BVI Sailing Highlights
*Please note some of this information may have changed since we sailed in 2025*
The British Virgin Islands were one of the easiest cruising grounds we experienced in the Caribbean, offering multiple check in options, short island hops, great anchorage/mooring protection and a mix of cruiser friendly stops ashore.
Below are anchorages and mooring areas we thought were worth visiting based on our time there! Your check-in port in the BVIs will determine where you begin the itinerary we listed, but with a full week and favourable weather, you can reach most, if not all, of these anchorages.
Entry/Exit Formalities Locations (immigration and customs):
Road Town, Tortola
West End (Soper’s Hole), Tortola
Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
St. Thomas Bay, Virgin Gorda (Spanish Town)
Gun Creek, Virgin Gorda
7 Day British Virgin Islands Sailing Itinerary
Day 1: Tortola (West End/Road Town) to Jost Van Dyke (Sandy Spit)
Sail: 8-12 nm
While Jost Van Dyke is famous for its beach bars (Soggy Dollar Bar) and lively anchorages, Sandy Spit was a nice little overnight stop for us. This tiny island offers beautifully clear water surrounded partially by coral reef making it a protected anchorage, which sheltered us from the swell, meaning we slept comfortably with 25 knots blowing that evening. Its location near West End (Tortola) also makes it especially convenient if you’re clearing into the BVI after arriving from the USVI.
Anchor or grab a mooring near Sandy Spit.
Swim, snorkel and enjoy a peaceful night aboard.
Optional dinghy ride toward Jost Van Dyke for sunset drinks if conditions allow.
Overnight: Sandy Spit or nearby Jost Van Dyke moorings.
Day 2: Jost Van Dyke to Guana Island
Sail: 7 nm
Guana Island is undeniably beautiful, but as a private island, access is limited to the beach area only (no inland hikes), so we’d recommend an overnight stay or a quick stop for a few hours to swim and snorkel. Anchoring can be tricky, good holding isn’t guaranteed, so be sure your anchor is well set and keep an eye on neighbouring boats, as dragging can occur (a 60 ft cat dragged so far down towards us, we luckily woke up in time to notice).
Great spot for a peaceful overnight anchorage or quick swim stop.
Clear water and a good marine life around.
Plenty of space, but be mindful of wind shifts overnight.
Always anchor on sand but ensure your anchor has caught here, as it’s one of the few places we’ve ever had issues with it setting.
Overnight: Anchor at Guana for the night or sail over to Scrub Island and grab a mooring ball.
Day 3: Guana Island to Scrub Island
Sail: 15-18 nm
Scrub Island is a fun and easy stop with a unique perk: visiting sailors can use the hotel pools. We enjoyed lunch there before the friendly reception staff offered to call a car to take us to the North Beach Bar. We had planned to walk, but with the heat and hilly terrain, a pregnant friend and two kids that refused to walk, we figured a ride was a smart idea.
The North Beach Bar was a great surprise as it served both food and drinks, had a pool and a beautiful beach with excellent reef snorkeling. To this day, it was the best Piña Coladas we’ve ever had! We only wish we had known about it sooner as it would have made for a perfect lunch spot!
You might have anchored/moored at Marina Cay as it’s just opposite Scrub Island and also offers excellent snorkeling, particularly along the Great Camanoe Island side (West End Bay) rather than the exposed outer reef (West South bay).
Mooring balls are located between Marina Cay and Scrub Island.
Head ashore to enjoy the resort pools (open to visiting sailors).
Take a ride to North Beach for lunch, swimming, beach/pool time and some snorkelingOptional snorkel stop at nearby Marina Cay (you might already be anchored here or can dinghy over).
If you are dropping or picking anyone up from the airport, this is a very close and easy stop for the night/day.
Overnight: Scrub Island or Marina Cay mooring.
Day 4: Scrub Island to Necker Island to Anegada Island
Sail: Scrub to Necker: 7nm, Necker to Anegada: 19 nm (open water sail)
Necker Island (pit stop)
Necker Island offers mooring balls and a pleasing scenery of the islands in the background. While the main island is private, sailors can visit the smaller adjacent island with palm trees (yep,fake ones!) and shallow water. It’s a lovely spot for a quick swim and kitesurfing, though the shoreline is corally, we’d recommend shoes.
