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Pelican Rock Snorkeling

Pelican Rock snorkeling on St John US Virgin Islands

Pelican Rock is a little known snorkeling destination in Hansen Bay on St Johns East End.

St John has seen an incredible boom in tourism in the past 5 or 10 years. As visitors returned from vacation social media helped fuel an exchange of pictures and videos and information. With this increased focus certain spots have risen from obscurity to become destinations. Pelican Rock is one such destination.

Getting There
Pelican Rock is on the far side of Hansen Bay – past Vie’s Beach, Campgrounds and the Old School. Traveling form Cruz Bay take Centerline Road East to Coral Bay. At the intersection continue heading East and the Road becomes East End Road. Follow East End Road all the way out past the boundary of the VI National Park ( at Haulover Bay). Continue on, up and around the point until you come to a huge tree that splits the road. Just after this is Vie’s Beach ( on your right).

Pelican Rock
Depending on your experience and physical conditioning you can swim/snorkel from Vie’s Beach across to Pelican Rock. Following the shoreline you’ll pass over a huge sea grass bed where you might encounter a sea turtle, rays and large jacks and pompano. Continue around the point where the Old School sits deserted. From there you’ll begin to see the rocks and coral that form Pelican Rock. Continue along until the underwater structure becomes much more substantial – with large boulders and miniature canyons forming the reef.

Aerial showing Pelican Rock location and directions

Pelican Rock snorkeling on St John