Boasting a sailing culture like no other, the Virgin Islands archipelago calls to travelers from all over the globe. Blue-green waves as clear as glass shimmer and dance, revealing a sprawling underwater ecosystem that weaves its way through caves, tunnels, shipwrecks, and reefs. Britain maintains governance over the eastern isles while the United States is responsible for the west.
This split presents the modern traveler with a dilemma: USVI or BVI? Read on to learn more about each, and discover which set of islands is right for you.
Olivia Christian at the Annaberg Sugar Plantation In period dress. She gives talks on the fascinating ruins and demonstrates old-world bread making. (Photograph by Candace Echols)
The U.S. Virgin Islands: Ecotourism at its best
Hurricane Irma pummeled the area in 2017, leaving the U.S. Virgin Islands without power for six months. In a response of self-preservation, much of the region has become intentionally eco-conscious, eager to support not only their own well-being, but also that of their environment.
Day 1
Upon arrival, escape to Lovango Resort & Beach Club, a private island and resort committed to sustainability. Aesthetically, Lovango is the perfect marriage of luxury living and Swiss Family Robinson life. While traditional rooms are available, treehouses and glamping tents with balconies overlooking the neighboring bird sanctuary are a must. Spend time at the “Gym in the Jungle,” and then cool off with a snorkel at Crescent Beach, where coral is plentiful. From there, spot Carval Rock, the mysteriously jagged formation jutting out of the sea. Ask about Lovango’s reverse osmosis and desalination process, which makes 40,000 gallons of useful water each day. When it’s time for dinner, enjoy the Lovango beach-side Caribbean feast.
U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John. Leinster Bay, Annaberg Sugar Mill Ruins. Photograph by Danita Delimont / (Alamy Stock Photo)
Day 2
Take the 10-minute ferry ride to St. John, where more than 60 percent of the island is a national park. Head to Cinnamon Bay, where rentable water sports equipment and sand wheelchairs make the island more accessible. Visit Annaberg Sugar Plantation, but check the schedule to be sure Ms. Olivia Christian is there. In period dress, she gives talks on the fascinating ruins and demonstrates old-world bread making. Stretch out on the beach at Trunk Bay, voted Best Beach in the World in 2024. Trunk Bay offers a very unique underwater snorkeling trail that is not to be missed. Afterward, head to Cruz Bay for a wharf-side dinner at La Tapa.
Day 3
Ferry to St. Thomas and then take a taxi to The Hideaway at Hull Bay. The Hideaway is equal parts beachfront estate and secret garden, with a working two-acre farm supplying everything needed to make The Shack a culinary delight. Cecil, the farmer from Dominica, maintains the edenic gardens with tricks like putting a nail in the bark of a tired tree to encourage it to fruit. Keep an eye out for the red-footed tortoises that stroll across the gravel pathways. Spend the day lounging and learning before finishing the afternoon on the beach. Catch dinner with live music or a movie night at The Shack.
The Caribbean’s crystal-clear turquoise sea is a big draw for snorkelers, swimmers, and travelers. (Photograph by Aerial-motion/Shutterstock)
The British Virgin Islands: Sailing at its finest
Beef Island (EIS) Airport is a small airport on the main island of Tortola. While flying directly into the BVI can be more expensive than flying into St. Thomas, the close proximity and ease of transit to your final destination is hard to beat. Water sports abound in the BVI, but nothing defines the identity of the place quite like sailing.
Day 1
Ferry to Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, a private island and resort, and also a fabulous jumping off point for many B.V.I adventures. For the sailor, Offshore Sailing School is open for enrollment at the Scrub Marina. For the angler, rent a fishing boat and make your way to the North Drop. Particularly lively on full moons during warmer seasons, this iconic 12-mile section of the Caribbean seabed is known for excellent blue marlin fishing. For the yogi, almost every therapist at Scrub Island Resort’s Ikora Spa hails from Bali. There is also a yoga studio overlooking the Caribbean Sea with daily classes. On Wednesday, be sure to catch the North Beach Festival, a traditional Caribbean buffet backdropped with steel drums, a beach bonfire, and Moko Jumbies, (traditional festive stilt walkers with West African roots). Any other day of the week, catch the ferry to the beachside bar and grill at Marina Cay Bar & Grill.
Day 2
It’s hard to fully grasp the beauty of the British Virgin Islands without at least one day under the sails. Dream Caribbean Blue boasts a large fleet of yachts, complete with captain and chef, available for rent at the Scrub Island Marina. Clear-bottom kayaks and paddle boards are available on the sailboats, and they offer a new way to interact with the coral reef that’s below the surface. Ask your captain to dock at Virgin Gorda’s Spanish Town and take the short taxi ride to visit The Baths at Virgin Gorda. Finish the day with dinner at Donovan’s Reef.
Day 3
Leave early and take the ferry to Trellis Bay, then head to West End Dock and ferry to Jost Van Dyke. If you are eager to dip your toe into the world of scuba diving, Jost Van Dyke Scuba is a great place to start. For lunch, hit the Soggy Dollar Bar, located on a dock-free beach. Then, head across the bay to Ocean Spa; it’s the only floating spa in the BVI built out of wreckage from Hurricane Irma. The spa tells the story of repurposing pain, instead turning it into a source of wellness. Once you are thoroughly relaxed, ferry back to Scrub Island and dine at Cardamom & Co.
Candace Echols is a Memphis, Tennessee-based writer whose work appears in Garden and Gun, Southern Living, Cowboys and Indians, Common Good, golf.com, and others. She also contributes a weekly column in the Daily Memphian. Candace covers anything that catches her attention from travel to faith to NBA basketball.
By CANDACE ECHOLS/National Geographic
Moko Jumbie stilt walker dancers performing at a parade in the USVI. (Photograph by EA Given/Shutterstock)
