Create sun-drenched memories while cruising along with gentle trade winds and exploring the delights of over 40 enticing Caribbean islands that seem to have been created just for you. The beautiful British Virgin Islands are a yachter’s paradise. Only 2 to 3 hours between islands within this archipelago promises a leisurely daily sail followed by a relaxing dinner or island entertainment.

Located in the north of the Caribbean Sea to the east of both Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands are part of the Leeward Island chain. Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, named these islands in honor of Saint Ursula and her 10,000 virgins. The British Virgin Islands have a total population of around 22,000 people.

It is understandable why BVI is one of the Caribbean’s most popular yacht charter destinations. Azure waters reveal a rainbow of tropical fish and coral for some of the most famous snorkeling in the Caribbean, and an abundance of unspoiled white sandy beaches, restaurants and bars with local charm, and a large selection of cays and harbors with convenient mooring make it a popular choice for serious sailors and new yachting adventurers alike.

The largest and most well known island within the British Virgin Island is Tortola, which is approximately twelve miles long and three miles wide. Road Town on Tortola is the capital of the islands and the major harbor. Most yacht charters will start and end here. Marinas on Tortola include Village Cay Marina, Fort Burt Marina, Inner Harbour Marina and Nanny Cay. If you rent a car, Tortola offers breathtaking views from its steep and winding roads. Be sure to visit Tortola’s north shore where you’ll find Cane Garden Bay, highly regarded for its beaches and anchorage, restaurants and bars. Long Bay, Brewer’s Bay and Smuggler’s Cove are also worth the sail.

Cruising to the western reaches of Tortola you’ll find Soper's Hole, a protected harbor lying between Frenchman's Cay and Tortola that offers a marina with a full range of services located in charming colorful houses. Stop into Pusser's Landing for waterfront dining, an outdoor terrace and the company store.

Jost Van Dyke is north and west of Tortola. Great Harbour is the entry port to BVI on Jost Van Dyke, and is where you’ll find the famous Foxy’s – a marina as well as a great open air place for a cool drink, a good meal, and souvenir T-shirts. Sail over to White Bay, another appealing mooring spot, named for its long stretch of white sandy beach. Be sure to try a Painkiller rum drink while you while away an hour or two at the Soggy Dollar Bar. Don’t forget to explore Little Harbour, a great place to moor and eat lunch or dinner. Try the lobster at Sydney’s Peace and Love restaurant.

Virgin Gorda (the fat virgin) was named by Christopher Columbus because he thought the island looked like a fat lady reclining on her back. This island is abundant with tempting places to cruise into and discover. On the southwest side, take a dip in the Baths, an amazing natural arrangement of granite rock formations and pools, fun for climbing and exploration. Spanish Town is a major settlement on Virgin Gorda and is the site for the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. And, don’t miss The Bitter End Yacht Club on the North Sound for beaches, dive shop, hiking, and restaurants.

Another major island is Anegada, known for fantastic snorkeling among its coral reefs. Eleven miles long with sandy beaches, Anegada boasts Horseshoe Reef, home of some of the largest fish in the area.

Other not-to-be-missed islands in this archipelago offer their own unique flavor. Stop at Sandy Cay, one of the uninhabited islands of BVI, and hike the well marked trail that runs the length of the island. Norman Island offers the Caves, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the BVI. Don’t miss the spectacular snorkeling at the Indians, a small group of rocks located just Northwest of Norman Island.

The smaller islands of BVI include; Beef Island, Cooper Island, Ginger Island, Great Camanoe, Great Thatch, Guana Island, Mosquito Island, Necker Island, Peter Island, and Salt Island. The official currency of the British Virgin Islands is the US dollar. English is the official language.

The British Virgin Islands are known as Nature’s Little Secrets. With the never ending choices of water fun, yachting, dining and charming islands to discover, there is no question why.

When Christopher Columbus discovered the Virgin Islands in 1493, he could not have known that this alluring group of tropical islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix along with several smaller surrounding islands would one day become the most popular yachting gateway to the Caribbean.

For seekers of white beaches, an array of water sports, amazing views, mouth watering cuisine and well stocked duty free stores, UVI beckons.

