Seeking basic advice from seasoned BVI Vets!

Hello!

As you can probably tell (by my number of posts) I'm new to this! I'm in the early stages of trying to plan a week-long charter in January, headed out from Tortola. I'm not much of a sailor, we'll have a captain aboard, and I've never been to BVI. I've had friends tell me it's awesome, I've done some simple google searches, but I feel like this is really the place to ask advice.

So- I hear January is the "busy" season. If I want to try to stay clear of the crowds where are the main place to avoid? and where are the more "low-key" destinations/bars/ports to explore?

I'm going with a small crowd of college friends, but we're kind of a mellow group...

Thanks!

January is sort of mid season. Christmas and New Years are high season, not because of conditions but because kids are out of school and working folks can take a longer trip using fewer vacation days. There are fewer visitors in January, then things ramp up in February, through April. That, and the fact that the islands are still in recovery mode, means things are not over-run in January. Of course some resorts have not yet re-opened, so the remaining ones may be busier than they would otherwise have been.

The Christmas winds may still be blowing in January, which makes some anchorages more comfortable than others. Your captain should know the best ones. You might want to look at the Bee Line on Little Jost, Guana, Leverick and Anegada, for starters.

January is a very busy month along with all the other winter months.
If you want the islands almost to yourselves then try August, September & October.

Agree with Ratman's wife - you're sailing so you have the whole sea to yourself - just make sure you moor by about 3 pm and get out and explore the islands - Tortola, jost, Virgin gorda and Anegada are probably be where you will find the restaurants and bars you'll want to stop at - we've never found them to be overly busy that you can't get in no matter what dates you are doing - the only caveat to that is try not to be at the baths when there is a cruise ship in port in Tortola - cheers Brian

...and make sure you go to Anegada, play at Cow Wreck and dine at The Wonky Dog.One tip at Cow Wreck..if they add "tax" it is a hidden service charge..do not tip on top of that. There is not food tax in the BVI's .

There is a food tax on restaurants that are part of a hotel, but nowhere else. And, rum is cheap, milk is expensive. Oh, and sunscreen applied often. A waterproof camera is fun to have while snorkeling. Some folks say to spit into your snorkel mask and rub it around with a finger to keep the mask from fogging up. We use Sea Drops instead, as my wife thinks spitting in your snorkel mask is gross...lol Have fun, and post a trip report afterward...

I've never heard of that before. Do you know any place that charges that tax and how much is it?

Technically, Cow Wreck could charge tax on food if that the case because they have rental property and file the same "Monthly Hotel Accommodation" taxes that I do.

Please don't tell Belle!

The only hotel we stay at, and not often, is Maria's by the Sea, and we do have a meal or three at their restaurant. I forget what the tax rate is but it is less than the amount of a tip that a naïve newbie might be charged at some restaurant only location. For years we bareboated and now, age wise, we stay at Guavaberry Spring Bay on Virgin Gorda and the restaurants we frequent do not try to charge a tax. I got the info about the hotel/restaurant tax from posts here on TTOL many years ago, and it was confirmed by asking someone from BVI Tourism and hotel and restaurant personnel. And rum is still cheaper than milk...

I have never heard of this "tax" in 28 years of visiting the BVI. I hope you didn't add a tip in addition. Oh yeah, you can trust BVI govt officials to tell you the truth.......

If you have a captain, anchoring is always an option that will free up the "OMG, gotta get here before the last ball" issue that MANY in the islands run into. Although many fret over detailed planning, I suggest the exact opposite, we plan where we are going when the anchor raises, and often change our mind mid-way.

Having a captain will relieve you of a lot of the pressure of "gotto go THERE". Talking with Cap'n about the where's and where nexts will really make the whole trip easier and more satisfying. Captains not only keep the crew out of trouble, they often know the best spots, know the shore staff and servers, and know how to take advantage of lesser known/used anchorages. Your Captain should be a trusted friend for the week.