The Best Snorkeling Spots in the British Virgin Islands

Tina Walsh
Apr 13, 2021
8 min read

Updated: Apr 17

One of the biggest attractions in the British Virgin Islands is the sea life. The waters surrounding these minimally developed islands are teeming with colorful fish and striking coral formations. Two of the most popular snorkeling spots are the Caves and the Indians. The coral formations at the Indians are spectacular with beautiful blue fan coral, golden brain coral, and patches of red fire coral. The Caves are interesting because of the formations into the rock cliffs. They form small caverns that are home to tons of tropical fish.

Because these are the most popular spots, they are also the most crowded spots. However, in almost every cove, there is a quiet spot to enjoy the sea life. Below I have listed my favorites and the best way to enjoy them.

Snorkeling Equipment

I get lots of questions on what type of equipment I use. I have recently fallen in love with my HD Mask. The HD lens creates a stunning visual experience, when snorkeling. The difference is dramatic. I also love my full face mask. These masks are sold by specific size, so it fits my face well, which minimizes leaks. It also allows you to breathe in and out by both your nose and mouth. It is great for people who hate to have a snorkel in their mouth.

If you have non-swimmers or weak swimmers or young childern, life jackets or noodles can increase their confidence and enjoyment of the snorkeling.The other thing I can not stress enough is to use reef safe sunscreen. The reefs are incredibly fragile and chemicals in many sun screens are very damaging to them.

When you spend a lot of time exploring sea life, you see the impact of plastic on our environment. Serveral years ago, CaptK and I took the no plastic straw challenge. I keep stainless steel straws in my car and in our boat bags. We also try to eliminate as much single use plastic from our lives as we can. It is not an easy thing to do, but multiple use zip loc bags and glass food storage containers help.

Best For Beginners

The Bight Norman Island

If you have people who have never snorkeled before in your travel group, the easiest way to get them comfortable with snorkeling is off the beach. This is especially true for adults. Starting their snorkeling journey off the beach, allows them stand at any time that they are uncomfortable. The Bight at Norman Island has a nice size beach that gradually drops off, giving new snorkelers lots of space to practice.

On one side if the beach is a large sea grass field. I have never snorkeled there without seeing a sea turtle. There are lots of rays and young nurse sharks in that area as well. On the other side is a shallow rocky area that attracts tropical fish. You can see some smaller coral formations as well. Both sides offer the tentative snorkeler a protected shallow area to practice while seeing some intriguing sea life.

Essential Online Links For Booking Your Trip to the British Virgin Islands

Logistics: There is one international airport in the British Virgin Islands. You can also fly into St. Thomas USVI and take a ferry to Road Town, Tortola. : Taxis are available throughout the islands. Private Transfers are available from both airports: Private Arrival Transfer from EIS Airport to Tortola, Private Ground Transfers, St. Thomas, Ferry Schedules are available at USVI.net, Water Taxi transfers are available through Dolphin Water Taxi

Top-rated British Virgin Islands tours and experiences:

☆Historical and Beach Tour of Tortola BVI

☆Conch Island Snorkel Tour: Contact Kelly at Anegadaconcierge@gmail.com or Whatsapp at 281 496-0961

☆Brewers Bay Eco Hiking Tour

Top places to stay in British Virgin Islands:

Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina (Tortola - Luxury)

Wyndham Tortola BVI Lambert Beach Resort (Tortola - Budget Friendly, )

Sebastian's on the Beach Hotel (Tortola - Budget Friendly)

Rosewood Little Dix Bay Virgin Gorda (Virgin Gorda - Luxury, )

Saba Rock Resort ( North Sound - Luxury,)

Anegada Beach Resort (Anegada -Budget Friendly, )

My favorite Guidebook for Bareboating in the British Virgin Islands: The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands

My favorite Guidebook for the British Virgin Islands: Top 10 US & British Virgin Islands

My favorite Novel about the Caribbean: The Embarrassment Of Mangoes or Vintage Norman Island: True Tales About a Real Treasure Island with Pirates and Buried Treasure

Don’t forget to pack: water shoes*** underwater camera*** HD mask ***reef safe sunscreen.

Best for Weak Swimmers

Kelly Cove Norman Island

I love Kelly Cove. See my post on the Quiet Anchorages of the British Virgins Islands to get a full description of this lovely spot. It is well protected with sheer rock cliffs that drop directly into deep water. The coral formations are beautiful especially on the north side of the Cove. Several factors make this a great place for tentative or weaker swimmers. The area is protected and calm. You can see some great sea life while snorkeling with a noodle. You can snorkel right off the boat. It is easy for the "life guard" to keep track of everyone from the boat. Because the cove is very deep, the mooring balls are very close to the snorkeling area, giving the "life guard" a view of everyone.

