TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Best ten day route in BVI

Hi,

God willing, corona permitting we will have fourteen wonderful days in BVI 13 - 27 December. We have rented a bare boat located in Nanny Cay.
The first four days are restricted to quarantine and the so far unknown approved bays of anchoring, which gives us like ten days left to experience the beauty of BVI's .

It's my first time in BVI so I would like to know where to point the bow so to speak. As we have three teenagers aboard I deem it unlikely that we will sail more than 15 miles a day but as the islands are pretty close I guess that we still will be able to reach any of the islands without any stress.

First question, is there anything on the north side of Tortola? Thinking about a trip to the Callwood Rum destillery in Cane Garden Bay, is there any other bays worth visiting on the north side?
Virgin Gorda looks like it would offer quite amazing bays, any great bays there?

What would you suggest that we absolutely do not miss in these ten days? Sun, swimming, beer and relaxation is already on my list. :-)

Cane Garden Bay (CGB) is the best place on the N side of Tortola. Off hand I can't think of any other places of interest. Good mooring balls and restaurants/bars.

You have to go to The Baths. Many do this from Leverick on the N side of VG by car. By boat, after a short dingy ride to a dingy tie-up you must swim about 100m to the beach. Then you have to swim back. There's a good restaurant at the top of the hill.

Other places are The Indians for snorkeling/diving. The Bite and Cooper Island. Anegada.

Our last trip was with Horizons from Nanny Cay. It has a nice base and there are a couple of restaurants there. They will be more than happy to help you point your bow.

You have to *try* to sail more than 15 miles in the BVIs, except going to Anegada from Leverick, so that won't be an issue. Many leave Leverick in the morning and sail to Anegada, then leave Anegada and sail to CBB or JVD, which is the longer sail.

Have a great time!

The North Sound of Virgin Gorda is wonderful and worth visiting. You can take a mooring ball at Leverick Bay or up towards where Saba Rock and the Bitter End are being rebuilt, or anchor in 20 feet just outside of the mooring field at Leverick or off Prickly Pear (even better holding and shallower water there). If there is a north swell predicted during your stay or if the Christmas winds set in with a vengeance then the North Sound is your only good bet in the BVI for a guaranteed calm anchorage.

Cane Garden Bay is a good anchorage, as mentioned above - except if a North Swell sets in. I like Jost van Dyke as well, either taking a mooring in Great Harbour or (even nicer) a mooring off Diamond Cay. Diamond Cay has my favorite bar in the BVI; it is only accessible via dinghy!

With a lengthy stay such as yours it is worthwhile sailing up to Anegada. When you leave Virgin Gorda you think you are heading out to sea until you are quite close to Anegada (I believe the highest point on the island is one resident's TV antenna). Sailing back isn't as thrilling as you can see Virgin Gorda peak from Anegeda.

If you post your preferences - long sails/short sails or motoring to get to destinations, mooring or anchoring, eating and drinking ashore or staying aboard in more-or-less empty anchorages, snorkeling or swimming? Hiking?

I would recommend at least one day in a car driving around Virgin Gorda - that lets you see the island and also choose from restaurants and bars that aren't close to dinghy docks.

You may get to do some of these options during your quarantine so you can adjust, but this is the path I'd suggest....

Day 1 - Snorkel Indians, overnight at the The Bight, Norman Island. Dinner at Willy T.
Day 2 - Snorkel Little Harbor, Peter Island, overnight at Cooper
Day 3 - Snorkel The Rhone, overnight at Trellis Bay. Dinner at Loose Mongoose
Day 4 - Take dock at Leverick Bay. Enjoy pool, laundry, showers, etc
Day 5 - Stay at Leverick Bay and rent car. Tour Virgin Gorda including Baths, and Hog Heaven
Day 6 - Sail to Anegada; lunch/snorkel at Cow Wreck.
Day 7 - Stay at Anegada; snorkel at Flash of Beauty
Day 8 - Sail to JVD, enjoy White Bay
Day 9 - Sail to Cane Garden Bay, check out Callwood's distillery, dinner at Quito's
Day 10 - return boat

If you end up with more time, I'd add a 2nd day in JVD and maybe a 3rd day around North Sound. A stop at Scrub between Anegada and JVD is another great option if you want to break up the sail time.

This is a perfect time to visit Cane Garden Bay, as there aren't any cruise ships.

+1...especially renting a car to Baths from leverick

And eat at Top of the Baths on the way back, incredible views

And get a bushwacker from Edith at Mad Dog!

