After setting off on your journey from Nanny Cay, you'll head for Norman Island, with a quick stop at The Indians for a swim or snorkel. Regarded as one of the best shallow dives and snorkels in the BVIs, these four rocky pinnacles are one-of-a-kind and descend roughly fifty feet forming abundant coral gardens, a 15-foot tunnel and an underwater cavern. Breathtaking both above and below the surface!
A short reach across the Sir Francis Drake Channel and you’ll arrive at The Bight, Norman Island, rumored to be the site of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel, “Treasure Island”. After picking up a mooring ball and cracking open your complimentary rum and Cokes, enjoy your sundowner with a spectacular Caribbean sunset. Head ashore and enjoy a fabulous dinner or great cocktails at Pirates Bight, and if you're in the mood for a party, the infamous Willy T offers good food, strong drinks and a lively atmosphere!
After breakfast, take your dinghy (or the yacht) over to The Caves. Pick up a National Park buoy and enjoy the wonders of the coral reef and its colourful inhabitants (don’t forget to look for treasure!).
Enjoy a leisurely sail to Cooper Island and arrive early enough to pick up an overnight mooring buoy (no anchoring here please). Time for more snorkeling off Cistern Point, or lounging on the beach while sipping rum cocktails made on island at the Cooper Island Rum Distillery. Cooper Island Beach Club has a lovely boutique, serves wonderful lunches, dinners, and cocktails and is another favourite spot to watch the sun disappear behind the islands.
Sail to The Baths (get there early) on Virgin Gorda and pick up a buoy in the National Park area – plan to spend the morning here and have lunch. Explore the magnificent boulders and rock pools created by Mother Nature millions of years ago. This special area has got to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
After lunch, sail to Trellis Bay or Marina Cay to spend the night – and plan to BBQ on board your yacht. Trellis Bay has full moon parties every month – not to be missed!
Off to North Sound, Virgin Gorda (great snorkeling at the Dogs or Mountain Point en route). The Dogs, made up of Great Dog, George Dog, West Dog (a BVI national park), East Seal Dog and Little Seal Dog offer 11 dive sites, 4-5 of them being great for snorkelling too! They are only accessible by boat and offer an untouched piece of paradise.
From the Dogs, head over to The North Sound with a stop in Leverick Bay on the way, which has a marina facility, provisioning store, good restaurant and fine dining in their upstairs restaurant. The North Sound boasts countless great dinner options. Saba Rock Resort and Restaurant is bigger and better than ever, offering great lunch and dinner options on the water - truly one-of-a-kind! The Bitter End Yacht Club has more of an expansive resort feel and offers a place to re-provision, go shopping, learn all types of watersports, relax on the beach and enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner. Their new restaurant boasts ‘farm and sea to table’ ingredients. They also have a new open kitchen pizza and wine concept in the Village. Another option is to spend the afternoon on Virgin Gorda by catching a taxi from Gun Creek or Leverick Bay to Hog Heaven, which serves the most amazing pulled pork creations (and lots of other tasty dishes) and the view of North Sound will take your breath away!
The staff at Horizon Yacht Charters know this area better than most and think you should spend a little more time here in the North Sound. Spend the morning exploring by dinghy; there are many beautiful, deserted beaches and Eustatia Reef is a wonderful snorkeling site. You can also head round to the luxurious “Nova” Restaurant and dipping pool at Oil Nut Bay in Deep Bay. Motor through the well-marked channel between Saba Rock and The Bitter End to Deep Bay and pick up a mooring or anchor. Remember to call ahead to make your booking. A resort fee is applicable for full use at the Oil Nut Bay resort itself, which is only accessible by dinghy or golf cart further up the coast – there is a beautiful pool complex and beach to accompany your lunch or dinner experience - well worth it as Oil Nut Bay is 5-star! Alternatively, you can set sail for Monkey Point on Guana Island in time for lunch and some snorkeling.
Cruise down the rugged and unspoiled North shore of Tortola before overnighting in either Little Harbour or Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke. A good place to sample the local lobster!
Sail or motor over to Sandy Cay or Sandy Spit – the perfect desert islands and the set of the famous Corona commercial! Snorkel, swim and beach comb, then enjoy lunch at Foxy’s Taboo or BeeLine on Little Jost, before you sail to Cane Garden Bay for your overnight stop.
Offering one of Tortola's most beautiful beaches, this horseshoe-shaped bay is the perfect spot for an afternoon dip. Laze on the soft white sands and enjoy the casual atmosphere of the beach bars for an amazing sunset. Enjoy a great BBQ chicken and ribs dinner at one of the restaurants on the beach and then dance ’till the early hours!
Pastel shades against brilliant hues of blue, Soper’s Hole will keep you enchanted long after you leave. For charter guests wanting to drop anchor at one of the most beautiful anchorages in the whole of the BVI, Soper’s Hole is your saving grace. This dreamy anchorage can be found on the western side of Tortola, close to Frenchman’s Cay.
There’s a lively laid back vibe to this marina, with buildings painted and adorned with charming shutters and ornate balconies. A glut of gorgeous laidback eateries, cafes, boutiques, and bustle can be found around the charming harbour - along with some world famous spots for sipping punchy frozen cocktails to celebrate the ease of Caribbean life.
Nearby, there’s every opportunity to snorkel and dive in the blissful blue seas or to explore the pretty coves and beaches strung like pearls nearby.
Situated on Tortola between Road Town and West End, Nanny Cay Resort and Marina is a must-stop for charter guests exploring the BVI cruising grounds. With easy access to the Sir Francis Drake channel and the 60+ islands scattered across the blue, Nanny Cay is a piece of pure heaven. The resort and marina offer everything from hotel to groceries, chandlery, fuel dock, spa, salon, coffee bar, and full-service boatyard, not to mention multiple dazzling dining options, and dive shops for those who want to duck down beneath the blue. With its first-class amenities, sugar sand beaches, and quintessential BVI vibes, guests can kick back and relax or get active with a range of watersports and other hand-picked activities on land and sea.