Best Diving in British Virgin Islands

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British Virgin Islands

19 September 2025

When to Dive The British Virgin Islands? • Best Dive Sites • Marine Life • Before you go • The BVI Diving • Dive Shops & Liveaboards • Accommodation • Further Reading • Your Comments & Reviews

Best Dive Sites in The British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands’s most famous dive site is the wreck of the RMS Rhone. Other dive sites include Long Bay, Virgin Gorda Island, Chikuzen Wreck, Muskmellon Bay, Guana Island, The Dog Islands, The Blinders, Round Rock, Ginger Island, Cooper Island, Salt Island and Peter Island.

Marine Life

Over 60 volcanic islands comprise the British Virgin Islands, or BVI, around which reefs have formed. The Virgin Islands are home to around 40 species of coral and ten times that number of fish species. You might also see three types of turtle: hawksbill, green and leatherback. In 2014 the BVI established a shark sanctuary covering 31,000 square miles which prohibited all shark and ray fishing throughout the territory’s islands. Many species of shark pass through or live in these waters, including nurse sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, oceanic whitetips, silky sharks, lemon sharks and tiger sharks.

When to Dive The British Virgin Islands?

You can dive all year round in The British Virgin Islands. The water is warm, generally from 25-29^oC (77-84^oF). The weather is rainiest between September and November, but it is also less busy there then.

What you need to know before you go

Although the British Virgin Islands is a British territory, the local currency is US dollars. All people entering need to complete an online immigration and customs form.

There is no recompression chamber in the British Virgin Islands. The nearest is at St. John in the US Virgin Islands. Make sure you have adequate scuba travel insurance.

BVI is at the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, which curve up over 18 countries or territories starting from Trinidad and Tobago.

The Royal Mail Steamer Rhone which sank in 1867. She lies in three sections off Black Rock Point, Salt Island, from around 8 to 24 m. You’ll see many fish here: schools of yellowtail snappers, sergeant major fish and file fish. You might also encounter giant moray eels, spotted eagle rays and octopus. The wreck itself is covered with corals and sponges.

The shipwreck seen in the classic film The Deep were shot on the Rhone.

How to dive the RMS Rhone? You can dive by liveaboard or from boat from Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Cooper Island or Peter Island.

What diving qualifications do I need to dive the Rhone? PADI Open Water certificate or equivalent is sufficient, but there can be strong currents so it is not for very inexperienced divers.

Reviews:

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“The Rhone because it is blanketed in color — encrusted in coral and sponges. You almost always see turtles and barracuda and it’s teeming with fish: sergeant majors, angelfish, parrotfish, durgon. But it’s a popular dive site for other reasons as well. It is the wreck of a 310 foot steamer that went down in a hurricane in 1867. She’s in two sections. The bow is about 150 feet long and at about 70-80 feet of water. You can swim inside. You can see the bowsprit, foremast with crow’s nest, a cannon. Stern is in 30 feet with a huge propeller“
Kathy Brandt

The Kodiak Queen, a WWII ship, was destined for the scrapyard. She is thought to be one of only 5 ships which survived Pearl Harbour. A team of artists, scientists and donors transformed her into an artificial reef and dive site.

The ship was sunk in 2017 and lies at a maximum of 20 m (60′). Unlike other artificial reefs, this features a 24 m sculpture of a kraken crawling over the wreck by Beyond the Reef. The head of the kraken was damaged in a hurricane.

This Japanese-built fishing trawler was launched in 1960. She was scuttled after a fire in 1981. The ship lies on her port side between 15 and 25 m, around 13 miles north west of Virgin Gorda. Many large schools of fish lurk around her, including snappers, jacks and barracuda. You will also see grouper and sometimes eagle rays or black tip reef sharks.

A shallow dive with a maxium depth of 15 m. Through a beautiful arch covered in orange, red and yellow sponges and cup corals, swim through a narrow passage to the chimney. The area is fun to explore with many canyons and rock formations. The dive is on the Great Dog island, northwest of Virgin Gorda

At 28 m Angelfish reef is quite a deep dive. Many types of fish swim amongst the canyons here, including the eponymous angelfish. You might also see eagle rays, snake eels, southern stingrays, lobsters and nurse sharks. There are also lots of opportunities for macro photography. A boat dive from Norman Island or Tortola.

The British Virgin Islands liveaboards visit The Dog Islands, Virgin Gorda Island, Ginger Island, Cooper Island, Salt Island and Peter Island. Most liveaboard trips last 7 days. The liveaboards depart from Tortola. In addition to the cost of a liveaboard you will need to pay port fees of 95 USD.

Review a dive shop or liveaboard or list your diving company on this page.

Diving on the liveaboard BVI Aggressor begins Saturday at 5 pm and ends Saturday at 8 am. All beverages, including beer and wine, are free of charge. Ten cabins accomodating up to 20 divers.

BOOK NOW, PAY LATER…

Cuan Law is an aluminum trimaran, built and designed for diving safaris. Has 10 cabins for 20 passengers.

MORE INFO & PRICES…

For hotels in The British Virgin Islands we recommend the Agoda site…

Please send us your comments on diving The British Virgin Islands. Do you want to recommend a dive shop or site? Get in touch.. Have a question – ask below or Tweet @SCUBANews.