Secrets Beneath the Sea: The Best Dive Sites in the British Virgin Islands

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

For many, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is solely a sun and sand destination, offering a refuge from the hectic pace of everyday life. For others, the islands are a prime place of adventure and discovery, offering an abundance of spectacular dive sites found throughout the area. Both novice and experienced divers will find something to suit their skills and interests, including tropical fish, shipwrecks and coral reefs.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Situated in the Caribbean, east of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the BVI consist of over 50 islands. The four main islands are Tortola--the largest at 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital city.

The BVI experiences a pleasant tropical climate year round, with temperatures ranging from 80°F to 90°F (27°C to 32°C), with little variation. Summer wear, including flip flops and bathing suits are the norm, with light jackets advisable during the cooler months from January to April. The islands are moderated by trade winds and receive very low rainfall overall. Hurricane season runs from June to November, but hurricanes are infrequent, only occasionally hitting the islands.  

How to Get Here

Air
The British Virgin Islands' main airport is the Terrance B. Lettsome Airport, located on Beef Island, which is connected to the main island of Tortola via the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. There are no direct flights into the BVI from Canada, the United States, Europe or South America, so travellers must make connections via other Caribbean island airports, including Antigua, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. The most direct route is via San Juan, Puerto Rico, with several flights available from American Eagle, Air Sunshine and Cape Air.

Ferry
Ferry service is available from Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas to Road Town on Tortola, taking about 45 minutes. Ferries usually only operate during the day from approximately 7:30am to 5pm, so travellers are advised to plan ahead or make arrangements for an overnight stay.

Getting Around

	The Baths on Virgin Gorda, BVI

Taxi service, bus transportation and car, scooter and bicycle rentals are available on the larger islands of Tortola and Virgin Gorda. Inter-island ferries are a frequent and convenient way to explore the BVI's major islands.

THE BEST DIVE SITES

With hundreds of dive sites, the BVI offers some of the best diving in the Caribbean, offering a variety of secluded coves and underwater gems waiting to be explored. Many BVI dive sites are world-renowned for their crystal clear waters, vivid colours and abundance of sea life. The following is a sample of well known dive sites, noted for their preserved shipwrecks, healthy corals, unique structures, vivid colours, and diverse marine life.  

RMS Rhone
Salt Island-Intermediate to Advanced
Depth: 20 to 80 ft (6 to 24 m)
The most popular dive site and recreational attraction in the BVI, the RMS Rhone is a world-class shipwreck site, located off Salt Island and designated as a national marine park. It is the resting site of the 310-ft-long (95-m) and 40-ft-wide (12-m) royal mail steam ship that sank during a hurricane in 1867. Much of the ship is still intact and decorated with corals and sponges, lying in depths from 20 to 80 ft (6 to 24 m) in two main sections. Divers can view parts of the bow section, the rigging, the decking, steam engine and propeller. It was used as the setting for the 1977 film The Deep, starring Jacqueline Bissett and Nick Nolte. Several varieties of fish and marine life call the wreck home, including sting rays, angel fish, sea turtles, yellowtail snappers and barracuda.

Diving on a Wreck

Chikuzen
Virgin Gorda-Advanced
Depth: 40 to 75 ft (12 to 23 m)
This is a popular dive site due to its remote location, 12 mi (19 km) northeast of Virgin Gorda. Chikuzen, a 246-ft (75 m) refrigeration vessel, sank in 1981 and now lies at a depth of 75 ft (23 m), where thousands of fish and marine life congregate, including Atlantic spadefish, snapper, horse-eye jacks, barracuda, eagle rays, sting rays, and nurse sharks. This is a challenging site due to the regular swells (3 to 5 ft range/0.9 to 1.5 m range) and should only be attempted with professional dive instructors and in good weather conditions.

Alice in Wonderland
Ginger Island-Intermediate to Advanced
Depth: 40 to 100 ft (12 to 31 m)
Located south of Ginger Island, Alice in Wonderland features a gently sloping wall from 15 to 100 ft (5 to 31 m) and a beautiful, healthy coral landscape, with clear blue waters offering excellent visibility that often exceeds 100 ft (31 m). Numerous mushroom-shaped corals are found here, giving the site its name. Marine life that can be seen here includes spotted eagle rays, sting rays, spade fish and even Caribbean reef sharks.  

	French Angel Fish Feeding on Reef

Angelfish Reef
Norman Island-Novice to Advanced
Depth: 30 to 80 ft (9 to 24 m)
A mixture of reef and sand, Angelfish Reef is exposed to the open Caribbean Sea and is frequented by large deep water species, such as southern sting rays and eagle rays. Moray eels and snake eels can be found lurking along the reef's white sandy bottom. The reef is a good spot for photograpy opportunities.

Blonde Rock
Between Salt Island and Peter Island-Intermediate to Advanced
Depth: 20 to 60 ft (6 to 18 m)
Blonde Rock is a BVI favourite, featuring caves, tunnels, rock ledges and large and small overhangs. A colourful variety of coral structures, including a rainbow arch can be seen here. Marine life spotted at the site includes fan corals, lobsters, crabs, sea turtles, rays and sharks.

Beautiful Corals

The Indians
Off Norman Island-Novice to Advanced
Depth: 10 to 50 ft (3 to 15 m)
The Indians is a popular diving and snorkelling site, noted for its unique rock formation of four jagged, tooth-like pinnacles that protrude from the surface after rising 50 ft (15 m) from the ocean floor. A variety of beautiful and colourful corals and sponges are found in the canyons and grottoes, including a tunnel that divers can pass through.

Painted Walls
Dead Chest Island-Novice to Advanced
Depth: 20 to 50 ft (6 to 15 m)
Located near Dead Chest, Painted Walls is a shallow site that dazzles divers with its kaleidoscope of bright colours, created by corals and sponges along canyons and the walls of four long gullies. Turtles, nurse sharks, lobsters and barracuda are commonly found here.