Glitzy British Virgin Islands
Book premium small-group adventures in the British Virgin Islands, led by Local Insiders
0 Trips found
The British Virgin Islands are about as close to a real life storybook paradise, with pirate legends, shipwrecks and rum distilleries a-plenty. If you want a taste of the true Caribbean spirit, this is your place.
On Virgin Gorda you’ll find the Baths, where giant granite boulders have created sparkling, spa-like caverns along the beach. Shallow sea water laps into the spaces in between these house-sized rocks, which are big enough to swim or walk through. Just off the northernmost tip of Virgin Gorda is Saba Rock, a tiny islet that acts as a platform for the glamorous James Bond-esque resort of the same name.
On Anegada Island, one of the largest of the BVIs, it’s all about the slap-up lobster suppers at Potters Bar and Lobster House. Oh, and the silk-soft beaches – but that should come as a given throughout the island chain, which has some of the finest sands in the Caribbean. There’s a reason Richard Branson picked out Necker Island to build his own personal sanctuary.
Head to Tortola for authentic Caribbean rum tastings; Guana Island for sublime snorkelling; and Jost Van Dyke for an all-natural wave-powered hot tub. Fans of swashbuckling pirate tales will want to head to Norman Island, the real life inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Snorkel into the caves that pock the cliffsides, once used by smugglers and pirates, and you can still see markings they etched into the cave walls.
And if you think this all sounds too good to be true, think again. It’s all part and parcel of our dreamy Sailing Trip to the BVIs. You’ll spend eight days aboard a skippered, fully catered catamaran, island hopping your way across this spectacular swathe of the Caribbean.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What’s the best time of year to visit The British Virgin Islands?
Weather-wise, there isn’t really a bad time to find yourself in the BVIs. Temperatures hover around 30C (85F) year-round, with an annual average of nine hours of sunlight a day. However, if you want to avoid the crowds, aim for May-July, and be prepared for brief cloud bursts (the rain is deliciously warm anyway).
-
What’s the climate like?
The BVIs are tropical, with high humidity – especially between May and November, during the wet season. In the summer months, the higher temperatures and humidity are tempered by refreshing Atlantic breezes.
-
What’s the currency?
US dollar
-
What’s the local language in the BVIs?
English is the official and dominant language, although you may hear smatterings of Spanish and Virgin Islands creole.
-
Time zone:
Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4)
-
Major Airports in the British Virgin Islands:
Lettsome International Airport (EIS), Beef Island
-
What are the top attractions in the BVIs?
The Baths, Virgin Gorda – a dreamy waterworld, where giant boulders create cave-like labyrinths and pools along the sea shore
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola – this sheltered bay, surrounded by lush green hills and lined with beach bars, is classic BVIs
Rhone National Marine Park – named after the wreck of the RMS Rhone, which was sunk by a hurricane in 1867 and has since become a spectacular diving site
Sandy Cay – it looks like the cartoon cliche of a desert island, with its lone palm trees, and ringed with white sand
Norman Island – rumoured to be the site of buried pirate treasure, it was the island Robert Louis Stevenson based the fictional Treasure Island on
-
What are the top local dishes in the British Virgin Islands?
Johnny cakes – pan-cooked cornbread, sweet-salty and served as a side with stews
Conch Creole – a lip-smacking medley of conch, salt pork and hot peppers
Porgies and Grunts – sounds a bit suspicious, tastes amazing. It’s a tangy fish stew, made with lime juice and spices
Rice and peas – you can’t come to the BVIs and not try this staple dish, packed with flavour
Roti – an adopted East Indian dish, these flatbreads are stuffed with spicy curry and served with mango chutney