More and more people are discovering that the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) are an amazing place to visit. The very image of paradise, these islands are virtually untouched by modern civilisation, meaning you can enjoy their lush jungles, warm sandy beaches, and clear blue waters without being reminded of the world at home.
There are 36 different islands which make up the BVIs. The four largest are Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke. More than half of the BVIs are uninhabited, with the colony’s population of roughly 30,000 people spread over the rest. You can’t fly directly to the islands in a passenger airliner because the only airport in Tortola has one runway and capacity for small, personal planes only. The best way to get there is to fly instead to St Thomas in the neighbouring US Virgin Islands and then cross to Tortola by ferry.
Sailing Holidays in the Caribbean
If you’re going to ferry to the BVIs, you might as well go the whole hog and charter your own sailing boat. Sailing holidays are becoming a lot more popular for a number of reasons:
- A sailing holiday allows you to visit several different destinations instead of feeling confined to one resort. This is a fantastic opportunity in the BVIs as there are so many different locations to visit, each one with its own unique personality and vibe. What better way to add a bit of luxury to your break than by mooring at one island for lunch and another for dinner, so you can always eat at your favourite local places?
- The Caribbean Sea is such an important and desirable feature of any Caribbean holiday and chartering a sailing boat lets you get the most out of it. You can swim, fish, jet ski, and snorkel, all with your own boat as a base. Or just stretch out on the deck and enjoy the peace and quiet of being in the middle of the ocean. Sailing also gets you closer to the marine wildlife and you might be lucky enough to spot dolphins, seals, and tropical fish in the wild.
- People are increasingly looking for holidays that will get them away from crowded tourist spots, and the flexibility of a sailing holiday gives you the peace of mind that you can arrange your own itinerary and avoid the over-crowded hotspots. Most organised tours take holidaymakers to the same beaches, cultural sites, and restaurants. But the BVIs are full of so many historic ruins, beautiful beaches and fabulous eateries that you can always find somewhere quieter and away from the main tourist sites. And with your own boat, you’ll have easy access to the unpopulated islands to explore at your leisure.
How to Charter a Boat
You can now charter a boat with a couple of simple clicks thanks to digital services.
Arranging your own sailing holiday is easier than ever thanks to online services like Borrow A Boat offering personal yacht charter in the BVIs. You can organise everything yourself through their online portal. Browse through all the available yachts by date, location, size and more. There are thousands of available vessels, so it won’t take you long to find your perfect match. You can even hire a boat complete with skipper so all you need to do on your holiday is sit back and relax.
Once you’ve browsed through the available boats and made your selection, you can reserve the boat and complete the entire booking and payment process online, in your native language. The whole process couldn’t be simpler. There’s no minimum rental term, so you can have a boat for a day trip or your entire vacation. The choice is up to you.
A Once in a Lifetime Trip
Chartering a yacht might not be the cheapest way to holiday, but it will give you a unique experience that everyone will be talking about for years to come. If the purpose of your vacation is to leave everyday life behind, then what better way to do that than by living on your own private yacht? You will feel like a celebrity with the ability to take full control over your itinerary. Sail to private islands or moor up for a few days in a busy port and enjoy the vibrancy of island life. No other holiday lets you choose where you wake up, eat, play, and sleep, with the freedom and convenience of a sailing holiday. No need to book different hotels for different nights, just moor your yacht in a different location!
If you need more encouragement, sailing holidays give you access to places most people will never get to see, while actually helping the environment. This is because they are more sustainable than hotel breaks because they don’t add to the overcrowding of resorts and standard tourist locations. And because you can choose to visit more out of the way places you are stimulating the local economy.
Summary
Sailing holidays are easy to organise and can provide you with complete freedom to holiday the way you want to, whether that’s relaxing on the deck enjoying the tranquillity of the open water or sailing from port to port exploring all the local flavours. Booking a yacht through an online portal takes away all the hassle and will match you with your dream boat in a matter of minutes. So, what are you waiting for?
