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A portrait of Caribbean destinationsThe British Virgin Islands - the Caribbean bestseller

Andreas Fritsch

 · 27.11.2023

A cat anchors off the granite rocks of The Baths on Virgin Gorda Island
Photo: YACHT/A. Fritsch
The British Virgin Islands in the north of the Caribbean are a compact area, the distances are short, the destinations picturesque, but also very busy. No clearing in and out is necessary, perfect for Caribbean newcomers
  • Arrival: ***
  • Level of difficulty: ****
  • Versatility: ***
  • Infrastructure: ****

The British part of the Virgin Islands is the number one charter destination for German crews. The neighbouring US and Spanish Virgin Islands follow far behind, the change of territory is simply too complicated. The very small archipelago between Tortola, Virgin Gorda and the small offshore islands is ideal for crews who love short distances. You are rarely travelling for more than two or three hours. Ideal for a swim stop during the day. The longest trip is usually the 15-mile detour to the shallow coral island of Anegada in the north-east.

yacht/bvi-mapo_e631705b831ee2c681c9271e58449e24Photo: YACHT

Highlights

A perfect beach, restaurants and bars on every island. There are usually buoy fields or jetties and marinas on site. An area for the sweet life with drinks under palm trees, chilling out, full moon parties (Trellis Bay/Tortola), swimming. Great destinations are the granite rock formations of The Baths, the coral and lobster island of Anegada, cult beaches such as Sandy Spit and bars such as "Foxy's", the "Soggy Dollar Bar" on Jost van Dyke or the mini-island of Saba Rock and the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda. The picture-book hotel complex on Cooper Island or the similarly beautiful resort in Soper's Hole are also top destinations.

You have to come to terms with the fact that there are many yachts and tourists on the water and you often have to pay to moor at buoys (usually 30 to 40 US dollars per night). The area is expensive, the charter yachts are more expensive than in other Caribbean destinations, as are the restaurants and bars.

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More info: The most beautiful harbours and bays in the British Virgin Islands

Charter

Large selection of boats in various marinas on Tortola. The previously popular option of sailing over from St Martin is no longer attractive for yachts not registered in the BVIs due to the high marina fees.

Journey

Via Paris/Amsterdam to St Martin, then with the island hopper to Tortola. Alternatively via the USA including overnight stay and via ferry to Tortola.

A brief portrait of other Caribbean destinations:

Andreas Fritsch

Andreas Fritsch

Editor Travel

Andreas Fritsch was born in Buxtehude in 1968 and has been sailing since childhood, first in a dinghy and later on his own keelboats on the Elbe and later the Baltic Sea. After studying political science, German and history in Münster, he began working as a journalist and joined the YACHT editorial team in 1997. Since 2001, he has focussed on travel and charter and has travelled to almost all areas of the world and regularly charters in the Mediterranean, with Greece being his favourite area. He has written two cruising guides for the Mediterranean (Charter Guide Ionian Sea and Turkish Coast). In addition to travelling, he is a fan of the Open 60 and Maxi-Tri scene and regularly writes about these topics in YACHT. He has been sailing a classic GRP Grinde on the Baltic Sea for several years.

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