Dreaming of the British Virgin Islands? Make it a reality, even in the pandemic.
2020 has been anything but a dream. But it doesn’t mean that you still can’t have your dream vacation.
For someone that travels 75% or more a year for work, does a lot of personal travel too - it’s been an interesting year. But when the British Virgin Islands(BVI) set their reopening date of December 1st, we set our sights on getting out of the US and to an ultimate place of happiness. We had already had 2 sailing trips cancelled due to the pandemic and copious other trips cancelled as well, so we eagerly awaited the protocols for entry to the BVI. For any of those who were following the government announcements, you know that there have been several updates and things were even still evolving when we arrived on December 1st… things were even changing as we were on the island. BVI’s protocols are not much different from some of the other Caribbean islands and I can promise you, it’s well worth the effort to go through them. We haven’t seen the islands this quiet since Irma and doubt it’ll be like this again once travel picks up.
We spent 27 days sailing around the islands at leisure, and when I say “leisure” I mean not worrying about finding a spot to anchor or a mooring ball to pick up in the most coveted anchorages. It means having White Bay to yourself and enjoying Soggy Dollar like you’ve never seen it. While there are some places that aren’t open like Cooper Island, you can still go pick up a ball and enjoy the view. There’s so much to explore on all the islands and though we missed going to the USVI this trip, we never got tired of the BVI over the 4 weeks. Now, I know that not everyone can spend that kind of time, but with the quarantine protocols I believe you need at least 10 days to be able to truly enjoy the islands. With the protocols, you spend 5-6 days in quarantine depending on when you receive your Day 4 test results (we’ve heard that you don’t always get them back in 24 hours). But the beauty of chartering a boat is you still get to enjoy the beauty of the BVI from the approved anchorages, so it feels a little less like quarantine.
So are you ready to go?
Here’s some info to help you navigate through the protocols and everything you need to know.
The current protocols for entry as a visitor as of 12.30.2020:
• A negative RT-PCR test taken within 5 days of arrival at EIS
• Travel insurance that covers COVID and medical evacuation
• Accommodations at a Gold Seal approved location
• Apply for the “BVI Traveller Authorisation Certificate” and gain approval at least 24 hours before arrival.
• Pay $175 fee for tracking device and Day 0/4 COVID tests
Some common questions we’ve gotten along the way to the above protocols:
Where did you get your PCR test? Many places are able to get a 3 day turnaround on results - we had success with Passport Health, an urgent care and the public health department. I have also heard people have great success with Pixel by Labcorp (which most insurance covers) and the Covid Consultants.
What company did you buy your travel insurance through? The Moorings provided us with a contact with Redpoint/Harbor Travel Insurance. I had also found AXA Assistance USA, Trawick International, and HTH Worldwide had plans that have specific COVID language.
How quickly did you get your travel authorisation certificate? This is a bit of a loaded question. I started the process early and suggest you do the same. I started the process about 5 days prior to arrival (you can apply up to 7 days in advance) and had everything except for my COVID results. I received an email saying my results were missing and then was able to upload them when I received them. Within 12 hours of uploading my results, I had my certificate, but I can’t say the same for my friend - he actually had to reach out to the WhatsApp # given to help get his application pushed through.
How did you pay the fee? We paid the fee on-site at the airport with a credit card. Though I believe now, you are able to pay the fee online through the portal, once you are approved for travel.
The current protocols on arrival as of 12.30.2020:
• Clear Immigration & Customs
• Have your COVID Day 0 test completed
• Receive your tracking device (We’ve seen 3 different types)
• Head to your accommodations via gov’t provided/approved transportation
Day 4 Testing:
Testing sites vary depending on your accommodation/location. See chart below or here.
Have your Negative Day 4 Test results then it’s time to get celebrating!
Now you’re free to roam. You can return your tracking device to any police station on the islands. If you have the watch though, you’ll need to return to the airport to have it removed.
Chartering a boat?
Here’s some specific information pertaining to vessels:
• All quarantine anchorages are marked by a number, see the map below or by clicking here.
• You are not permitted to come ashore for anything including provisioning during quarantine, all boats must be pre-provisioned.
• You are allowed a 30 foot radius (i.e. bubble) around the vessel, where you can swim/snorkel.
• On Day 0: you are only allowed to be at certain anchorages, marked within the dotted line on the map.
• After day 0: you may move to any of the anchorages on the map.
• All vessels must be anchored or moored by 6:00pm nightly and cannot move until 5:00am the next day (this applies in quarantine & afterwards).
• Certain quarantine anchorages you are allowed to go to shore and walk the beach as long as you social distance from others.
• Once you receive your negative Day 4 results, you can take off your Q flag and roam the islands freely.
NOTE: The only quarantine anchorages with mooring balls are Benures Bay and Solider Bay, Norman Island and Great Harbour, Peter Island.
More information - click here
Here is a highlight reel of our experience of getting to BVI, the protocols and quarantine period: click here.
Yes, you should still go to the British Virgin Islands.
After reading through all this, you may question if you should still visit… and you definitely should. I will mention that The Moorings/Sunsail helped make this a smooth process for us. They helped facilitate between us and the government about our test results to make sure we weren’t losing any time waiting on them. We had some speed bumps like not receiving our copy of the Negative Day 4 test right away, we were called but didn’t get the actual paperwork until a few days later (some places may ask to see your results). But the locals are happy to see the tourists come back, there’s more flora and fauna than you can imagine (we saw a spotted eagle ray in White Bay, Jost Van Dyke), and it’s just as beautiful as always. So book your tickets and go enjoy the British Virgin Islands.
For Updates from the BVI Government: click here
