US Virgin Islands

Take your pick of some of the finest beaches in the USVIs and quiet overnight anchorages while sailing the Virgin Islands.

Head to this immense mile-long, white sand beach, one of the island’s most popular. Make sure you get there early, it’s one of our favourite things to do in the US Virgin Islands.

Find peace and quiet at Zozo’s H2O, enjoy great food and watch the awesome sunset. More mooring balls are being added here.

Enjoy the warm waters or, if you feel energetic, hike to the Annaberg ruins, a sugar plantation, during your St. Thomas sailing holiday.

On Great St. James, at Christmas Cove, which is only accessible by boat, you will find floating restaurant Pizza Pi. Don’t miss it while on your Virgin Islands yacht charter and keep an eye out for turtles and spotted eagle rays.

The language spoken in the US Virgin Islands is English.

The currency in the US Virgin Islands is the US Dollar (USD).

UK citizens need a valid British passport to enter the US and British Virgin Islands which must be valid for another six months from date of entry. Visas may be required for citizens from other countries of origin – check with the tourist board.

Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel.

The customs clearance process is easy to travel to the BVIs from the USVIs, although keep in mind that the high season will be busier. During your briefing, the base team will give you all the paperwork needed to clear in and out of customs. You must clear BVI Customs immediately upon entrance, but in the USVI you have 24- hours to clear in. 

You can clear BVI customs in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke, or West End in Soper’s Hole on Tortola. Tell the customs officer that you are clearing in and out. 

Download the CBP ROAM app on your smartphone for clearing back into the USVI.  A free login.gov account is required to use the CBP ROAM app. After opening the CBP ROAM app, tap “Sign In”.  Guests with foreign passports are usually required to clear customs in person at the Customs and Immigration Office in Cruz Bay,  St. John.

In the BVIs you will need to pay for:

• A Cruising Permit – $16 per person/per day
• BVI Environmental Fees – $10 per person
• BVI Departure Tax – $20 per person
• National Marine Park Permit – The cost of a permit depends on the number of guests in your party and will vary from $50 per week for 4 guests up to $110 per week for 10 guests
• Port Fee – $1 per foot for the length of your charter vessel
• Occasionally, the customs agent will include a Vessel License Fee which is an additional $35.

A National Marine Park Permit allows you to pick up day mooring balls in any of the BVI’s fabulous marine parks, including the famous Baths, the Caves, the Indians, Monkey Point and the Dogs.  Anchoring is prohibited at all times in these areas in order to protect the territory’s vulnerable reefs. Mooring buoys from the National Park are for daily use only.

Fishing permits are required to fish in the BVI, visit the government website for details.

You can get around the US Virgin Islands easily with advance planning. The cab fare is $15 per person from the airport to Compass Point Marina and some cab companies charge a fee for your luggage.

We advise arranging your transfer a few days before arrival. This will prevent you sharing an open-air cab or large van with other travellers where the marina is the last stop.

We recommend the following taxi companies:

• Rachel Brown Taxi & Tours: (340)-771-2986
• A&P Taxi Service: (340)-642-4966
• Big Love’s Taxi: (340) 201-7299
• Mr. Nice Guy Taxi: (786) 296-8767
• Prestige Taxi: (340) 643-7002

You might want to consider renting a car instead of hiring a taxi if you want to provision your boat – remember to drive on the left. You can leave the car at the marina and the car rental company will pick it up.

These are the car rental companies we recommend:

• Paradise Rental Car™: 340-643-2692
• Discount Car Rental: 340-776-4858

There isn’t Wi-Fi access at Compass Point Marina and while some yachts have Wi-Fi onboard, it will not work until within range of a cell tower in the BVIs. Add an international package to your mobile phone account with your provider so you can hotspot. There is internet access in some cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots, but you may need to pay.

The USVIs banned the import, sale and distribution of all sunscreens containing “Toxic Os” (oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene), as they cause harmful bleaching to coral reefs. From 1 January 2020, anyone found using a non-approved sunscreen will be fined $1,000.

One of the most popular sunscreen brands in St .Thomas is Bare Republic, which you can buy from the marina office. Other reef safe brands include: All Good, Babo, Badger, Raw Elements, Manda, Kokua Sun Care, Mama Kuleana, Raw Love, Think Sport, Sea & Summit and Stream2Sea.