Loblolly Bay, Anegada

Visiting Anegada is a high point for many boaters on a British Virgin Island vacation. Snorkeling in Loblolly Bay is must when you visit. All along the north side of Anegada is Horseshoe Reef. This 18 mile barrier reef is one of the largest in the Caribbean. At Loblolly Bay, there are hundreds of coral heads between the beach and the reef. These coral heads are home to thousands of fish in all sizes, majestic coral formations, and the delicious crustacean that makes the island the lobster capital of Caribbean.

You can snorkel directly off the beach and is usually comfortable for weak swimmers especially if they have a life jacket or noodle.Just be cautious, the current can be very strong. For more information about visiting Anegada, check out my blog post Add Anegada to your Cruising Itinerary in the BVI.

Monkey Point, Guana Island

Monkey Point is at the eastern end of White Bay on Guana Island. There are several National Park day use only balls to secure your vessel to when visiting this spot. The water is about 30 feet deep and very clear. There are lots of brightly colored fish that call the rock crevices home at Monkey Point. Be careful of the bright red fire coral, while it is beautiful to see, it can really sting if you brush up against it. If there are string winds or North swells, this is not a good place to snorkel.

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Cooper Island Mooring Field

Cooper Island is one of my favorite spots. The mooring field is covered in sea grass and it it home to many sea turtles and rays. Weaker swimmers can enter the water from the beach and swim along the swim area rope and rocky beach area to the south. There are lots of fish an some coral heads. Make sure that most of the boats are on mooring balls before snorkeling in this area. Also be area of the commercial dock and digny dock traffic. Our last visit, I snorkeled the north rocky point of the mooring field, I did not see any turtles but I did see lots of brightly colored fish, coral and starfish

Best for Intermediate Swimmers and People with Snorkeling Experience

The Dogs

Whether you are heading to North Sound, Virgin Gorda, or Anegada, a stopover at the Dogs is a great way to break up the trip. The Dog Islands are made up of 5 islets, Great Dog, George Dog, West Dog, East Seal Dog, and Little Seal Dog. These islands are named for the barking seals that originally inhabited them. These Caribbean Monk Seals were considered by sailors to be a good source of fresh meat. They are now extinct from over indulging in them.

The Dog Islands are now a protected National Park. There are day use only mooring balls on west side of George Dog and Great Dog Islands. These anchorage can be rolly and the current can be strong. George Dog is more protected than Great Dog. The reefs are beautiful and well worth a stop. You will see several patch of golden Staghorn Coral.

Cistern Point, Cooper Island

Cistern Point is at the southern tip of Manchioneel Bay. There is a dingy line that allows you to access the Point without swimming there. I like to have Capt K drop me off in the dingy and I snorkel back to the boat. Cistern Point has lovely coral formations and lots of interesting fish. This is the first place I ever saw a seahorse fish. As you snorkel back to your boat the undersea terrain changes from rocky to sea grass. I love following along with a turtle or a ray as they move through the sea grass.

Angegada, Couch Island Tour and Snorkeling

To access Conch Island and to snorkel the southern side of Horseshoe Reef, you must have a local guide. These guides are outstanding and depending upon the tour you select, you could come back to your boat with fresh conch and fresh lobster. You must be a licensed British Virgin Island resident to take conch or lobster out of the water,

While the licensed is hunting for these delicious crustaceans, you can snorkel one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean. Because of the access limitations, relatively few people snorkel here, the reef is in pristine condition and stunningly beautifully!

Other Spots to Snorkeling for Experienced Snorkelers

Spotted Eagle Ray in the Cooper Island Mooring Field, BVI

North Sound offers some interesting snorkeling options including the north side of Pricky Pear Island and the east side of Eustatia Island. You will need to have a dingy drop you off and pick you up for these locations. You can snorkel Eustatia Reef directly off your boat if you are staying at Oil Nut Bay. Several large old anchors were placed in this area to facilitate reef growth and are easy to see from the surface, in calm waters.

Near Salt Island, the HMS Rhone wreck offers an interesting snorkel or dive. While primarily a dive site, snorkelers can enjoy parts of it when the seas are flat and the water is clear. Encountering reef fish among the historical remnants is a unique experience that adds to the snorkeling adventure.

Hallovers Bay off the west coast of Cooper Island, just south of the Cooper Island Mooring field, the Blue Chromis Reef has lots to offer snorkelers. Reef fish frequent this spot, including the blue chromis, which the reef is named after. With a calm current and good visibility, you can easily snorkel here for hours on end.

Do you have a favorite place to snorkel in the British Virgin Islands? Please leave your suggestions in the comment section below. If you have any questions about Bareboating or Charter Yachting, please leave them in the comments section or send me an email at mytravelingtastes@gmail.com.