Caneel Resort is the entrance to one of the most beautiful beaches on St. John. I had visited Honeymoon Beach via boat several times, but I had never been there from the land side, so this was a treat. Honeymoon Beach has a wonderful reef just off to the left and the snorkeling was great. The fish were plentiful and the coral was fabulous. In fact, the snorkeling was so good that we hiked down there three times during the week we stayed on St. John. To get there, go to the Caneel resort; park in the regular lot and walk through the beautiful landscaping and the old sugar mill through to the beach. Then take the path to the left, down past the villas and follow the signs. It’s about a ten-minute walk to Honeymoon Beach.
Caneel has its own beach that is also great to visit. However, if you are a true snorkeler, you’ll want to take the hike to Honeymoon. One day when we were there, a group from the cruise ships arrived. They had taken a 45-minute hike down the side of the mountain to get to the beach – a real adventurous group. The hikers were surprised to learn that there was a path from Caneel straight to Honeymoon.