Best anchorages in the British Virgin Islands to visit during your luxury yacht charter

Sparkling Caribbean water, soft sand and an island vibe of peace, serenity, and relaxation, White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke, The Last Virgin Island, is renowned for its beauty and colorful local culture. 

This famous and calm anchorage in the British Virgin Islands offers two very distinct atmospheres. When making your way to the bay, you will be blown away by the superb white sandy beach highlighting the green coastline. The turquoise waters are an invitation to a relaxing swim or some marine exploration. What will you do first? Will you don the snorkeling gear the crew got ready for you to start your underwater adventure and witness the diversity and beauty of marine life populating the reefs? Or will you have a lazy morning on board, lingering over breakfast, admiring the breathtaking views?

After anchoring in the very shallow sandbanks or near one of the buoys, the tender can bring you ashore whenever you are ready to visit one of the many restaurants to listen to the pirate tales of fellow boaters. If you make your way to the east side of the anchorage, you will instantly be surrounded by the more wild and peaceful atmosphere and that distinct island feeling. Walk around, pick up a souvenir or two and have one of the outstanding cocktails the waterfront cafes serve up before you are picked up by the crew to go back to your yacht, patiently waiting for you in these protected waters. 

The Bight is one of the most popular anchorages in the British Virgin Islands. Once known as Man Of War Bay, it is easy to imagine why Spain, France, The Netherlands, Portugal and Britain went for as much Caribbean territory as possible. All of them dropped anchor right here in The Bight between the early 1500’s and well into the mid to late 1600’s as they traversed the islands. 

The former name likely refers to the large man-of-war ships built between the 16th to early 19th century that had at least three masts, three or four sails and anywhere up to 124 cannons. No wonder that Norman Island is known for inspiring the novel Treasure Island. That alone should be enough to give you an idea of the kind of atmosphere you can expect to experience.

The very sheltered bay is located on the north shore of the island and provides an idyllic and protected setting for a night or two. The green and lush landscape of the island is bordered by a pristine sand beach. Furthermore, a magical landscape bathing in the clearest blue waters invites you to both a relaxing nap on board or an adventurous snorkeling escapade. You might be tempted by the peaceful sight of the restaurant on the beach, its blue roof and white walls and pillars blend in perfectly with the scenery. Try out their delicious food, or go for a cocktail, the crew will be more than happy to drop you off in style!

Located in a sheltered bay on the eastern tip of Peter Island this attractive location is near a long white sand beach belonging to the upscale Peter Island Yacht Club. The quite scary title comes from pirates who were marooned on neighboring Dead Chest Island and drowned swimming to Peter Island. They would wash up on the magnificent beach giving a dark twist to this sublime scenery. Fortunately, today the only thing that washes up on this beach are shells! Deadman’s Bay offers good protection and is also one of the rare anchorages in the British Virgin Islands without buoys and superb holding in five to seven meters of sand. Its croissant-shaped beach lined with palm trees and bordered by Caribbean Blue waters looks like a scene from your wildest dreams and you will quickly understand why this beach has the reputation as the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean Sea.

Are your ready to explore life ashore? For the more adventurous explorers, a bike trail is accessible to visit the rest of Peter Island. Hikers and bikers will enjoy the peaceful trail to get to know the tropical flora and fauna indigenous to Peter Island. Finally, the bay is an amazing snorkeling spot where you can enjoy the company of sea turtles in a thriving marine environment. They come here in ridiculously high numbers and are not shy of human company in their natural habitat. 

Trellis Bay is one of the most famous anchorages in Beef Island. You will feel right at home at this meeting point for mariners. Protected from winds by, the bay forms a natural shelter and guarantees hours of fun in the water. In addition, the sand bottom is of good holding and will allow your captain to anchor peacefully to enjoy the spirit of this animated coastline. At the beach and in the local restaurants and bars, everyone is exchanging stories about their respective experiences and journeys in a lively atmosphere, so join the club and pick up some great advice about what to do at your next destination!