Anegada is the northernmost of the British Virgin Islands. It lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Virgin Gorda and is about 55 miles from St. John. Anegada is formed from coral and limestone, rather than being of volcanic origin. While the other islands are mountainous, Anegada is flat and low. It is the only all-coral atoll in the VI and a mere 28 feet above sea level.

Anegada, BVI

Anegada is known for miles of white sand beaches and the 18-mile (29 km)-long Horseshoe Reef, the largest barrier coral reef in the Caribbean, and the fourth largest on earth, a watery graveyard for many an unsuspecting wind-tossed ship, it is known to have over 300 wrecks in its waters, some of whose artifacts can be seen in a local nautical museum. Aside from the Lobster for which Anegada is mostly known,  it is also great for surfing, it is the Virgin Island that is most exposed to the swell.

The sand is even whiter and pinker on St. John (since it is of coral and limestone) and that gives the water an absolutely amazing turquoise color. The island is very laid back and relaxed it is amazing how refreshed you will feel after a day or two there. If we need a vacation from St. John, we go to Anegada.

The flora, fauna and scenery is very different from the other Virgin Islands, there are pine trees, bushes and sand dunes (like at the French Atlantic Ocean). The sand is very fine and soft and has a pinkish white color. There are salt ponds that host a growing flock of pink flamingoes. The water is very clear and due to the low depth, the colors are just amazing. Check out the photos from Anegada Trips on Facebook below. The food is amazing too, conch and lobster are the best and freshest you can find.

Both accommodation and car rentals on Anegada are reasonably priced. You can rent a car or a scooter to explore the island for about 50$ a day including fuel. Driving is easy, there is basically only one (sand) road going around in a circle and the road is better than many of the St. John roads. You will see cows and flamingos on the the side of the road.

Day Trips to Anegada from St. John

A day trip to Anegada is 1350$ incl. captain and fuel. On a calm day it takes us a little over an hour to get there with our twin Yamaha 250s. We will leave from National Park Dock at 8 AM and head to Tortola West End to check into the BVI’s and from there ride along the North Shore and then cut straight over to Anegada and moor the boat at Anegada Reef Hotel. Depending on the ocean and conditions, we have to head back no later than 3pm, maybe earlier.

To truly enjoy and explore Anegada, we recommend an overnight trip (2 days) which is 1950$ incl. captain and fuel. Each extra day you would like to spend on Anegada is 600$. More information and accommodation on Anegada is here: www.anegada-bvi.com. Our list of the top 3 places to visit while on Anegada is here.

Overnight Trip to Anegada

The overnight trip is much more relaxed and gives you time to truly explore the island. It is 1950$ incl. captain and fuel. The crew will sleep on the boat or stay at Anegada Reef Hotel at their own expense. For a cost-efficient option you can stay at Anegada Reef Hotel, basic but clean and newly renovated with A/C or for a truly magical stay check out Anegada Beach Club.

We will leave from National Park Dock at 8 AM and head to Tortola West End to check into the BVI’s and from there ride along the North Shore and then cut straight over to Anegada and moor the boat at Anegada Reef Hotel. Depending on ocean conditions we should be there well before noon. You now have all afternoon and evening to explore Anegada (by scooter, taxi or rental car – rental car or scooter is about 50$ per day) and you can have the infamous lobster dinner. The must-see stops are Cow Wreck Beach, Flash of Beauty, Big Bamboo and the Flamingo Pond.

The next day we will leave around lunch time (again depending on ocean conditions) and if you want we can stop at Great Harbour, Jost van Dyke for a great lunch at Corsairs or Foxy’s.

St. John – Anegada Trip, Rockhoppin’ Charters Photogallery

Check out our Anegada Photogalleries on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.351622131710156.1073741841.252893791582991&type=3 and https://www.facebook.com/rockhoppin/photos/?tab=album&album_id=619474908258209

Day Trip St. John Anegada – Online Booking

Book your day or overnight trip from St. John to Anegada here or send an email to rockhoppinusvi(at)gmail.com

FAQ:

WHERE DOES THE TRIP START & END?

