You drop 30 feet below the surface off Salt Island and suddenly the Atlantic Ocean of 1867 is all around you — a 94-metre steamship, the RMS Rhone, rests on the sandy bottom where it sank during a hurricane, its hull now encrusted with coral and home to barracudas, turtles, and schools of colourful reef fish. It’s a fitting start to a two-week British Virgin Islands itinerary that balances real adventure with genuine downtime, moving from one distinct island to the next without ever feeling rushed.
The RMS Rhone, a 94-metre wreck off Salt Island, is one of the most celebrated wreck dives in the Caribbean and a highlight of any BVI sailing itinerary.
A two-week BVI itinerary gives you enough time to hit the major islands — Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada — without spending every day underway. The catch is that most of the best experiences are water-based, so a crewed catamaran or monohull charter is the most practical way to move between them. Ferry hopping works for shorter trips, but for two weeks, a boat is worth the investment.
Sailing crews
Snorkelers & divers
Families with older kids
The British Virgin Islands string together more than 50 islands and cays, and the distances between them are short — most crossings take less than two hours. That makes a two-week window feel spacious enough to settle into each stop without clock-watching. Below is a quick overview of how the days break down, followed by a detailed look at each leg of the journey.
| Days | Islands Visited | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Tortola → Salt Island → Cooper Island | RMS Rhone wreck dive, craft beers at Cooper Island |
| 3–4 | Cooper Island → Virgin Gorda → Eustatia Sound | The Baths at dawn, kiteboarding, private beach BBQ |
| 5–6 | Virgin Gorda → Anegada | Lobster dinners, Cow Wreck Beach, flamingo tours |
| 7–8 | Anegada → Guana Island → Jost Van Dyke | Monkey Point snorkeling, Foxy’s Bar, Little Harbour dining |
| 9–10 | Jost Van Dyke → Norman Island | Soggy Dollar Bar, The Indians snorkel, The Caves at sunset |
| 11–12 | Norman Island → Peter Island → Scrub Island | Luxury spa, chef’s tasting menu with rum pairings |
| 13–14 | Scrub Island → Trellis Bay → West End, Tortola | Full moon party, farewell champagne brunch |
Days 1–2: Tortola to Salt Island to Cooper Island — Wrecks and Eco-Luxury
The first two days ease you into island time with a mix of history and laid-back island-hopping.
Start from Tortola, the BVI’s main hub, and sail to Salt Island. The morning is best spent diving the RMS Rhone wreck — the 94-metre wreck is accessible to divers of most experience levels, and the marine life around it is dense. After the dive, head back to Tortola for evening drinks and live music at Cane Garden Bay, where beach bars line the sand. The crossing between Tortola and Salt Island is short, so you’ll have plenty of daylight left. See the full day-by-day sailing itinerary on BVISAIL.
Sail from Salt Island to Cooper Island, where the vibe shifts to eco-luxury. Cooper Island Beach Club serves craft beers brewed on-site, and sunset paddleboarding from the beach is a quiet way to end the day. The anchorage is calm, and the island’s small scale means you won’t compete for space. Read more about Cooper Island’s eco-luxe stays and reefs.
Days 3–4: Cooper Island to Virgin Gorda to Eustatia Sound — Granite Boulders and Kiteboarding
The next two days deliver the BVI’s most famous natural wonder and a chance to get active on the water.
Arrive at Virgin Gorda early and head straight for The Baths before the crowds. House-sized granite boulders create a maze of grottoes, natural pools, and shaded passages that lead to Devil’s Bay, a secluded beach accessed via a laddered trail. Snorkel the clear water at Devil’s Bay for colourful fish, then hike up to Gorda Peak for panoramic views of the island chain. The Top of the Baths restaurant is a reliable spot for lunch with a view. Read Sunsail’s guide to The Baths and other BVI highlights.
Sail to Eustatia Sound, a shallow anchorage popular with kiteboarders and paddleboarders. The protected waters make this a good spot for a private beach barbecue arranged by your crew. Snorkelling here is solid without being spectacular — the real draw is the sense of isolation. The sound is also a launch point for dinghy explorations of nearby cays. Check the Roam Bliss two-week BVI itinerary for planning tips.
Days 5–6: Virgin Gorda to Anegada — Lobster and Flamingos
Anegada is different from every other island in the BVI — it’s flat, coral-built, and feels genuinely remote.
