Jost Van Dyke BVI

Jost Van Dyke, BVI is one of the highlights of any Caribbean charter itinerary — a tiny island with an outsized reputation. It was always our escape: drop the hook in White Bay for the powdery sand and a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar, or bring the boat around to Great Harbour for Foxy’s and the seasonal regatta scene. East of the main island, Sandy Spit and Diamond Cay offer some of the quieter anchorages in the BVI.

JVD is also a designated port of entry, which makes it a natural first stop for charter crews coming up from the USVI. Customs clearance at Great Harbour is straightforward but worth understanding before you arrive — for many cruisers, clearing here is the easier alternative to the West End queue on Tortola.

Below, our locals and contributors share insider tips, the stories that don’t make the brochures, and what’s worth changing course for. The upcoming must-attend events are listed too — regattas, Old Year’s Night at Foxy’s, lobster nights, the works — alongside the ALL AT SEA editorial archive of JVD coverage going back to 1993.