St John - US and British Virgin Islands - page 207

RamHeadTrail (1 mile, moderate) The trailhead is also at the south end of Salt Pond
Bay Beach. You follow an exposed trail over switchbacks to the Ram Head, a promon-
tory 200ft above the seas at the southernmost tip of St John, a grandly lonesome and
windswept place.
VI Snuba Excursions SNUBA
( 340-693-8063; www.visnuba.com ; Trunk Bay; 1.5hr tours $65; 11am & 1pm
Mon-Fri,11amSat&Sun) Get underwater using special equipment that fuses snorkeling
with scuba diving. No experience necessary; accessible to kids aged eight and older. Tours
(including a short training session) depart from the Trunk Bay gift shop. Reserve in ad-
vance.
VI Eco-Tours KAYAKING
( 340-779-2155,877-845-2925; www.viecotours.com ;CaneelBay;3hrtours$99;
10am&2pm) This operator combines paddling with snorkeling and hiking around Caneel
Bay. Reserve in advance.
Sleeping
Travelers unenthused by big swanky resorts will love the two ecofriendly options here.
Maho is more remote, quiet and regimented; Cinnamon is a bit creakier but easier to get
around. Bring insect repellent for both.
Maho Bay Camps ECO-TENTS $$
( 340-776-6226, 800-392-9004; www.maho.org ; tents $135; ) Stanley Selen-
gut's popular, eco-sensitive tent resort lies 8 miles east of Cruz Bay on North Shore Rd.
The complex offers 114 units spread up a sheer, forested hillside overlooking the water.
Each 'tent' sits on a wooden platform that is propped up far off the ground, and surroun-
ded by vegetation so thick it's like living in a tree house. To access the beach, other tents,
the toilet/shower buildings or on-site outdoor restaurant and store, you follow a maze of
boardwalks and stairs through the jungle. The hillside is steep and the complex vast, so be
prepared for a lot of climbing.