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Nautilus Yachting > Yacht Charter > Caribbean Yacht Charter > British Virgin Islands (bvi)

British Virgin Islands (BVI) Yacht Charter & Sailing Holidays

Set sail on a Caribbean adventure in the British Virgin Islands. Soak in the stunning surroundings and let your worries float away on the gentle breeze.

The BVIs are one of the top sailing destinations in the world. The warm, steady trade winds and line of sight sailing are ideal conditions for novice and more experienced sailors alike.

Why choose the BVI?

Why choose a sailing holiday in the British Virgin Islands
  • Ideal Sailing Conditions: The British Virgin Islands are known for their consistent trade winds ranging from 10 to 20 knots and calm, crystal blue waters.

  • Variety of Islands: With over 60 islands and cays, the BVI offers something for everyone. From bustling harbours to sheltered anchorages, perfect for snorkelling.

  • Easy Navigation: The BVI is perfect for line-of-sight sailing, with short distances between islands and well-marked mooring fields.

  • Stunning Scenery & Beautiful Marine Life: The British Virgin Islands boast some of the most spectacular views in the world and have a diverse array of marine life just waiting to be discovered.

  • Year-Round Sailing: Thanks to its tropical climate, the BVI offers excellent sailing conditions throughout the year, with average temperatures of 26 - 28 °C (79 - 82 °F).


Yacht Charters from:

£2321.00

7 nights / 2 cabins


Experience Level: Level 1

Light winds and line of sight sailing Find out more...

Things to see and do on your BVI Yacht Charter

Sailing Itineraries

7 day BVI Sailing Itinerary

7 day BVI Sailing Itinerary

BVI Island Hopping Escape

Set sail on a 7-day yachting adventure exploring the stunning British Virgin Islands. Your days will be filled with white sand beaches, world-class snorkeling, and watching the sunset with a cocktail in hand.

Highlights of this route:

  • The legendary Caves of Norman Island
  • The shipwreck of the RMS Rhone
  • The granite boulders of The Baths, Virgin Gorda
  • The lively shores of Jost van Dyke (Soggy Dollar Bar & Foxy's)
  • The famous restaurant and cabaret "The Last Resort"

Useful Information

How to get there

Airports

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have direct flights from Gatwick to Antigua. Inter-Caribbean operates connecting direct flights from Antigua to Tortola (Beef Island).

Transfers

Scrub Island is a 10-minute ferry ride away from Tortola's Trellis Bay Dock via the resort's private launch. Ferries run from 06:45-22:30 Trellis Bay to Scrub Island and from 06:30-22:15 Scrub Island to Trellis Bay. Trellis Bay is just a 5-minute walk from the airport.

Marinas

There are very few marinas in the BVIs, so most nights you are on anchor in a bay with a classic Caribbean white sand and palm tree beach. In many places, there are laid buoys that cost US$30 per night, but provide a safe mooring within minutes of sailing into the bay.

Sailing Conditions

Constant warm tradewinds at 10-20 knots provide excellent sailing. BVI is popular all year round with temperatures staying a balmy 30 °C. However, the best time to visit is from November to June. In summer, winds tend to be lighter with greater humidity, but there’s still plenty of sunshine. There is a risk of tropical storms mainly during August and September.

FAQs

The British Virgin Islands are a fantastic place to experience a sail and stay holiday. With daily flights, you can really make the most of your time in the Caribbean and combine a yacht charter with a hotel stay in the BVI or even Antigua.

The best time to experience everything the BVI has to offer is November through to May, with temperatures between 28°C and 30°C and constant warm tradewinds at 10-20 knots providing excellent sailing. Hotels, restaurants and bars that are closed throughout the hurricane season (June to October) reopen at the end of October/beginning of November so if visiting between November and May you can be sure that you will be able to visit the top spots in the British Virgin Islands whilst on your yacht charter.

Peak Season

The peak season is December through to April with warm weather and steady winds. It is a lively atmosphere, especially during the festive period with lots of parties and celebrations.

High Season

The high season is from February to March, with warm, dry weather and reliable trade winds the sailing conditions are perfect.

Slow Season

The season begins to slow in May - June though the waters are still warm but the winds much milder

Fall (September - November)

This is the tail end of hurricane season, it is fairly quiet during this time but the weather is wetter and there is still a chance a hurricane could affect your charter.

The most cost-effective time

The most cost-effective time to visit is between March and May as they precede the hurricane season. Good travel insurance covering adverse weather conditions such as hurricanes is advised. 

The British Virgin Islands see warm temperatures year-round averaging 28-31ºC throughout the year. 

The hottest months

The hottest months are August and September when the waters are at their warmest.

Hurricanes

It should be noted it is hurricane season between June and October.

The wettest months

The wettest and most humid months are September and October.

Virgin Gorda because you have the iconic Baths, North Sound and some fantastic beaches.

The official currency of the British Virgin Islands is the US Dollar (USD).

As a British Overseas Territory, British Pounds (GBP) were used in the British Virgin Islands once upon a time but the switch was made to US Dollars in 1959.

ATMs are available in the major towns and tourist centres and most larger establishments accept credit or debit cards. Some establishments may not accept American Express. It is recommended to keep cash on you to use at smaller establishments and shops and for taxi rides and tips etc. 

A mooring buoy is currently about US $50 per night, to dock in a harbour or at a hotel pontoon prices range from US $100-300 per night depending on the size of your yacht and the destination.

Although useful to have one, a sailing license, certificate or qualification is not required for a BVI yacht charter, however, our partners will need to see a complete sailing resume.

The sailing resume for a BVI Yacht Charter must demonstrate experience as a skipper of a similar type and size (within five feet) of the yacht as the one you are looking to charter. The experience should also be recent and the company will look for experience within the last five years. 

The cost of your yacht charter depends on several factors:

Boat Type

The type and size of the yacht you book will dictate the price. 1 week for a bareboat BVI yacht charter on a 2-cabin monohull starts around £300/$370 per day in low season whereas 1 week on a luxury crewed catamaran in high season could be upwards of £5500/$7350 per day. These are the 2 extremes of the scale for a 1 week charter and we offer plenty of choices in between.

Charter duration

1 week is a popular choice for the length of sailing vacation amongst our American sailors and makes the perfect getaway. However, a longer charter of around 10-14 days, which is more popular with our British and European clients and will give you more time to explore all the BVI has to offer and presents you the chance to be slightly more adventurous in your itinerary. We have a range of offers that can be tailored to your timescale.

Time of Year

Lower-priced yacht charters are available in the low season of July to October and mid-season May to June, November to January (excluding Christmas and New Year) with prices peaking in the high season from February to April and Christmas and New Year.

Crew

Don't have any sailing experience? No problem! We offer several skippered and crewed options so you can enjoy the yachting lifestyle without the stress. From a simple skippered yacht to fully crewed options, we can arrange a charter to suit your needs.

British Virgin Islands Sailing Journal by Hannah, Nautilus Yachting

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