Buck Island Reef National Monument

Buck Island (176ac/71ha) lies 1.5mi/2.4km off the northeast coast of St Croix in the center of a 880ac/356ha marine sanctuary. The sea gardens and island are the most visited attractions on St Croix with more than 30,000 visitors a year.

An example of a complete, wild Caribbean ecosystem, the sanctuary was guaranteed protection when U.S. President John F. Kennedy named it the first U.S. underwater national monument in 1961.

The reef here features elkhorn coral grottoes and is one of the best dive sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Wreck and coral dives are found off the north coast of Buck Island reaching depths of 30ft/9m - 40ft/12m. Many tropical fish such as blue tang and barracuda can be seen while snorkelling the marked trail.

Buck Island offers protected beaches, picnic sites and cooking grills as well as a hiking trail that leads through a tropical dry forest of giant tamarinds to an observation point on the island's 340ft/104m ridge.