British Virgin Islands

Combined they offer Caribbean charter yacht guests a sublime number of island destinations. You need only sail a short distance from one anchorage to another equally beautiful location and continue your escape from another world.

Tortola

Tortola is the Caribbean charter yacht capital of the British Virgin Islands. Tortola is definitely busy these days, particularly when several cruise ships tie up at the Road Town dock. Passengers crowd the streets and shops, and open-air jitneys filled with them create bottlenecks on the island's byways. That said, most folks visit Tortola to relax on its deserted sands or linger over lunch at one of its many delightful restaurants. Protected bays and beaches that carry romantic names like Brandywine Bay, Cane Garden Bay, Brewer's Bay and Smuggler's Cove. are never more than a few miles away, and the steep green hills that form Tortola's spine are fanned by gentle trade winds. Still a British colonial outpost, the island's economy depends on tourism and its offshore financial-services businesses. With a population of around 24,000, most people work in those industries or for the local government. You'll hear lots of crisp British accents thanks to a large number of expats who call the island home, but the melodic West Indian accent still predominates. Initially settled by Taíno Indians, Tortola saw a string of visitors over the years. Christopher Columbus sailed by in 1493 on his second voyage to the New World, and Spain, Holland, and France made periodic visits about a century later. Sir Francis Drake arrived in 1595, leaving his name on the passage between Tortola and St. John. Pirates and buccaneers followed, the British finally laying claim to the island in the late 1600s. As the agrarian economy continued to grow, slaves were imported from Africa. The slave trade was abolished in 1807, but slaves in Tortola and the rest of the BVI did not gain their freedom until August 1, 1834, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read at Sunday Morning Well in Road Town. That date is celebrated every year with the island's annual Carnival.

Jost Van Dyke

Jost Van Dyke, the ‘barefoot island’, is the caribbean charter yacht destination you dream about when you hear the words ‘carefree Caribbean’ and ‘tropics’. Named after an early Dutch settler, Jost Van Dyke is a small island northwest of Tortola and is truly a place to get away from it all. It’s tiny – little more than three square miles in area – but what it lacks in size it certainly makes up for in presentation. As well as offering picture-perfect palm-fringed beaches and bays, and a backdrop of high peaks, this part of paradise is famous for its lobster feasts and casual party atmosphere along the waterfront. It’s often suggested that you haven’t been to the BVI unless you’ve visited Jost Van Dyke, or more specifically, Foxy’s Bar and Restaurant for the guaranteed stress relief that comes in a glass and is called a ‘Pain Killer’. And, no matter where you are on this island, if you listen carefully you’ll almost certainly hear Jimmy Buffet…

Virgin Gorda

Lovely Virgin Gorda sits at the end of the chain that stretches eastward from St. Thomas. Virgin Gorda, or "Fat Virgin," received its name from Christopher Columbus. The explorer envisioned the island as a reclining pregnant woman, with Virgin Gorda Peak being her belly and the boulders of The Baths her toes. Virgin Gorda is where the lifestyle of the locals gives you no option but to slow down. Its main road sticks to the center of the island, connecting its odd-shaped north and south appendages; sailing is the preferred mode of transportation. Spanish Town, the most noteworthy settlement, is on the southern wing, as are The Baths. Here smooth, giant boulders are scattered about the beach and form delightful sea grottoes just offshore. If you do choose to explore by vehicle along the road, the local government has thoughtfully built viewing platforms with stellar views at numerous spots along the way. It's worth a stop to snap some photos. The scenery on the northeastern side of the island is the most dramatic, with a steep road ending at Leverick Bay and Gun Creek in North Sound. For lunch you can hop aboard a ferry to Biras Creek Resort, the Bitter End Yacht Club, or Saba Rock Resort. Head to the other end of the island for views of the huge boulders that spill over from The Baths into the southwest section of Virgin Gorda. You can find several restaurants dotted around this end of the island.In truth, though, it's the beaches that make Virgin Gorda special. Stretches of talcum-powder sand fringe aquamarine waters. Popular places like The Baths see hordes of people, but just a quick walk down the road brings you to quieter beaches like Spring Bay. On the other side of Spanish Town you may be the only person at such sandy spots as Savannah Bay. If shopping's on your agenda, you can find stores in Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour selling items perfect for rounding out your tropical wardrobe or tucking into your suitcase to enjoy when you get home. Virgin Gorda has very little crime and hardly any frosty attitudes among its more than 3,100 permanent residents. In short, the island provides a welcome respite in a region that's changing rapidly.

