Beat the crowds and find your own little oasis at Protestant Cay, a tiny 1.6 hectare (4 acre) islet easily reached via a five-minute boat trip from Christiansted. Rent some snorkel gear from the local diving company and enjoy the crystal clear water's diverse marine life and colorful coral reef. Those feeling a little more adventurous can rent one of the kayaks, windsurfers, and sailboats. Don't fret if you're not staying on the island's tranquil resort, as the restaurant and beach are open for public use. Using our world travel planner, St. Croix attractions like Protestant Cay can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.
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Protestant Cay Reviews
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It costs about 5 dollars to take the ferry across to the cay. The beach is amazing. There’s also a bar with decent drinks.I didn’t enjoy the food that much. Lots of sort of tame iguanas roaming around... more »
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The beach is absolutely beautiful. There is a bar and grill on the beach. Food was very good. Service was excellent. Would definitely recommend this place more »
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We have returned several times to spend a week on this delightful little island just off of Christianstead. The staff is friendly, the rooms clean, but not famcy. Who needs fancy when you are surround... more »
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Fun mini island and hotel away from "The hustle and bustle" ; ). Protestant Cay Beach is located at Hotel on the Cay (pronounced ‘key’), or Protestant Cay, which is a small island located in the Christiansted Harbor, just off downtown Christiansted. Per Steve Barry This place brings out the naughty in me. Well, at least it used to. During the carefree days of my youth in St. Croix, Hotel On The Caywas a frequent Saturday hangout among my group of friends… much to the chagrin of management. All but one of us would swim the 200 or so yards from the Christiansted waterfront over to The Cay, the better to avoid the ferry fee. The lone rider was in charge of getting our cooler across so we wouldn’t have to buy beers at the restaurant. Economics! We’d set up shop on the beach, always conspicuously close to off-island visitors of the fairer sex in hopes of enticing a bit of adventuring to the “other side” of the Cay, away from prying eyes. We weren’t the first seeking to keep things hidden away here… During the period of French colonial control over St. Croix (1625-1733), Catholics far outnumbered Protestants on the island. Somehow, as sadly seems typical of most religions, the two groups couldn’t see fit to coexist nicely… not even in death. Protestants who passed away on St. Croix in those days were not afforded a final resting place on the main island by the Catholic majority. Instead, they were interred over on the same tiny cay my friends and I used to terrorize, thus explaining the islet’s official name, Protestant Cay. I haven’t been back over to Protestant Cay/Hotel On The Cay in years, though I hear that the All U-Can-Eat West Indian Beach BBQ on Tuesday night is still a good time, complete with steel pan, limbo, mocko jumbies, and more. All are welcome these days, no matter your beliefs. It is accessible by a short ferry ride that departs from the Boardwalk near Fort Christianvaern for a small fee. There is a hotel located on Protestant Cay along with a restaurant, bar, and a watersports center offering para-sailing, windsurfing, jet-skis, and snorkel gear (most of these activities are by appointment and lessons are available). Protestant Cay provides the only downtown Christiansted beach access, so it is a great option if you are staying in town. There are plenty of lounge chairs available to rent and palm trees to provide shade. The water is shallow with a sandy bottom. This is a great beach for kids and for swimming, as the water is usually fairly calm. The northern part of the cay also offers some great snorkeling. Keep your eyes open for starfish, schools of juvenile fish, conch, and more.
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Nice little island with a great beach for snorkeling, or just relaxing. Hotel guests can be a little messy, so I do wish the hotel staff cleaned the beach more often or enforced cleanliness.
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Plans to Protestant Cay by other users
11 days in U.S. Virgin Islands
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
August, culture, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, beaches, historic sites, wildlife, hidden gems
PREFERENCES: August, culture, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, beaches, historic sites, wildlife
ATTRACTION STYLE: Hidden gems
PACE: Medium
7 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
March, popular sights
PREFERENCES: March
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
14 days in U.S. Virgin Islands
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
March, culture, outdoors, beaches, museums, wildlife, hidden gems
PREFERENCES: March, culture, outdoors, beaches, museums, wildlife
ATTRACTION STYLE: Hidden gems
PACE: Medium
11 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
February, popular sights
PREFERENCES: February
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
11 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
June, popular sights
PREFERENCES: June
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
6 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
March, outdoors, romantic, beaches, historic sites, museums, wildlife, fast-paced, popular sights
PREFERENCES: March, outdoors, romantic, beaches, historic sites, museums, wildlife
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Fast-paced
6 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
February, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, beaches, historic sites, shopping, popular sights
PREFERENCES: February, outdoors, relaxing, romantic, beaches, historic sites, shopping
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
8 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
November, kids, popular sights
PREFERENCES: November, kids
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
12 days in U.S. Virgin Islands
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
June, teens, kids, culture, relaxing, beaches, wildlife, popular & hidden gems
PREFERENCES: June, teens, kids, culture, relaxing, beaches, wildlife
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular & hidden gems
PACE: Medium
8 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
June, culture, beaches, historic sites, popular sights
PREFERENCES: June, culture, beaches, historic sites
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
5 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
June, relaxing, romantic, beaches, popular sights
PREFERENCES: June, relaxing, romantic, beaches
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
8 days in St. Croix
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
January, popular sights
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PACE: Medium
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