Set among some of the world’s most magnificent sparkling sailing waters and lined with an abundance of tempting coves and bays to encourage cruising along their perimeters, The US Virgin Islands lie in the northern Caribbean, about 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. Though Columbus originally claimed the islands for Spain, the desirable US Virgin Islands were owned by many countries until the United States purchased them from Denmark in 1917.

The islands are all within a short daily sail of two to three hours apart, making cruising and line-of-sight navigation easy for new yachting captains. UVI offers something for everyone, and yachting enthusiasts agree that the three main islands of the US Virgin Islands offer distinctly different atmospheres.

St. Thomas is the best known of the US Virgin Islands, and is a popular yacht charter origination site. The constant arrival of cruise ships into St. Thomas Harbor in Charlotte Amalie, the capitol city, keeps St. Thomas bustling with tourists. Shopping at St. Thomas is one of the most popular activities, so be sure to dock and enjoy the enticing selection of duty free merchandise with no sales tax.

Although very commercialized, St. Thomas still offers plenty of interesting places for charter boat travelers to anchor and enjoy. On the north side of the island, Magen’s Bay is a beautiful beach for families, and Hull Bay Beach is popular with surfers looking for the perfect wave. If you are into windsurfing, Sapphire Beach awaits by Sapphire Bay Marina, and is also convenient to Red Hook Marina on the island’s western tip.
Immediately west of Charlotte Amalie within Sub Base, Crown Bay Marina invites yachters in for the day with restaurants and provisions. Great St. James Island just off the southeast tip of St. Thomas offers pleasures of diving and snorkeling at Christmas Cove.

Lying east of St. Thomas, the island of St. John is a quiet, non-commercial contrast to its neighbor. St. John’s tranquil, unspoiled personality and green forested hillsides are protected against development by the National Park Service, which maintains two-thirds of the island, including The Virgin Islands National Park and the underwater Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. Boating and sailing, walking tours, hiking and snorkeling are allowed within the park.

St. John is also known for its lovely beaches. Moor your yacht and enjoy the snorkeling at spectacular Trunk Bay, where the fish and coral abound. Cruz Bay, located on the west side of St. John, is an entry point for yachts returning from the British Virgin Islands, and is also host to ferries unloading passengers and vehicles. Cruz Bay is filled with artisans' shops and galleries, shops, and restaurants with fine cuisine.

On the east side of St. John is Coral Bay, a quaint area featuring restaurants and bars with local flavor, pristine beaches and snorkeling. Sailing around St. John will yield other delightful bays including the peaceful Hawk Nest Bay, Salomon Bay, Cannel Bay with its seven white beaches and yacht moorings, and Cinnamon Bay which offers beach and campground.

Approximately 40 miles south of St. Thomas is the third and largest island of the US Virgin Islands, St. Croix. Main attractions include Christiansted and Frederiksted, charmingly slow-paced Danish towns with beautiful architecture and waterfront parks. Enjoy duty free shopping and a laid back ambiance, and you may even want to take the Cruzan Rum Factory tour. Not to be missed is the Buck Island Reef National Monument, accessible through chartered powerboats or catamarans. At Buck Island, scuba divers and snorkelers will delight in the colorful coral, fish, sea turtles and stingrays along the marked snorkel trail. St. Croix mooring possibilities include Green Cay Marina, the St. Croix Yacht Club, and East End Marine Park, just to name a few.

The official currency of the US Virgin Islands is the US dollar.

English is the official language. A charter cruise exploring the US Virgin Islands promises a glorious yachting experience of sunny skies, crystal blue waters, tropical settings, and memorable diversions for every age.

For those seeking the beauty of the Caribbean combined with the seclusion of quiet coves and bays with white sand beaches, a charter cruise among St. Vincent and the Grenadines is for you. Part of the Windward Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines are 32 volcanic islands located south of St Lucia and north of Grenada. Only nine of the islands are inhabited, while the rest are known for their bird sanctuaries, scenic hiking routes and colorful fish and coral featuring some of the finest diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean.

