The Top 8 BVI Diving spots
Embark on an underwater adventure in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a global diving destination known for its dramatic mountainous landscapes and diverse marine environments.
Located in the Caribbean east of Puerto Rico, BVI offers the best of the dream-worthy Caribbean islands. Whether a novice scuba diver or an expert, the BVI provides an array of dive sites that promise unforgettable encounters with vibrant coral reefs, intriguing shipwrecks, and exotic marine life.
We’ve shared a guide to the best dive sites in BVI, from shipwrecks to colourful coral reefs, for the ultimate diving experience.
- Dive sites for all diving levels
- Dive sites for novice divers
- Dive sites for novice to intermediate divers
- Dive sites for advanced and intermediate divers
- The best time to dive in the BVI
- How to dive in the BVI
Dive sites for all diving levels
The Wreck of the RMS Rhone
Depth: 15-85 feet
As the first and only Marine National Park in the BVI, the RMS Rhone is one of the most popular dives on the island. Divers can explore the 310-foot wreck of the Royal Mail Steamer, witnessing the history of a boat that sank in 1867. Despite its age, the wreck is still intact, and you’ll be able to see the man deck, steam engine and its bronze propeller.
The RMS Rhone is split into two halves, sitting 100 feet apart, each with unique features to explore. Some highlights include ‘the dance floor’, a series of black and white tiles on the seafloor and the silver teaspoon embedded in the debris. Aside from seeing history come to life, the wreck boasts colourful marine life, including lobsters, turtles, octopuses, barracuda and morays.
As a Marine National Park, if sailing your yacht to the wreck, you’ll need to anchor the boat away from the RMS Rhone (due to anchoring prohibitions) at Peter Island or Salt Island Settlement.
Dive sites for novice divers
Coral Gardens
Depth: 20-50 feet
As the name implies, Coral Gardens boasts some of the largest and most beautiful coral formations in the BVI, but it also leaves something to the imagination. In 1993, as part of the BVI’s artificial reef restoration programme, they placed the remains of an Atlantic Air 360 aeroplane in the Coral Gardens.
The plane is now without its tail and wings, but it still makes for some great photo opportunities under the water. With bright mounds of boulder star coral, tube sponges, brain coral, and gorgonians, it’s easy to become mesmerised by the stunning red, purple, and turquoise shades peppering the aircraft. Tucked in the east of Great Dog, this secluded and peaceful dive is perfect for beginners. From sand stingrays, goatfish, and lobsters to lizardfish and the occasional blacktip shark, this dive is anything but ordinary.
Dive sites for novice to intermediate divers
The Kodiak Queen
Depth: 57 feet
The Kodiak Queen is an underwater art installation and platform for coral restoration in the BVI. This former U.S. Navy fuel barge was one of only five ships that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. After being rescued from a Road Town Junkyard, they transformed the Kodiak Queen into a stunning artificial reef with the help of Sir Richard Branson.
Since the transformation, this WWII shipwreck has attracted many divers, artists and philanthropists to see the vast aquatic life beneath the water’s edge. The iconic location near the southern beach allows you to explore the gulleys, bubble caves and peacock flounder in the sand. Underwater, witnessing the abundance of sea life combined with an 80-foot-long giant Kraken makes this shipwreck unlike any other.
The Chimney
Depth: 15-45 feet
Located off the western shores of the Great Dog, The Chimney site features beautiful archways and colourful corals. Featuring a palette of colours, head to the area of ‘Fish Bowl’ to see yellowtail snappers, schools of parrotfishes, angelfish, blue tangs, sergeant majors and other marine life.
Continue swimming past the narrow corridor ending with two huge rocks to see the endless marine life on the Chimney’s walls, from rock lobster, miniature shrimps and brightly coloured sponges bubbling with life. Don’t forget to swim down to the base of the cliff to discover what’s hidden between the canyons and small boulders before returning to your mooring.
Painted Walls
Depth: 10-45 feet
Located off the coast of Dead Chest Island and renowned as the “technicolour box canyons”, the Painted Walls diving site is a popular favourite among locals and travellers. Considering the colour range, it’s a spectacular sight, especially when the sun hits the wall’s surface, enhancing the purple, green, yellow and red hues.
