Although the British Virgin Islands archipelago in the Caribbean suffered terribly following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, which caused a huge loss to the tourism industry, many hotels have since been reopened and extensively renovated, and the islands are starting to recover and regain their reputation as a beautiful sailing hotspot with calm and protected bays alongside steady trade winds.
Given the need to replant trees and replenish the islands, ‘voluntourists’ as well as the local communities are flocking to the islands to help on various charity projects; the Seeds of Love charity is helping to replant coconut trees on damaged beaches, and the Beyond the Reef project used wreckages to create additional dive sites which will fund community work and swimming lessons for children. Indeed, there are 22 NGOs currently working in the islands on various charity projects.
If you’re looking for a private island escape in an ecological preserve, Guana Island fits the bill and offers plenty of wildlife for nature lovers, as well as miles of hiking trails and beaches. Just 13 minutes by boat (or helicopter) from Tortola, these hotel rooms and villas enable guests to focus on the natural beauty outside.
Image Credit: Jean-Marc Astesana
The Baths are probably one of the most popular and magical attractions in the BVI; semi-submerged boulders on the Virgin Gorda coastline, with watery caves at the shoreline and plenty of fish and coral below the surface.
Image Credit: Matthew Petrillo
Beaches are, of course, a big draw to these Caribbean islands. Check out Anegada, a flat coral atoll which is almost entirely beach, or perhaps Smugglers Cove, Apple Bay, or Long Bay Beach on Tortola. On Jost Van Dyke beach, you’ll find some great beach bars.
Image Credit: ScubaBear68
Alternatively climb to the highest point on the islands, Sage Mountain, via the relatively easy hiking trails that meander through the BVI’s first national park. Fantastic views await at the top, after having passed through the mahogany grove and rainforest.
Image Credit: Jordan Fischer
In terms of celebrations in the BVI, residents celebrate the August Festival each year which marks the Emancipation Act of 1834, but there are regularly other events to keep tourists and locals alike entertained, from monthly Full Moon parties at Trellis Bay and Bomba’s Shack to the regattas, fishing tournaments and windsurfing competitions that happen on the warm Caribbean seas. You’ll be sure to find live music at every turn, including reggae beats, steel-drum music, and the BVI’s traditional scratch-band music, fungi.
Title Image Credit: kansasphoto (Image Cropped)