Visiting Anegada
Anegada is the northernmost island of the British Virgin Islands and one of the most extraordinary places in the Caribbean. Unlike every other major island in the BVI — and unlike most of the Caribbean — Anegada is not volcanic. It is a flat coral atoll, rising no more than 28 feet above sea level at its highest point. That flatness, combined with its position at the northern edge of the island chain, gives it a quality that is genuinely rare: miles of almost completely undisturbed white sand beach, a vast shallow lagoon alive with birdlife, and a barrier reef that circles the island and has claimed more than 300 shipwrecks over the centuries.
Getting to Anegada requires intention. There are no direct international flights, no cruise ship calls, and no bridge from Tortola. You arrive by small aircraft or by boat, and that friction is precisely what keeps it the way it is.
Getting to Anegada
By air
The quickest way to reach Anegada is to fly. Anegada’s airfield (IATA: NGD) handles small aircraft only — typically six to nine seats. Scheduled and charter services operate from:
- San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) — the most common gateway from North America. Daily international service from Delta, JetBlue, American Airlines, and Southwest, with onward connections to Anegada via Island Birds, Fly BVI, Cape Air, and Air Sunshine.
- St Thomas, US Virgin Islands (STT) — served daily by American, Delta, JetBlue, and United from major US cities. Charter and scheduled flights to Anegada via the same operators.
- Tortola, British Virgin Islands (EIS) — Beef Island Airport, connected to Anegada by local charter operators including Fly BVI and Ace Flight Center. Latest departure from Beef Island is 5:30 pm.
- St Croix (STX) and St Maarten (SXM) — charter services available direct to NGD.
Island Birds offers a competitor discount of up to 15% on direct flights to Anegada from Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and St Croix for registered Drowned Island Challenge entrants.
By ferry
A passenger ferry runs between Road Town, Tortola and Anegada on a scheduled basis. The crossing takes approximately 90 minutes. Check current schedules before travel as timings vary seasonally.
By yacht
Anegada is one of the most celebrated sailing destinations in the Caribbean. The anchorage off the north shore, near Anegada Beach Club and The Lobster Trap, is sheltered and well-established. The approach requires careful navigation — the Horseshoe Reef extends well beyond the island’s visible coastline, and the transit must be made in good light.
Horizon Yacht Charters, the official charter partner of the Drowned Island Challenge, runs a sail-and-compete week departing 28 May aboard crewed Leopard catamarans. The itinerary covers several BVI anchorages before finishing on Anegada for the event weekend.
By helicopter
Caribbean Buzz Helicopters operates between St Thomas, St Croix, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada. Anegada Beach Club has a private landing pad — a 45 x 45 foot concrete pad — available for both charter and privately owned helicopters.
Where to stay
Accommodation on Anegada is deliberately limited. There are no large hotels, no all-inclusives, and no international chains. What exists is small, locally owned, and in most cases right on the beach.
Anegada Beach Club is the island’s principal resort and the host venue of the Drowned Island Challenge. Located on the north shore, it offers beachfront palapa retreats — open-sided thatched structures set directly on the sand — and a small number of air-conditioned garden and poolside rooms. The resort has a restaurant serving breakfast through dinner, a swimming pool, and a spa. Registered Drowned Island Challenge competitors receive a 20% room discount.
Anegada Reef Hotel is the island’s original hotel, located on the south side near Setting Point. It has been hosting sailors and divers since the 1970s and retains a loyal following. The bar and restaurant are a social hub, particularly for crews arriving by yacht.
Big Bamboo operates a cluster of self-catering beachfront villas at Loblolly Bay — named after planets (Jupiter, Neptune, and others) — each with air conditioning, a full kitchen, and a veranda facing the water. The Big Bamboo Beach Bar and Restaurant is a short walk along the sand.
Loblolly Beach Cottages sit right on the shore at Loblolly Bay, with one and two-bedroom options fully renovated in 2021. Each cottage has air conditioning, a full kitchen, outdoor shower, grill, and direct beach access. A shared honour bar, wood-fired pizza oven, and yoga deck are available to all guests. Bookable via the website or Airbnb.
Anegada Beachside Cottages offer self-catering accommodation on the north shore, bookable through the BVI Tourist Board and local agents.
