Getting to the British Virgin Islands by Sea

Inter-Island Distances

From Tortola to...:

Cruises

The Virgin Islands, both the US and British territories, are a classic stop (for a few hours) for many cruise ships sailing the Caribbean. In the BVI, the stop is generally at Tortola and sometimes also Virgin Gorda. It is estimated that between 400,000 and 500,000 cruise passengers set foot on the British Virgin Islands each year.

By Sea

Ferries

Since U.S. Virgin Islands (St-John and St-Thomas) are very close to the British Virgin Islands, ferry connections (or water taxis or chartered sailboats) are numerous between the two. Additionally, the US Virgin Islands serve as an air gateway for Tortola and other British islands that cannot accommodate long-haul flights. In short, there are many daily crossings, mostly to Tortola, with prices ranging from $25 to $30 for a one-way trip or around $50 for a round trip, depending on your choices.

From the US Virgin Islands:

• To/from Saint-John: service to Tortola with Inter Island Ferry, as well as various more or less regular connections to Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, or Anegada, all within the British Virgin Islands.

• To/from Saint-Thomas: options between Charlotte Amalie and Tortola with companies like Road Town Fast Ferry, Native Son, and Tortola Fast Ferry. Within the BVI, Speey's Ferry serves Virgin Gorda, and other islands in the archipelago are accessible via Saint-John.

Cargo

Sailboats