Jost Van Dyke Island, BVI— A Complete Guide
Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Jost Van Dyke
Jost Van Dyke is accessible only by boat, making it one of the most secluded places in the world. For those who want to avoid the crowds, it’s worth noting that Jost Van Dyke is truly off the beaten path. It has no cruise ship ports, no large resorts, and no airport. This has given rise to an active boating culture that flourishes around Jost—the sea is often dotted with luxury yachts and charter boats. Incidentally, this is also home to some of the most famous and exclusive bars on the planet. The best way to enjoy Jost is by taking a custom charter trip from St. John, such as the one offered by Island Roots Charters.
The Four Bays Of Jost Van Dyke
White Bay Beach
Photo: Island Roots Charters anchored in front of Hendo’s Hideout, White Bay / Image credit: Island Roots Charters
White Bay is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with some of the softest sand anywhere on Earth. To tourists, it is the most well-known and desirable beach on Jost Van Dyke, as it offers the quintessential Caribbean beach vibe: crystal-clear turquoise water, a soft white sand beach lined with palm trees, and numerous beach bars tucked in between. These include Hendo’s Hideout, Gertrude’s, Coco Loco, One Love (temporarily closed), and the world-famous Soggy Dollar Bar.
Jost Van Dyke is best known for the Soggy Dollar Bar. The rumor is that it’s Johnny Depp’s favorite bar (along with Foxy’s) because of the low-key, no-paparazzi environment. It’s most famous as the origin point of the Painkiller cocktail after bartender, Daphne Henderson, invented it there in the 1970s.
However, there is far more to this little BVI island than Soggy Dollar. There are so many reasons Jost has become one of our most popular charter boat trips from St. John, USVI.
If you’d like to do a little exploring or get away from the crowds at the Soggy Dollar, head to the far east side of the beach and take the foot trail over the hill to Ivan’s Stress-Free Beach Bar. You won’t be disappointed!
From here, you can walk over to the harbor villages, and visit beach bars. Everyone is barefoot here, and the party is always on.
Great Harbor
Photo: The public dock at Great Harbor. You can see the "main" sand road just behind the palm trees. Image credit: Island Roots Charters
Great Harbor is the main town on Jost. This is where the ferry arrives, and where the customs office is located, along with the island's market, school, church, and various bars and restaurants. But don’t let the word “town” confuse you; it still has a very laid-back island feel. The main gravel road runs alongside the beach and is lined with palm trees, seagrape trees, hammocks, and picnic tables. Corsair's, Tipsy Shark, and Ali Baba’s Cool Breeze Bar are all located in Great Harbor.
At the far east end of the road, you’ll find the famous Foxy’s, known for its lively nightlife, Caribbean music, signature rum drinks, and where the must-attend annual New Year’s Eve party takes place.
Garner Bay aka Little Harbor
Garner Bay is the smallest and least populated compared to White Bay and Great Harbor. It is not frequently visited by tourists; however, it is home to Sidney’s Peace and Love and Abe’s by the Sea Restaurant and Bar for those looking for a more authentic island experience.
Long Bay
On the eastern side of Jost Van Dyke is Long Bay. This is where you would stop if having lunch at Foxy’s Taboo (not to be confused with the main Foxy’s bar and restaurant in Great Harbor) or if looking for the trailhead to the Bubbly Pool. The hike to the Bubbly Pool is a mild to moderate 10–15 minute walk from Taboo.
Bubbly Pool
Photo: Bubbly Pool at Jost Van Dyke, BVI — Credit: Island Roots Charters
The Bubbly Pool is a prime example of what else there is to do on Jost Van Dyke Island besides Soggy Dollar. This is considered a secluded natural wonder that even locals may not have visited. If nature designed its own version of a Jacuzzi®, this would be it. Bubbly Pool is a naturally depressed area which is perpetually filled with bubbling, bath-temperature seawater that gets churned as it rushes past the big boulders lining the shore.
How To Get To Bubbly Pool
Even though Bubbly Pool is only a ten to fifteen minute walk from Foxy’s Taboo Restaurant (here’s a link with directions that you can send to your phone), it’s considered hidden because it isn’t publicized as a big tourist destination (yet). Along the path from Foxy’s Taboo to Bubbly Pool, there are signs—like “dat way” and “continue”—that point the way, and when you finally arrive, a big sign reads, “Welcome to Bubbly Pool.”
