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This was my second time sailing in the British Virgin Islands. The first was 5 years ago. This time I returned with a large group of friends (11 in total) and an even larger catamaran (Fountaine Pajot 47 “Island Nomad”) to a fully reopened BVI in the build up to just before Christmas for a special ‘Big BVI Birthday’ celebration with a capital ‘B’.
Half the crew arrived by ferry into Road Town from the USVIs as they were travelling from Florida. The European contingent flew into Antigua the day before and caught an early connection to Tortola with Inter-Caribbean. The flight is only an hour but the propellor plane will always be a novelty.
With a large crew we made quick work of loading the pre-ordered provisioning from Riteway, securing the watersports Equipment provided by BVI SUP Co, and acquiring a quick take-out lunch from Omar’s Café in the marina. After a full briefing we departed Nanny Cay Marina promptly at 15:00 and headed to our first night’s stop.
It was a rather wet and windy short stint heading into the wind to reach the soft sandy shores of Cooper Island Beach Club. It is the perfect combination of relaxed beach-side atmosphere and comfortable dining, the highlight being their rum bar with a collection of over 280 rums.
There is a combination of bookable and ‘first-come, first-serve’ available at Cooper Island but it is a popular first or last-nights stop you do need to be a little organised and pre-book a ball (USD$55) early if you know you will be arriving later in the day.
We set off early (upwind again!) to make the most of the day and get to Virgin Gorda early so we could explore the famous 'Baths' before the cruise ship crowds from Tortola arrived. A protected area of natural beauty with globally distinctive rock formations, only found in elsewhere in world in the Seychelles, this is a true highlight of the BVI. You can pick up a national park mooring buoy for free during the day (subject to availability) and it is possible to dinghy your crew ashore but you cannot leave vessels on the beach so some more adventurous crew do need to swim for it!
Finally on a relaxing point of sail, we enjoyed a relaxing lunch and afternoon sunbathing under the sails on a broad reach heading towards our pre-booked mooring ball for the night. After a long day exploring everyone was content to have a low-key BBQ dinner from B-Line Beach Grill, the only resident of Little Jost van Dyke. The food was fantastic and the homemade rum dangerously delicious.
Dodging some early morning showers with beach Jenga at Foxy’s Taboo restaurant, we took a window of sunshine to scramble over to ‘Bubbly Pool’; nature’s answer to a jacuzzi. It turns out big kids enjoy giant beach games and a wave pool just as much as children.
After a short sail back over to Tortola we spent the afternoon by the beach using our Kayak, SUPs and bobbing around the yacht in our Sunchill (the ultimate water hammock for your group to enjoy).
Almost mid-week and in need of water we decided to tuck into Soper’s Hole for a calm night of re- provisioning. Our pre-booked dock space at the wharf cost US $130 including power and water for the night. Stocking up on any provisions we were lacking (namely beer) was possible at the Riteway supermarket located conveniently opposite our yacht. We made the mandatory stop for sundowner cocktails at 'Pusser's landing' pub and were delighted to find another 'Omar's Fusion Cafe' for dinner which had great selection for everyone’s diverse tastes.
As the Tradewinds blow 24/7 in the Caribbean we were able to have a fantastic sail back over to Jost Van Dyke, even early in the morning, so that we could get a prime spot anchored off White Bay beach at breakfast. The wind was due to pick up a lot today so we decided to take it easy tucked away in this sheltered anchorage. This is one of our favourite spots and we spent the day swimming and snorkelling from the famous 'Soggy Dollar' beach bar with great cocktails and the best beach hut food.
There is a lot of space for a secure overnight buoy in the next bay, but to give ourselves maximum time at White Bay and still secure a shore-side location for minimal dinghy taxiing we pre-booked a mooring ball again. Dinner was a casual but tasty affair at Foxy's but we did skip Karaoke for a night’s well-earned rest after a full day of partying.
After a few hours of sailing upwind, the crew had all earned a relaxing lunch swinging on anchor in another beautiful bay. This island is privately owned by a resort but all beaches are public so as long as you stay at the shoreline you can enjoy this perfectly pristine and usually completely empty beach all to yourselves. There is a fantastic snorkelling spot at Monkey Point that you can reach by dinghy if you are feeling more adventurous.
The services on Marina Cay have just recently reopened for business in 2023 and it has reestablished itself as a lovely little stop. Well-connected to Tortola by a ferry service it is a great option for mid- charter crew changes if you have anyone needing the airport. There are more snorkelling buoys nearby for your dinghy and we took the opportunity to enjoy a group sunset snorkel before dinner. The coral here is really something to see, as well as the turtles. The restaurant food was also top quality, resulting in several crew members developing a new fondness for lobster rolls.
When looking for somewhere special to celebrate the ‘Big Birthday’, Bitter End Yacht Club was the strong choice, and they were so helpful planning a special evening for our group. Starting with a group rum tasting and exclusive use of their top deck Quarterdeck bar, with views over the North Sound. We followed up with dinner under our own private dining gazebo, and the staff really knew how to look after you.
The resort has several all-day dining & bar options, an extensive offering of water-sports equipment, regular activities like beach Olympics and SUP yoga. It also comes equipped with a local delicatessen grocery store and gift shop. The dockage here is around US $300 including power and water for a large catamaran but you can also take one of their mooring buoys for the standard rate.
To reinvigorate ourselves the following morning, the brave members of the crew set of on an early hike to take in the views of North Sound. The newly marked trail was only about an hour but included enough incline to earn the views, and our breakfast.
On our last full day, we enjoyed a long down-wind sail, cruising along the waves with the catamaran is just how Caribbean sailing is supposed to be. Before arriving at Normal Island, we come to ‘The Indians’ and pick up a National Park mooring buoy for some of the best snorkelling we have experienced anywhere.
