Beaches · West End (Botany Bay area)

Botany Bay (Sandy Beach) & Mermaid’s Chair

Mermaid's Chair is the St. Thomas beach you earn rather than drive to. Access runs through The Preserve at Botany Bay, a gated community on the island's western tip, where visitors must stop at the gatehouse, sign a release, and then walk — reviews put the round trip anywhere from 1.5 to 3.4 miles depending on the route, on paved road with real elevation change and close to no shade. The consensus across trip reports is blunt: the hike back up is the hard part, hot and steep enough that several reviewers recommend skipping it entirely unless you're prepared to sweat for it. What's at the bottom is a narrow, rocky-sand beach where the Atlantic and Caribbean visibly meet, described repeatedly as one of the most secluded, uncrowded spots on the island — some visits report having it entirely to themselves. A few properties in the area run a shuttle at set times (commonly cited around 8:30am, 12:30pm, and 4:30pm) for a tip, which spares hikers the return climb if the timing lines up.

Botany Bay (Sandy Beach) & Mermaid’s Chair

Botany Bay (park outside gated community), West End (Botany Bay area), St. Thomas

Does this beach fit the day you want?

Mermaid's Chair is the St. Thomas beach you earn rather than drive to. Access runs through The Preserve at Botany Bay, a gated community on the island's western tip, where visitors must stop at the gatehouse, sign a release, and then walk — reviews put the round trip anywhere from 1.5 to 3.4 miles depending on the route, on paved road with real elevation change and close to no shade. The consensus across trip reports is blunt: the hike back up is the hard part, hot and steep enough that several reviewers recommend skipping it entirely unless you're prepared to sweat for it. What's at the bottom is a narrow, rocky-sand beach where the Atlantic and Caribbean visibly meet, described repeatedly as one of the most secluded, uncrowded spots on the island — some visits report having it entirely to themselves. A few properties in the area run a shuttle at set times (commonly cited around 8:30am, 12:30pm, and 4:30pm) for a tip, which spares hikers the return climb if the timing lines up.

What Island Hype can confirm

Access
park outside gate + hike
Access effort
moderate to hard
Snorkeling
good
Family friendly
Not marked family-friendly
Facilities
None
What to know
Pristine and secluded; Mermaid's Chair is a unique sandbar where Atlantic meets Caribbean

Good fit if you want

  • snorkeling as part of your beach day
  • a beach day that includes a more active approach

Consider another option if your priority is

  • easier access
  • a beach marked family-friendly
  • more facilities

Compare based on your priority

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These comparisons use the beach details available here, not real-time water conditions. Confirm current access and conditions before you go.

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