Local taxi services can be a bit tricky to navigate, which is why it’s best to book a charter boat trip to Jost Van Dyke that comes with a captain who knows the way to the best spots, without having to worry about dealing with uncertainties. Charter boats are really the best way to travel in the Virgin Islands because of the direct access they offer to the best places to visit.
Bubbly Pool Is Kid-Friendly
Jimmy Bergeron, a local Google guide, said in a review that the “kids loved it!” and noted that when they visited on a windy day, the huge sea swells made for a dramatic experience.
Bubbly Pool’s Dark Side
Bubbly Pool is generally considered safe, but nature can be unpredictable, and there have been fatal accidents reported there over the years — with the last one reported eight years ago from now (February 2026). Even placid swimming pools overseen by multiple lifeguards can turn deadly if someone slips, hits their head, or gets a severe cramp in the deep end.
March 14, 2012 — Elissa Bradley, 36 (a New Yorker residing in Paris France ) drowned at Bubbly Pool.
Source: The BVI Beacon
March 9, 2013 — Jonathan Wheeler, 34 (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. resident)
Reports say Wheeler died while he and Doug Stewart were attempting to save a friend, Jeff Lange, who had climbed nearby rocks to photograph the group and had been pushed into a water-filled crevice after a large wave hit. Stewart survived but suffered a fractured hip and other injuries that hospitalized him.
Source: Virgin Islands News Online
January 15, 2017 — Wilson Francis Reading, 18 (Canadian)
Crushed to death by a falling boulder while at the Bubbly Pool area.
Source: Virgin Islands News Online
Don’t Miss Nearby B-Line Bar — An Off the Beaten Path Kind of Spot
Photo: B-Line Bar on Little Jost Van Dyke / Image credit: Island Roots Charters
For those visiting Jost Van Dyke on a private charter boat, be sure to ask about B-Line Bar, a hidden gem on the island of Little Jost Van Dyke. It offers a very welcoming, friendly vibe with good food and drinks. Little Jost Van Dyke is just a football’s throw away from the main island, directly across Long Bay.
Sandy Spit
Photo: Sandy Spit / Image credit: Island Roots Charters
A five-minute boat ride from Long Bay, Jost Van Dyke is Sandy Spit, a tiny, picture-perfect, deserted island with pristine white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and a tranquil, idyllic vibe.
People Live On Jost Van Dyke
As secluded as this island is, people actually live on Jost Van Dyke. Its population hovers around 300 residents, and most of them live in Great Harbour, the island’s main village. There are local homes and businesses such as the ferry dock and customs office, grocery shops, cafés, and bars. It’s an island where everyone knows everyone else by first name, and if visitors stay more than a day, the island’s residents are inclined to greet them by first name too.
The Safest Virgin Island In The Caribbean
While the Virgin Islands is generally very safe for tourists, Jost Van Dyke takes safety from violent crime to another level. In fact, it is widely considered the safest place in the Caribbean, maybe even the world, because of its extremely small population, friendly local community, and almost non-existent crime. Visitors walk between bars, and other destinations late at night, and boats are even left unattended. The Garden of Eden may just have been definitively discovered as of 2026, but this doesn’t mitigate the risk of sunburn, dehydration, overindulgences at the bars, or the kinds of fatal accidents that happened at Bubbly Pool which you’ll read about below .
Currency
While Jost is a British territory, the official currency is not the pound sterling (£/GBP), but the U.S. dollar (USD). It used to be that cash was preferred, but in 2026, it’s safe to say that most establishments will accept credit cards, like Visa and Mastercard—but don’t count on them accepting American Express.
Tipping
As far as how much you should tip your bartender on Jost Van Dyke, the norm is 15-20%. Even tipping 10% isn’t considered insulting if you have good reason, but usually everything is incredible which makes generous tipping a common occurrence here.
What You Wish You Knew Before Going to Jost Van Dyke
There are many things first-time visitors wish they knew about Jost. Among those is that this place defines “Island Time.” Businesses close when the night slows, not at any fixed times. While Nevada is known for 24-hour bars, on Jost Van Dyke bars stay open as long as the night allows, especially when things get really wild, which is nightly in high season.
If you don’t have credit cards and plan to get cash later, know that ATMs are extremely limited and might not work if you do find one.
One final fact: the phrase “No shoes, no shirt, no problem” isn’t just a song title. The music video for Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems was filmed on and around Jost Van Dyke, and his love of island life reflects the laid‑back spirit you’ll feel here.