Chicken Roti at Flash of Beauty Anegada with Monica....get noodles when you board your boat and bring them here to snorkel (and elsewhere)

Dinner in Anegada at Wonky Dog with Peter (Sleepychef here)

Anegada Day trip to Horseshoe Reef with Captain Kelly (our choice) or Sherman

This is a great thread...starting to miss it more now...

Monica also has the best cracked conch on Anegada. She freezes the conch and the slices it very thin before it's fried! Delicious! Also a cool roof top space over the restaurant with a great view over the Atlantic.

All of the above comments are making me want to come today........ to see my favorite place. It will be a while before I can actually do it. Have a charter credit with DYC I need to figure out...... wish I were at any of the above places right now.... have DIF very BAD....

This thread is killing me. Sigh...........

DYC has brought boats over to the USVI and they are out of Compass Point Marina. We just had an amazing 9 days cruising the USVI. If you can't due the BVI, this is a very strong alternative!

Here is one of my favorite itineraries...

Day 1: Cooper
Day 2: Marina Cay
Day 3: Leverick and rental car to the Baths (before the hurricanes we liked to stay in North Sound for more than one day because we liked to visit Saba Rock,
Day 4: Anegada (We always rent a car here because it is cheaper for us when we have our kids. For just 2 you could always rent a moped. Rental is so much cheaper than a cab and you are on your own time and can check out multiple beaches. We like Cow Wreck and Anegada Beach Club but if you have never been there definitely check out Loblolly too.)
Day 5: Anegada if you want 2 days. We usually only have time for 1 day.
Day 6: Diamond Cay, Jost Van Dyke. Check out B Line, Sandy Spit and Foxy's Taboo
Day 7: White Bay or Great Harbor (If the weather is good we like to stay the whole day and night in White Bay but many people prefer to overnight in Great Harbor instead.)
Day 8: JVD
Day 9: Snorkel at The Indians and then The Bite, Norman Island. A trip to the Willie T should be in the cards.
Day 10: Return the boat

Of course all weather dependent and how you feel that morning!

Here is a preview of your CGB sunset. Going to be a good one tonight!

Day 1 - Sail to Anegada
Day 2 thru Day 9 - Stay on Anegada. Snorkel, kite, eat, drink and relaxxxxxx. Forget Covid-19 exists, forget time exists, and enjoy.
Day 10 - Sail back to Tortola. Return to reality.

Now, that's my favorite itinerary yet!!

Day zero - Fly to Anegada.

That is my dream one day instead of being a responsible captain for a less than responsible crew that thinks they are at Disney Land...

Just one correction...... The islands are Reality elsewhere is Chaos

Thank you ever so much for all your great suggestions. We have some trouble with the flights at the moment as our booked flight has been re scheduled and there seems to be few, if any, flights from SXM to EIS. That has put me in a semi depression that puts a blanket over all the fun and joy with planning the trip. Hopefully that will sort out within the nearest days as we are planned to start the trip in nine days.
No one here with connections to either Windward Airlines or another company that operates from SXM?

SXM St Maarten?

The approved list of anchorages just came out. It’s not going to mesh with many itineraries.

100% Agree with this!!

Yes, that is correct.

Well, as the purpose of this thread was to find out where to go WHEN the first four days of quarantine is done that's really not a problem.
It's great to find one thing that's not a problem at the moment. :-/

I use Island Birds (Nadia) to charter from SJU to EIS...you may want to look at private charter. 5 in your group?

https://www.islandbirds.com/

I just got tired of the hassle...costs about 30-40% more for our group of 9 which fills their larger plane but it is so much easier.

We are seven PAX which might be too much "right in between" to be cost effective for either aircraft. I will check it out, thank you for the suggestion and for thinking out of the box!

OK...or consider going into SJU if you can change 1st leg...more options to EIS

another company many use here but I have not is VI Airlink

http://viairlink.com/services

I think he's coming from Europe. On FB they often recommend a guy called Luther at TravelWize. He's been setting up evacuation and entry flights, often charters. With nine people, that should be doable.

Yeah, I noticed that SJU has a lot of outgoing flights to EIS but as we are flying from Europe San Juan is not really doable as we aren't allowed to have a stop over on mainland US. :-(
Will checkup VI Airlink too. Thank you!

Correct, we are flying from Sweden over Paris.
I think the cost of a a private charter will be to pricey for us, but of course I will check that. Thank you for the name!

I'm in the same predicament. Coming from Europe, I can't fly via the USA so have to fly to either SXM (Air France or KLM) or Antigua and try to get to EIS from either airport. At the moment the options aren't good.

and that was the part I didn't connect...sorry

De nada, at least you tried to help.

VI Airlink does charters from SXM but no regularly scheduled service. Ph. (284) 495 2271 Email: info@viairlink.com