• The trip will start out of Cruz Bay, we will normally meet you at  National Park Dock at 8:00 AM for BVI trips, 9:00 for full day USVI trips and 10:00 AM for half day and 3/4 day trips.

• Our dark blue 32 FS Regulator Boat will pick you up at National Park Dock across from Mongoose Junction. We can’t park the boat there for longer than 15mins so the captain usually circles the harbor, so signal him when you get there and he will pull in. We usually also end the trip there. For BVI trips you can also disembark the boat at the customs dock, after clearing customs. You can reach Captain Steve on 340-626-2859

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?

• The prices are for a private charter for 6 people.  Different from most charters, our prices include captain and fuel – there are no hidden extra charges! Please check with us if you have a group of more than 6.
• They do not include BVI customs and mooring fees (currently about 80$ per person) & gratuity for captain.
• We provide water and ice, you are welcome to bring you own food and drink (adult beverages welcome). For beer please bring cans (instead of glass) if possible, for liquor glass bottles are fine. In an effort to reduce plastic waste (all trash from St. John goes to St. Thomas on the barge, they do not burn the trash and their landfill is almost full) we have switched from the small plastic bottles to gallon size jugs and provide cups & pen to write down name or you can bring your own cup/water bottle if you have)
• The prices are based on a start in Cruz Bay, St. John.  Other starting points (e.g. Red Hook, St. Thomas, Westend Tortola, Road Town) are available upon request and may incur additional fees.
• You are welcome to use our Easybreath Snorkeling Masks for free (or traditional masks) and fins.

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN YOU TAKE?

pricing is for 6 we can take additional passengers for 100$ extra pp

Jost van Dyke and USVI half day or 3/4 day: max 10

Willy T./Norman or full day USVI: 8

Virgin Gorda: 6

Sunset Cruise: 10 (extra charge 50$ per extra person)

WILL WE HAVE THE BOAT TO OURSELVES?

• The prices are for a private charter for up to 6 people, this means you and your friends/family will have the boat to yourselves. Options and pricing for larger parties are available upon requests.
• We do occasionally match singles and couples with other parties who are interested in sharing but only if you request so (we will never put any strangers on your charter!)

IS TIPPING EXPECTED?

• A tip for great service is appreciated by our captains who work hard to keep you safe & comfortable and make sure you have a great day on the water.

HOW MUCH ARE THE BVI Customs fees?

• About 45$ per person (subject to change), depends on # of people on boat, day of the week and mood of customs officer. You pay them directly in cash on the day.

DO I NEED A PASSPORT?

• A valid passport is required for BVI trips. The BVI customs officer can also accept a birth certificate and a picture ID but if you have a passport it is safer to bring that along.

WHERE CAN WE PARK?

• There is free parking at the gravel lot in between tennis courts and car barge exit. It is about 10 minutes walk to National Park Dock. There is paid parking at Beach Bar and Slim Mans across from Wharfside complex (Strand Street) and another paid lot at the corner where the bank used to be (across from Woody’s). Some car rental companies (e.g. Sunshine Jeep Rentals) also offer free parking in town.

DOES THE BOAT HAVE A BATHROOM?

• Our boat has a small emergency bathroom. Boat toilets are fickle, please don’t put toilet paper or sanitary towels etc. into the bowl it will back it up or destroy the pump. Please let the captain know if you need to use the bathroom, he might be able to stop at a restaurant for you which will be more convenient.

CAN I BRING A PADDLEBOARD?

• We are paddleboard/SUP friendly and you can take your paddleboard on the trip. If you don’t have one with you, you can rent 2 boards for the day for 100$ instead of $130 for stand alone board rental. We get them and load them onto the boat for you!

WHAT SHALL I BRING?

• Reef safe Sunscreen, longsleeve (lycra), snorkeling gear, waterproof bag for camera/phone, towel, change of clothes (dry shirt/shorts), camera, sunglasses, bugspray, cash (for customs), credit card.
• For BVI trips you will have to walk through US customs when we check back into St. John, they will require you to wear a shirt and shoes (flip flops are fine)

WHAT KIND OF MERCHANDISE IS AVAILABE?

