Best Anchorages in the British Virgin Islands
50+ islands, line-of-sight navigation, and the Caribbean's most sophisticated mooring infrastructure — from the world-class Bitter End in North Sound to The Caves at Norman Island, Foxy's at Jost Van Dyke, and the extraordinary challenge of Anegada's 18-mile Horseshoe Reef. December to April only.
50+
Islands & cays
$30–55
NPS mooring/night
Dec–Apr
Trade wind season
NE 15–20kt
Trade winds year-round
BVI — Critical Rules for Every Skipper
No anchoring on coral reefs. Mooring balls are mandatory in all National Parks Trust areas. NPS mooring tags are purchased at marinas (Nanny Cay, Village Cay, Soper's Hole). NPS balls cost $30–55/night. Violating coral anchoring rules carries significant fines and BVI is moving toward full no-anchoring jurisdiction. Approaching Anegada requires current electronic charts (coral heads shift; use 2026 GPS waypoints from Doyle's Cruising Guide). The 18nm Horseshoe Reef is a protected fisheries zone — no fishing, no anchoring on reef, and approach via buoyed channel only. Customs clearance is mandatory on arrival from any non-BVI port — Road Harbour (Road Town), Soper's Hole (West End), or Great Harbour (Jost Van Dyke). Q flag mandatory until cleared. Entry fee $7.30/person + $10 environmental levy. Exit fee $20/person.
Sailing Regions
Tortola & West BVI
8 anchoragesThe western circuit of the BVI — from Road Harbour (the main port of entry) westward through Nanny Cay, Soper's Hole, and north Tortola's sand anchorages (Cane Garden Bay, Brewer's Bay) to Jost Van Dyke's iconic trio: Great Harbour (Foxy's Tamarind Bar), White Bay (Soggy Dollar Bar, the Painkiller cocktail), and Little Harbour. This is the social heart of Caribbean sailing — line-of-sight navigation, consistent NE trade winds 15–20kt, and more beach bars per square mile than anywhere else in the ocean. Road Town has the BVI's best provisioning (RiteWay, One Mart, Bobby's); Soper's Hole at West End is the western customs port of entry. All of Jost Van Dyke is a National Parks Trust marine park — mooring balls preferred, no anchoring on coral.
Clear customs on arrival at Road Harbour, Soper's Hole, or Great Harbour JVD. No anchoring on coral or seagrass — mooring balls mandatory in NPS areas. NPS mooring tags purchased at marinas. $30–55/night for NPS balls.
Explore Tortola & West BVI anchorages →Virgin Gorda & East BVI (incl. Anegada)
7 anchoragesThe eastern BVI combines three completely different environments: Virgin Gorda's southwest coast with the UNESCO-celebrated Baths (giant granite boulders, moorings mandatory — no anchoring), North Sound (Gorda Sound) — one of the finest sheltered anchorages in the Caribbean with the rebuilt Bitter End Yacht Club (70 moorings, flat water even in strong trades), and the extraordinary challenge of Anegada. The flat coral atoll of Anegada — invisible from sea until close approach — is surrounded by the 18nm Horseshoe Reef (largest in the Caribbean, responsible for 300+ shipwrecks). Approach via buoyed channel only; many charter companies prohibit bareboat clients. The rewards: 11 miles of pink sand beaches, the finest lobster in the BVI at Cow Wreck Beach Bar, and a stillness impossible to find elsewhere.
The Baths: anchoring prohibited — moorings only; Anegada: buoyed channel approach ONLY — current 2026 GPS waypoints mandatory, many charter companies prohibit bareboat; North Sound: enter via Colquhoun Reef passage only. No anchoring on coral throughout.
Explore Virgin Gorda & East BVI (incl. Anegada) anchorages →Norman Island & The Caves
Coming soonNorman Island is widely considered the quintessential BVI anchorage — The Bight holds 100+ mooring buoys (one of the largest mooring fields in the Caribbean) providing a social, well-sheltered overnight stop. The island is uninhabited and reputedly the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. The Caves on the western shoreline offer three spectacular sea caves accessible by dinghy or kayak — schools of silversides shimmer in shafts of light; snorkelling only, no diving. The Indians, a group of four pinnacle rocks to the northwest, rise from 80 feet to above the surface and are draped in corals — one of the best snorkel sites in the BVI.
The Bight: BoatyBall moorings $55 reservable / $30–40 FCFS — book in advance for Dec–Mar; The Caves: approach by dinghy only; The Indians: day-use mooring buoys only — no overnight; National Parks permit required for park moorings.
Jost Van Dyke
Coming soonJost Van Dyke is the social hub of the BVI sailing circuit — a small island (population approximately 300) famous beyond its size for Great Harbour's beach bar scene, anchored around Foxy's Tamarind Bar. Great Harbour has good holding in sand and is the main anchorage for overnight stays. White Bay, on the south side of the island, is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean — mooring buoys available, calm water, renowned for the Soggy Dollar Bar (credited with inventing the Painkiller cocktail).
Great Harbour: customs officer resident on island; White Bay: moorings available — approach from west in swell; Sandy Cay day-use buoys only, no overnight; NPS marine park rules throughout.
BVI Sailing Rules — Summary
- !Entry fees: $7.30/person entry fee + $10/person environmental levy on arrival. $20/person exit fee on departure. Q flag mandatory until cleared at Road Town, Soper's Hole, or Great Harbour JVD. Charter vessels require a Cruising Permit.
- !NPS mooring system: National Parks Trust mooring balls $30–55/night. Purchase NPS mooring tags at marinas before entering marine park areas. NPS Annual Mooring Permit $150/year for foreign vessels. Never anchor in designated mooring zones. BoatyBall app manages reservable premium moorings.
- !No anchoring on coral or seagrass: Strictly prohibited throughout BVI waters. Anchor only in sand where mooring buoys are unavailable. Horseshoe Reef (Anegada) is a protected fisheries zone — NO anchoring AND no fishing on or near the reef.
- !Anegada approach: Via buoyed channel ONLY. Inner green buoy left to port when entering from south. Current GPS waypoints mandatory (use 2026 Doyle's Cruising Guide). Depth 8–11ft (2.4–3.4m) at Setting Point. Many charter companies prohibit bareboat charters. Horseshoe Reef: 18nm barrier reef, 300+ shipwrecks — treat with absolute respect.
- !Hurricane season: June–November is hurricane season. August–October is near-total charter blackout by insurance restriction. BVI was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma (Category 5, September 2017). Book December–April; February–March is peak season.
For a full overview of Caribbean anchoring rules, see our overnight anchoring rules by region guide.