USVI-On-Line

What is Denis Bay like? It looks nice but other than information about the history of the beach and surrounding property I can't find much about it. Is there good snorkeling? How is the walk/hike to get there?

We'd like to visit a couple new (for us) beaches this trip and it looks like it would be pretty but I never see it mentioned.

Thanks!

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We haven't visited Denis Bay, but just last month a bartender at Morgan's Mango told us that this is his favorite beach. He said to park at the Peace Hill trail and hike down. We got this tip late in our trip, so we'll have to explore there next time!

www.seestjohn.com click on St john life for gerald Singers blog which had a great Denis Bay article last week or you can also read the history on the main site.

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Here's a photo.

I've been to Denis Beach and liked it. We hiked from our villa to it; not that far. But, it isn't a good swimming spot. Not much soft sand floor in the water except in pockets. Lots of coral. Can be good for snorkeling if the waves are down. I was there in the summer and even at that time the waves were choppy due to the fact that beach jets out a bit into more unprotected waters. When we got there we were by ourselves only briefly. Seems a lot more people know about it, so don't expect much privacy.

This is really great information, thank you all! Love the picture.

It will be a maybe on our list. If we make it Gibney and the water is calm we may try to snorkel there if the kids are up for it.

Once we get on island, we may just go with flow and revisit our favorite beaches from last time. But it's nice to have some extra info in case we feel like trying something new. (Wish we could stay longer than one week!)

Denis is a lovely beach with a private property at one end that you need to stay clear from.

We find the snorkeling excellent here. Folks are right though, the coral comes close into shore and it's shallow so it's an intermediate to advanced snorkeling experience cause once you get out you have to go ALLLL the way around. Hard to explain but you'll know what I mean if you get there. But the sea life is fantastic. Some of the best on island.

There are a couple of little pools that are protected by rocks that are nice to just sit in. So activity here is limited and I would definitely NOT recommend this beach for very young kids. Mainly because of the hike and the water conditions with the coral and rocks.

The hike down from Peace Hill is narrow and winding and there's one spot where you have to sit on your butt to drop down over a large rock. The angle is pretty steep in spots. So it's a bitch coming back up. But it's all jungle so at least you're in the shade (bring bug spray!). I'd say the hike back up is comparable to Salt Pond.

There's also plenty of coconuts to snack on (bring a machete) and a beginning collection of coral people (similar to Drink Bay) starting to move in.

Here are my pics:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bW ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_Y ... 4.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tH ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_W ... 3.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kE ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_U ... 2.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5j ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_K ... 5.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dw ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_I ... 4.JPG"></a>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aT ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/Sky_6 ... 3.JPG"></a>

Gromit, I think my family might have started the coral people this summer!

We made a rather well endowed man there-went back a few days later and there were people sitting next to him taking their pictures

That's funny! What is it with you and the "well endowed" coral people?

Is someone compensating?

Well, there was this huge, 12 inch long and about 5 inch wide piece of coral and I didn't want it to go to waste!

After reading your comment I think I need a cigarette....

And whatever it is worth, Melanie Griffith grew up on this beach. Her father was a caretaker on the end of the beach around the corner from Jumbie.

Denis Bay is one of my favorites.Finding this old anchor back in 07' added to the fun.Some of the beach is sand and some rock. I think you will like it! Parafins

For what it's worth, Melanie Griffith did not grow up there. Her father did live there with her younger half brother and sister, but Melanie lived with her mother. Tippi Hendron, in LA, and was already a starlet by the time her father was at Denis. She did visit once or twice, and as a child had stayed at the Oppenheimer's a couple of times, when it was Holiday Homes rental