A Local's Guide to St. Thomas: Experiencing the British Virgin Islands

If you’re visting St. Thomas for an extended period or looking to add adventure to each day on island, full day excursions will keep your itinerary action-packed. Visiting one or more of the British Virgin Islands will fill your Virgin Islands vacation and provide a truly unique experience. As long as you’re travelling passport-ready, visiting the BVI is easy, fun, and will show you a different side of the Virgin Islands. Let me be your guide to visiting our neighboring friends and experience the culture in the British Virgin Islands.

How to Get to the British Virgin Islands:

Jost Van Dyke- Ferry service is available to Jost Van Dyke from Red Hook in St. Thomas or Cruz Bay in twice a day, every day except Thursdays at $60 each way or $80 round-trip. For a day trip, the 8am Red Hook Ferry St. John or 8:30am Cruz Bay Ferry is the one to take with afternoon return service. Have a full day on the water with stops at Jost Van Dyke on a Jost Van Dyke Day Sail or Private Jost Van Dyke Sail with convenient departures from St. Thomas. Take a ferry to venture on your own or board a sailboat for snorkeling stops and a visit to White Bay.

Tortola- Ferry service to West End and Road Town in Tortola is available from Red Hook and Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas and Cruz Bay in St. John. The Tortola ferry runs multiple times every day from each location and fares range from $35-$40 each way or $55-$60 round-trip depending on the departure location. Located in Road Town, Tortola has an airport with incoming flights available from St. Thomas or other airports.

Virgin Gorda- From Red Hook in St. Thomas and Cruz Bay in St. John, ferry service to Virgin Gorda runs on Thursdays and Sundays at 8am and 8:30am with fares at $70 one way or $90 round-trip. Service runs from Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays with varying departure times and fares at $40 one way or $70 round-trip. Virgin Gorda also has an airport with available flights from St. Thomas or other airports.

Anegada- On the first Sunday of the month, ferry service runs from Red Hook in St. Thomas and Cruz Bay in St. John to Anegada with round-trip fares at $135 for a day of exploring the furthest of the British Virgin Islands. Charter flights also run to Anegada and sometimes run specials in the off-season for groups.

Island Hopping- Board a private charter on a 32ft Powerboat for up to 8 people, a 35ft Powerboat for up to 12 people, or a 44ft Power Cat for up to 32 people, and customize your itinerary to make multiple stops on one of the British Virgin Islands or visit various islands in a day. St. Thomas Boat Rentals are the best excursions to sample the BVI.

Ferry service, quick flight, or powerboat charter, no matter how you get there, you’ll love exploring the British Virgin Islands. Keep in mind that all of the British Virgin Islands require a passport and customs fees to enter. Enhance your St. Thomas vacation with excursions to the BVI!

Be sure to check out our Boating & Sailing page to book the best St. Thomas excursions to the BVI! If you have any questions about visiting the British Virgin Islands or any inquiries about the islands, call or e-mail us for authentic local insight!

Welcome to the British Virgin Islands,

Amit

*Please note that we make our best effort to keep pricing up-to-date, but it is subject to change without our notice.

CaribbaConnect Mentioned Excursions:

Jost Van Dyke Day Sail