We enjoyed this stop mostly because of the kitesurfing so it could be one that you would skip but it was a great pitstop for us on the way to Anegada as we only stayed for a couple of hours before catching the awesome breeze up to Anegada!
Anegada
Anegada has quite a different landscape to the rest of the BVIs. It’s flatter, wilder and mostly lined with long sandy beaches and uninterrupted sunset views given there are no mountains around. Renting a car or scooter is highly recommended to get around the island as it’s mostly covered in reef, which limits your anchorage/mooring locations. Renting a car/scooter is easy and the island is well equipped for this and sailors visits!
Highlights included Anegada Beach Club, which has a relaxed restaurant, pool, excellent reef for snorkeling and one of the best kitesurfing spots we found in the BVI (with a kite school on site). Cow Wreck Beach is another charming stop with a laid-back vibe and as we drove back to the boat, we stopped at Sid’s Restaurant at Pomato Point and had a standout meal with a memorable sunset.
Anchor at Pomato Point or Pick up a mooring near Setting Point to grab a rental or enjoy some onshore meals.
Rent a car or scooter to explore the island.
You might be lucky to see the flamingos in the pond or visit the conch shell mounds.
Anegada Beach Club, Sid’s at Pomato Point and Cow Wreck beach are great swimming stops with good food and vibes!
Overnight: Anegada anchorage or mooring.
Day 5: Anegada to North Sound (Saba Rock/Bitter End Yacht Club)
Sail: 15 nm
These neighboring stops in North Sound are both excellent. Saba Rock is a standout for sunset drinks, yoga, casual lunches or a more refined dinner, with a fun daily tarpon feeding around 5pm (kids favourite). Bitter End Yacht Club offers a charming atmosphere and a good restaurant ashore. Both stops are cruiser friendly and have a great sailing community.
Grab a mooring at Saba Rock or nearby Bitter End Yacht Club.
Afternoon swim, paddleboard, wing, kitesurf or relax onboard.
Check the Saba Rock website for activities, events and facilities like yoga, massages, kitesurfing, foiling and tarpon feeding.
Overnight: There are plenty of mooring balls available in front of Saba Rock and Bitter End, but if you prefer anchoring, Eustatia Sound is a good alternative nearby.
Day 6: North Sound (Saba Rock / Bitter End) to Virgin Gorda (Valley Trunk Bay)
Sail: 6nm
Valley Trunk Bay makes a great overnight stop for visiting The Baths, one of the BVI’s most popular attractions. From here, it’s an easy dinghy ride to the entrance of The Baths, where visitors follow a one-way route through the granite boulders, caves and tidal pools (entry fee required). There are also short walking trails and viewpoints worth exploring nearby.
Moor or anchor and dinghy to The Baths early or late afternoon to avoid crowds.
Walk through the boulders, tidal pools and scenic viewpoints.
Bring cash for the entry fee and a waterproof bag as you can swim in the pools if the tide is high.
Boats have to anchor offshore (no anchoring inside the park) and depending on the swell, dinghy landings can be tricky, so plan according to weather conditions.
Exit through the caves at Devil’s Bay, a stunning sheltered beach with great swimming and snorkeling.
Overnight: Valley Trunk Bay
Day 7: Virgin Gorda (Valley Trunk Bay) to Trellis Bay (Tortola)
Sail: 6 nm
We received quite a number of friends and family during our time in the Caribbean in different locations like St Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St Martin, USVI, Dominican Republic and the BVI. The BVI was by far the smoothest pick up and drop off location for a number of reasons: Tortola’s airport is super conveniently located just a five minute walk to Trellis Bay, where you’ll find a great dinghy dock, lively beach bars and easy anchoring/moorings in the surrounding bays.
Anchoring in Long Bay nearby works well and also offers solid beach conditions but is otherwise not too far a sail away from Scrub Island, Marina Cay or Great Camanoe for the night.
Easy final sail to Trellis Bay.
Dinghy ashore for shopping, beach bars and a relaxed final lunch.
Monthly full moon BBQ at Trellis, great for cruising families!
Perfect location for visiting friends, family or crew as the airport is just minutes walk away.
Overnight: Trellis Bay Mooring or Long Bay anchorage
