If you've ever dreamt of traveling to beaches that feel private and nearly untouched by man, you’ll want to dig into the ones in the British Virgin Islands that are only reachable by boat.

The best beaches in the BVI are the hardest ones to reach — there are no roads, no bridges, and no cruise ship docks to get there. That’s where Island Roots Charters comes in. If you have a boat and a captain who knows the way, all of the BVI beaches we feature below are custom charter trip options for you.

A private BVI boat charter with us from St. John is, in our opinion, the best way to see all of them. Our power catamaran offers our guests comfort, speed (to see more), and the deck space to enjoy yourself fully as we travel from place to place — whether you're booking a full day boat charter or a half day boat charter.

Book Now

Sandy Spit

Sandy Spit is one of those untouched places in the world that everyone should see just once, if only to be capable of summoning the memory of yourself on the most remote and perfect beach in the world whenever you choose. This tiniest of beaches is truly a Caribbean postcard.

When we say remote, we mean it: there's no dock, no facilities, nothing. This hidden tropical destination redefines “off-the-grid”. You wade ashore from the boat and the beach is literally all yours. On one of our private BVI charters, the best time to enjoy the place to yourself is in the morning.

Sandy Spit is an uninhabited islet off the western tip of Jost Van Dyke with two palm trees in its center of a stretch of white sand. If you’ve ever wanted to play as a castaway for an hour or so, this is the place to go. You can walk the entire perimeter in about two minutes, and you can even get some snorkeling in right off of the islet.

Sandy Cay

A five minute boat ride from Sandy Spit and we arrive at Sandy Cay, which is 13.6 acres of uninhabited island. This was once Laurence Rockefeller private island, which he maintained as a botanical garden. Today Sandy Cay exists as a protected nature preserve open to the public. The trick is you need a boat to get there. There’s a beach on its southern side and a hiking trail that weaves around the island through its dry tropical forest (a rare find). The snorkeling along the rocky edges allows visitors to see a plethora of tropical fish. One snorkeler reported seeing five spotted eagle rays swimming in formation here. Read more about swimming with stingrays here.

If deserted islands are your thing, you can see Sandy Spit and Sandy Cay in virtually a single stop, which will make for one of the most memorable mornings possible on a BVI boat charter — all before lunch.

Fallen Jerusalem

The year is around 587 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar II has conducted the second Babylonia siege. In the aftermath, Jerusalem has fallen. The city lies in rubble. Here at Fallen Jerusalem, BVI, the massive boulders piled atop each other and scattered about make for the perfect reenactment of an ancient time that you can travel back in time and see what it must have looked like. Some think Columbus named the place since he saw rebuilding Jerusalem as his life mission to set off the second coming of Christ, but it never appears in his journals. It’s more likely that sailors passing through named it with him in mind.

Fallen Jerusalem is just off the southern tip of Virgin Gorda, and it is one of the best-kept secrets in the BVI. If you've been to The Baths on Virgin Gorda with its massive boulders tumbling into turquoise sea, you already have the visual. Fallen Jerusalem has a similar dramatic boulder-scape, along with a white sandy beach, and clear water — but without the crowds. If you want a Caribbean beach to yourself (a nudge to the amatuer and professional geologists who’ll drool over this place), consider this place a great alternative to the Baths.

Pirate's Bight, Norman Island

Norman Island BVi — Image: Norman Island / Credit: Island Roots Charters

Norman Island is the rumored inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It is easy to see why too: the island is uninhabited, wild, there are old cannons sitting in the sand pointing to sea, and there is Pirate's Bight — a deep protected bay with white sand beach backdropped by tropical forest. The perfect place for pirates to hide treasure. In the 18th and 19th centuries gold and silver is thought to have been found here.

In the late 1800s, there was a fisherman named Henry Creque who was thought to have found a chest of gold in the caves. These sea caves dot the island’s northern cliffs, which are literally called The Caves. They sit at water level so you can swim into them and see walls of orange cup coral (Fun fact: at night their little tentacles come out). On full day boat charters, Pirate's Bight and The Caves often make a natural pairing; hitting the beach and snorkeling in one stop. And, you never know, a gold doubloon or two might surface while you’re exploring there.

Manchioneel Bay Beach, Cooper Island

Image: Cooper Island / Credit: Island Roots Credit

Cooper Island is located in Sir Francis Drake Channel and is where you can visit one of the most chill beach bars in the BVI: the Cooper Island Beach Club. It’s right on Manchioneel Bay. The beach there is calm with excellent snorkeling off the reef to the south.

Cooper Island Beach Club has been making its own rum right on site for years, so everyone comes here for the cocktails. It’s a great alternative to the Soggy Dollar or Willy T, if you want a quiet place where you can hear your own sips amid the gentle lapping of the waves rolling on shore. Virgin island boat charters that include Cooper Island attract guests who want total relaxation while they visit the BVI. No huge, loud parties here.

Necker Island Sand Bar

South of Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island is a sand bar that comes barely above the waterline that you can visit without stepping onto Necker Island itself, which is private (and guarded). But this sand bar is a good way to skirt the rules a little and stand in one of the most photogenic spots in the BVI. Of course, it’s only accessible on a private BVI boat charter.

Here you can stand in knee-deep water with nothing around you but open ocean and the sight of Necker Island. It's a bucket-list stop for anyone who has wanted to have their own little island right next to the famous Necker. The snorkeling around this little sand bar can surprise you with reef fish and the occasional ray gliding through too.

Rogues Bay, Tortola (Also Known as Lava Flow Beach)

Rogue’s Bay, Tortola - AKA Lava Flow Beach BVI — Image: Rogue’s Bay AKA Lava Flow Beach, Tortola BVI / Credit: Island Roots Credit

Rogues Bay is one of Tortola's least-visited beaches, because getting there is a serious off-road trip on a rough, winding track. And, then you’ve got to get out of the vehicle and hike. That’s why most people never visit Rogues Bay. But, visiting by charter boat is easy, and a secret, as we often find ourselves as the only ones there.

Rogues Bay is also called Lava Flow Beach because the beach is framed by big volcanic rock formations that create these dark, jagged shapes running down to the water's edge. The sight of it evokes something primordial and raw, yet beautiful, and unlike any other beach in the BVI.

On full day BVI boat charters, Rogues Bay pairs well with a morning stop at Sandy Spit or Sandy Cay before heading east.

Plan Your BVI Day Charter from St. John

All of these BVI beaches share one thing in that they can't be accessed without a boat. A private BVI catamaran charter with Island Roots Charters is your ticket to see them in a single day, with a captain who knows the water, reads the sea, and makes sure every stop is a memory worth cherishing forever.

Whether you're looking for an extended day boat charter covering the full span of the BVI, or a regular full day boat charter focused on just one end of the island chain, we'll customize a trip that fits your group.

Book Now