The Other Islands In The BVI

Passage between Tortola,
Guana and Great Camanoe Islands.

The primarily inhabited islands besides Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke are Beef Island, Great Camanoes, Little Camanoe, Peter Island, Norman Island, Saba Rock, Necker Island, Little Thatch, Cooper Island & Salt Island.

There are also many discovered islands, cays, beaches and bays just waiting to be explored. Dead Man's Chest, Carrot Rock, Pelican Island, The Indians, The Dog Islands, Moskito Island, Prickly Pear, Eustatia, Great Thatch, Great Tobago, Little Jost Van Dyke, Sandy Cay and Green Cay.

BEEF ISLAND Beef Island Airport Beef Island is located at the most eastern end of Tortola, connected by a short bridge to Tortola. Most of the visitors that come to the British Virgin Islands arrive by air transport, and Beef Island is home to the Terrance B. Lettsome International airport. On Beef Island are several beaches, Long Bay, and Trellis Bay. Trellis Bay is a perfect place to meet your Crewed Yacht Charter, if that is your vacation choice. Located in Trellis Bay are many shops to browse, a small hotel, internet cafes, a water sport shop, and a small market. If you are on island during a full moon period, there is a fabulous "full moon" party that is well worth attending! Also located in the middle of Trellis Bay is a very small island where you will find The Last Resort, a popular nighttime dining spot, with the "singing chef" to entertain you after dinner! Trellis Bay is also a ferry connection point for Virgin Gorda, which includes, transport to Spanish Town, Leverick Bay, Briars Creek, Bitter End Resort, Little Dix Bay, and Guana Island. Also, there is ferry service to nearby Marina Cay island. If Tortola is your final vacation destination, a five-minute taxi ride from the airport takes you over the bridge, and you are on Tortola, and the length of the taxi ride can range from fifteen to forty-five minutes, depending on where your accommodations are located.

COOPER ISLAND Manchioneel Bay, Cooper Island Cooper Island, among other things, is noted for a abundance of Manchioneel Trees, which are poisonous! Don’t let that discourage you from visiting this charming island - home to the Cooper Island Beach Club, which serves up excellent meals and their own list of specialty drinks. The Club has a gift shop and offers dive excursions to the many sights close by. Manchioneel Bay is the main anchorage on Cooper Island, but anchoring can be tricky because of the grassy sea bed. Many moorings are available in front of the Cooper Island Beach Club. Great snorkeling can be found at Cistern Point just to the south of Manchioneel Bay. Two daytime anchorages, when the sea conditions are light, are Carver Bay and Haulover Bay.

DEAD CHEST  Dead Chest, BVI Located on the north side of Peter Island is the history rich island of Dead Chest. Uninhabited with no fresh water or trees and sparse vegetation. The island is now an uninhabited National Park, with several popular Scuba diving and snorkeling sites. It has been noted that Blackbeard the pirate had marooned several of his mutinous crew with only a keg of rum to live off on the desolate island.  The island itself is said to resemble a Dead man's Chest (floating coffin). Which is why it has been suggested that the island's name is related to the sea shanty "Dead man's Chest" - makes sense when you think of the first verse, "Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum." Aargh!

GREEN CAY  Green Cay, BVI Green Cay is a small-uninhabited island lying just off Little Jost Van Dyke, barely connected to nearby Sandy Spit by a shallow reef. The waters around Green Cay on the west side offer a daytime anchorage for visiting yachts in the area, where snorkeling is very good.

GREAT CAMANOE AND LITTLE CAMANOE ISLAND  Great Camanoe Island Located off Beef Island, Great Camanoe is approximately 2 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide and is sparsely inhabited with private residences. Great Camanoe is also designated as a National Park at Cam Bay, which offers excellent snorkeling in its reef protected bay. Visitors to the island usually anchor at Lee Bay or Cam Bay. Access to the island is by boat only. Great Camanoe was named after Pieter Adriensen, second in command of the Territory during the 1630's. Interestingly enough his brother, Abraham Adriensen, was appointing Patron of the British Virgin Islands by the Dutch West India Company during that time. Pieter's nickname was "the Commander", from which Camanoe is derived. Little Camanoe is located at the southwest end of Great Camanoe Island, with only about an eighth of a mile separating them. Little Camanoe is not inhabited.

