BVIs vs. USVIs

[Winkfish]

Just got back from a fantastic week in the BVIs. This was the 2nd bareboat charter there for me and my wife, the first for my son and his friend. We love it there.

On the ferry ride to St. Thomas after our cruising, we saw a bunch of beautiful places on St. John.

So, looking ahead to future trips, for those who have done both, which do you like better, BVIs or USVIs, or are they about the same?

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I also just returned from those same areas last week. I think the BVI's are my favorite of the two, but St. John's is definitely a beautiful island. Purchased by Rockefeller and then donated as a park, it (park) dominates most of the island, so it is not populated like Tortola, for example and the facilities there are pricey for the most part, but beautiful. The shops are many and unless you are into diamonds, jewelry might be a better buy than St. Thomas (I have been told). The BVI's is set up to accommodate the charter people with all the fine restaurants on each of the islands. St. Thomas has it's good points, but is more akin to Honolulu and Waikiki when it comes to comparisons of Hawai'i, for example. It is where the cruise ships go, where lots of tourists go, so the beaches are busy, etc. and it is more run down downtown than say in Tortola, which is much smaller (but St. T is not all that big, really - except for up). But, if you charter down there again, you can go to St. Johns. You just have to clear customs each way and there is an expense to that. I left from Red Hook on St. T and cleared customs in Soper's Hole in Tortola.

 

[Ron20324]

My sailing club charters from Tortola every two years, and we love it. I've been there 4 times. We just came back from Feb22 >29th trip. I don't have the charts in front of me, but IIRC, St John does not have alot of anchorages??? But as pointed out above, you can go there and back from BVI with proper clearance. Some of my people have done that with no problems. I'd say go BVIs.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Another way to look at this is: do you want to waste two half days of your precious sailing vacation sitting in offices clearing into the USVI and then back into the BVIs? When we first charted in 1986, we got a boat in the USVI and cleared in at JVD. Then had to clear back in at St. John's. Waste of time, but didn't know any better. The next few trips we stayed in the BVIs, plenty to do and see. Yes, the N shore of St. John's is lovely, but so are most places in the BVIs.

Your trip, your choice.

 

[Winkfish]

Thanks, all. That's kind of my feeling, BVIs a better setup. Just wanted to see if we would be missing out on anything spectacular by skipping the USVIs. One thing we both realized this trip is we can spend many charter trips in the BVIs and still have plenty new to do. (Got our eyes on the Dark N Stormy Anegada race in a couple of years' time. Looks like great fun!)