USVI-On-Line

tell me the differences in these 2- we are heading down on Sat and wanted to try one of these- I'll have 2 teens if it matters-

Maho is right next to the road great beach shalow a long way out good snorkleing cin. is futher to walk more people because it has some services.

Cinnamon has a restaurant & also rents water toys (kayaks,boogie boards,etc.) Good chance you'll see some donkeys around the campground. As has been said, will have more people & kids around. IMO, I think the kids would enjoy Cinnamon more.

We found Cinnamon much busier and windier.

Cinnamon generally has a MUCH wider beach. If its calm at Cinnamon it will be calm at Maho. If its choppy at Cinnamon odds are good that Cinnamon will still be good. Cinnamon has showers, which can be nice if you want to go to happy hour/dinner without changing at the villa.

I like both a lot. We seem to go to Maho twice as much as the rest.

Cheers, RickG

Even though I hate schlepping my chair, cooler, beach bag and pool noodle all the way through the campground, I really love Cinammon's beach. That was probably my best day on STJ...

It's nice to have bathrooms and all the amenities right there if you need them.

When we were there in early February, Cinnamon was packed with people. Some wave action as well. Last year, Cinnamon was not as crowded. Maho seemed the same both years, calm, quiet, serene, I guess due to the limited parking. I love Maho. Cinnamon, which was a fave last year, dropped down a bit on my list, although the scenery is still gorgeous and it does offer bathroom/shower facilities, definitely a plus, esp. with kids.

Everytime we have been to Cinnamon, it has been very windy. A very nice beach, but not at all my favorite.

Maho, on the other hand, is without a doubt my favorite beach on island. Though it is close to the road, I still get that "marooned on a deserted island" feel while there. As others have mentioned, the water is generally VERY flat and shallow...Good snorkeling as well.

On Maho, we like to park as far West as possible (away from Cruz Bay) and walk towards the campground. The beach is wider there and the best snorkeling is around the right point.

Cheers, RickG

I agree Rick...Very good snorkleling around the right point...As you get around the point, I believe it is Francis on the other side? Saw a BIG stingray out there in December, as well as other large fish.

The part of Cin. Beach I like best is all the way to the left facing the water. There's a nice tree near the last set of units, wich is great to set up under. Its a hike, but there is a bathroom about 1/2 way back towards the main path back to the parking lot.

Do both? The teens might like Cinnamon, water toys to rent, snack bar, wider beach, can be windy. Maho maybe more for non-teens, unless they like to snorkel. Don't completely miss out on Maho, that is just so special, pictures and words will never describe Maho!

Do you remember Pete, the day at Cinnamon, when hauled our beach chairs, towels, cooler and other assorted crap down and it was windier than all get out?

I put the towels on the chairs and they kept blowing over. Then, as we looked at the white caps on the water, you said: "There isn't any amount of money you could pay me to get in that water right now." And, "If we are going to stay on this godforsaken beach, could we at least be facing the sun?"

We did a little shuffling around of the beach chairs to align ourselves perfectly with the sun but, alas, the sand and wind were stronger foes. We could not escape them. Forget the sunburn, we were sandblasted.

I believe that the Cinnamon Beach experience was our shortest beach day to date. Maybe 15 minutes. Tops. And it's a bit of a haul to take your crap from the Jeep to the beach and the beach to the Jeep.

On a good day, a day without wind or waves, yes. Do it. When it's blowing? Go to Maho.

OR, just go to Maho and not stress about what the weather might bring.

Marcia...You explained my 4 or 5 experiences on Cinnamon to a tee!

Go to Maho. But you should see Cinammon.