{
  "id": "bvi",
  "destination": "bvi",
  "name": "British Virgin Islands",
  "route_label": "from Tortola",
  "kind": "classic",
  "question": "What is a good 7-day sailing itinerary in the British Virgin Islands?",
  "answer": "A classic 7-day sailing itinerary in the British Virgin Islands starts and ends in Road Town, Tortola and goes Road Town, Tortola → Norman Island (The Bight) → Cooper Island → Virgin Gorda (The Baths, North Sound) → Anegada → Jost Van Dyke → Road Town, Tortola: 6 legs and about 70 nautical miles in straight lines between the stops (our calculation; you will sail further). By our rules the best months for it are December, January and May, when the mean wind at Road Town, Tortola is 12–13 knots (our calculation from NASA POWER data), outside the hurricane season; National Parks Trust moorings at marine parks such as The Baths are day-use only, with a 90-minute limit.",
  "answer_markdown": "A classic 7-day sailing itinerary in the British Virgin Islands starts and ends in Road Town, Tortola and goes Road Town, Tortola → Norman Island (The Bight) → Cooper Island → Virgin Gorda (The Baths, North Sound) → Anegada → Jost Van Dyke → Road Town, Tortola: 6 legs and about 70 nautical miles in straight lines between the stops (our calculation; you will sail further). By our rules the best months for it are December, January and May, when the mean wind at Road Town, Tortola is 12–13 knots (our calculation from NASA POWER data ([NASA POWER](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/services/api/temporal/monthly/), checked 28 Oct 2026)), outside the hurricane season ([NOAA National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked 29 Oct 2026); National Parks Trust moorings at marine parks such as The Baths are day-use only, with a 90-minute limit ([National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands](https://www.bvinpt.org/park-tickets-marine-permit), checked 28 Oct 2026).",
  "canonical_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/itineraries/bvi/",
  "markdown_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/itineraries/bvi.md",
  "api_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/api/itineraries/bvi.json",
  "destination_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/bvi/",
  "best_time_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/best-time/bvi/",
  "true_cost_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/true-cost/bvi/",
  "licence_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/licence-by-country/bvi/",
  "book_url": "https://catamaranindex.com/go/samboat?dest=bvi&pos=api",
  "checked": "2026-10-29",
  "basis": {
    "status": "editorial",
    "note": "",
    "sources": []
  },
  "stops": [
    {
      "index": 0,
      "name": "Road Town, Tortola",
      "lat": 18.4258,
      "lon": -64.6231,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [],
      "fees": []
    },
    {
      "index": 1,
      "name": "Norman Island (The Bight)",
      "lat": 18.3156,
      "lon": -64.6132,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [],
      "fees": []
    },
    {
      "index": 2,
      "name": "Cooper Island",
      "lat": 18.378,
      "lon": -64.5101,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [],
      "fees": []
    },
    {
      "index": 3,
      "name": "Virgin Gorda (The Baths, North Sound)",
      "lat": 18.4794,
      "lon": -64.4002,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [
        {
          "text": "National Parks Trust moorings are for day use only, with a 90-minute limit that \"must be strictly observed\"; all mooring areas are 5 mph no-wake zones.",
          "status": "official",
          "sources": [
            {
              "id": "dive_vg_npt",
              "name": "National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands",
              "title": "Park tickets & Marine Conservation Permit: marine park guidelines",
              "url": "https://www.bvinpt.org/park-tickets-marine-permit",
              "checked": "2026-10-28",
              "note": "Official statutory park authority page (National Parks Act No. 4 of 2006; Marine Parks and Protected Areas (Amendment) Regulations, 2004). Marine park guidelines and the permit application form; the page shows no permit price.",
              "tier": "official"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "fees": []
    },
    {
      "index": 4,
      "name": "Anegada",
      "lat": 18.7217,
      "lon": -64.3809,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [],
      "fees": []
    },
    {
      "index": 5,
      "name": "Jost Van Dyke",
      "lat": 18.4366,
      "lon": -64.7388,
      "kind": "not_verified",
      "kind_sources": [],
      "rules": [],
      "fees": []
    }
  ],
  "legs": [
    {
      "day": 1,
      "from": "Road Town, Tortola",
      "to": "Norman Island (The Bight)",
      "distance_nm": 6.6
    },
    {
      "day": 2,
      "from": "Norman Island (The Bight)",
      "to": "Cooper Island",
      "distance_nm": 7
    },
    {
      "day": 3,
      "from": "Cooper Island",
      "to": "Virgin Gorda (The Baths, North Sound)",
