Explore the beautiful Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands are composed of over 50 islands, cays, islets, and rocky outcroppings located at 18 30 N, 64 30 W, between Puerto Rico to the east and Anguilla to the west. The four most populated islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada. Other islands include Beef Island (attached to Tortola by a bridge and where the airport is located), Necker Island and Mosquito Island (owned by Richard Branson), and the resort-centered islands such as Peter Island, Cooper Island, Guana Island, and Scrub Island. Some of the islands are uninhabited, including Salt Island, Fallen Jerusalem, Ginger Island, Sandy Spit, and The Dogs. Others are mostly visited by boats with passengers looking for a drink or a bite to eat: Norman Island, Saba Rock, Prickly Pear. Over the past thirteen years, members of Virgin Islands Collection have visited almost every island in the archipelago, and we can offer you personal recommendations on which island might be best for you.

With a population of 30,000 residents (mainly distributed between Tortola and Virgin Gorda), the islands retain a small-town feel while still offering high-end luxury. Many visitors to the BVI end up as residents. They fall in love with the laid-back atmosphere, privacy, availability of high-end restaurants and resorts, the climate, the sandy beaches, boating, and the unbelievably blue and crystal clear waters.

Sailing in the British Virgin Islands is among the best in the Caribbean for residents and visitors. This is due to warm weather, calm water, steady breezes, and proximity of the islands to each other. Many British Virgin Islanders start competitive sailing at an early age, and many sailors visit the islands for the BVI Spring Regatta and other races throughout the year. Motor boating is also popular in the BVI for those without sailing experience who want to enjoy access to all the islands.

The official currency of the British Virgin Islands has been the US Dollar since 1959. At that time, there were no banks in the BVI, so many islanders conducted their banking in the USVI where the dollar is also the official currency. Additionally, the use of the US dollar allows for seamless trade and travel between the BVI, the USVI, and Puerto Rico.

One of the twin pillars of the BVI economy is tourism. Visitors mostly travel from the USA, UK, and Europe during the tourist season, November to May, to escape the cold weather. The islands encompass dozens of hotels, resorts, restaurants, yacht companies, bars, villas, boutiques, surf schools, dive centers, boat rentals, shops, and markets.

The second pillar of the BVI economy is offshore finance. The British Virgin Islands is known as one of the most attractive places in the world for establishing an offshore business. A BVI offshore company pays zero income tax; furthermore, there are no British Virgin Islands taxes on capital gains tax, gifts, inheritance, or sales. The government of the British Virgin Islands is noted for its stability, and the law in the territory is based on British common law.

Classified as an overseas territory of the UK, the chief of state of the BVI is Queen Elizabeth II, currently represented by Governor John J. Rankin. The BVI has its own parliamentary government, with Premier Andrew Fahie at the head. The legislative branch of the government is a House of Assembly with 15 members who serve four-year terms. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, including the British Virgin Islands.

On 6 September 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the British Virgin Islands, resulting in an unprecedented amount of damage, but the BVI has bounced back better than ever. Many resorts and establishments took the opportunity to introduce upgrades and additional hurricane safety measures.