British Virgin Islands
A week under sail, the practical page, and the honest bits — everything I wish someone had handed me the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
The British Virgin Islands aren't really a place you tour — they're a place you sail. Forty-odd islands and cays sit close together in calm, protected water, which is why this is one of the best sailing grounds on earth, even if you've never held a helm. You don't visit cities here; you drop anchor in a different bay every afternoon.
So this page is for planning a week on the water: how to do it without a skipper's licence, the anchorages worth the detour, and the practical details — from customs to the famous beach bars — that make a charter easy.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Asked every week
Questions I get about the BVI
Do I need to know how to sail?+
No. If you don't have sailing experience you book a crewed charter — a skipper (and often a cook) sails the boat while you swim, snorkel and relax. It's the easiest way to do the BVI, and the one I'd recommend the first time.
How many days do I need?+
Seven is the classic charter week — enough to loop the main islands unhurried: Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and the smaller cays, with a different anchorage every night.
Which anchorages shouldn't I miss?+
The Baths on Virgin Gorda — giant boulders and grottoes over clear water — and the beach bars of Jost Van Dyke: the Soggy Dollar and Foxy's. Add the snorkelling at the Indians and Norman Island.
When should I go?+
December to April for the calmest seas and driest weather. Avoid the June–November hurricane season, when charters wind down and the weather turns.
The podcast
I sailed this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the British Virgin Islands introduction — the sailing, the anchorages and the honest bits — then plan your week.