Diving in the British Virgin Islands
The RMS Rhone off Salt Island — the Caribbean's most famous shipwreck
British Virgin Islands — the RMS Rhone, the Caribbean’s most famous shipwreck, The Indians, Blonde Rock. Liveaboard schedules and prices.
Why divers come here
- RMS Rhone — the Caribbean's most famous shipwreck, lying in 9–25 m
- Rhone Marine Park — the territory's first national marine park
- Sir Francis Drake Channel — the world's easiest sailing and charter grounds
- The Indians — four rock pinnacles with arches and swim-throughs
- Blonde Rock and Painted Walls — caves, canyons and sponge-covered walls
- The Baths on Virgin Gorda — granite boulders and grottoes above and below water
What you'll meet underwater
Tarpon (schooling inside the RMS Rhone)
Hawksbill turtles
Spotted eagle rays and southern stingrays
Nurse sharks (ledges of Blonde Rock)
Green and spotted moray eels
French and grey angelfish
Caribbean reef squid
Barracuda and schooling jacks
Photos: credits and licences
- Tarpon (schooling inside the RMS Rhone) — Kris Mikael Krister, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hawksbill turtles — Thierry Caro, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Spotted eagle rays and southern stingrays — the manta ray had a family, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Nurse sharks (ledges of Blonde Rock) — Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Green and spotted moray eels — Blueag9, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- French and grey angelfish — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Caribbean reef squid — Betty Wills, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barracuda and schooling jacks — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Practical information
- Best season
December–May (dry season, calm seas, best visibility)
June–November is hurricane season
- Water temperature
- 26–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–30 m
- Wetsuit
- 3 mm or shorty; a rash guard under a vest in winter
- Experience level
Open Water and up (calm water, gentle currents, shallow depths)
- Getting there
Fly via San Juan (SJU) or St Thomas (STT) to Tortola's airport on Beef Island (EIS).
Routes avoiding US territory connect through Antigua (ANU) or Sint Maarten (SXM).
A ferry also runs from St Thomas to Road Town in about an hour.
- Airports
Tortola / Beef Island (EIS), Transit: San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), Transit: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands (STT)
- Visa
Many nationalities enter visa-free for short stays
others need a BVI visa, though a valid US, UK or Canadian visa usually exempts the holder.
Check transit separately — San Juan and St Thomas are US territory and require a US visa or ESTA, while connections through Antigua or Sint Maarten avoid that.
Rules change, so confirm before booking flights.
- Climate
- Tropical trade-wind, 24–31°C year-round
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Language
- English
- Time zone
- UTC-4
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