Anegada

Fourteen miles north of Virgin Gorda, Anegada lies low on the horizon and unlike its hilly volcanic neighbors, this is a flat coral and limestone atoll. Nine miles long and 2 miles wide, the island rises no more than 28 feet above sea level. Do to the extensive reef system (which has claimed no fewer than 300 boats), only trained Caribbean charter yacht captains are smart to approach. Although the reefs are a sailor's nightmare, they are a primary attraction for many visitors. Snorkeling, especially in the waters around Loblolly Bay on the north shore, is a transcendent experience. You can float in shallow, calm water just a few feet from shore and see one coral formation after another, each shimmering with a rainbow of colorful fish. Many local captains are happy to take visitors out bonefishing or sportfishing. Such watery pleasures are complemented by ever-so-fine, ever-so-white sand (the northern and western shores have long stretches of the stuff) and the occasional beach bar (stop in for burgers, local lobster, or a frosty beer). Several years ago, flamingos were reintroduced to the island. Seeking out the large bright-pink birds in Anegada’s salt ponds has become a popular diversion from the island’s beaches when touring by vehicle or scooter (if you are really adventurous).After enjoying a day of shore-side fun and exploration, then relaxing with a ‘sundowner’ cocktail on the deck of your yacht, your crew will take you ashore for an evening of delightful indulgence on the beachfront: one where good food, fun and friendship will combine and compose some unforgettable memories. island's population of about 180 lives primarily in a small south-side village called the Settlement, which has a handful of grocery stores, a bakery, and a general store.

Peter Island

Although Peter Island is home to the resort of the same name, it's also a popular destination for Caribbean charter yachts. The island is lush, with forested hillsides and white sandy beaches. There are no roads other than those at the resort. You're welcome to dine at the resort's restaurants or enjoy a day at their award winning spa. Sunday afternoons offer a steel drum session that can be enjoyed from the beach or on the back of your yacht as their melodic sounds echo through Dead Man’s Bay.

Norman Island

This uninhabited island is the supposed setting for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. The famed caves at Treasure Point are an exciting snorkel with wondrous fish, and many say as you snorkell into the dark tunnels that you can actually hear the ghosts of pirates digging holes to bury their treasure. If you land ashore at the island's main anchorage in the Bight, you can find a small beach bar and behind it a trail that winds up the hillside and reaches a peak with a fantastic view of the Sir Francis Drake Channel to the north. The island boasts nearly 12 miles of hiking trails. There is also an floating bar called the William Thornton (or ‘’Willy T’s’’) that offers lively music, and a more adult party atmosphere.

Cooper Island

This small, hilly island on the south side of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, about 8 miles ( from Road Town, Tortola, is popular Caribbean charter yacht destination for an afternoon playground or an overnight excursion. There are no paved roads (which doesn't really matter, as there aren't any cars), but the Cooper Island Beach Resort offers a wonderful restaurant (one of the best in the BVI), a casual hotel, a rum bar and quaint boutique. You can challenge your ship mates to a round of darts at the bar, snorkel the south side of the bay with the turtles or just sit back and enjoy amazing sunsets over Manchioneel Bay.

Marina Cay

Beautiful little Marina Cay is in Trellis Bay. If you flew into Beef Island airport you were sure to have seen its very dramatic J-shape coral reef. Covering 8 acres, this islet is considered small even by BVI standards. On it there's a restaurant, a Pusser's Store, and a six-unit hotel and typically you can find some very lively musical acts at the top of the hill.

Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit

Just offshore, the little islet known as Sandy Cay is a gleaming sliver of white sand with marvelous snorkeling and an inland nature trail. Previously part of the private estate of the late philanthropist and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller, the Cay recently became a protected area. As this is a national park, visitors are asked to "take only photos and leave only footprints." Winter swells can make beach landings treacherous so you may opt to visit Sandy Spit located just off Little Jost Van Dyke. If you have ever seen a Corona beer commercial, you have seen this little piece of paradise.

US Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands Formally the Dutch West Indies, the islands were sold by Denmark to the United States in 1916 for $US25 million in gold. There are three main islands – St Thomas, St Croix and St John – and beyond these there are hundreds of tempting small islands and cays, many uninhabited, waiting to be discovered by you and your friends while on your charter escape in the Caribbean. This is a region that provides the complete spectrum of opportunities – from the vibrant entertainment and nightlife to be found on St Thomas, through to the other extreme of peaceful serenity in a secluded bay amid the unspoiled beauty of St John. It is all there to be enjoyed, and ExecutvEscapes’ expertise will ensure you indulge in your every desire.

