Cinnamon Bay

Cinnamon Bay is a body of water and a beach on St. John in the United States Virgin Islands, adjacent to the historic Cinnamon Bay Plantation. The bay is just east of Trunk Bay, and is about a mile west of a famous eco-tourism destination called Maho Bay Camps.^[1][2][3][4] The shallow, clear water and the short distance to Cinnamon Cay (a small, low-elevation, sandy island) make Cinnamon Bay excellent for snorkeling.

Camping in Virgin Islands National Park is permitted only at the Cinnamon Bay campground — no back-country or beach camping is allowed by the National Park Service.^[5] The Cinnamon Bay campground is operated by a concessionaire. There are bare sites, tent-covered platforms and cottages available, along with a restaurant (the T’ree Lizards) and a small camp store. Park Service programs are offered in a small amphitheatre (including campfire programs).^[5] In addition, a wide range of weekly activities are available at the campground, such as trips to Lameshur Bay or Salt Pond Bay, the Reef Bay hike, snorkeling at the Trunk Bay underwater snorkeling trail, and cultural presentations at the Annaberg Plantation historical site. A waterfront shop rents snorkeling equipment, sea kayaks, sailboards and small sailboats, and provides lessons as well.^[6] Volunteers are given the opportunity to participate in an archaeological dig on a pre-Columbian Taino ceremonial site.

Hiking opportunities are available on the Cinnamon Bay Nature Trail and the similarly named Cinnamon Bay Trail.^[7] Not only wildlife, but also ruins left by the Danish settlers can be seen along the trails, including the ruins of the original Cinnamon Bay sugar mill directly across the road from the campground entrance.^[8] Transportation to and from the port city of Cruz Bay is available by "taxis" which are actually pick-up trucks equipped with benches to sit on.

1. ^ Thompson, Bob. “Back to Maho Bay: A family trip to St. John in the Virgin Islands stirs old memories”, Washington Post (2010-05-16).
2. ^ Frommer, Arthur. “Budget Travel: 10 thoughts on the upcoming summer travel season”, Cape Cod Times (2010-05-16).
3. ^ Bukley, Ralf. Case Studies in Eco-Tourism, page 165 (2003).
4. ^ Symko, Christina and Harris, Rob. ”Making Paradise Last: Maho Bay Resorts”, in Sustainable Tourism: A Global Perspective by Rob Harris et al., page 252 (2002).
5. ^ ^{a b} National Park Service, Virgin Islands, Camping.
6. ^ National Parks Service, Virgin Islands, Places to Go.
7. ^ Adkins, Leonard. The Caribbean: A Walking and Hiking Guide, page 52 (1999).
8. ^ Sullivan, Lynne. Adventure Guide to the Virgin Islands, page 127 (2000).

External links

• Cinnamon Bay Campground
• Cinnamon Bay Tourist Information
• Maho Bay Eco-Resort
• Virgin Islands National Park
• Botanical Villa (campground and hostel a quarter mile from Cinnamon Bay)