Sailing in the British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands have some of the finest sailing grounds in the world, certainly in the Caribbean: the islands are spectacularly beautiful, the winds reliable and the anchorages are well protected and not too far apart. But the BVI are not just about the sailing, as the swim-up beaches, snorkelling reefs and the onshore life are some of the best in the Caribbean – including, of course, the beach bars. See more in our articles below…
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About Sailing in the BVI
Feel the surge beneath your feet as your sails catch the wind and the bow of your yacht carves into an aquamarine sea… Sailing in the British Virgin Islands is one of the Caribbean’s finest experiences. The BVI are a collection of some 60 islands and cays: sandbars that slide by close at hand and volcanic colossi that barely budge on the horizon. There are activities by day - snorkelling in remote coves by day, islets to picnic on, and secluded beaches of mounded white sand where you can simply slither off the deck, swim to shore and sunbathe. And then in the evenings you can anchor in a remote cove or moor up at one of the many beach bars, where the revelry continues late into the night. Sailing is a great way to collect as a family or a group of friends: a sense of togetherness with nothing more than relaxation in mind.
There are a few decisions to make as you plan a sailing holiday. First, if you can sail, do you want to take a bareboat and look after yourself? Or have a captain for a couple of days to set you right? Or is it just easier to take a crewed yacht, with a captain and cook (or more, with a larger yacht), so that you can really take time off? And then what style of yacht should you take? As well as its sailing boats, the BVI has fleets of motoryachts of all sizes.
In recent years the BVI has specialised in comfortable sailing, and the most popular boats are the catamarans, because of their stability and the additional space they bring in the saloon and decks. In fact some catamarans have dispensed with their masts entirely, so you get the stability of a double hulled boat wth no fear of any ropes to tighten.
Yachts can be booked through BVI-based charter companies or through international companies with dedicated fleets. Larger yachts tend to be booked through international yacht brokers.
The BVI sees everything from 30 foot monohulls to the the largest megayachts in the world, as sailors descend from all over to cruise in these superb waters.
The Baths, a stretch of coastline and beaches on Virgin Gorda, are an extraordinary jumbled collection of volcanic rocks in which there are small corners of excellent sand. Swim up and sunbathe.
Sailing is an unforgettable holiday for a family or a group of friends. Catamarans are made for comfort nowadays, with large saloons, music systems, wifi and comfortable cabins.