Although the colour-popping coral reefs are a significant highlight, don’t miss the green moray eels, hawksbill turtles and nurse sharks. Admire Blackbeard’s old haunts of vertical walls and parallel passageways to understand why this site is one of the most photogenic routes in the BVI.
Dive sites for advanced and intermediate divers
Ginger Steps
Depth: 35-100 feet
Discover some of the healthiest coral formations at the Ginger Steps between Cooper Island and Virgin Gorda. Cooper Island is one of BVI’s few undeveloped private islands, boasting secluded surroundings for intimate dives. Ginger Steps is 100 feet below the surface with three distinctive cascading steps, attracting various marine life.
With excellent visibility nearly all year round, you can see shimmering star coral formations and tube sponges along the ledges. You can witness damsels, squirrelfishes, pompanos, eagle rays and if you’re lucky, the occasional pod of dolphins.
The Wreck of Chikuzen
Depth: 40-75 feet
The Wreck of Chikuzen is a 246-foot Korean refrigerator vessel, intentionally sunk and remaining as one of the few places where marine life thrives between Tortola and Anegada. YOu can only access this remote diving spot 9 miles northwest of Virgin Gorda in calm conditions.
Chikuzen is recommended for advanced scuba divers as regular 3 to 5-foot swells often hit off the vessel, making it a more challenging dive. For adrenaline lovers keen to explore the site, discover Atlantic spadefish, horse-eye jacks and schools of barracudas, goliath groupers and eels. As an abundance of colourful marine life, the whole vessel has bright coral and sponges.
Blonde Rock
Depth: 10-65 feet
The incredible underwater topography of Blonde Rock is only an 8-minute boat ride from Peter Island. Known as one of the best seamount sites in BVI, explore intricate seafloors and honeycomb-coated rocks due to remnants of volcanic eruptions.
During the dive, you can see puffer fish, black bar soldierfish, French grunts and glasseye snappers. It’s a site suited for more advanced divers due to unfavourable weather conditions than other reef sites.
When is the best time to dive in the BVI?
The best diving in the BVI can happen all year round with warm water temperatures ranging from 78-83˚F (25-28˚C) and good visibility at 60-100ft (18-30m).
The weather, however, can fluctuate in the BVI from dry to wet season. The wettest months are from September to November, and the driest months include February and March. The busiest time in the BVI is between December and January.
The hurricane season for the BVI runs between June and November when weather patterns can fluctuate the most. Spring and summer have the worst visibility for scuba diving due to high winds.
How can I dive in the British Virgin Islands?
Across the BVI, there are many diving shops to hire for suitable snorkelling and scuba diving gear if you’re an experienced diver. For novices, you’ll have various options of private scuba diving instructors to learn how to dive and where to discover the best diving in the BVI.
Sail Caribbean Divers, one of the most highly-rated scuba diving companies, runs daily sessions from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm and evening dives just after sunset. They also offer rendezvous diving that picks you up in one of six locations across the islands near the dive site location. With your diving instructor, dive boat and all the necessary scuba diving equipment included, Sail Caribbean Divers makes it easier than ever to book an afternoon exploring some of the world’s most beautiful seafloor.
What are the benefits of hiring a yacht in BVI?
Hiring a yacht or sailing your yacht reaps many benefits for exploring the best dive sites in the BVI. Many of our yachts include snorkelling and scuba diving equipment, saving you time when hiring equipment.
With a charter yacht, you’ll have the freedom and accessibility to explore the dive sites on your own accord, deciding when is best for you to dive, where you’d like to go and who you want to dive with. It allows a sense of freedom to sail around the BVI and enjoy the pleasure of life on the waves and below the waters. Be the sailor you are at heart.
Contact us today for more information about planning your sailing holiday or hiring a yacht.
Regardless of whether you’re skippering your own yacht or on a flotilla seascape, diving is the perfect activity before or after your day’s sailing to compliment a BVI sailing holiday. Sail Caribbean Divers, one of the most highly-rated scuba diving companies in the BVI, runs daily sessions from 8:00 am, 2:00 pm and evening dives just after sunset. They also offer rendezvous diving that picks you up in 1 of 6 locations across the islands near the dive site location. With your diving instructor, dive boat, and all the necessary scuba diving equipment included, Sail Caribbean Divers makes it easier than ever to book an afternoon exploring some of the world’s most beautiful seafloors.
Contributor
Ian Pedersen
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