British Virgin Islands Boat Tours – Great Snorkeling Spots for Your British Virgin Islands Boat Trip
Cruise ship passengers visiting the Virgin Islands often miss out on the most beautiful place in the world, simply because they decide to stay in the city and shop. The British Virgin Islands offer the most amazing warm, crystal clear waters in the world, teeming with beautiful reefs and tropical fish, the best beach bars and restaurants, and stretches of deserted sugar sand beaches for miles. So what should you do with the precious few hours you have to spend in the British Virgin Islands? Get into the water! If you like to snorkel even a little bit, it has to be on your to-do list.
Really, the only way to get to the best diving spots in the British Virgin Islands is by renting a boat. There are 2 different types of boat rentals. There are the large boats that carry a lot of people, which charge for their trips “per person”, and there are the private charter boats that will only take a small group like you, your friends or family, who charge for “the boat”. . Obviously large boats can be cheaper if there are only 1 or 2 of you, but a family or group of 6 or more friends will find that they can get a private charter for about the same price. The benefit of private charter is that you choose where you want to go and how long you stay at each location. Larger ships tend to have a fixed itinerary, plus it can be a bit like riding a school bus with everyone else.
Most British Virgin Islands boat tour companies include snorkeling gear in their boat rental package, so you only need a bathing suit. Get on board and start at Norman Island Caves. Norman Island is famous for tales of buried treasure and is the inspiration for the book “Treasure Island”. Right next to Treasure Point are a series of caves, each one more interesting than the last. You’ll make friends fast – Yellowtail, Bluethorn schools and Sergeants Major love to greet cave lovers, and many times, they will travel with you from cave to cave, as underwater tour guides. If you bring a flashlight, light it on the walls to see a red-orange rainbow of corals and sponges – amazing!
The next stop is around the corner from Norman Island. It is a set of high jagged rocks known as “Los indios”. This area can be crowded with cruise ships and large vessels, but the private captain of your BVI boat tour should know how to time your visit so that you have the area to yourself. The reef that surrounds the Indians is about 40 feet deep and there is a narrow channel for swimming between the third and fourth rocks. Colorful fish surround the rocks and magnificent sea fans and corals fill the water. You could literally spend hours snorkeling in this area, but it’s time for your next stop, The Bight, on the east side of the harbor south of the beach. The bowl-shaped shape of the bay blocks the roughest waters, making it an ideal area for beginners as it is generally very calm.
Cross the canal to Tortola and snorkel right off Frenchman’s Cay. The crystal clear waters are a protected area for fishing, so the area is home to all kinds of underwater life, including rays, sea turtles, and an abundance of fish.
Of course, no trip to the British Virgin Islands is complete without a trip to the soggy dollar for a pain reliever, before heading back. Along the way, Waterlemon Cay in St. John of the British Virgin Islands is also a great place for snorkeling.
If you find yourself going to the Virgin Islands, be sure to see the best of the British Virgin Islands with a private boat tour of the BVI.