      "distance_nm": 8.7
    },
    {
      "day": 4,
      "from": "Virgin Gorda (The Baths, North Sound)",
      "to": "Anegada",
      "distance_nm": 14.6
    },
    {
      "day": 5,
      "from": "Anegada",
      "to": "Jost Van Dyke",
      "distance_nm": 26.6
    },
    {
      "day": 6,
      "from": "Jost Van Dyke",
      "to": "Road Town, Tortola",
      "distance_nm": 6.6
    }
  ],
  "total_distance_nm": 70.2,
  "distance_method": "Great-circle distance between OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) coordinates, Earth radius 6,371.0088 km, 1 nm = 1.852 km. Straight lines: the sailed distance is longer.",
  "weather": {
    "reference_point": {
      "place": "Road Town, Tortola",
      "lat": 18.427,
      "lon": -64.618,
      "elevation_m": 2.74
    },
    "months": [
      {
        "month": 1,
        "name": "January",
        "mean_temp_c": 26.2,
        "mean_wind_kn": 12.6
      },
      {
        "month": 2,
        "name": "February",
        "mean_temp_c": 25.9,
        "mean_wind_kn": 13.5
      },
      {
        "month": 3,
        "name": "March",
        "mean_temp_c": 26,
        "mean_wind_kn": 12.2
      },
      {
        "month": 4,
        "name": "April",
        "mean_temp_c": 26.5,
        "mean_wind_kn": 11.8
      },
      {
        "month": 5,
        "name": "May",
        "mean_temp_c": 27.4,
        "mean_wind_kn": 12.3
      },
      {
        "month": 6,
        "name": "June",
        "mean_temp_c": 28.2,
        "mean_wind_kn": 13
      },
      {
        "month": 7,
        "name": "July",
        "mean_temp_c": 28.6,
        "mean_wind_kn": 14.3
      },
      {
        "month": 8,
        "name": "August",
        "mean_temp_c": 28.9,
        "mean_wind_kn": 12.8
      },
      {
        "month": 9,
        "name": "September",
        "mean_temp_c": 29.1,
        "mean_wind_kn": 10.8
      },
      {
        "month": 10,
        "name": "October",
        "mean_temp_c": 28.8,
        "mean_wind_kn": 10.2
      },
      {
        "month": 11,
        "name": "November",
        "mean_temp_c": 28,
        "mean_wind_kn": 11.5
      },
      {
        "month": 12,
        "name": "December",
        "mean_temp_c": 27,
        "mean_wind_kn": 12.9
      }
    ],
    "source": "NASA POWER monthly, 2016–2025 means (our calculation)"
  },
  "best_months": {
    "best_weather": [
      "January",
      "February",
      "March",
      "April",
      "May",
      "December"
    ],
    "sweet_spot": [
      "January",
      "May",
      "December"
    ],
    "families": [
      "March",
      "April",
      "May"
    ],
    "windiest": [
      "February",
      "June",
      "July"
    ],
    "rules": {
      "best_weather": "Warm (≥ 20 °C) and outside the Atlantic hurricane season (1 June–30 November, NOAA) or Tahiti's wet season (November–April, Tahiti Tourisme). Not given where we have no season or rainfall source.",
      "sweet_spot": "Best-weather months that are not among the 3 priciest months (our rule).",
      "families": "The calmest best-weather months by mean wind (our suggestion; mean wind is not gusts or sea state).",
      "wind": "The windiest months by mean wind speed at our reference point (our ranking)."
    }
  },
  "marina_examples": [],
  "rules": [
    {
      "text": "Vessels over 70 ft or 35 tons may not use the mooring system; do not leave a boat unattended on a Trust mooring; dinghies must use the dinghy moorings, not the dive or day-use moorings.",
      "status": "official",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_vg_npt",
          "name": "National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands",
          "title": "Park tickets & Marine Conservation Permit: marine park guidelines",
          "url": "https://www.bvinpt.org/park-tickets-marine-permit",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official statutory park authority page (National Parks Act No. 4 of 2006; Marine Parks and Protected Areas (Amendment) Regulations, 2004). Marine park guidelines and the permit application form; the page shows no permit price.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "fees": [
    {
      "item": "Marine Conservation Permit (National Parks Trust)",
      "amount": "Not verified",
      "status": "not_verified",
      "note": "The Trust sells the permit online, but its page shows no price.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "id": "dive_vg_npt",
          "name": "National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands",
          "title": "Park tickets & Marine Conservation Permit: marine park guidelines",
          "url": "https://www.bvinpt.org/park-tickets-marine-permit",
          "checked": "2026-10-28",
          "note": "Official statutory park authority page (National Parks Act No. 4 of 2006; Marine Parks and Protected Areas (Amendment) Regulations, 2004). Marine park guidelines and the permit application form; the page shows no permit price.",
          "tier": "official"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "not_verified": [
    "Overnight mooring-ball prices at every stop.",
    "National Parks Trust permit price."
