White Bay

As you reach the top of the hill heading west out of Great Harbour, look down for the spectacular sight of White Bay before you, a ribbon of snow-colored sand and turquoise waters. White Bay is by far the nicest beach on Jost, and one of the best in the entire Virgin Islands. The sand is smooth and clean; it is fringed by low palms, sea grapes, and a few rustic buildings. The beach is cut in half by a small rock promontory. You can follow a path over the rocks or swim around them. An offshore reef rewards snorkelers.

The bay is popular among the yachting crowd despite the fact that there is no dock. Boats weigh anchor and passengers wade or swim ashore, hence the Soggy Dollar Bar at the beach’s western end, named for the damp money fished from wet pockets and wallets.

The eastern end of White Bay is quiet; a small but excellent campground huddles among the sea grape trees here, and a few tasteful guesthouses look down from the hillside above. The western end is home to a half dozen beach bars and restaurants and a small hotel. The only real nod to commercialism here is at the far western tip of the beach, where on some days small cruise ships unload hundreds of passengers for a beach picnic. A sports center there rents kayaks, pedalboats, and other water toys and takes visitors on ATV tours of the island. The good news is that if this type of thing doesn’t appeal to you, it’s pretty easy to ignore.