British Virgin Islands travel guide
The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory of around 60 islands and cays east of Puerto Rico, grouped around the sheltered waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel. They are one of the world's best-known sailing grounds, with short hops between quiet anchorages, beaches and reefs. They suit sailors, snorkellers and travellers who like small islands with a relaxed pace.
Places worth the trip
The Baths, Virgin Gorda
Huge granite boulders piled on the beach at the south of Virgin Gorda, forming grottoes and tidal pools. A trail scrambles through the rocks, with ladders and rope handholds, to Devil's Bay.
Sailing the Sir Francis Drake Channel
Steady trade winds, short distances and many protected anchorages make the islands ideal for sailing, whether on a chartered yacht or a day trip.
Anegada
A flat coral island quite different from its hilly neighbours, with long empty beaches, salt ponds with flamingos and the Horseshoe Reef offshore. It is known for grilled spiny lobster.
Jost Van Dyke
A small island with only a few hundred residents, known for White Bay's beach bars and Great Harbour, a relaxed yachting stop.
The wreck of the RMS Rhone
A Royal Mail steamship that sank off Salt Island in a hurricane in 1867. It lies in relatively shallow water and is one of the Caribbean's best-known wreck dives, also visible to snorkellers in places.
Norman Island
An uninhabited island with sea caves that are a popular snorkelling site, and legends of buried pirate treasure.
Tortola
The largest island, with the capital Road Town, the beaches of Cane Garden Bay and Smuggler's Cove, and Sage Mountain National Park, whose forested peak is the highest point in the Virgin Islands.
Interesting facts about British Virgin Islands
- The official currency is the US dollar, even though the islands are a British Overseas Territory.
- Driving is on the left, but most cars are left-hand drive, imported from the US.
- Anegada is the only coral island in the mainly volcanic Virgin Islands chain, and its Horseshoe Reef is one of the largest barrier reefs in the Caribbean.
- Sage Mountain on Tortola is the highest point in both the British and US Virgin Islands.
- Columbus named the islands after the legend of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.
Best time to visit British Virgin Islands
The dry season from December to April has the most reliable weather and steady trade winds, making it peak sailing season. May to July is quieter and still pleasant. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk in August, September and October, when some businesses close. Water temperatures are warm all year.
Getting around
Inter-island ferries link Tortola with Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, Anegada and the US Virgin Islands. Many visitors arrive via St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and take a ferry. Taxis are the main way around on land, with fares set by destination. Hiring a car or jeep is possible, but roads on Tortola are steep, narrow and winding. Yacht charters and day sailing trips are the best way to see the smaller islands.
Practical details
- Capital
- Road Town
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Languages
- English
- Plug types
- A, B
- Voltage
- 110 V, 60 Hz
- Emergency
- 999 or 911
- Driving side
- left
- Tipping
- A service charge is often added in restaurants; if not, around 15 per cent is usual. Tip taxi drivers, boat crews and dive guides.
Staying online in British Virgin Islands
Mobile coverage is good across most of Tortola and Virgin Gorda, and in the main anchorages and villages of the smaller islands. Signal can be weaker on Anegada, in some remote bays and at sea between islands. Near the US Virgin Islands your phone may connect to US networks, so set your data line carefully. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, marinas and beach bars. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
British Virgin Islands eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 7 Days for British Virgin Islands
Ilimitados
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for British Virgin Islands
2 GB
2GB eSIM Data for 15 Days for British Virgin Islands
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 30 Days for British Virgin Islands
Useful apps
- Navionics: Marine charts and anchorage information for sailors chartering in the islands.
- Windy: Wind and weather forecasts for planning sailing days.
- Google Maps: Driving directions on Tortola and Virgin Gorda, and offline maps.
- WhatsApp: Used by taxi drivers, charter companies and restaurants for bookings.
British Virgin Islands travel FAQs
There are flights to Tortola from nearby Caribbean hubs, and many visitors fly to St Thomas or San Juan and take a ferry or connecting flight.
Yes, modern phones work on local networks, with good coverage on the main islands. Roaming on a home plan can be costly, so a travel eSIM is a straightforward way to get local data.
No. You can join day trips or hire a skippered yacht. Experienced sailors can charter a boat themselves, as the sheltered waters and short distances are well suited to it.
The US dollar. Cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants, but carry cash for taxis, small bars and the outer islands.