The sail to Anegada takes a few hours, but the reward is a low-key coral island with white-sand beaches and turquoise water. Afternoon lobster dinners are the main event here — restaurants like The Lobster Trap and Big Bamboo serve freshly caught grilled spiny lobster with drinks overlooking the Caribbean. Evening flamingo tours at dusk are a quieter alternative to the beach-bar scene elsewhere. See JetMunk’s guide to Anegada’s beaches and lobster spots.
Spend a full day on Anegada. Cow Wreck Beach is the standout — shallow, uncrowded, and good for shell hunting. Kiteboarding conditions are reliable here when the trade winds pick up. In the evening, a starlit bonfire arranged by your crew is a memorable way to cap the island’s slow pace. Anegada is also the only coral island in the BVI, so the snorkelling focuses on reef formations rather than granite boulder fields.
Anegada’s lobster restaurants don’t take reservations for small groups — arrive by 6 p.m. to secure a table at The Lobster Trap, especially during peak season from December to April.
Days 7–8: Anegada to Guana Island to Jost Van Dyke — Hiking and Beach Bars
The itinerary swings west toward the islands with the most character — Guana’s quiet trails and Jost Van Dyke’s legendary bar scene.
Guana Island is a private island with hiking trails that cut across its interior, offering views of the surrounding cays. Monkey Point on the island’s northern tip is a reliable snorkelling spot with decent coral and turtle sightings. The anchorage here is quiet — expect to share it with only a handful of other boats. Sunsail’s BVI blog covers Guana Island’s wildlife and snorkelling.
Sail to Jost Van Dyke and stop at Sandy Cay for a swim en route. Once on Jost, Great Harbour is home to Foxy’s Bar, a classic BVI beach bar that’s been serving Painkiller cocktails for decades. Little Harbour offers a quieter dining scene with a few casual restaurants. Jost Van Dyke is often called the “barefoot island” — shoes are optional, and the pace is slow on purpose. Read the ferry guide to island-hopping the Virgin Islands for logistics.
Days 9–10: Jost Van Dyke to Norman Island — Painkillers and Sea Caves
White Bay on Jost Van Dyke deserves a full morning before you move on to Norman Island’s caves and snorkel sites.
Spend the morning at White Bay, home of the Soggy Dollar Bar — the place that claims to have invented the Painkiller cocktail. The beach is busy but the water is calm, and water shoes are recommended because of scattered coral rubble. A mixology class on board or a stop at a floating bar are both options if you want to stretch the morning into afternoon. JetMunk’s BVI guide covers White Bay and the Soggy Dollar Bar.
Sail to Norman Island and anchor near The Indians — four rock pinnacles that rise from the sea and offer some of the best snorkelling in the BVI. Later, head to The Caves on the island’s western side for sunset. The caves are shallow enough to explore by dinghy, and the glow of the setting sun reflecting off the water inside them is the kind of moment that justifies the whole trip.
Days 11–12: Norman Island to Peter Island to Scrub Island — Spas and Tasting Menus
The second-last full sailing day shifts toward indulgence — private coves, a luxury spa, and a chef-driven dinner.
Peter Island is home to Deadman’s Bay, a long stretch of sand good for swimming and paddleboarding, and White Bay on the island’s leeward side offers quiet relaxation. A morning hike on Peter Island’s trails gives you elevated views of the channel before you retreat to the resort spa for an afternoon of genuine unwinding. Book a crewed charter through BVISAIL to access Peter Island’s resort amenities.
Scrub Island is an exclusive marina resort with a chef’s tasting menu and rum pairings that rival anything in Road Town. The resort’s restaurant focuses on Caribbean-inflected fine dining, and the setting — overlooking the marina from an open-air terrace — makes it feel like a reward for a week and a half on the water. This is the one night you’ll want to dress up a little.
Days 13–14: Scrub Island to Trellis Bay to West End, Tortola — Fire Dancers and Farewell
The final two days wrap the trip with local crafts, a full moon party, and a celebratory sail back to where you started.
Trellis Bay on Beef Island is known for its artisan shops and, if the timing lines up, a full moon party with fire dancers and steel drum bands. The bay is shallow and well-protected, making it a safe anchorage for the last night. Browse the local stalls for hand-painted pottery, textiles, and artisanal candles — souvenirs that actually reflect the islands’ culture. Read about a week of relaxation in the BVI on IslandHopperGuides.
The final morning starts with a farewell champagne brunch on board before the return sail to West End, Tortola. The crossing is short — under an hour — and gives you one last look at the islands from the water. Disembark by midday, pay the BVI departure tax of $20 per person, and start planning the next trip.