Please note, spray sunscreens are strictly forbidden onboard due to discoloration to the boat over time. Avoid Coppertone products of those with self-tanners or bronzers in as they will damage the boat.

In the USVIs and BVIs, night sailing is not allowed. We ask you to be settled at a mooring by 5pm. If you are sailing the St. John National Park, please visit the park’s website for information and regulations on mooring, anchoring and fishing. For overnight anchoring or mooring between the hours of 5pm and 7am, there is a self-registration fee. Overnight fees must be paid prior to spending the night at one of the many payment station rafts.

You can find US Virgin Islands weather forecasts on Windguru website ahead of your sailing holiday.

There is plenty of choice for reliable and affordable provisioning on St. Thomas, but you must be onboard to accept delivery. Please do not arrange delivery before your arrival at Compass Point Marina. For more information, please see the Base Guide in the Downloads section.

Please only take soft bags and not suitcases as they are too cumbersome onboard.

The electrical current in the US Virgin Islands is 110V.

The dialing code for the US Virgin Islands is +1 340.

Day 1: Provision and overnight at Compass Point Marina, taking a drink at the nearby Dive Bar or head into Red Hook 

Day 2: Sail along the northern shores of St. John, stopping at quiet cays for lunch and a snorkel. Overnight in Francis Bay or Leinster Bay, where you can hike to the restored Annaberg Sugar Mill.

Day 3: Head to customs at the West End of Tortola to clear into the BVIs. Sail to Norman Island to overnight in The Bight. On the way, grab a mooring ball and snorkel at The Indians and take the dinghy over to the Cave. Try beach bar and restaurant, Pirate’s Bight, if you want to dine out, or order a Painkiller cocktail at the Willy T floating bar (we advise a lunchtime visit if travelling with children).

Day 4: Make your way to Cooper Island via Salt Island where you can snorkel the wreck of RMS Rhone. Be ready to see plenty of tropical fish – a charter highlight. Overnight in Manchioneel Bay. You can snorkel at Cistern Point, relax at Cooper Island Beach Club and even make an advance reservation for dinner. You must not use your anchor at Cooper Island, due to the turtle grass. 

Day 5: Make sure you get away early for The Baths, Virgin Gorda. Grab a National Parks mooring so you can dinghy and swim in. After exploring the rock formations, lunch at the Top of the Baths and see the magnificent view. Sail on to North Sound using the well-marked north entrance and not the shortcut next to Mosquito Island.

Day 6: Visit Jost Van Dyke and spend the night in Great Harbour. Dinghy to White Bay and visit the famous Soggy Dollar Bar and dine at Foxy’s or Corsairs.

Day 7: Sail back to Honeymoon Beach, St. John, and dinghy to Cruz Bay. Discover the national park and there are many dining choices. You could even try the floating pizza restaurant on Great St. James – delivery and pick up options available.

Day 8: Sail back to Compass Point Marina for disembarkation.

Note: If you want to sail to Anegada, we recommend you extend your stay to 10-days so you can spend a couple of nights there.

Day 1: Provision and overnight at Compass Point Marina, taking a drink at the nearby Dive Bar or head into Red Hook 

Day 2: Sail around the island to the wonderful beach at Magen’s Bay and explore the area.

Day 3: Head over to St. John along the north shore and stop for a snorkel at Hawksnest before heading to Francis Bay for overnight. If you want to try the local atmosphere, try lunch at Maho Crossroads – a pop up village with food and bar.

Day 4: Discover Waterlemon Cay and Leinster Bay, taking time to enjoy the clear waters. For lunch, head over to Hansen Bay to taste the tacos from floating restaurant Lime Out (open Tuesday – Sunday, 11:30am-5pm).  For the evening, make your way to Salt Pond or Lameshur.

Day 5: Prepare for a passage to Water Island, where you can dine at Heidi’s Honeymoon Grill or Dinghy’s Beach Bar & Grill.  You can overnight in Lindberg Bay and dine at beachfront Emerald Bay Resort.

Day 6: Sail back to Honeymoon Beach, St. John, and dinghy to Cruz Bay. Discover the national park and there are many dining choices. You could even try the floating pizza restaurant on Great St. James – delivery and pick up options available.

Day 7: Visit Christmas Cove on Great St. James and try the floating pizza restaurant Pizza Pi – delivery and pick up options available.

Day 8: Sail back to Compass Point Marina for disembarkation.