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Cruise ship passengers visiting the Virgin Islands often miss out on the most beautiful place in the world, simply because they decide to stay in town and shop. The British Virgin Islands offer the most amazing warm, crystal clear waters in the world, teeming with beautiful reefs and tropical fish, the best beach bars and restaurants, and stretches of deserted white sand beaches stretching for miles. So what should you do with the precious few hours you have to spend in the British Virgin Islands? Get in the water! If you like to dive even a little, you have to go to the list of things to do.
Really, the only way to get to the best snorkeling spots in the British Virgin Islands is to charter a boat. There are 2 different types of yacht charter. There are the big ships that carry a lot of people, which charge for their trips “per person”, and there are the private charter boats that will take only a small group like you, your friends or family, who charge for “the boat”. . Obviously the big boats can be cheaper if there’s just 1 or 2 of you, but a family or a group of 6 or more friends will find they can get a private charter for about the same price. The benefit of private charter is that you choose where you want to go and how long you stay in each place. The larger ships tend to have a fixed itinerary, plus they can be a bit like riding a school bus with all the other people.
Most BVI boat tour companies include snorkeling equipment in your boat rental package, so you only need a swimsuit. Climb aboard and start at Norman Island Caves. Norman Island is famous for stories of buried treasure and is the inspiration for the book “Treasure Island”. Right next to Treasure Point is a series of caves, each one more interesting than the last. You’ll Make Friends Quickly: Schools of Yellow Tails, Blue Surgeons, and Sergeant Majors love to greet cave visitors and will often travel with you from cave to cave as underwater tour guides. If you bring a flashlight, shine it on the walls to see a red-orange rainbow of corals and sponges – amazing!
The next stop is just around the corner from Norman Island. It is a set of tall and irregular rocks known as “Los Indios”. This area can get crowded with the cruise ship and the crowds of big boats, but the captain of your private BVI boat tour should know how to schedule his visit so you have the area to yourself. The reef surrounding the Indians is about 40 feet deep and there is a narrow channel for swimming between the third and fourth rocks. Colorful fish surround the rocks and beautiful sea fans and corals fill the water. You could literally spend hours just snorkeling in this area, but it’s time for your next stop, The Bight, on the eastern part of the harbor south of the beach. The bowl shape of the bay blocks out the rougher waters, making it a great area for beginners as it is generally very calm.
Cross the channel to Tortola and snorkel near Frenchman’s Cay. The crystal clear waters are a protected fishing zone, so the area is home to all kinds of underwater life, including rays, sea turtles, and a wide variety of fish.
Of course, no trip to the British Virgin Islands is complete without a trip to the Soggy Dollar for a painkiller before heading back. Along the way, Waterlemon Cay on St. John in the US Virgin Islands is also a great place to snorkel.
If you find yourself heading to the Virgin Islands, be sure to see the best of the British Virgin Islands with a private BVI boat tour.