St. Vincent is the primary island of the group, irresistible with its mountains blanketed with lush greenery and its famous volcano, La Soufreière, which last erupted in 1979. The Lagoon Hotel and Marina on the southern tip of St. Vincent is a popular origination point for Caribbean yacht charters. Kingston, the capital of this 18-mile-long island, is home to Fort Charlotte as well as the oldest Botanical Gardens in the Caribbean. Don’t miss Trinity Falls on the leeward side of St. Vincent, as well as the Falls of Baleine with its breathtaking beauty only reachable by boat.

The Grenadines begin just nine miles south of St. Vincent with the island of Bequia, known for its whaling and boat building history. Charming Bequia has excellent yacht anchorage at Port Elizabeth in Admiralty Bay, convenient for yacht services and plentiful galleries, restaurants and bars. Anchor at Princess Margaret Beach and enjoy its golden beach, spectacular snorkeling and diving.

Continuing your Caribbean cruise south, find out why the rich and famous are drawn to the island of Mustique and its yacht harbor, Britannia Bay. Next in line is Canuoan, a central stop for charter sailors, followed by Mayreau, a romantic non-commercial island offering picture postcard views of the Grenadines. A notable anchorage spot and one of the most fantastic beaches in the Caribbean is the popular and picturesque Salt Whistle Bay of Mayreau.

As you sail to the east of Mayreau, the five deserted islets comprising Tobago Cays offer white beaches and spectacular diving and snorkeling in shallow waters. Other stops on your charter cruise may include Union Island, Petite St. Vincent, Palm Island and the largest island of The Grenadines, Carriacou.

Within the many islands of St. Vincent and The Grenadines, new vistas are just a short sail away!

Where else can you yacht around one tropical island and really visit two? St. Martin/St. Maarten is an island of the Lesser Antilles, and along with St. Bart, Martinique and Guadeloupe, is part of the French West Indies. This island of two countries was settled by the French in the north (St. Martin) and by the Dutch in the south (St. Maarten), offering Caribbean yacht charter visitors the pleasure of two cultures in one appealing island.

St. Martin is a popular cruise ship stop due to its exceptional variety of duty free shops, great restaurants and bars, and beautiful beaches. Divers will enjoy exploration of coral and colorful marine life in addition to a variety of old shipwrecks.

Your yacht charter experience is easy on St. Martin due to its plentiful supply of marinas. In the French sector of St. Martin, the town of Marigot features two marinas, Port La Royale and Marina Fort Louis, which allows direct access to the Caribbean Sea. Anse Marcel harbor next to the Marina Port de Lonvilliers is a good choice for sailors. Cruise to a stop in well-known Orient Beach to enjoy a variety of water sports and decide just how optional your clothing will be!

In St. Maarten, the Dutch side of the island, yachters will find the full service Simpson Bay Marina, the Yacht Club Isle de Sol, the Yacht Club Port de Plaisance and right between the two countries, Oyster Pond Marina. A variety of bays including Great Bay, Little Bay, and Cole Bay offer opportunities to anchor your charter yacht and enjoy the view.

A short yacht cruise south from St. Martin lies St. Bart, a French paradise in the Caribbean Leeward Islands. Also known as Saint-Barthelemy, Saint Barths, or Saint Barth, this favorite yachting destination stands tall with numerous volcanic peaks and 20 beaches, many undeveloped, waiting to delight the eyes. Scuba diving is a favorite pastime around this natural marine reserve revealing nurse sharks, lobsters, conch and green sea turtles.St. Bart has removed itself from mega-commercialism and instead has become known as the getaway of choice for celebrities. Its amazing natural beauty and lack of casinos, golf, large resorts or cruise ship traffic gives St. Bart a slower, more intimate appeal. Sophisticated elegance with impeccable service sets the tone in the small hotels and duty free shops in St. Bart. Over 100 restaurants, many in the island’s main town of Gustavia, offer French cuisine comparable to any dining in the world. Charter yachting is great with steady winds of 10 to 20 knots, and St. Bart offers plenty of  yacht anchorage choices including Ile Fourche and Saline Beach.