Ann’s Guest House sits right on Cow Wreck Beach on the northwest corner of the island — one of the most beautiful and remote stretches of coast on Anegada. Run by Ann and her family, the guest houses offer comfortable rooms with the sounds of the sea and the trade winds as a constant backdrop, steps from the beach and the Cow Wreck Beach Bar. Book direct via email at annsguesthouses@gmail.com or by phone on 284-440-4149.
Various private villa rentals are available through the BVI Tourist Board and local agents for those wanting more space and independence.
Beaches
Loblolly Bay on the northeast tip is widely considered one of the finest beaches in the Caribbean — shallow, calm, clear turquoise water, and backed by sea grape trees. Kite and snorkel equipment rental is available from the small shack at the beach entrance. A short swim out brings you to the edge of the reef. Big Bamboo and Flash of Beauty restaurants sit at either end of the bay.
Cow Wreck Beach on the northwest side faces slightly more open water and catches a little more breeze. The Cow Wreck Beach Bar and Tipsy’s serve food and drinks. The name refers to the bones of cattle offloaded here by sailing ships.
The north shore between Anegada Beach Club and The Lobster Trap is where the running and paddleboard courses of the Drowned Island Challenge take place. The water is calmer here than on the eastern beaches, protected by the reef offshore.
Flash of Beauty is a small, particularly pristine stretch at the eastern end of the island, reachable by the island’s sandy tracks. Often completely deserted. The snorkelling directly offshore is among the best accessible from the beach anywhere on the island.
Flamingo Pond is a large shallow salt pond on the west side of the island and the primary habitat of Anegada’s flamingo colony. A wooden observation platform allows you to watch the birds without disturbing them. The pond is also home to various shorebirds and waders. Best visited at dawn or dusk. Reachable by scooter or buggy on the island’s western tracks.
Pomato Point on the west coast offers a quieter stretch of beach with some of the best sunset views on the island, and Sid’s Pomato Point Restaurant behind it.
Things to do
Snorkelling and diving
The Horseshoe Reef is the largest barrier coral reef in the Caribbean and the fourth largest in the world. Visibility is typically excellent. The north side and east end have the most accessible snorkelling from the beach. For scuba diving, the wrecks scattered across the reef’s outer edge are the main draw — more than 300 ships have gone down on the reef since European settlement began.
Sherwin’s Sea Adventures runs guided boat tours from The Settlement. Captain Sherwin is one of the most knowledgeable guides on the island — tours cover snorkelling on the reef, visits to Conch Island, conch diving, and fresh conch ceviche prepared on the boat. Consistently rated as a highlight of any Anegada visit. Bookable via Facebook or by asking locally.
Kitesurfing and e-foiling
Tommy Gaunt Kitesurfing operates lessons and tours from the north shore. The flat, shallow water inside the reef makes this one of the best learning environments in the Caribbean. E-foil lessons and guided snorkelling tours to Conch Island are also available. Drowned Island Challenge competitors receive a 20% discount on all Tommy Gaunt activities.
Flamingo watching
A colony of Caribbean flamingos lives in and around the salt ponds on the west side of the island. Best visited in the early morning or late afternoon. Numbers vary through the year but the colony is well established and easily spotted from the Flamingo Pond observation platform.
Rock iguanas
The Anegada rock iguana is one of the rarest lizards in the world, with the wild population estimated at fewer than 2,000 individuals. Slow-moving and unbothered by human presence, they are frequently encountered around the beach bar areas in the evening.
Exploring by scooter, buggy, or car
The island’s road network is compact enough to explore the entire island in half a day. Several operators are based near the ferry dock and airfield:
L&M Anegada offers taxis, rental vehicles (jeeps and cars), scooters, dirt bikes, and guided island tours covering the beaches, flamingo ponds, the iguana sanctuary, and the conch shell mounds. Contact via email at DMMJeepRental@gmail.com or by phone on 284-441-0563.
Anegada Amazing Rentals offers 50cc and larger scooters, cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks, as well as a taxi safari service, paddleboards, and snorkelling tours to Conch Island. Located five minutes from the ferry dock.
The Horseshoe Reef wreck trail
Guided boat tours to specific named wrecks along the reef are available through local operators including Sherwin’s Sea Adventures. The Paramatta, the Rocus, and the Astraea are among the most visited, each in relatively shallow water and accessible to snorkellers as well as divers.
Where to eat
Anegada lobster is the reason many people make the journey. The spiny lobster that populate the reef around the island are caught fresh daily and served grilled at several of the island’s restaurants — typically ordered in advance and priced by the pound.
