Booking choice: The Turtle Cove catamaran, from $119 per person. Check dates Tour details
If you are staying on St Thomas or arriving by cruise ship there, the Buck Island you can reach on a half-day catamaran is the wildlife refuge off the south coast. The famous Buck Island Reef with its underwater trail is off St Croix, another island entirely.
Reviews and blog posts often blend the two, so here are the facts side by side.
The quick answer
Buck Island off St Thomas is a 45-acre national wildlife refuge, closed to the public: you snorkel around it, mostly at Turtle Cove. Buck Island Reef National Monument is a National Park Service site off St Croix with a marked underwater snorkel trail. St Thomas catamaran tours go to the first one.
How do the two Buck Islands compare?
One is a small wildlife refuge off St Thomas; the other is a national monument with a large reef off St Croix.
| Buck Island, St Thomas | Buck Island Reef, St Croix | |
|---|---|---|
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | National Park Service |
| Protected since | 1969 (refuge) | 1961 (national monument) |
| Land size | 45 acres | 176 acres |
| Going ashore | No: closed to the public | Yes, on park terms |
| Snorkeling | Turtle Cove and the waters around the island | Marked underwater snorkel trail |
| Reached from | St Thomas, on a half-day sail | St Croix |
On St Thomas? The Turtle Cove sail goes to the refuge island in about three hours.
Check dates for the Turtle Cove catamaranWhich Buck Island do St Thomas tours visit?
The refuge off St Thomas's south coast, which listings often call Little Buck Island.
The VI Cat's itinerary pin, its Turtle Cove stop and its three-hour length all point to the refuge island. No half-day trip from St Thomas goes to the St Croix monument.
Why can you land on one and not the other?
The St Thomas island is a wildlife refuge with no visitor facilities, closed to the public by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The St Croix island is a national monument run by the National Park Service; its Buck Island Reef page sets out how visits work. The St Thomas refuge has no such programme, as the refuge page states.
Is the snorkeling different?
Yes. At the St Thomas refuge you snorkel Turtle Cove from an anchored boat; at St Croix the draw is a marked underwater trail on a large reef.
On the St Thomas trip, expect seagrass, coral, reef fish and, on most days, green sea turtles, as reviews and the VI Cat listing describe. The St Croix photos of an underwater trail are not from the St Thomas trip.
How do you spot a mix-up in a review or blog?
Mentions of an underwater trail, a beach walk on the island or a flight or ferry to St Croix mean St Croix.
A trip that leaves from Frenchman's Cove, Havensight or Red Hook and lasts three to five hours is a St Thomas trip. When in doubt, check the meeting point on the listing.
Can you do St Croix's Buck Island from St Thomas?
Not as a catamaran half day: you would first need to travel to St Croix and book a trip there.
For a cruise stop or a short stay on St Thomas, the refuge island is the practical choice, and its turtles are a main draw.
Staying on St Thomas? The Turtle Cove sail includes the gear, snacks and drinks.
Explore the Turtle Cove catamaran Tour detailsWhich should you choose?
If you are on St Thomas or St John, the refuge island; if you are spending days on St Croix, the national monument.
For St Thomas, see Buck Island St Thomas for the details and catamaran prices for the boats.
Ready for Turtle Cove? Check dates for the catamaran from Frenchman's Cove.
Check dates for the Turtle Cove catamaranFrequently asked questions
Is Little Buck Island the same as Buck Island St Thomas?
In Viator listings, yes: Little Buck Island is the name used for the Buck Island refuge off St Thomas.
Which Buck Island has the underwater snorkel trail?
Buck Island Reef National Monument, off St Croix.
Are there turtles at both Buck Islands?
Sea turtles are found around both. On the St Thomas trips, most reviewers report seeing green sea turtles at Turtle Cove, though sightings are never guaranteed.
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Choose your boat
Every option here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before on Viator. Prices are per person, in USD, and move with the season.
Buck Island Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail
- Sail to Turtle Cove at Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge (you snorkel; nobody lands on the island)
- Snorkel gear: mask, snorkel, snorkel vest and fins
- Snacks and unlimited drinks; alcohol only after the in-water part
Semi-Private Buck Island & Honeymoon Beach
- Snorkel stop at Little Buck Island, then Honeymoon Beach
- Snorkel gear, soda, bottled water and alcoholic drinks
- Group limit 12; infants ride on laps
