Diving and Snorkeling in the BVI

The British Virgin Islands offer some of the most spectacular reef and wreck diving in the world. The underwater landscape is just as breathtaking as the scenery of the Islands themselves. So, it makes sense to explore beneath that sparkling blue water on your charter vacation.

There are 3 ways you can choose to mix SCUBA diving with a crewed BVI yacht charter:

Dive Dedicated Yachts

These yachts are completely equipped for diving and cater to experienced as well as novice divers who want to make diving the focal point of their charter vacation. These yachts have scuba equipment onboard and an experienced dive professional in the crew. Many of these dive yachts offer different kinds of scuba training, from Discover Scuba (Resort course) or Open Water checkouts (Referral course).

Dive Oriented Yachts

These are yachts that offer onboard diving but prefer a lighter diving schedule. Guests usually rent scuba equipment or bring their own.

Rendezvous Diving

If you are interested in occasional diving you do not need to charter a yacht specifically designed for diving, you can dive from any of the yachts in our fleet by rendezvous with a local dive company who will meet you at your yacht, take you for your dive and return you to your yacht. The fee is additional to your charter and payable to the dive company (they all accept credit cards). The cost depends on whether you prefer a private dive boat or a willing to share the dive with others.

Best Snorkeling and Diving Sites in the BVI

Here are 3 of the BVI’s best snorkeling and diving spots for you to explore on your next crewed yacht charter:

The Wreck of the Rhone – Salt Island

As the only Marine National Park in the BVI, the Wreck of the Rhone is a must-see. Established in 1980, this is the most celebrated dive site in the area. Featuring the wreck of a Royal Mail steamer that sank in 1867 due to a hurricane, it allows you to immerse yourself in history, while also discovering some underwater sea life.

Even though the wreck lies in two parts, the majority of it is still intact, allowing you to see various parts including the anchor, decking, steam engine and rigging. And, even after 150 years, there are still many artifacts for you to discover on board.

Norman Island Caves

The caves located off Norman Island’s Treasure Point hold some of the most enchanting snorkeling in the BVI. Bring an underwater flashlight to check out the orange cup coral and red sponge that cover the cave walls as schools of yellow tails, blue tangs and sergeant majors swim nearby.

The Indians

It may be challenging to find a mooring buoy at The Indians, located just off Norman Island, but the snorkeling is definitely worth the effort. These four cone-shaped rocks rise 30-40’ above the water’s surface, but the real magic is underwater, with a wide variety of reef fish and crustaceans, and schools of harmless jellyfish, plus sea fans and corals in every color imaginable.