Full moon parties at Trellis Bay draw big crowds — if your crew prefers quiet, check the lunar calendar and plan an extra night at Scrub Island or a quiet anchorage instead.
Charter Logistics and Costs — What a Two-Week Trip Really Adds Up To
The most practical way to follow this itinerary is on a crewed charter, and the costs are straightforward once you understand what’s included.
A crewed catamaran or monohull charter for two weeks typically runs around $20,000 per week, or about $50,000 and up for the full two weeks, often all-inclusive. That covers the boat, crew, meals, and most on-board drinks. What it doesn’t cover are cruising permits, National Park fees, provisioning upgrades, customs charges, and gratuities — crewed charters usually recommend tipping 15–20% of the base rate.
| Charter Type | Typical Weekly Cost | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Power Catamaran (e.g., SOL 80 ft, 2023) | From $106,000/wk | 8 guests |
| Sailing Catamaran (e.g., ENDLESS SUMMER III 65 ft, 2024) | From $59,900/wk | 10 guests |
| Motor Yacht (e.g., JUST ENOUGH 141 ft, 2012) | $119,000–$139,000/wk | 11 guests |
The best time to sail is December through April, when the trade winds are consistent and the weather is driest. May through July still offers warm weather with fewer crowds and lower rates, but you trade some wind reliability for the quieter anchorages. Hurricane season runs June through November — most charter companies operate on reduced schedules during those months, and many itineraries avoid the outer islands.
If a full two-week charter feels out of reach, you can combine a shorter crewed charter with a few days on land. Several resorts on Virgin Gorda and Tortola offer package deals that include day sails to nearby islands, letting you stretch the experience without the full charter budget.
- A crewed charter is the most practical way to cover the BVI’s main islands in two weeks — ferry hopping works for shorter trips but limits your reach.
- Budget around $20,000 per week for a crewed catamaran, plus 15–20% gratuity and additional fees for cruising permits and park access.
- The December–April window offers the best weather, but May–July gives you fewer crowds and lower rates at the cost of less reliable wind.
Before You Go — British Virgin Islands
Do I need a passport to move between islands?
Yes, a passport is required for any crossing between the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Within the BVI itself, you don’t need to show a passport between islands — your charter company handles the cruising permit.
How much does a two-week BVI trip actually cost?
A crewed charter runs roughly $20,000 per week, so a two-week trip lands around $50,000 or more all-in. Add $20 per person for the BVI departure tax and around $10 per person for USVI departure fees if you fly out of St. Thomas.
Is the BVI good for families?
Yes, catamarans are spacious and stable for family charters. The distances between islands are short — usually under two hours — and snorkelling spots like The Indians and Monkey Point are accessible for swimmers of varying confidence.
What’s the single biggest downside to a two-week itinerary?
The cost of the charter is the main barrier. If your budget doesn’t stretch to a crewed boat, a ferry-based trip is possible but you’ll realistically visit only 3–4 islands in two weeks, and you lose access to the more remote spots like Anegada and the outer cays.
What should I pack?
Light clothing, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, and casual evening wear for resort dinners. Water shoes are useful at White Bay and The Baths. Pack a small backpack — there’s no checked luggage on ferries, and storage on charters is limited.
Returning to the Same Blue Water
The BVI works because it rewards a slower pace — two weeks gives you time to settle into each island’s rhythm rather than chasing a checklist. The RMS Rhone stays on the seafloor, The Baths stay crowded until you get there at dawn, and the Painkillers at Soggy Dollar Bar taste exactly as good as everyone says. You’ll leave already thinking about which island you’d visit first next time. For more planning ideas, read the full BVI island-hopping guide on IslandHopperGuides.
References
BVISAIL. “British Virgin Islands 2-Week Itinerary.” BVISAIL, 2026. ↗
Sunsail. “9 of the Best Things to Do in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).” Sunsail, 2026. ↗
JetMunk. “British Virgin Islands Travel Itinerary.” JetMunk, 2026. ↗
Roam Bliss. “The British Virgin Islands 2-Week Itinerary.” Roam Bliss, 2026. ↗
If you’re looking for more detail on specific islands, the guides to secret snorkel spots in the BVI and volcanic spots in the BVI both offer deeper dives into specific experiences that complement this itinerary. And if you’re curious about the quieter side of the islands, the piece on Tortola’s hidden hiking trails is worth a read before you go.
Explore Places to Stay in BVI
Feel free to zoom in and out of the map to explore the area and find the best place to stay for your trip.