General Information
| Languages : | English, Spanish or Spanish Creole, French or French Creole |
| Currency : | US dollar (USD) |
| Time Zone : | EST +1hrs |
| Capital City : | Charlotte Amalie |
| Population : | 108,000 |
| Government : | N/A |
| Total Area : | 737 mi² |
| Climate : | Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November |
| National Holidays: | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March |
| Additional Info: | The islands are divided into two parts, one of which, the British Virgin Islands to the east and north, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. |
Destination Activities
Activity Details
Scuba Diving
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited.
Tortula offers various reef, wall and canyon sights with an abundance of fish and marine life from grunts, trumpet fish and houndfish to octopuses and if lucky you might come across a cleaning station among the coral formations. There are some wreck dives too, including a 110ft wooden minesweeper (The Fearless) and Willy T (a former Baltic trader that was sunk in 1995). Also wrecked but due to hurricane, is the RMS Rhone (a Royal Mail steam ship), which is considered one of the best dive sites in the BVI. The wreck is big enough to cover in two or more dives and allows access to the cavernous interior.
Virgin Gorda has 3 main dive sites - the Invisibles (a 60ft advanced dive), which has a submerged pinnacle which rising to just 4ft below the surface; Mountain Point (a 70 ft beginners dive), which is a good spot for spotting eagle rays and stingrays and also has many swim through's; and the Aquarium (a 35 ft beginner dive), a site that attracts large schools of fish.
Fishing
Sport fish in BVI include the Blue Marlin, Yellow and Black Fin Tuna, Wahoo, and Dolphinfish. Best times for fishing: Year round - Wahoo and Tuna; October-April - Wahoo and Mahi Mahi; Oct-June - Mahi Mahi; Sept-June - Marlin.
Hiking
Virgin Gorda has the most frequented trail in the islands - the one between The Baths (unusual geologic formation) and Devil's Bay, over boulders and through caves. The geological formations are amazing.
A trail leads up to the top of Gorda's Peak at 1,370ft high, the highest point on the island. Along the way, there are tables for a picnic or a rest. Once at the top, enjoy the beautiful views of the island as well as the surrounding ones. There is a tower at the summit to climb for an even loftier view of the blue waters and reefs surrounding the islands.
Photography
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