The Lobster Trap on the north shore is one of the finish points of the Drowned Island Challenge’s running and paddleboard courses. It serves lobster, fresh fish, and local favourites in an open-air setting directly on the beach.
Anegada Beach Club restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from morning smoothies and eggs through to fresh seafood, local dishes, and Anegada lobster in the evening.
The Wonky Dog is a bar and restaurant at Benders Point on the south shore, right on the water’s edge next to the mooring field with its own dinghy dock. Known for Anegada lobster cooked in multiple ways, nightly entertainment, fire shows, and a flair bartender. One of the liveliest spots on the island after dark.
Big Bamboo sits at the eastern end of Loblolly Bay, a few steps from the beach. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The lobster is widely praised and the setting — toes practically in the sand, reef just offshore — is hard to beat.
Sid’s Pomato Point Restaurant is on the west side of the island at Pomato Point, with some of Anegada’s most dramatic sunset views from its beach deck. Run by Sid and Isabel, the menu covers lobster, conch fritters, tacos, ribs, and fresh fish. Winner of Best Lobster Sample at the 2024 Anegada Lobster Festival. Dinner reservations must be made by 4 pm.
Potter’s By the Sea at Setting Point is a popular stop for sailors arriving by dinghy — there’s a dock right at the restaurant. The lobster fettuccine is a regular recommendation and the location makes it a natural first stop for those coming in from the anchorage.
Tipsy’s (also known as Tipsy by Ann) is a beach bar and grill on Cow Wreck Bay run by Ann and her family. Open-air, right on the water, with live music, games, a gift shop, and a great drinks list. Note: closes for the off-season (typically late July to mid-October).
Anegada Reef Hotel bar and restaurant is the go-to for sailors at Setting Point. The conch fritters and lobster are well regarded. When there’s no bartender, guests run a tab and settle up at the end of their stay.
Cow Wreck Beach Bar on the northwest shore is one of the most remote eating spots on the island — simple food, cold Carib beer, and one of the best views on Anegada.
Weather and best time to visit
The British Virgin Islands have a tropical climate. The Drowned Island Challenge takes place on 30 and 31 May 2026, which sits at the very start of the Atlantic hurricane season (officially 1 June to 30 November). In practice, late May is statistically one of the calmest periods of the year — hurricane activity in May is extremely rare, and the trade winds that define BVI weather are typically steady and moderate at this time of year.
Average temperatures in late May are around 28–30°C (82–86°F), with water temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s Fahrenheit. Rain is possible but tends to come in short sharp showers rather than sustained overcast weather. The dry season runs roughly from December through April and is the peak tourist period. Late May and early June offer the advantage of smaller crowds, lower accommodation prices, and the landscape at its greenest after the brief spring rains.
Practical information
Currency: US dollar. Most businesses accept cards, though cash is useful for smaller vendors and beach bars.
Entry requirements: British Virgin Islands entry requirements apply. US, UK, Canadian, and EU citizens do not require a visa for stays under 30 days. A valid passport is required. A departure tax applies when leaving the BVI by air.
Getting around: The island is roughly 16 km long and 5 km wide at most. Taxis operate from the airfield and ferry dock. Hired scooters, jeeps, Mokes, cars, and pick ups from operators including L&M Anegada and Anegada Amazing Rentals are the most flexible option for self-exploration.
Mobile and internet: BVI has reasonable mobile coverage from Digicel and Flow. Coverage on Anegada is functional but not always strong away from the main settlements. Anegada Beach Club has WiFi.
Time zone: Atlantic Standard Time (AST), UTC−4. The BVI does not observe daylight saving time.
Electricity: 110V/60Hz, US-standard plugs.
Key facts for Drowned Island Challenge competitors
| Event dates | 30–31 May 2026 |
| Host venue | Anegada Beach Club, north shore |
| Nearest international airport | San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) or St Thomas, USVI (STT) |
| Anegada airfield code | NGD |
| Competitor room discount | 20% at Anegada Beach Club |
| Activity discount | 20% with Tommy Gaunt Kitesurfing |
| Flight discount | Up to 15% with Island Birds |
| Registration | drownedisland.com/entry-fees/ |
Ready to enter? Visit the Entry Fees & Sign Up page for pricing and registration for the 2026 Drowned Island Challenge.