BVI DESTINATION GUIDE

The British Virgin Islands is perfect for charter boat day trips. There is a so much that can be done in this Caribbean paradise in a single day: legendary beach bars, world-class snorkeling, sea grottos, and floating restaurants accessible only by boat.

Visiting the BVI by private day charter is, in our opinion, the best way to experience Her Majesty’s Virgin Islands, but don’t just take our word for it: "Island Roots Charter is always our top choice when we're in the islands. Every time we went out in the BVIs, Troy provided fantastic recommendations and took us to hidden gems we had never discovered before." — Lindsey Lopez, Google Review

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In this article, we outline each iconic stop that you can add to your full day boat charter with Island Roots Charters.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda BVI

Image: Virgin Gorda / Credit: Island Roots Charters

The crown jewel of the BVI. The Baths at Virgin Gorda are one of the world’s best kept secret natural wonders where visitors can play on massive granite boulders, some of which are the size of houses, and swim through the cathedral-like sea grottos and tidal pools down below. The snorkeling here is otherworldly, with rainbow-colored fish weaving between the rocks and rays gliding just beneath the water’s surface. Timing matters on when to visit, as it can get crowded, especially during peak season. Our captains know exactly when to arrive before the throngs descend, and how to make your trip amazing, even when the seas are rough.

‘Ryan was our captain and he curated a perfect day! We saw the Baths, Jost, and Lime Out. It was a rough day at sea, but with Ryan's skill and knowledge of the sea routes, the overall ride was somewhat smooth!" Christine Volavka, Google Review

Jost Van Dyke BVI: Soggy Dollar Bar, White Bay, Foxy's & the Bubbly Pool

Image: White Bay, Jost Van Dyke Island / Credit: Island Roots Charters

Jost Van Dyke is the spiritual home of the Caribbean. For the adventurous, there is the Bubbly Pool on the north shore that is a literal natural jacuzzi carved right into the rocks by the ocean, which is a unique swimming experiences in the Caribbean.

But, most people who visit Jost, come for the party. With its unique beach-bar culture, it is a must-stop on any BVI charter boat day trip. The legendary Soggy Dollar Bar sits right on the shoreline of White Bay, which is located on the south shore of Jost. This is one of the most photographed beaches in the world because of it’s powder perfect white sand, clear waters.

The Painkiller drink was invented by a bartender at The Soggy Dollar. It stands as the BVI's official cocktail, which is made with rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut. At the other end of Jost is Foxy's Tamarind Bar in Great Harbour, which has become an institution for sailors in the area over the decades.

Some charter guests book trips with the bars in mind:

"We did a tandem charter and took two boats and 18 people over to Foxy's, Soggy Dollar, and Willy T's. The trip was seamless and both captains were fantastic." Dylan Strober, Google Review

Sandy Spit BVI, The Deserted Sandbar

Image: Sandy Spit / Credit: Island Roots Charters

Sandy Spit is a tiny, uninhabited sandbar just off the coast of Jost Van Dyke. This perfectly round islet (which means tiny island) represents the picture that comes to everyone’s mind when prompted to think of the perfect Caribbean island. It features three palm trees, blinding white sand, and water so clear you could count the conches as far out as you could see. Once you wade ashore, i't’s only a two minute walk to cover the entire island. It can feel like you're at the end of the Earth.

It’s a quick stop, but worth it, and just one of many other stops our guests make on a BVI charter trip with Island Roots Charters.

"[Captain] Ryan took our family of 4 out for an extended day trip. He tailored our day to fit us perfectly! We went to Jost, Sandy Spit, Virgin Gorda and ended our day at Lime Out. It was a full day of fun." Amy Dinenna, Google Review

Norman Island BVI: The Indians, The Caves & the Willy T

Image: Norman Island Cave / Credit: Island Roots Charters

Norman Island — one of the top places in the Virgin Islands only reachable by boat literally inspired Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. When you visit, you’ll see why — it feels like pirates could be hiding around every cove. At the SW tip of Norman Island, you can see The Indians, four sixty-foot high rocky pinnacles rising from the sea. These veritable towers are surrounded by a reef that makes for the best snorkeling in the BVI. The Indians are just one spot of many our guests end up enjoying on their BVI charter expedition:

“My family of 5 enjoyed a full day private charter with Captain Ryan! We visited Sandy Spit, Little Bay (Tortola north shore), Diamond Reef, The Baths (Virgin Gorda), Black Point (Cooper Island), and The Indians. It was a great mix of tropical beaches, snorkeling, and sight seeing. Captain Ryan was an excellent guide — would recommend him to anyone! He was great with kids and even had all our names memorized from the start of the trip. The snorkel gear was top notch, the boat was clean and comfortable, and the day’s schedule was designed to meet our needs perfectly. Will definitely plan another day with Island Root Charters when we return to St. John in the future!” Nick Cochran, Google Review

The Caves on Norman Island are three grottos that have been carved into the Norman Island cliffs by the sea. They can only be explored by swimming in, as there are no walking paths or other way to get inside on dry land. Then there's the Willy T, a party boat with a past, which serves as the BVI's famous floating bar and restaurant. Guests can jump off the upper deck into the waters below or actually go cliff jumping in the secrets spots our captains know about.

Salt Island, Cooper Island & Peter Island BVI

Image: Salt Island / Credit: Island Roots Charters

Guests unlock the Eastern BVI island chain with our Extended Day Charter (9.5 hours). For example, Salt Island is a hidden gem with its salt ponds and famous RMS Rhone shipwreck. Cooper Island, only two miles away, has a rum bar and a beautiful reef for snorkeling. In close proximity is also Peter Island, which is home to a luxury resort that has beachside dining and postcard-perfect beaches that our guests often choose to visit.

"Captain Troy dove in and guided us underwater at the Rhone wreck and got us an 'island fancy' lunch at Peter Island resort. Of course he topped it off with Willy T's and the picturesque south side ride back to Cruz Bay. Simply awesome day." Marshall Hall, Google Review

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