St. Martin and St. Barts are jewels in the Caribbean offering beauty for the eyes and rest for the soul. Include them in your yachting experience!

Get away from it all with a yacht charter to St. Kitts and Nevis, a pair of neighboring mountainous islands that grace the eastern Caribbean as part of the Leeward Islands chain. These unspoiled beauties lack the touristy commercial development of many Caribbean islands, yet are all the more special for their natural attractions and tranquility.

Named in 1493 by Christopher Columbus after St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, St. Kitts is 69 square miles with a population of 31,880. Basseterre is the capital, and English is the official language.  

Your sailing adventure around St. Kitts will lead you south to include an anchorage at Frigate Bay, known for its beaches and watersports. Continuing to the southeast peninsula, white sand coves welcome exploration. Cruise into Turtle Bay and enjoy a swim at Turtle Beach. St. Kitts also offers an underwater scuba diving paradise with its wrecks, reefs, walls and caves awaiting discovery.

While yachting along the coastline of St. Kitts, look for nine forts which guarded the island during its history. The most notable is Brimstone Hill Fortress, a well preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site today.  Don’t miss Mt. Liamuiga - the island’s extinct 3,792-foot volcano, the lush tropical rain forest, or the Black Rocks, and stroll through numerous museums, churches and historic sites. In addition to cruising the delightful waters surrounding St. Kitts during your Caribbean yacht charter experience, you may wish to alight to take the island’s scenic 17.5 mile train ride.

Nevis is the smaller of the two islands at 36 square miles, yet this exotic paradise boasts an abundance of sites both of historic merit and of natural beauty. Sail north of Charlestown, the island’s capital, to Pinney’s Beach, where watersports take full advantage of the sparkling Caribbean waters. Cruise to Oualie Beach and Newcastle Beach further to the north. For land lubbing, the 3,232-foot Nevis Peak extends the challenge of a day-long climb, or take your camera to capture the Colonial architecture of churches, windmills and Great Houses or the historic ruins of a sugar plantation.

St. Kitts and Nevis offer luxuriant beauty for your yacht charter vacation, from vistas of volcanic peaks to the sun, sand and tropical waters that make sailing the Caribbean an excursion to savor.

The many natural wonders of St. Lucia (Loo-sha) make it one of the most popular yacht charter destinations in the Caribbean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia is an independent island nation on the boundary of the eastern Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruising along the harbors in the pleasant trade winds of St. Lucia will reveal a distinct difference between its northern and southern regions. The heaviest tourist and resort development is found between the capital city, Castries, and the northern end of the island. Sail south of Castries to discover lush unspoiled mountains, valleys, and fishing villages. Castries itself is a cruise ship port, and is filled with waterfront duty-free shopping, artist galleries and fresh produce and fresh fish markets.

If white sand beaches and a pleasant yacht anchorage are your goal, sail to Rodney Bay, a lagoon and marina near the northern tip of St. Lucia. Yacht provisions, fuel and water are readily available, and Rodney Bay is a customs checkpoint. Pigeon Island National Park is not to be missed, and history buffs will enjoy Fort Rodney, an old British military base.

Another bay for yachters to explore is Marigot Bay, about 20 minutes south of Castries, which is also a port of entry for the island from the Caribbean Sea. Marigot Bay offers an unspoiled landscape as well as one of the island’s most luxurious resorts. At St. Lucia’s most southern point, Vieux Fort is the island’s second largest town and a popular yacht charter anchorage. Open markets are plentiful with offerings of fruit, spices and a large variety of fresh fish.

Seeking that perfect romantic site? Cruise down the west coast of St. Lucia where between the cities of Soufrière and Choiseul you’ll find the romantic vistas created by the impressive Pitons, a pair of twin volcanic peaks that soar 200 feet upward from the Caribbean Sea.

St. Lucia also provides prime diving and snorkeling opportunities, as its warm clear waters offer spectacular views of pristine coral reefs and colorful fish. Other popular sites of St. Lucia include the Diamond Baths, the Botanical Gardens, Maria Island Nature Reserve and plantation tours. English is the official language.