  ],
  "status_legend": {
    "official": "Read in an official text: government, park or port authority, or an operator's own published price list.",
    "secondary": "From a newspaper, NGO, guide, charter company or community map; not official.",
    "not_verified": "We could not confirm it. We leave it open rather than guess, and never add it to a total."
  },
  "source_counts": {
    "official": 1,
    "secondary": 1
  },
  "derived": "distance_nm, total_distance_nm, catamaran_eur_by_month and best_months are our calculation; weather means are our calculation from NASA POWER data.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "dive_vg_npt",
      "name": "National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands",
      "title": "Park tickets & Marine Conservation Permit: marine park guidelines",
      "url": "https://www.bvinpt.org/park-tickets-marine-permit",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Official statutory park authority page (National Parks Act No. 4 of 2006; Marine Parks and Protected Areas (Amendment) Regulations, 2004). Marine park guidelines and the permit application form; the page shows no permit price.",
      "tier": "official"
    },
    {
      "id": "it_osm_nominatim",
      "name": "OpenStreetMap (Nominatim geocoder)",
      "title": "Nominatim search API: coordinates of each itinerary stop",
      "url": "https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/",
      "checked": "2026-10-29",
      "note": "Coordinates © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright). One query per stop, run by scripts/fetch-stop-coords.mjs; the queries are in src/data/itinerary-stops.json. Community map data, not an official gazetteer.",
      "tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "nasa_power_monthly",
      "name": "NASA POWER",
      "title": "Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources: Monthly API (T2M, WS10M)",
      "url": "https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/services/api/temporal/monthly/",
      "checked": "2026-10-28",
      "note": "Monthly point data for 2016–2025 pulled on 28 Oct 2026 with scripts/fetch-weather.mjs (API v2.10.0, community RE, parameters T2M = temperature at 2 m in °C and WS10M = wind speed at 10 m in m/s; meteorological grid ½° × ⅝° per https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/methodology/). One request per reference point, in the form https://power.larc.nasa.gov/api/temporal/monthly/point?parameters=T2M,WS10M&community=RE&longitude=<lon>&latitude=<lat>&start=2016&end=2025&format=JSON (coordinates in src/data/weather.ts). Route points for the Dubrovnik and Cyclades itineraries are in src/data/weather-routes.ts (scripts/fetch-route-weather.mjs, pulled 29 Oct 2026). Credit: https://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/referencing/ . The pages we opened did not state a licence; NASA data is described to us as free for any use. Palma (Mallorca) reference point for the Mallorca vs Ibiza comparison in src/data/weather-routes.ts (scripts/fetch-route-weather.mjs, pulled 29 Oct 2026)."
    },
    {
      "id": "k12_bvi",
      "name": "12 Knots",
      "title": "Catamaran charter in the BVI",
      "url": "https://12knots.com/en/yacht-charter/destinations/caribbean/bvi/catamaran-charter",
      "checked": "2026-10-27",
      "note": "Page states \"Updated October 2026\"."
    },
    {
      "id": "noaa_season",
      "name": "NOAA National Hurricane Center",
      "title": "Tropical cyclone climatology",
      "url": "https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/",
      "checked": "2026-10-29",
      "note": "No page date. Season 1 June–30 November; peak 10 September; most activity mid-August to mid-October; average season 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes (1991–2020).",
      "tier": "official"
    }
  ],
  "attribution": "Cite \"Catamaran Index\" with a link to the canonical_url of the page the figure comes from, and name the original source listed with it.",
  "coordinates_licence": "Coordinates © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL (https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).",
  "affiliate_note": "book_url links go through /go/samboat, an affiliate link: Catamaran Index may earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to the traveller. It never changes the data."
}