The 11 Guided Tours in the Virgin Islands That Earn Their Price

1.Guided Underwater Scooter and Snorkeling Activity in St. Thomas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 195 reviews · from $131Our pick

Board the 60-foot Sea BOSS yacht at Yacht Haven Grande for a 3.5-hour trip to a clear-water site near Buck Island. After a safety briefing, you ride a personal underwater scooter with a helmet, guided by crew members including Jason and Reyna, then snorkel, swim, and relax on deck. No scuba certification is needed.

“Left on time. Patient and assisting staff. Great experience to snorkel and see the fish through the helmet.”

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2.St. Thomas Sightseeing Tour with a Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 82 reviews · from $40

Ride through St. Thomas with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Mountain Top and scenic overlooks near Magens Bay, Charlotte Amalie, and the island’s east end. Guides such as Godfrey and Air Force One are praised for their island knowledge. Expect shared transport, snacks, drinks, hills, wind, and possible audio problems.

“This was a nice intro to the island. Our tour guide had a good amount of info to share. It is hard to get in touch with the company for info but rest assured by the day before/morning of they will text with info on pick up, etc. Also slightly hard to hear info on the tour bus, but at the stops all info was repeated. Good photo ops available. Snacks and water and soda was available and included in the price. Overall an okay way to get acquainted with the island. Remember to tip your tour guides!”

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3.1-Hour Guided Jet Ski Tour in St. Thomas from Frenchman’s Reef

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 48 reviews · from $159

Ride your own jet ski from Frenchman’s Reef on a one-hour guided trip around St. Thomas. Small groups visit Hassel Island, Water Island, beaches, coves, and sea turtle areas. Guides such as Matt, Sunny, and Jamoy have earned praise for patience and local insight, but you must swim about 20 yards to reach the skis.

“Although the weather was not the best, our guide made our experience interesting and fun. He pointed out potential places to visit on the island as well as recommendations for food.”

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4.Private Half-Day Guided Snorkeling Charter in St. Thomas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews

Spend four private hours aboard a 42-foot boat from Saga Haven Marina, guided by a marine specialist to Christmas Cove and Little St. James. You get snorkeling gear, floats, snacks, soft drinks, and rum punch for adults 18 and older. The captain can adjust the route and guides such as Tommy, Erika, Jamie, Steve, and Abby have helped guests of varying skill levels.

“We had the best time. Never went snorkeling before. Abby made us so comfortable. Excellent instructor and guide. The entire crew was welcoming and made sure we were all comfortable and had a great experience! Will definitely do this again!”

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5.Private Full Day Guided Snorkeling or Diving Charter in St Thomas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews

Set out from Saga Haven Marina on a private 42-foot boat with a USCG-licensed captain and certified snorkel guide. You can shape the day around Buck Island, Little St. James, Christmas Cove, and Secret Harbour, with gear, drinks, snacks, and Pirate Punch included. The crew can also support mixed groups of snorkelers and scuba divers.

“Diving with Aqua Marine was a fantastic experience! We will definitely be repeat customers if/when we make it back to St. Thomas. Great communication, top notch equipment and fantastic staff. We completed eight dives with Aqua Marine Read more”

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6.Visit Secret beaches and enjoy private guided Snorkel tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $300

Spend four hours exploring Tortola with James and Alicia, or another member of their local guide team. Ride in private transport to Smuggler’s Cove, Brewers Bay, Cane Garden Bay, and quieter beach spots. Snorkel with provided gear, enjoy snacks and drinks, and adjust the day around your group, weather, and interests.

“The ground swells were unusually large so we couldn't snorkle and we were offered a full refund but we decided to go for it and do a land tour....so glad we did! It was a great day spent with Alicia, our wonderful and knowledgeable guide, who showed us the most beautiful sweeping vistas on the island. Such a great day! Thank you Alicia!”

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7.Road Town Self Guided Audio Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 7 reviews · from $9Best value

Use your smartphone and headphones to explore Road Town on a self-guided audio and written walk. Follow a suggested route from Crafts Alive Market to historic sites, gardens, and colonial buildings, while hearing local stories, viewing photos, and learning to make a Painkiller cocktail. Allow about three hours and bring your own phone.

“The whole process was not user friendly. We could not access the tour. Here is another reason why I am rating this as poor, I can’t enter this comment for some reason”

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8.Guided Tour of Coral World Ocean Park & Happy Hour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $60

Spend about three hours at Coral World Ocean Park with a private guide, seeing turtles, stingrays, fish, birds, and mangroves. The guided visit lasts about two hours, followed by free time to explore. Adina has led some visits, sharing clear facts and mixing drinks during the special happy hour. Confirm drink details before booking.

“This was such an amazing experience. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and very kind. She makes the best drink too lol”

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9.Jeep Ride with A Guide! Customize Itinerary Your Way!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews

Spend about seven hours exploring St John with a private driver-guide, using a flexible plan built around your interests. Captain D’Haven, Zack, and other local guides can take you to beaches, snorkeling spots, Coral Bay, Cruz Bay, historic sites, and wildlife areas. Snorkel gear, chairs, noodles, water, beer or seltzers, and the $70 car-ferry fee are included.

“Good overview of many of the beaches of St. John. Very accommodating to what you want to do and see.”

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10.Sunset on the Water + Night Snorkeling with Guide in St. Thomas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $140

Meet Aqua Marine at Saga Haven Marina at 5:30 pm for a sunset boat ride followed by a guided night snorkel. Your guide supplies gear and flashlights, points out after-dark sea life, and returns you to the marina after about 2.5 hours. Guides have included Spencer, Steph, Tom, and Zach.

“We took time to just sit, relax and watch the sun go down before we got our flippers and goggles on and jumped in. The guide gave us some pointers as she handed us the flashlights and then she led us to some really cool sites. We have snRead more”

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11.Private Sunset Charter + Guided Night Snorkeling in St Thomas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $1,200

Join Aqua Marine Dive Center for a private 2.5-hour evening cruise from Saga Haven Marina. Watch the sunset from a 42-foot jet boat, then snorkel with flashlights alongside a certified guide who may point out turtles, rays, octopus, eels, and tropical fish. Erika, Tommy, and Jaime are among the crew members named for this experience.

“We cannot say enough good things about aqua marine dive center!! We are in st Thomas on our honeymoon and the snorkel trip was us and one other couple. We had Erika as our snorkel guide and Tommy as our captain. We could not have asked for better hospitality and a more knowledgeable crew! If you’re in the area, definitely take this tour!”

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