Yes the British Virgin Islands are worth visiting because of the huge variety of stuff you can do there.
Cruising, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sunbathing, and exciting nightlife on flawless beaches are just a few of the things that await you on the archipelago of the 60 scenic British Virgin Islands.
Walk along the endless beach for an easy going escape.
Discover beautiful beaches with fine white sand, old ruins, famous wine and rum distilleries, mangroves, flamingos, and stray donkeys.
In the evenings, enjoy a fabulous lobster dinner or grilled meat and live band music that rocks and serenade the beach bums and revelers in one of the most ideal travel destinations in the Caribbean Sea.
What are the Best things to do in British Virgin Islands?
Here is a rundown of all the exciting activities to do in here, in addition I will show you my favorite things to do and beautiful places to visit on your next holiday to British Virgin Islands.
Spring Bay
If you come by and visit Spring Bay in August, everything is different because of the low season.
The bay is so varied and it is advisable to go there more than once while in the British Virgin Islands. You can visit the “wading pool” or the wider sea.
The Big Boulder and its waves make dramatic confrontation onto the rocks of nearby Devil’s Bay. Getting there is easy and it is less than 400 meters from the parking lot.
If you want to set up a picnic, there are available tables and benches. The amount of shade is enough to be there even during the hottest hours.
The beach is highly recommended for couples and families with children.
Spring Bay is very close to The Baths and also has some impressive megaliths on the beach.
At Spring Bay, you may find the whole beach all to yourself while at The Baths (and Devil’s Bay) you have to fight to swim, snorkel or take the walking path.
It is a stunning beach with very clear waters (that are sometimes tumultuous) and a maze of huge rocks that are polished by nature and sometimes takes shape in all kinds of imaginary forms! The parallel with the Lavezzi Islands in Corsica is obvious and flattering, making it an unusual landscape that you’ll ever find along the tropics.
My favorite stuff to do in British Virgin Islands
The Baths
It is more than one hour away from downtown St. Thomas and is a very interesting discovery.
The place is truly magical and enchanting and the crystal clear water in the middle of these big rocks gives you the impression that you are in paradise.
The framework is exceptional, especially when you see the color of the water, formation of the rock, and fine sand. You can also make the journey on foot to the nearby Devil’s Bay.
The beach is not huge, but it only adds to its alluring charm. The sea has a beautiful mix of incredible turquoise water and solid rocks where you can walk around and explore.
Surrounded by the Devils Bay and Spring Bay on the island of Virgin Gorda, the “Baths” are one of the hidden beauties of the British Virgin Islands.
You can also access it from the port of Road Town (Tortola) with shuttles that leave almost every hour or by taking a taxi truck.
The Baths is all about its striking sceneries along the coast, white sand, and the huge rocks that adorn this little corner of paradise.
Despite numerous hikers, you can still admire and enjoy along the two adjacent bays in peace.
The path to follow and get down from the car park is relatively easy despite some slightly tricky passages and the rise is long (from Devils Bay).
If you are a little claustrophobic, it is better to stay on the first beach at the end of the trail; if not, turn left and visit the cellars and caves formed by the tangle of rocks.
Despite the hyper-organized park, it’s a very natural site with surprising contrasts between the “baths” and clear waters.
The park is lined with beaches and golf courses (they are challenging) in the maze of absolutely beautiful rocks and desert-like landscape.
There is a lot of information issued by the guides – which is useful if you truly want to enjoy what every corner of the Baths has to offer.
The restaurant and small outlet shops dominate the site of breathtaking beauty and it’s nice to go here in the morning.
Fun things to do in British Virgin Islands
Savannah Bay
It is a beautiful beach, but the location is quite isolated.
This long stretch of white beach is perfect not only for swimming and snorkeling, but also for long walks.
The beach offers lots of opportunities for great snorkeling fun in almost paradise-like setting, with no crowds and a few structures present.
It’s a fantastic sea that you can enjoy in all its tranquility, ideal for couples who want to spend intimate honeymoon and memorable moments along the sea.
This long beach occupies a couple of kilometers where you can enjoy long walks while facing the magnificent sea.