ST. THOMAS

This active cruise ship destination blends a busy city lifestyle with Caribbean informality, panache and scenic beauty – from ribbons of golden sand beaches to hills of volcanic origins that are flooded with canopies of green. While the island measures a mere 32 square miles, it provides ample diversity when it comes to activities to be sampled and enjoyed: duty-free shopping; visit the world’s second-oldest synagogue; take a Skyride trip to a hilltop 700-feet up and enjoy panoramic views of St Thomas and surrounding islands; play golf, or as most people aboard caribbean charter yachts do, escape to any one of the island’s 44 picturesque and sandy beaches. In short, from diving on a coral reef to delightful dining on local delicacies in the US Virgin Island’s capital, Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas has it all.

ST. JOHN

It might be only four miles from St Thomas, but St John is a world away in difference. This is a destination where you are surrounded by nature: 67 per cent of the 20 square mile island is unspoiled national park. The scenery is superb and the opportunity to escape the humdrum of everyday life exceptional. The island’s jagged volcanic peaks are enveloped by a dense green canopy of rainforest, and the beaches of fine golden sand are lapped by warm tropical waters which reflect the cobalt blue of a near cloudless sky. Yet, while this is an un-commercialized paradise you can still have your charter yacht sail into Cruz Bay so you can explore the up-market shopping opportunities and restaurants at Mongoose Junction. St John is the Caribbean destination of desire for many charter yacht guests … no high-rise buildings, no cruise ship docks, and no noisy jet airports.

ST. CROIX

St Croix’s history is as fascinating and colorful as the magnificent scenery and tranquil surroundings that await you when you cruise into these waters aboard your caribbean charter yacht. Its past is an amalgam of influence over centuries by Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, the Knights of Malta, Denmark and the United States, and as a consequence it is a unique destination in this part of paradise. Intriguingly, this island presents visitors with the widest of opportunities to indulge – from fine dining downtown, a casino, historic residences and casual beachfront bars, to breathtaking and secluded bays where your footprints are the only ones on the golden sand. Placid turquoise waters, vivid blue skies and bold hills covered by dense and dark green forests, complete this picture-perfect setting.

Spanish Virgin Islands

Puerto Rico

An enchanting Caribbean island: brimming with exciting adventures, captivating land and water activities, outstanding natural beauty and welcoming people. It's easy to have a Caribbean vacation on Puerto Rico, but this tropical island offers much more than sun and sand. In the exciting city of San Juan, you're sure to find your scene whether it’s art museums, posh boutiques, or trendy bars. Nearby, the lush El Yunque rain forest provides a peaceful retreat from urban diversions. Colonial towns such as Ponce and San Germán bring history to life in centuries-old churches and plazas. Nighttime is always right for salsa dancing and piña coladas, and no matter where you stay, you're never far from the beach of your dreams.

CULEBRA

Culebra is known around the world for its curvaceous coastline. Playa Flamenco, the tiny island's most famous stretch of sand, is considered one of the top 10 best beaches in the world. If Playa Flamenco gets too crowded, as it often does around Easter or Christmas, many other neighboring beaches will be nearly deserted. And if you crave complete privacy, just take you charter yacht to one of the nearby islets such as Isla Culebrita or Cayo Luis Peña. It won't be difficult to find a little cove that you will have all to yourself. Archaeological evidence shows that Taíno and Carib peoples lived on Culebra long before the arrival of the Spanish in the late 15th century. The Spanish didn't bother laying claim to it until 1886; its dearth of freshwater made it an unattractive location for a settlement. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, however, thought it was a very valuable piece of real estate. Although President Theodore Roosevelt created a wildlife refuge in 1909, the military used this island, as well as nearby Vieques, for target practice and amphibious assault training beginning in WWII. Despite their smaller numbers, the residents of Culebra managed to oust the military after staging sit-ins on the beach. The military left Culebra in 1975.

VIEQUES

Vieques is a place that allows you to wander along almost any stretch of sand and never see another soul. You can while away the hours underneath coconut palms, wade in the warm water, or get a mask and snorkel and explore coral reefs that ring the island. For many years the island was known mostly for the conflict between angry islanders and aloof federal officials. Over the course of six decades the U.S. Navy used two-thirds of Vieques, mostly on the island's eastern side, as a bombing range, and the western tip as an ammunition dump. After an April 1999 bombing accident took the life of one resident, waves of protests brought the maneuvers to a standstill, and political pressure from the island's governor helped force the military to leave on May 1, 2003. Ironically, the military presence helped keep the island pristine by keeping resort developers away. Today the military's former holdings have been turned into Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. The woodsy western end of the island is laced by trails that offer fabulous cycling around the base of Monte Pirata, the island's highest peak. More and more of the eastern part of the island is being opened every year, granting access to stupendous beaches shelving into calm turquoise waters. The park also protects Puerto Mosquito, a flask-shaped bay populated by microscopic organisms that glow when disturbed at night—a thrilling experience for kayakers.