All You Need To Know About Beautiful Botany Bay, St. Thomas
Botany Bay is one of my favorite tropical getaways on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. St. Thomas draws visitors from around the globe seeking to immerse themselves in island life. However, many find it challenging to escape the constant hustle and bustle throughout the island. Fortunately for nature enthusiasts, a hidden paradise is nestled on the westernmost tip of St. Thomas, promising an awe-inspiring experience. Keep reading to learn about the island oasis that is Botany Bay.
Unveiling the Hidden Gem
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Botany Bay is a private, gated community home to two beautiful beaches and stunning wildlife. The first beach is Mermaid’s Chair, a strip of beach with the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. You can even observe the differences between the tides in both bodies of water. The other beach is Sandy Bay, a grey sand beach prone to high tides. If you’re lucky like I have been, you may experience Sandy Bay on a calm day, where the waters are surprisingly shallow and crystal clear. Always practice safe swimming on these beaches, since you may be the only ones there.
Discovering the Past
St. Thomas was a slave colony whose most prized exports were coal and sugar, with remnants of Botany Bay still reflecting this. At Sandy Bay lies the limestone material frequently used to build during that time. Although I have not personally found any other artifacts during my visits, the allure of these tales only adds to the mystique of Botany Bay. Whenever I visit Botany Bay its beauty becomes partially jaded due to its slightly problematic history with notes of colonialism. You see, Botany Bay used to be one of the many sites where enslaved Virgin Islanders worked. The extent of their work is not quite clear, as the history is not widely taught, but rather shared through word-of-mouth.
Conservation Efforts and Ecotourism at Botany Bay
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Botany Bay is one of the few conserved areas on the island. Because of this, the area is always paved, with the bush cut back, and wildlife flourishes, unlike most of St. Thomas which unfortunately is overgrown depending on the season and government resources. The majority of the homes in the Botany Bay community are multi-million-dollar properties and gated. It annoys me that the people whose ancestors helped sustain the land aren’t even allowed to drive into the preserve today unless they own property, which is highly unattainable for the average St. Thomian. Nonetheless, the area is beautiful and worthy of being appreciated. Hopefully one day native Virgin Islanders won’t be priced out of beauty.