• We have a variety of hats and T-Shirts for sale. You can see all models here. We do not have all styles and sizes on the boat, send us a text or email if you want a certain model and we will have it ready for you
• We also sell reef safe sunscreen and Aloe Vera Gel

Wondering what Captains do on their day off? It looked a bit rainy on the morning of May 2nd so our guests cancelled their Jost van Dyke Day Trip. Captain Steve and Captain Marty went out on our 32 FS Regulator “Wahoo Wa” and within 2 hours caught a huge Wahoo that was about 60-80 lbs and taller than Capain Steve. Check out the photo below.

Would you like to go fishing with Captain Steve? Here are the options:

Fishing Charter St. John, USVI – Options

• Half Day Snorkeling & Half day Fishing: 900$ incl. captain, fuel, rods & bait
• Full Day Fishing (offshore fishing): 1100$ incl. captain, fuel, rods & bait
• Half Day Fishing (offshore fishing): 700$ incl. catpain, fuel, rods & bait

The Half day Snorkeling Half Day Fishing trip can be booked online, for the other trips contact us on rockhoppinusvi(at)gmail.com or call / text Captain Steve on 340-626-2859. He is is usually driving the boat from 9:00 to 5:00pm so text is often better/easier to reach him.

There is a new bar on Jost van Dyke, right next to Soggy Dollar bar and it is quickly becoming a favorite. It is a beautiful wooden structure. The majority of the timber used during construction is reclaimed, as they strive to be as eco-friendly as possible. The wood, known as Cumaru, was sourced from a lake in Nicaragua, where it was lifted up by scuba divers. They have a beautiful bar and large, comfortable dining area.

While Soggy Dollar is the place to drink at party, Hendo’s Hideout is a great place to have a meal in a comfortable, relaxing setting so it is a great addition to the dining options on Jost that were a bit limited or more on the “fast food” side. Their head chef Paul used to work at the Westin St. John so you can see how that adds some sophistication to the menu.

Hendo’s Hideout is run and owned by Aaron Henderson (nick-named “Hendo”)  and his wife Liz. Hendo is a USVI native and former hedge fund manager in New York whose parents own and operate Top of the Baths restaurant on Virgin Gorda.

It has so far received very good reviews on tripadvisor:

“Impressed!”  *****

More information on Hendo’s Hideout, Jost van Dyke

Are you considering going on a day trip to the Baths on Virgin Gorda from St. John or St. Thomas but wondering if it is worth the ride over? Check out our photogallery below.

Day trip to the Baths on Virgin Gorda

Those pictures are taken at the Baths, which is Virgin Gorda’s key attraction. Encompassing the beaches and rocky shoreline at the southwestern tip of Virgin Gorda, The Baths are a collection of massive granite boulders as large as 40 feet in diameter, with white sand beaches and secret rock pools – a truly amazing experience. Of course when you book a day trip to the Baths with us, we can do multiple other stops on the way back, all included in the price (e.g. Snorkeling, Norman Island, Jost van Dyke). More on Information on the Virgin Gorda Day Trip is here.

Exploring the Baths on Virgin Gorda

There are multiple ways to explore the Baths on Virgin Gorda.

1. We can moor the boat at Spanish Town, then you can take a 5 minute taxi ride right to the top of the baths, exploring them without getting your hair wet. This is a favorite for seniors or families with smaller children or groups that are less comfortable swimming.
2. If you are sporty, we can also drop you off close to the shore, for you to swim in. You can then do the hike/climb around the Boulders and the Captain will wait at then end to pick you up. This will also make for a nice photo opportunity to see the boulders from the water. If you do this option, make sure you bring a dry bag or waterproof camera.
3. The third way is is to explore the boulders of the Baths via paddleboard like Lucy does on some of the photos. This is for people who have paddled before or taken a lesson, if you are a novice paddler you should start at one of the calm St. John beaches first. We are happy to bring a paddleboard for you along but the captain is busy keeping the boat safe and cannot do a double act as a SUP Instructor. If you need instruction you can of course book Lucy from SUP-Stjohn.com to come along on the trip

The Baths on Virgin Gorda Photogallery