LITTLE THATCH Little Thatch, British Virgin Islands A relatively small island, Little Thatch is privately owned and located just off Sopers Hole, Tortola. The island has two Villa complexes located on it. The main Villa is perched about at the islands highest point and has demanding views of surrounding islands. The only beach on Little Thatch is where the second Villa is located. Great for a honeymoon or romantic getaway!

NECKER ISLAND Located to the east of Virgin Gorda is the privately owned Necker Island. The island has villas set in a resort layout on seventy four acres. The 360-degree views from the island's highest point are stunning. Exclusive and private.

NORMAN ISLAND The Caves, Norman Island Located south of Tortola, approximately five miles from Road Harbour, is the ever-popular Norman Island. The island has much history dating back to when the pirates would hole up in the "Bight," which is one of the largest anchorages found in the British Virgin Islands. The island is known for its legends of pirates and treasure caves - the most famous legend of all being the role of the island as the model for the epic "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. The island is now uninhabited, but in the past, farmers reared cattle there. Today, Norman Island is a water sports haven for diving, snorkeling, wakeboarding, windsurfing, water skiing, and a perfect clam anchorage for overnight on your yacht. The world famous "Willy T" is anchored in the Bight, and is a fun place to visit. The only building ashore is the "Pirates" bar and restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner. The Caves are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the British Virgin Islands. Comprising one of the southern islands of the BVI archipelago, Norman Island lies close to the international boundary line separating the British Virgin Islands from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Norman Island is an area of 610 acres and approximately 2½ miles long with a central ridge extending along the length of the island creating gently rolling hills. Norman Hill is the highest point on the island at 427 feet above sea level. The coastline offers a number of bays and offshore reefs providing excellent snorkeling and diving. The Bight is one of the most protected and well-known anchorages in the region although Soldier Bay, Benures Bay and Money Bay provide secluded anchorages given the right conditions. Treasure Point is located at the southern entrance to The Bight and comprises a rocky headland along which the famous Caves can be found. Also, at the eastern entrance to the Bight, is a small cove that also offers good snorkeling. Mooring buoys are abundant throughout the Bight and anchoring is also allowed.

PELICAN ISLAND Pelican Island with the favourite snorkeling and dive spot, "The Indians" in the foreground. Adjacent to the Indians, is the uninhabited Pelican Island, which like all of the other islands has only a short shrub like plant that covers it, with very few small trees. Rainbow Canyons,a great dive site for beginners, is located on the lee tip of Pelican Island. The lee tip is also known as an excellent day anchorage with a fine beach.

PETER ISLAND Deadmen's Bay, Peter Island Located directly across the Sir Francis Drake Channel from Road Town, Peter Island is the home of the luxurious Peter Island Resort, a privately owned island resort. Visitors are welcome to explore everything that the Resort has to offer, from boutiques to fine dining. To the east of the resort is Deadmans Bay, where anchoring in the daytime you will find excellent snorkeling and a swimming beach that is one of the best on Peter Island. On the south shore of Peter Island are two large bays, White Bay and Key Bay, both being excellent watersports areas and also recommended as overnight anchorages. Remember that Peter Island is accessible by water only. The island is private and largely undeveloped. Scenic walks to private beaches, dramatic views to outlying islands, as well as activities and seclusion are what this island is all about. The small island just to the east of Peter Island is Dead Chest, and legend has it that Blackbeard the pirate stranded some of his mutinous crew on the island with only a barrel of rum for them to drink!

SABA ROCK Saba Rock is a very small island that is wedged between Prickly Pear Island and the Bitter End Yacht Club in the Gorda Sound. The island overlooks Eustasia Island to the east. Saba Rock Resort, a small private island resort, resides here with a restaurant, bar, gift shop and rooms. Sailing, windsurfing, paddling, snorkeling, diving, and fishing are all available.

SALT ISLAND This island is fun to investigate. Salt Island was once an important source of salt for the ships of her Majesty the Queen of England which visited the islands. The salt on the island was harvested from three evaporation ponds. Salt Island is home to the famous dive site, the Wreck of the RMS Rhone. The RMS Rhone was a British Royal Mail steamship which foundered during a hurricane in the BVI in 1867. The British Virgin Islands and the Rhone were made famous in 1977 as the location for the movie, "The Deep." This is an interesting wreck, which takes two dives to investigate it all. Much of the Rhone can still be clearly identified.

THE INDIANS The Indians, BVI The Indians is a popular stopping off place for divers and snorkelers, located just to the north of Norman Island. Given it's name for the arrowhead shaped rocks that protrude up from the sea floor.