Nature's Little Secrets. Explore 46 attractions across the island.
The British Virgin Islands are built for the water, and the best way to experience them is from a boat. The territory's 60-plus islands and cays are spaced close enough that you can sail between them in an hour or two, yet each feels like a different world. Most visitors begin in Tortola, where Road Town serves as the departure point for bareboat and crewed charters.
If you have never chartered before, companies like The Moorings and Sunsail at Wickham's Cay offer monohulls and catamarans with briefing sessions that cover the local waters - the sailing here is forgiving, with consistent trade winds and short passages protected by the island chain. From Tortola, the classic route heads east to Virgin Gorda and The Baths, where house-sized granite boulders form a labyrinth of sea pools and grottoes along the beach. Arrive before 10 a.m. to beat the day-trip crowds, and follow the trail through the boulders to Devil's Bay for a less crowded swim.
Norman Island, said to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, has caves at its western tip where you can snorkel among schools of tarpon and silversides in the filtered light. The floating bar at the Pirates Bight restaurant draws the charter crowd for sunset. Jost Van Dyke, the smallest of the four main islands, is home to the Soggy Dollar Bar on White Bay - the birthplace of the Painkiller cocktail, a potent blend of rum, coconut cream, pineapple, and orange juice topped with nutmeg.
The bar got its name because there is no dock; you swim ashore and pay with soggy bills. For diving, the wreck of the RMS Rhone off Salt Island is the territory's premier dive site, a 310-foot Royal Mail steamer that sank in an 1867 hurricane and now lies in 30 to 80 feet of water, encrusted in coral and teeming with fish. Cooper Island Beach Club is a solar-powered eco-resort with a microbrewery and excellent mooring, worth a night on the hook. Anegada, 15 miles north and the only flat coral island in the chain, breaks from the volcanic landscape entirely and offers miles of empty beach, a massive barrier reef, and the best lobster dinner in the BVI.
Giant granite boulders form a natural wonderland of sea pools, caves, and grottoes at the southern tip of Virgin Gorda. Follow the marked trail through narrow passages to Devil's Bay beach. Arrive early to avoid crowds. Entry fee is $3 per person.
The 310-foot Royal Mail steamer sank off Salt Island in 1867 and now rests in 30 to 80 feet of water, split into two sections. The wreck is covered in coral and sponges and home to barracuda, turtles, and nurse sharks. Suitable for intermediate to advanced divers.
The BVI is one of the world's best bareboat charter destinations. Consistent trade winds, protected waters, and short island-to-island passages make navigation approachable even for intermediate sailors. Charter companies at Nanny Cay and Wickham's Cay offer monohulls and catamarans from around $400 per day.
Swim ashore at White Bay on Jost Van Dyke to reach the bar that invented the Painkiller cocktail. No dock means you wade in with your wallet. The rum-coconut-pineapple drink is served in numbered strengths from 1 to 4 - a number 4 will slow your afternoon considerably.
Three sea-level caves at the western tip of Norman Island, believed to have inspired Treasure Island, shelter schools of tarpon, glassy sweepers, and juvenile reef fish. Bring an underwater light to illuminate the deeper sections. The Pirates Bight restaurant nearby serves lunch.
Tortola's most popular beach is a wide crescent of sand backed by palm trees and beach bars. Myett's serves lunch and hosts live music, while Quito's Gazebo features the legendary Quito Rymer performing calypso and reggae most evenings. Good swimming and calm water.
Anegada's restaurants serve fresh-caught spiny lobster grilled over open flame, a signature BVI experience. The Anegada Reef Hotel and Big Bamboo at Loblolly Bay are the top choices. Order by early afternoon so they can prepare your catch - dinner is served at sunset on the beach.
At 1,750 feet, Sage Mountain is the highest point in the BVI. A short loop trail through lush rainforest passes mahogany trees, elephant ear plants, and mountain guava, with views over the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The hike takes about an hour and is well-marked.
Ruins of an 18th-century sugar planation, including a windmill tower & factory, with ocean views.
Compact oasis with tropical plants plus a greenhouse for orchids, a lily pond & a scenic pergola.
Easygoing park known for its scenic bay views & proximity to local boutiques & eateries.
Bubbly Pool is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Old Government House Museum is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Cinnamon Bay Plantation Ruins is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Brewer's Bay beach is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Sage Mountain National Park is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Mount Healthy National Park is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Monkey Point is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Cinnamon Bay Trail is a nature attraction on British Virgin Islands. This natural area showcases the lush tropical landscapes and diverse ecosystems that British Virgin Islands is known for. Visitors can explore the local flora and fauna in a serene setting.
Rock art along Reef Bay Trail believed to be the work of the pre-Columbian Taino people.
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