St. John’s Donkeys Love Beach Days Too

October 22, 2020
A donkey is standing on a dirt road with trees in the background.

Frequent visitors to the island of St. John always have a list of people, places, and things they’re excited to re-visit whenever they return. Topping that list for most are our beloved island donkeys.


The donkeys of St. John are unforgettable after you encounter them for the first time. Their sweet, goofy faces, inquisitive nature, and calm spirits charm both tourists and residents alike.

Two white donkeys are standing on a set of stairs.

You can spot the donkeys all over the island, from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay. They’ve grown accustomed to living amongst humans and don’t hesitate to stroll through typically “human turf” such as the Mongoose Junction shopping center, roadsides, and more.


Most of all, the donkeys seem to love St. John’s beaches as much as we humans do. Watching them peacefully liming under a tree, gazing out at the sea, reminds us that we’re all connected and not much different at our core; we can all appreciate paradise when we find it!


Our team down on Honeymoon Beach looks forward to the visits from the donkeys who spend most of their time on Caneel Bay’s grounds. We make sure they always have access to clean water, and love to see them rolling around on our sand.

A donkey is laying on its back on a sandy beach.

Here’s a video of some of the donkeys joining in on lunch at Bikinis on the Beach:


When interacting with the donkeys, we encourage you to please respect them as the wild animals they are. This means to resist the urge to feed them human food (which isn’t good for their health), and to give them space. While most are friendly, they do have the ability to kick if they’re feeling threatened. Please do also keep an eye out when driving around the island, as they have been known to cross the roads on blind curves.


Have you gotten to know the St. John donkeys when you were on island in the past? Or is spotting an island donkey still on your must-see list for the Virgin Islands?

Two donkeys standing on a beach next to a couch and chairs

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