The waters are crystal clear, the fine sand looks like talcum powder, and with very few people, makes this sandy beach of Virgin Gorda worth the time and effort.
Popular British Virgin Islands tourist attractions
Mahoe Bay
Mahoe Bay is amidst the islands of the Virgin Gorda and has one of the world’s most magnificent shorelines.
Mahoe Bay is a typical beach in the British Virgin Islands, but you will be impressed by the beach infrastructure and astonishing coastlines of the Bay.
This quiet and private site has the most brilliant coral reefs on this part of the island. You can dive, snorkel, swim, or simply look for the coral reef.
Stroll along as you collect peculiar looking sea shells, kayak, rent a canoe, and stay away from the hustle and bustle of the other beaches situated on the island.
It is very safe to swim and snorkel around here because you will find mostly tropical fishes rather than any types of marine wildlife.
This beach is an ideal training ground for youngsters who want to learn and experience how to snorkel along the tolerable depths of the water without many swells and huge wave activities.
Swim simply a hundred feet off the shoreline and you will a lovely coral arrangement loaded with Tangs, Squid, Turtles, Parrotfish and an infrequent Barracuda.
The external reef minimizes swells and wave activity. This quiet beach is ideal for the whole family.
What else to do in British Virgin Islands ?
Virgin Gorda Peak
If you intend to visit the Virgin Gorda Peak , you’ll need to bring fins, mask, and snorkeling gears. The landscape above and below water is fabulous, and you can enjoy them both.
You should also wander among the rocks and explore further.
The best reward after the treacherous trails- the 360° view of the majestic beach. But keep in mind that the trails to get there are not necessarily very well marked, so you have to ask around from the locals you will meet along the way.
The beach can be easily accessed by car and, after going up and down the slope, you will arrive at the National Park named “Gorda Peak”.
The rocky plates do not help much, but if you keep an eye you will see, along the roadside, a track entry.
Park the car on the side of the same road. Travel the 800 meters hike uphill on a forest trail that brings you to a platform with a view that will take your breath away.
It is the best form of good exercise with a rewarding scene of a magnificent coastline.
Halfway down the trail you can briefly stop and find a place filled with wooden chairs and tables for those who need a rest after a challenging adventure trail.
Must see places in British Virgin Islands
Anegada Island
The Anegada Island is a flat coral island that owes its name and fame from the sinking of over 300 ships in centuries past.
The ships failed to see it in time and crashed consequently at the Horseshoe Reef that surrounds it. Along its only paved road, you can find dirt trails, and near the beaches, an undisturbed day and night run of dozens of cows.
Hotel accommodation here is extremely limited. If you plan to dine out, you will book before the afternoon and know what you intend to eat.
On the island, there are only a couple of shops selling very few things, but they are more than sufficient for the needs of the two hundred inhabitants of Anegada, who live there.
They mainly reside in The Settlement, an invisible capital that is filled with sparse and colorful wooden houses that seated far apart.
The specialty of this island, in addition to the fantastic beaches, is its world-famous lobster.
In almost every menu of any seafood restaurant in British Virgin Island, you will always find the famous Anegada lobster, but in Anegada, they are now offered even when fishing is prohibited.
Since the few restaurants on the island have their own cages in the open sea where they make you personally choose the delicious crustacean that they will roast expertly barbecued, you can get lobster year-round.
Along the Anegada Island, you can also visit a large salt lake called Flamingo Pond because of the large colony of flamingos that inhabit it.
Also visit their beaches, which many time are deserted.
Thanks to the new transport system, being connected to Tortola and Anegada, the rest of the world can now visit this treasure via ferry running at least three times a week.
What else to see in British Virgin Islands ?
Cane Garden Bay
The Cane Garden Bay is a beautiful beach with white sand and crystal clear water. It is located in a small cove along the Tortola District of the British Virgin Islands.
The beach area is inhabited by many species of birds (pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, etc.); they hunt fish right next to you while swimming.
It is great to admire such wonderful sense of unity with nature.
There is everything needed for an enjoyable beach experience on the island; the drinks are priced fairly with lots of dining options to choose from.