This charming and romantic island has been called the world’s leading honeymoon destination. St. Lucia’s allure is perfectly accessible on a memorable Caribbean yachting vacation.

Enchanting Martinique, with its tropical rain forests, green forested mountains, a dormant volcano, and sparkling waters, is, at 426 square miles, the largest island in the Windward Islands chain and the premier Caribbean yacht charter destination of the Lesser Antilles.

A region of France, “The Isle of Flowers” or “Madinina” entices its yachting visitors with French cuisine as well as Creole and African dishes, local and European produce, the finest French and European fashions and products, and the famous Martinique rum. Pointe du Bout is the island’s main resort area, offering hotels, golf, shopping and casino nightlife. Notable sights include the ruins of La Pagerie, where Napoleon’s Empress Joséphine was born in 1763, and to the north, the city of St. Pierre, site of the historic volcanic eruption of Mt. Pelée in 1902 that demolished the entire city and its population.

Martinique hosts numerous sailing and yachting events, and it is easy to understand why this Caribbean jewel has become such a popular sailing destination. Martinique’s coastline boasts the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Caribbean Sea on the west. Numerous marinas and bays around this island of stunning natural beauty make it easy to spend a week in enjoyable exploration.

You may wish to begin your Carribbean yachting escape in the harbor of Le Marin on the southwest coast of Martinique. Its generously large bay is the home of Martinique’s largest marina, Port de Plaisance, where yacht provisions are abundantly available and the harbor is highly regarded as a safe place should a hurricane threaten. Another not-to-be-missed bay is the island’s capital, Fort-de-France. This popular sailing destination offers boutiques, open air markets, parks, the Bibliothèque Schoelcher, and the Saint-Louis Cathedral.

Other anchorages to explore during your Carribean yacht charter include the fishing villages of Grande Anse d' Arlet, well known by divers for its tropical fish and colorful corals, and Le Francois on the east coast, which puts you in the island mood with rum tasting opportunities and a beautiful botanical park. Alluring beaches including Salines Beach and Anse Mitan answer the call for sand and sun.

The vibrant island of Martinique offers a memorable cruising experience with tropical delights around every point.

Warm steady trade winds and an undulating coastline of safe harbors draw yachters to the independent British Commonwealth nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean, Antigua (An- tee -gah) is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide. Barbuda, a flat coral island with an area of only 68 square miles, lies approximately 26 miles due north. Redonda, a rocky, uninhabited nature preserve, is also part of the nation of Antiqua and Barbuda.

Antigua’s white corridors of sandy beach are its main draw, with shopping, dining and charming inns ready for vacationers. St. John’s, on the west coast, is the capital of Antigua and offers plenty of attractions including the Antigua and Barbuda Museum, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and Redcliffe Quay. Antigua’s history as a sugar plantation island is still evident today, as over a hundred abandoned sugar mill towers still grace the rolling countryside.  Coral reefs that protect the coastline of Antigua and Barbuda, once an obstacle to enemy ships, provide abundant marine life great for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Antigua is a great Caribbean yacht charter vacation destination because of its many harbors. Sail into English Harbour on the southern coast, famous for the historic military lookout of Shirley Heights. Nearby Falmouth Harbour to the east is a major yachting center with three large marinas and Nelson’s Dockyard, the only working Georgian dockyard in the world. Good anchorage for your charter yacht can be found on the east shore at Green Island, as well as at Five Island Harbour just south of St. John’s and at Jolly Harbour on the south coast, which offers marinas, restaurants and shopping.

The island of Barbuda is lesser known than Antigua, and offers an inviting contrast of quiet and solitude. Good sailing is available with anchorage opportunities on the west coast and to the south. Codrington, on Barbuda’s west side, is the island’s largest town and is famous for the Frigate Bird Sanctuary in Codrington Lagoon. The Lagoon is also one of Barbuda’s most famous beaches, yet on your yacht charter cruise, you will encounter very few humans visiting its pink sandy stretch.

Antiguans say there are enough beaches on their island to visit a different one every day of the year. Why not charter a yacht and discover these Caribbean treasures for yourself?