrowded. Our captain and crew member took exceptional care of us the entire time!
Before stepping aboard, we kicked off our shoes into a bucket (it’s a barefoot boat!). There’s a toilet on board, which was great to know since the facilities on Buck Island itself are fairly “primitive.”
Buck Island sits just 1.5 miles off the coast of St. Croix, making for a short 25 to 30 minute sail. The wind had been howling the days leading up to our trip, so our captain warned us that the ride out might be choppy and the underwater trail might be off limits if the swell was too rough. (If you suffer from motion sickness, definitely take precautions ahead of time!). Luckily, as we approached the island, the seas calmed down perfectly and we got the green light to snorkel.
Snorkelling the Underwater Trail
Big Beard’s provides all the gear you need (life jackets, masks, snorkels, and fins) though you’re welcome to bring your own like I did.
We all slid into the water and followed our guide along the underwater trail. It’s such a cool concept! Underwater placards are sunken along the ocean floor, guiding you through the reef and introducing you to pictures of the local fish and marine life to spot. While it might not be the most pristine coral system in the world, we saw tons of colorful tropical fish, and following the designated trail was absolute fun.
Unwinding at Turtle Beach
After our guided snorkel, we had some extra time to swim around before boarding the boat for a quick cruise around the bay to Turtle Beach, a stunning stretch of blindingly white sand and turquoise water.
Only one other boat was there when we arrived, and they left shortly after, leaving us with a practically private beach! It’s called Turtle Beach because sea turtles frequently nest here; you’ll spot fenced off areas along the sand that you should be careful to avoid.
The boat anchors in waist deep water, so getting off means walking down the steps and holding your bag over your head, a pretty funny exit, but the crew is right there to help hand things down. We brought our cooler bag and snacks right onto the sand for an impromptu beach picnic, which was so much fun!
We spent nearly two blissful hours floating in the crystal clear water and relaxing on the sand. Eventually, the captain blew a conch shell to signal it was time to head back.
(Note: If weather ever prevents you from visiting the underwater trail, the crew assured us you get a 25% refund on your ticket and extra time to explore or hike the island instead!).
The Sail Back & Post Tour Lunch
The journey back to Christiansted was smooth sailing. We grabbed spots at the front of the boat to soak in the views and enjoy a few glasses of their famous complimentary punch, made with St. Croix’s own breadfruit vodka (the only one in the world!).
Sun kissed and with huge smiles on our faces, we arrived back at the dock, reunited with our shoes, and thanked our wonderful crew.
Since Big Beard’s office is right next door to Rum Runners restaurant right on the harbour, we walked straight over for lunch after stepping off the boat. It was the absolute perfect end to a flawless morning on the water!
(If you decide to book the Full Day Tour instead, it actually includes a full beachside BBQ lunch on Buck Island!).
Final Thoughts
My morning with Big Beard’s was an absolute highlight of my trip to St. Croix. Between the incredible customer service, the fun underwater trail, and having Turtle Beach virtually to ourselves, it’s worth every single penny. If you’re heading to the USVI, put this right at the top of your bucket list!
If you’re looking for somewhere fantastic to stay during your time on St Croix, check out my review of The Waves at Cane Bay.
You can find out more about my stay on my “USVI” Highlights on Instagram @chase.the.rainbows.
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