The beach is about 300 meters long and the sand and the water are simply gorgeous.
There are also some bars and beach chairs rental companies on the beach as well as affordably priced taxis carrying passengers from the cruise port for $8 per person one way (minimum 4 people).
The journey time takes about 15-20 minutes.
Popular places to visit in British Virgin Islands
Smuggler’s Cove
To reach the Smuggler’s Cove via local transportation, you need to spend half hour on a local bus.
You will arrive in this beautiful and secluded white sand beach surrounded by crystal clear waters and enchanting nature.
You will be captivated by this cove where you can observe pelicans flying over the waters, corals, tropical fish, and schools of tuna fish, palm trees, and the typical Caribbean cockerels.
One banquet here provides drinks, alcohol and great hot dogs or hamburger meat and grilled fish. Without a doubt, it is the most beautiful beach of the island, a jewel not to be missed.
It is greatly recommended especially for those who love snorkeling, tranquility and unspoiled nature. Nature is the real star of this beautiful beach.
Things to do in British Virgin Islands with kids
Rhone National Marine Park
The Rhone National Marine Park shows the wreck of the RMS Rhone, a famous ship that sank in the waters of Tortola in 1867.
It holds a fascinating story of how it sank that each guide can tell. The wreck lies at a maximum depth of 30 meters and divers can enter inside.
The stern is about 12 meters long.
You can even see it while snorkeling, but going deep in the ocean is a whole other thing. The wreck is still intact (lined with lots of corals and algae) despite many years of being submerged in the deep sea.
It is a must when scuba diving to the Virgin Islands.
You can also reach the marine park if you are coming from St. John although it’s a bit more difficult.
Things to do around British Virgin Islands
Jost Van Dyke
It is the smallest of all the group of islands that make up the British Virgin Islands. This island has been inhabited more than 3 centuries ago starting from the post- Columbian period.
There is still proof of the more than a thousand-year-old Arawak settlements around the jungles encompassing the coastline of Jost Van Dyke.
There is also evidence of a Quakers living settlement designed for the early slaves that are still kept and preserved on this island showing early evidences of human bondage and trade slavery.
At the point when bondage was nullified in the 1830s, the Jost Van Dyke homesteads were no longer practical and were allowed to be demolished.
A portion of the liberated laborers remained and assembled a little community and a flourishing group.
The settlement was almost a secluded spot until the early 1970s, when private yachts started coming and bringing amused tourists into the region.
Tourism is currently the island’s financial backbone.
At present, the lasting populace consists of only 200 listed inhabitants. This island was named after an early Dutch pioneer (supposedly a good pirate).
The hilly island is only 4 miles long, yet there are a lot of slopes – the most elevated achieves more than a thousand feet.
The three groups of adjacent islands (Great Harbor, Little Harbor, and White Bay) or all pleasant destinations lined with a few resorts and a lot of good restaurants for a comfortable stay.
Unique things to do in British Virgin Islands
Wreck Alley
It is a famous diving site in the British Virgin Islands that is named after the accumulation of wrecks deliberately sunk to give a fascination for certified scuba divers.
This offers an exciting way to get acquainted with the deep waters of the Cooper Island. The disaster areas are provided in two bundles: the Mary L and Pat are situated right beside each other and neighboring them is the wreck of Beata.
Plans to have a fourth and fifth wreck site are already on the way and will be located just right across the existing dive sites.
The disaster areas are moderately profound, and stay below 100 feet of water.
The wrecks are situated on a sandy base right beside a reef which climbs pointedly (in spite of the fact that it is not exactly a wall) up.
The deepest range is more than 40 feet.
There are a just few stunning islands in this world that are as fascinating as the British Virgin Islands.
The island nation is dotted with just about 60 little and minor islands, all near one another and partitioned by clean water with varying shades of blue.
All these islands are enticing and ideal sites to dive and snorkel.
Aside from being densely populated, you will also discover islands that are very simple and blessed with a generally peaceful and tranquil atmosphere amidst the presence of its dazzling shorelines.
The people here are extremely cordial and they appreciate living in their islands and impart their hospitable nature to every guest that visit the alluring British Virgin Islands.