Kayaking

Gear and Tours

On the north shore, kayak rentals are available at Cinnamon Bay Watersports (Cinnamon Bay, 340/776-6330 or 340/693-5902) and at Maho Bay Watersports (Little Maho Bay, 340/776-6240, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.). For exploring around Coral Bay, Crabby’s Watersports (Coccoloba Shopping Center, 340/714-2415) rents single and two-seater kayaks. Expect to pay $50–75 for a full-day kayak rental.

For a little bit more than you would spend for a kayak rental, you can go on a kayak trip with a guide. Arawak Expeditions (340/693-8312, www.arawakexp.com [5]) offers guided kayak tours to Henley and Lovango Cays, leaving from Cruz Bay [6]. Half-day tours cost $50; full-day tours are $90, including lunch. Arawak also offers multiday guided paddle trips, such as a four-day circumnavigation of St. John.

Hidden Reef Eco Tours (877/529-2575, www.hiddenreefecotours.com [7]) offers two-hour, three-hour, full-day, and sunset guided paddle trips around St. John’s east end. All tours depart from Haulover Bay [8] and explore remote and relatively inaccessible snorkel sites. Rates range $55–100, and there are tours for every ability level. All tours include snorkeling, and full-day tours incorporate hiking.

St. Thomas-based Virgin Islands Ecotours (340/779-2155, www.viecotours.com [9]) has teamed up with Caneel Bay [10] to offer guided kayak tours of Caneel Bay, Paradise and Scott Beaches, and Turtle Point. The three-hour excursion includes snorkeling and hiking, too. Reservations are essential and may be made through Virgin Islands Ecotours or the Caneel Bay activity desk (340/776-6111, ext. 7218). The tour costs $80 per person.