The Hike to Jack and Isaac Bay

If you ask a St. Crucian where the prettiest sand is, a lot of them will point east, to Jack and Isaac Bay. The catch — and the reason it stays beautiful — is that you can't drive to it.

What it is

Jack and Isaac Bay sit inside a 300-acre preserve that The Nature Conservancy has protected since 1999, on the easternmost tip of St. Croix. The bays are part of the wider East End Marine Park, and the beaches are a known nesting ground for sea turtles. Because there's no road in, they're usually close to empty.

Getting there

From The Cerulean it's about a five-minute drive to the Point Udall area, where the trail begins. From the trailhead it's a walk over a headland of dry forest down to the sand — not long, but exposed, so go earlier in the day. Wear real shoes for the walk and bring reef-safe sunscreen, plenty of water, and your own shade. There are no facilities out there, which is the whole idea.

What to do once you're there

Swim, snorkel the shallows, and leave it exactly as you found it. This is a preserve — take your trash out, keep your distance from any turtle nests you see marked, and don't take anything living. An hour or two here, then back to the pool, makes a perfect morning.

Less than a 20-minute drive from Christiansted and only a 5-minute drive to park and hike in to the secluded, turquoise waters at Jack's and Isaac's.

— a recent guest, in their review of the villa.