Hills and Bars Versus Flat Sand and Reef
From a boat, the difference is obvious. Jost Van Dyke rises steeply out of the water, its few bays tucked between green slopes. White Bay has some of the clearest water in the islands and a line of beach bars along the sand. Great Harbour has a small village feel. Little Harbour is calmer, known for lobster dinners. Nearby, the tiny islets of Sandy Spit, Green Cay and Little Jost Van Dyke are a short boat ride away.
Anegada barely shows above the horizon. You see the palms before the land. The Spanish name means flooded land. The island is a flat slab of coral and limestone ringed by Horseshoe Reef, one of the largest barrier reefs in the Caribbean. That reef has wrecked hundreds of ships over the centuries and now shelters lagoons in shades of pale blue. The north shore, from Cow Wreck Beach to Loblolly Bay, is long, empty and backed by sea grape and dunes. Salt ponds in the west hold flamingos.
The Mood: Social or Solitary
Jost is the BVI at its most relaxed and its most social. Days revolve around the sea and the bars. At the Soggy Dollar Bar, which claims to have invented the Painkiller, sailors swim ashore with cash in a dry bag. Foxy's in Great Harbour has served sailors for decades and still draws a crowd. On peak days several charter boats and day trips arrive at once. The flip side is that the island empties out in the evening, when the bays go quiet and the stars come out for anyone who stays.
Anegada feels like a throwback. There are no marinas full of superyachts, no big resorts and little nightlife beyond a beach bar or two. Evenings are about lobster on the grill and a walk back along the sand under the stars. It is deeply romantic for couples who love wild places and long walks. It may feel too quiet for couples who need a buzz. If one of you craves company and the other craves solitude, Jost by day and a quiet villa at night can satisfy both.
Kinds of Stays
Neither island does polished luxury. On Jost Van Dyke, lodging means a handful of small inns, cottages and private villas, mostly on the hills above White Bay and Great Harbour. Expect ceiling fans, open-air living and long views across the water to Tortola and St. John. Villas give you a kitchen, which helps because dining choices are limited. Look for places within walking distance of a beach, since the hills are steep. As an approximate guide, expect around $250 to $600 a night in high season. Many couples skip land altogether and moor overnight in Great Harbour or Little Harbour on a chartered yacht.
Anegada's stays are smaller still. The Anegada Beach Club on the north shore has beach tents and rooms on the sand, with a restaurant, bar and kitesurfing on site. Near Setting Point, the Anegada Reef Hotel and the family-run Neptune's Treasure sit close to the anchorage. Simple cottages and villas dot the north coast near Cow Wreck Beach and Loblolly Bay. Rooms are few, so book well ahead for high season.
On the Water
Snorkeling is where Anegada pulls ahead. At Loblolly Bay, coral heads rise close to shore, so you can swim straight from the beach over fish, rays and sometimes turtles. The eastern end, sometimes called Flash of Beauty, has calm pools when the wind is light. The steady breeze over the shallow lagoons also makes Anegada a good place for a kitesurfing lesson or a morning of bonefishing on the flats.
Jost Van Dyke's water is about swimming, floating and short boat hops. White Bay is gorgeous before the day boats arrive. At the eastern end, the Bubbly Pool is a natural rock pool where waves crash through a gap and fill it with foam; go when the swell is moderate and wear water shoes. Take a boat to Sandy Spit, a speck of sand with a few palms, then snorkel at Green Cay and Diamond Cay.
For sailors, Jost is the easier anchorage. Anegada's reef makes navigation tricky. Some charter companies set rules about approaching the island, so many crews visit with a captain who knows the reef.
Lobster, Rum and Dinner Plans
Lobster is the common thread. On Jost, families in Little Harbour have run restaurants for generations, grilling lobster over open flames as the boats settle on their moorings. Beach bars serve burgers, rotis, conch fritters and fresh fish, on island time. Great Harbour has a few bars and grills with live music on some nights. Reserve on busy charter evenings.
On Anegada, the island's fishermen supply much of the BVI's lobster. It is often cooked whole over fires on the beach. Most restaurants ask you to reserve and choose your meal by early or midafternoon so they can prepare. Expect it to be the priciest item on the menu and one of the best meals of your trip. Some places close on certain days, so check ahead.
On both islands the Painkiller is the drink of choice: dark rum, pineapple, orange juice and coconut cream with nutmeg on top. The drinks are strong and the sun is intense, so pace yourselves. Carry cash on both islands, since ATMs are scarce on Jost and Anegada has no bank.
Getting There and When to Go
Jost Van Dyke has no airport. Most couples fly into Terrance B. Lettsome International (EIS) on Beef Island, Tortola, which has nonstops from Miami on American Airlines plus connections through San Juan. From there, it is about 40 minutes by taxi to West End and a 25-minute ferry to Great Harbour. A ferry from Red Hook on St. Thomas runs a few times a week. On the island, taxis are open-air trucks and water taxis link the bays.
Anegada takes more planning. Ferries from Road Town run on a limited schedule several days a week and take around 90 minutes. Charter flights to Auguste George Airport (NGD) take 10 to 15 minutes from Tortola and cost more. Once there, rent a jeep, scooter or bicycle for the flat, sandy roads.
December through April or May is the best time for both, with dry weather and steady trade winds. August through October is peak hurricane season, when many businesses on both islands close for part of the fall. Leave a buffer day before your flight home, especially after Anegada.
How They Fit Into a BVI Honeymoon
Neither island is usually the whole trip. Both work best as a chapter between more comfortable stays on Tortola or Virgin Gorda.
Jost Van Dyke slots in easily. Couples staying on Tortola's West End can take the ferry for a day, then come back for dinner. Sailing couples often spend a night in Great Harbour or Little Harbour, timing White Bay for early morning before the day boats. One or two nights on land in a hillside cottage is plenty for most honeymooners.
Anegada asks for more commitment and rewards it. Plan two or three nights, so the ferry or flight is worth it and the island's slow rhythm has time to work on you. Pair it with Virgin Gorda, which is the closest big island, for resort comfort before or after.
If your week allows, do both: a lively night on Jost early in the trip, a resort stretch on Virgin Gorda in the middle and two quiet days on Anegada before heading home.
