The Preserve at Botany Bay

The Preserve at Botany Bay is a private, gated residential community at the western tip of St. Thomas, overlooking both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Its owners group, the Sandy Bay Owners' Association, says the guiding principle is to preserve the natural landscape and the wildlife and plant habitat, and notes that the land holds artifacts from the pre-Columbian and Danish colonial eras. Every lot owner automatically becomes a member of the association and is bound by its annual dues, building guidelines and rules. Visitors may park outside the gates and walk to two of the property's beaches, Mermaids Chair and Sandy Bay, after signing in at the security gate house with a government ID and a liability waiver. The beaches are open from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and have no facilities. Buyers should ask for the bylaws, building guidelines, rules and current dues before buying.