Day charter · St. John · USVI

Maho Bay, St. John by private boat

Shallow, protected NPS beach famous for sea turtle and stingray encounters just a few feet from shore. A private boat and captain for the day: you pick the stops, local captains bid.

Get bids for a boat day to Maho Bay →
Beaches, bars, food & snorkeling at Maho BayFull guide on VIslandGuide →Everything ashore is in VIslandGuide's Maho Bay beach guide. This page is the boat day: getting there, mooring, price.

The day by boat

Where the boat leaves from

Cruz Bay, St. John3 nm
Great Harbour, Jost Van Dykefrom the BVI5 nm
Red Hook, St. Thomas6 nm
Road Town, Tortolafrom the BVI9 nm
Spanish Town, Virgin Gordafrom the BVI18 nm

Straight-line distance from the dock; the course a boat takes is longer.

Passports

None needed: Maho Bay is in US waters. Add a BVI stop to the day and every guest needs a passport.

Before you book the day

Open this season?

  • Maho Crossroads: Stays open through the off-season

Every off-season closure on VIslandGuide →

See it live

Live cameras on VIslandGuide: check the water and the crowd before the boat leaves.

What a private boat day to Maho Bay costs

Too few Maho Bay trips on CharterBid yet for figures of their own. See what captains bid across the Virgin Islands by trip length and group size — or post this trip and get its own bids.

Best day on the water this week

Our call for St. John's north shore: Friday, October 30 Go (calm, no cruise crowd). Our inference from the marine forecast and the cruise schedule, not a captain's word.See the week →
Add to the day: nearby stops
Trunk Bay · 1 nm →Waterlemon Cay · 1 nm →Lime Out St. John · 2 nm →Honeymoon Beach · 3 nm →St. John charters →All stops →St. John island guide (VIslandGuide) →

Maho Bay boat day questions

How do I get to Maho Bay by private boat?

Maho Bay (St. John) is in the US Virgin Islands. The closest docks private charters leave from are Cruz Bay on St. John (about 3 nautical miles in a straight line) and Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke (about 5 nautical miles in a straight line).

How much is a private boat day to Maho Bay?

There are too few Maho Bay trips on CharterBid yet for figures of their own. The CharterBid price index (boatcharterbid.com/prices) shows what captains bid across the Virgin Islands by trip length and group size; post your trip to get bids for this one.

Do I need a passport for a boat day to Maho Bay?

No. Maho Bay is in the US Virgin Islands, and a day from St. Thomas or St. John that stays in US waters needs no passport. Add a BVI stop and every guest needs one.

What can I add to a Maho Bay boat day?

The nearest other stops with a page on CharterBid are Trunk Bay (about 1 nm), Waterlemon Cay (about 1 nm) and Lime Out St. John (about 2 nm). Name every stop you want in your request and captains bid on the whole day.

Plan your boat day to Maho Bay

Post your trip on CharterBid and let local captains bid. Free to post, bids usually arrive within hours.

Request a Charter →

Place details from the CharterBid / VIslandGuide place register, checked 2026-10-15. VIslandGuide's Maho Bay beach guide →