The
British Virgin Islands the sailing capital of the world.
These islands offer incredible beaches, snorkelling,
diving, all in a protected cruising area. For the first
time charterer it is ideal. The variety of anchorages,
access to marinas, variety of restaurants combined with
the secluded island of Anegada makes for a wonderful
vacation.
Here you can choose from the luxury monohull yachts,
luxury catamarans and luxury motor yachts. Your next
beach is within 2 hours of any point in the BVI.
Anegada - The Drowned Island, is an
absolute must when sailing in this area. It is not just
the navigational complexity which makes this a memorable
stop. Anegada is a wildlife sanctuary and refuge for
colonies of flamingos, herons and ospreys. It is also
home to the endangered rock iguana which can grow to
five feet long.
Cooper Island - There are white sand
beaches and no roads on this island. The climate is
almost perfect with balmy tropical breezes. You'll see
coconut palms, bougainvillea, frangipani, yucca, orchids
and other exotic plants on the island and a nice variety
of birds.
Jost Van Dyke - Named after a Dutch
pirate, this unspoilt, secluded island provides a number
of perfect anchorages for visiting yacht people. Great
Harbor has local shops, restaurants and bars including
the famous Foxy's Tamarind Bar and Grill. White Bay
has a beautiful white sandy beach ideal for a lunch
stop.
Marina Cay is a tiny island off Tortola,
protected by a reef which offers you some fantastic
snorkelling. There is a Pussers restaurant should you
choose to relax with a drink and dine ashore.
Norman Island is a long standing favorite
with the yachting community. With legends of buried
treasure and superb snorkeling at The Caves, there’s
also a good choice of dining ashore and afloat on board
the converted sailing ship, William Thornton, at The
Bight.
Peter Island - once described as 'a
kind of Robinson Crusoe spot' - now has an exclusive
yacht harbor with excellent facilities at Sprat Bay
Point. This is a very popular day time stop in the BVIs.
St. John (USVI) - The smallest and
some say the loveliest of the three main US Virgin Islands,
St John is just 28 square miles in area, two thirds
of this being US national park. Take a tour by safari
bus or jeep to learn all about the ancient folklore
of this island. Coral Bay and Hurricane Hole are just
two of the many perfect anchorages to choose from around
St John. At Cruz Bay you can enjoy a good choice of
restaurants and bars with live music all year round.
St. Thomas (USVI) - As a major sea
port, St Thomas is one of the most popular cruise points
in the Caribbean. The capital Charlotte Amalie, named
after a Danish Queen, is a non-stop shopaholics paradise
packed with duty-free bargains and an excellent choice
of designer label clothing and goods. It has fantastic
night-life with reggae and steel bands, live combos
and limbo dancing going on nightly at most hotels or
bars everywhere. There’s usually lots of live
entertainment during the day too. There are plenty of
museums and places of interest to visit if you prefer
the quiet side of life.
Virgin
Gorda - Most visitors to Virgin Gorda come to
swim at The Baths, a unique rock formation with an exciting
walk through the pools and caves to Devil's Bay. This
boulder-lined beach is sometimes referred to as "God’s
Marbles." Visually striking granite boulders line
the water and form semi-protected pools. The beach itself
is quite attractive and snorkeling is good here. This
unique, picturesque beach is probably the only place on
the island where one can ever find a crowd. This happens
when cruise ship passengers are shuttled to the beach.
This really isn’t a problem, though. Very similar
beaches, Spring Bay and The Crawl, are found just north
of The Baths.
North Sound
- Nearly fully enclosed is the popular sailing area called
North Sound. Home to the world renowned resort The Bitter
End Yacht Club. The waters are flat with an incredible
breeze blowing through making for very enjoyable sails
to the anchorage or dock at Bitter End Yacht Club or Leverick
Bay Marina. Ashore there are restaurants at Bitter End,
Biras Creek and Leverick Bay. Beaches, Spa services and
night time entertainment are all available here.
HISTORY OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Three hundred years ago, the 50-plus islands of the British
Virgin Islands swarmed with pirates, who took refuge in
the protected waters and kept guard from secluded mountain
look-outs. Some say they left buried treasure that is
still there. Today, the fine sailing and magnificent anchorages
attract sailors from around the world, and most visitors
still spend much of their time in or on the sea.
There are relatively few dangerous reefs, with the exception
of Anegada – a favourite spot for divers and fishermen
– so conditions are ideal even for part-time sailors,
with safe waters and a constant breeze to fill your sails.
Sparkling sandy bays beneath striking cliffs are favourite
stopping-off points for beach picnics.
Scuba diving is popular around sunken reefs and wrecks.
Among wreck dives, RMS Rhone is reckoned to be the best
in the Western hemisphere. Once the pride of the Royal
Mail Steam Packet Company, the Rhone hit Salt Island in
a storm in 1867 and sank. It is now an official marine
park. Snorkelers should visit the four caves at Norman
Island, said to be the setting for Robert Louis Stevenson’s
Treasure Island. Windsurfers benefit from steady winds
and calm water.
On land, there are national parks to be explored, including
Little Fort, with the remains of a Spanish castle, and
the old works at Coppermine. For naturalists, Anegada's
1,100 acre (4.5 sq km)bird sanctuary is a must, as is
Sage Mountain, the last remnant of a rain forest.
The BVI has only 17,000 inhabitants, and more than 30
of the islets are unoccupied. Most of the population of
Tortola live in and around the capital, Road Town. The
other principal islands are Virgin Gorda, Anegada and
Jost van Dyke. They can be reached by light aircraft,
although the islands are also well served by ferries.
Throughout the islands, beaches are splendid and the beach
bars exceptional. Gourmet cuisine can be found, along
with background music from steel pans and guitars. But
don’t expect early-hours entertainment – except
at summer festival time, when parades and parties rule
Tortola.
GENERAL INFO
Capital: Road Town, Tortola
Population: 19,000
Currency: US$
Official language: English
Political status: United Kingdom Overseas Territory
Entry requirements: please refer to the official British
Virgin Islands tourism site by clicking on the link above
Area: 59 square miles (152 square kilometres)
Religion: Churches for main Christian denominations
Business: Banks are open Monday to Thursday, 9am-3pm,
and 9am-5.30pm on Fridays. There are many banks. Shops
generally are open 9am-5pm, Monday to Saturday. Payment
cards are widely accepted.
Electricity: 110 volts, 60 cycles.
Telecommunications: the international dialing code for
the BVI is 1 284 followed by the local number. On the
island, use local number alone.
Time: GMT-4
