Maho Beach on St. John’s Northshore is another great beach. The water is usually calm and it is nicely protected from the wind. It is usually the calmest spot on the North Shore and  a great spot for families with kids. Maho and Francis are the longest beaches on St. John, so you can usually always find a private spot and depending on your liking, there are sunny spots and there is plenty of shade, too.

Maho SUP – Beach Facilities

there are no facilities at Maho, bring food and drinks and some fresh water to rinse off.

How to get to Maho Beach

Follow North Shore road from Mongoose Junction up the hill, you will be passing Caneel, Hawksnest, Cinamon, Trunk and after another crazy hill you will reach Maho. It is only about 5 miles from Mongoose Junction but it will feel longer. There is parking at the beginning and at the end of the beach, you only have to cross the street to get to the beach, so you won’t have to carry your beach stuff very far.

Maho Beach Activities

Trails

At the eastern part of the beach there is a trail, called the Goat Trail, which leads to Little Maho Bay.

Paddleboarding

Maho is usually calm and protected from wind, so it is a great spot to paddleboard.

Snorkeling

The waters off Maho Bay are calm, to great for beginners. The sea bottom is a mixture of sand and seagrass,  you can usually see turtles, rays and conch. The rocky shoreline on the southern coast and the reef are also great areas to explore.

Maho Beach Trivia

Where does the name Maho Beach come from?

Maho Bay was named after the Hibiscus tilaceus also called beach hibiscus, sea hibiscus or , a flower tree of the mallow family commonly found on St. John. The flowers of H. tiliaceus are bright yellow with a deep red centre upon opening. Over the course of the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall. The wood of H. tiliaceus has a specific gravity of 0.6. It has been used in a variety of applications, such as seacraft construction, firewood, and wood carvings. It’s tough bark can be made into durable rope and used for sealing cracks in boats. The bark and roots may be boiled to make a cooling tea to cool fevers, and its young leafy shoots may be eaten as vegetables

Source & more info on Hibiscus tilaceaus

How did Maho Beach get so narrow?

The beach that is quite narrow today used to be really wide, so wide that horse races were conducted there. Sand was however removed by the government for construction of Cruz Bay roads and a school, that was during a time where there was little awareness for the long-term effects of such actions.

Which fruits grow in Maho Bay?

You will find genip trees at Maho, these are little fruits that look a bit like grapes and are edible. After cracking the outer shell with your teeth, you can suck the pulp out. Watch out for stains, you will not be able to get them out. According to Caribbean folk wisdom, girls learn the art of kissing by eating the sweet flesh of this fruit.

Source & more info on eating Genips.

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