Picking up a buoy in ‘The Bight’ bay on Norman Island, our original plan was to enjoy a few cocktails at the famous 'Willy T' boat bar before moving onto ‘Pirate’s Bight’ restaurant for dinner. However, the atmosphere was too much fun watching the live show of ‘jumpers’ from the top deck that we couldn’t help but join in and before we knew it, we were devouring our last Caribbean cuisine still in our swimwear onboard, not having left the Willy T!
Truly maximising our trip we did not need to return to the marina until the morning of our final day. A short racing reach back to Tortola had us in the harbour by 10.00 with plenty of time for re- fuelling, check-out and disembarkation by noon. We had time for one last quick lunch before the crew sadly had to disband, returning to the airport for an afternoon flight back to Antigua or onwards to other islands to continue the celebrations for Christmas.
While the BVI may have changed with new development in recent years, it is still the perfect sailor’s paradise with reliable winds and something for everyone. As a destination it should not intimidate beginners but can still often enough entertainment for more experienced sailors. If you prefer a more laid-back original Caribbean atmosphere, then while away your afternoons at the pristine beaches and relaxed rum bars of Jost van Dyke and Anegada. Looking for a little luxury, then head to Virgin Gorda and the North Sound for Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba Rock with flair and 5-star service.
There are more catamarans on the water but there is enough space for everyone and you can still charter a good selection of monohulls if you prefer and not be restricted in your navigation options. The Boatyball.com app makes mooring easy and stress-free and all of your alternative itinerary options are so close there is always a backup available if you prefer not to plan everything in advance.
Yes, it can be considered an expensive destination but most of the Caribbean is, and you do get value for your money with well-maintained marinas, kind customer service and quality food & drink everywhere you go. If the glowing testament of our crew is anything to go by, then the journey and expense is still very much worth it.
The British Virgin Islands are a fantastic place to experience a sail and stay holiday. With daily flights, you can really make the most of your time in the Caribbean and combine a yacht charter with a hotel stay in the BVI or even Antigua.
The best time to experience everything the BVI has to offer is November through to May, with temperatures between 28°C and 30°C and constant warm tradewinds at 10-20 knots providing excellent sailing. Hotels, restaurants and bars that are closed throughout the hurricane season (June to October) reopen at the end of October/beginning of November so if visiting between November and May you can be sure that you will be able to visit the top spots in the British Virgin Islands whilst on your yacht charter.
The peak season is December through to April with warm weather and steady winds. It is a lively atmosphere, especially during the festive period with lots of parties and celebrations.
The high season is from February to March, with warm, dry weather and reliable trade winds the sailing conditions are perfect.
The season begins to slow in May - June though the waters are still warm but the winds much milder
Fall (September - November)
This is the tail end of hurricane season, it is fairly quiet during this time but the weather is wetter and there is still a chance a hurricane could affect your charter.
The most cost-effective time
The most cost-effective time to visit is between March and May as they precede the hurricane season. Good travel insurance covering adverse weather conditions such as hurricanes is advised.
The British Virgin Islands see warm temperatures year-round averaging 28-31ºC throughout the year.
The hottest months are August and September when the waters are at their warmest.
It should be noted it is hurricane season between June and October.
The wettest and most humid months are September and October.
Virgin Gorda because you have the iconic Baths, North Sound and some fantastic beaches.
The official currency of the British Virgin Islands is the US Dollar (USD).
As a British Overseas Territory, British Pounds (GBP) were used in the British Virgin Islands once upon a time but the switch was made to US Dollars in 1959.
ATMs are available in the major towns and tourist centres and most larger establishments accept credit or debit cards. Some establishments may not accept American Express. It is recommended to keep cash on you to use at smaller establishments and shops and for taxi rides and tips etc.
A mooring buoy is currently about US$40-55 per night, to dock in a harbour or at a hotel pontoon, prices range from US$100-300 per night, depending on the size of your yacht and the destination.
Although useful to have one, a sailing license, certificate or qualification is not required for a BVI yacht charter, however, our partners will need to see a complete sailing resume.
The sailing resume for a BVI Yacht Charter must demonstrate experience as a skipper of a similar type and size (within five feet) of the yacht as the one you are looking to charter. The experience should also be recent and the company will look for experience within the last five years.
The cost of your yacht charter depends on several factors:
The type and size of the yacht you book will dictate the price. 1 week for a bareboat BVI yacht charter on a 2-cabin monohull starts around £300/$370 per day in low season whereas 1 week on a luxury crewed catamaran in high season could be upwards of £5500/$7350 per day. These are the 2 extremes of the scale for a 1 week charter and we offer plenty of choices in between.
1 week is a popular choice for the length of sailing vacation amongst our American sailors and makes the perfect getaway. However, a longer charter of around 10-14 days, which is more popular with our British and European clients and will give you more time to explore all the BVI has to offer and presents you the chance to be slightly more adventurous in your itinerary. We have a range of offers that can be tailored to your timescale.
Lower-priced yacht charters are available in the low season of July to October and mid-season May to June, November to January (excluding Christmas and New Year) with prices peaking in the high season from February to April and Christmas and New Year.
Don't have any sailing experience? No problem! We offer several skippered and crewed options so you can enjoy the yachting lifestyle without the stress. From a simple skippered yacht to fully crewed options, we can arrange a charter to suit your needs.
The ultimate Caribbean sailing destination is blessed with year round sunshine, idyllic sailing conditions and a laid back charm that has you falling under its spell from the moment you step off the plane.
Call our knowledgeable sailing specialists for the latest advice and recommendations on the sailing areas most suited to you.
Arrange a call back from one of our specialists (Mon-Fri: 0900-1730).
