Plan Your Sailing Trip in Tortola

Your guide for your sailing trip in Tortola

Tortola is full of unique opportunities to explore the Caribbean Sea and this idyllic island. A sailing trip in Tortola is truly a sensational holiday experience for you and your friends. Discover the most desirable destinations in Tortola with a captain and crew. The adventure doesn’t have to stop there! Embark on an island-hopping journey visiting the rest of the BVI, the USVI, and Puerto Rico. Experience a new holiday unlike any other and get ready to make memories you won’t forget.

Go make some memories with family and friends on your sailing trip in Tortola

You will have an epic adventure on your sailing trip in Tortola, whether you’re going with friends, family, or a mixture of the two. For adults, there is a multitude of different water sports on offer, including water skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Meanwhile, children can splash around in the shallows with the inflatable water toys.

If you’re setting sail with a partner, one of the best ways to customize your sailing trip in Tortola is to have a romantic dinner for two onboard, catered by your own personal chef. This is easy to organize, especially if you decided on a crewed cruise in a sailboat or catamaran.

Discover sailing trips in Tortola with or without a captain and crew

You can choose to explore a sailing trip in Tortola with or without a captain and crew. At Click&Boat, we recommend cruising with a captain and crew! Renting with a captain and crew gives you the freedom to enjoy your vacation without worries. Not only will the captain be able to take you to some of the best places close to Tortola but they will also take care of all of the sailing technicalities, cooking, and cleaning. What could you be missing?

When you book your sailing trip in Tortola with a captain and crew, the cost is divided into the price of renting the boat, the additional services, and the provision of funds. The provision of funds is the money that clients give the captain so they can pay for the extras of the trip such as gas, food, and drinks.

You can also choose to book your cruise in Tortola with only a captain. This way, you can explore the island without worrying about navigating the boat. Comfort, relaxation, and safety are all in your hands. Likewise, if you have a valid boating license and are passionate about sailing on your own, you can hire without a captain or crew.

The best routes for your sailing trip in Tortola

There are plenty of places to discover in and around Tortola. Not only is there the BVI, but also the USVI. Or why not plan a longer trip? That way you can travel as far as Puerto Rico and experience the different cultures and atmospheres of the Caribbean.

Here is an itinerary for your sailing trip in Tortola where you will get to explore the BVI and USVI.

• Day 1: Tortola to Jost Van Dyke (6.3 nautical miles)

Jost Van Dyke is one of the four main islands in the BVI and is known for its incredible views, stunning white-sand beaches, and views of the surrounding islands. You can lounge on the deck or take on adventures sailing, kayaking, snorkeling the abundant coral gardens, and more.

• Day 2: Jost Van Dyke to Great Tobago to Little Tobago to St Thomas (12.4 nautical miles)

On your second day, prepare to sail first from Jost Van Dyke to Great Tobago and then cross over into USVI territory to visit St Thomas, stopping off at Little Tobago National Park along the way. St Thomas is easily the most cosmopolitan of the USVI and is also home to the territory’s capital city, Charlotte Amalie, where you can mingle with many of the island's residents.

• Day 3: St Thomas to St John (9.5 nautical miles)

Next stop St John! This will be your last major stop in the USVI. Click&Boat recommends spending at least a day here, exploring the Virgin Island National Park and discovering the ruins of the plantations that were once a main feature of the island. St John is also the perfect place to go snorkeling or scuba diving, given that it is surrounded by coral reefs that are teeming with life.

• Day 4: St John to Leduck Island to Norman Island (7 nautical miles)

From St John to Leduck Island, it’s just a short trip, and although there isn’t much on land at Leduck Island, the underwater sights more than make up for it. Leduck Island is actually a hidden gem, being one of the best places to go snorkeling in the whole Caribbean. When you’re done snorkeling, you should head back into BVI territory to Norman Island, the supposed inspiration for the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Around this island, not only is there a wealth of marine life, but also hidden caves which you can explore.

• Day 5: Norman Island to Dead Chest National Park to Peter Island (6.4 nautical miles)

From Norman Island, you should sail along the east coast of Peter Island and then north until you reach Dead Chest National Park, which has three main dive sites, suitable for people of all levels. After immersing yourself in the warm waters in this area, you should back to Peter Island, where you can enjoy a nice meal in one of the many beach bars while soaking yourself in a tranquil atmosphere.

• Day 6: Peter Island to Virgin Gorda (10.4 nautical miles)

From Peter Island, you should head up north to Virgin Gorda, another of the main islands in the BVI. If you have time, you can stop off at some of the smaller islands along the way, such as Salt Island, Cooper Island, and Ginger Island, but you may want to save as much time as possible to explore the Virgin Gorda Baths and the Devil’s Bay National Park, which will undoubtedly take a lot of time to truly do them justice.

• Day 7: Virgin Gorda to Scrub Island to Guana Island to Tortola (11.9 nautical miles)

Depending on what time you have to check back in, you may have to miss out on either Scrub Island or Guana Island, but considering they should be more or less on your way back, it was worth including them, even if you can only glimpse them from onboard your boat. Scrub Island is a fantastic place to go swimming with sea turtles, while Guana Island has plenty of nature trails, perfect if you want to spot some of the unique wildlife of the island, such as iguanas and the red-legged tortoise. Either would be a perfect way to end your cruise in a sailboat or catamaran before sailing back to Tortola, for a nice meal in one of the beachside restaurants.

Which activities can you do during a sailing trip in Tortola?

You can try lots of different activities during your sailing trip in Tortola. You can follow the sailing route described above for a thorough exploration of the BVI and USVI, but there are also other options. If you want to stay on the shores of Tortola, you can still have a fantastic time with many different water sports available to add onto your charter. Just a couple of the sports you can add onto your sailing trip in Tortola include paddleboarding, waterskiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. With many different marine species inhabiting the surrounding seas, you will definitely have an epic adventure.

Which is better, a cruise in a sailboat or catamaran?

Both cruises in a sailboat and in a catamaran can be truly spectacular and which you should rent depends a lot on you and your sailing history. If you are an experienced sailor, for example, and are therefore after a fully authentic sailing experience, you should opt for a cruise in a sailboat. Sailboats are definitely the more affordable option, given their ability to travel large distances without consuming too much fuel and are suitable for both small groups and larger ones. Having said this, they aren’t the most spacious boats and so if you are looking for a luxury holiday, they may not be the boat for you.

A cruise in a catamaran is definitely the more luxurious option, the double hull structure providing more space than monohull sailboats and making them perfect for larger groups and families. They are also faster than sailboats, allowing you to cover more ground, and offer access to shallower waters. However, with the luxury comes higher prices, not just in terms of the boat itself, but also when it comes to finding moorings at marinas, as they require more docking space than regular sailboats.

How much does it cost to go on a cruise in a catamaran or sailboat in Tortola?

There are many things that can affect the price of a cruise in a catamaran or sailboat in Tortola, such as the size, model, and amenities of the boat. The type of boat and whether or not you want to charter with a skipper can also affect the price. As a rough guide, though, a cruise in a catamaran in Tortola can cost anywhere from around $7105 per week in high season or about $4500 per week in low season, while a cruise in a sailboat can cost anywhere from around $3595 per week in high season or about $2340 per week in low season.