Water Island

Water Island lies a few hundred metres off St Thomas and is the fourth of the main US Virgin Islands, though it only joined the territory in the 1990s, having been retained by the federal government for decades. It is small, quiet and has a permanent population in the low hundreds, with golf carts rather than cars and no shops to speak of. The reason to come is Honeymoon Beach, a calm sheltered crescent on the western side with good snorkelling at either end, a couple of beach bars and hammocks, reachable on foot in about fifteen minutes from the ferry dock or by cart. Old military installations from the mid-twentieth century sit in the scrub, and the rest of the island is walkable in an afternoon.

What you actually see

• Honeymoon Beach - the sheltered crescent with snorkelling at both ends.
• The ferry crossing - ten minutes from St Thomas to a different pace.
• Golf-cart lanes - the island's roads, with almost no cars.
• The quiet - a populated island with no shops and few visitors.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. The island is calmest on days with no cruise ships in St Thomas, since Honeymoon Beach receives excursion groups when ships are docked. Mornings are quietest, and the ferry runs to a limited schedule.

Honest expectations

The ferry schedule is limited and missing the last boat means an expensive water taxi. There are no shops, so bring what you need beyond the beach bars. Honeymoon Beach fills with excursion groups on cruise days, which undoes the point of coming; check the ship schedule first.

Nearby

Charlotte Amalie and Crown Bay are ten minutes across the water; Hassel Island is nearby.