Jost Van Dyke Sightseeing

Jost Van Dyke is one of the sparsely inhabited islands that belie a rich history. This is the birthplace of Dr. William Thornton, who designed the U.S. Capitol building in the late 1700s. His associates included Ben Franklin, James Madison and George Washington, just to name a few.

Visiting Jost Van Dyke is easy. The ferry from West End, Tortola, offers regularly scheduled trips to the government dock in Great Harbour. Here you'll find a beautiful sandy beach with your choice of bars and restaurants extending along the entire shore. Certainly, the most famous is Foxy's. Owner "Foxy" Callwood opened his bar more than three decades ago. Since then he has entertained thousands of visitors with his impromptu musical renditions. The names of celebrities who have visited is too long to list, but Foxy's fame extends well beyond the shores of Jost Van Dyke. Foxy's latest addition is Taboo, a restaurant located next to Diamond Cay, east of Great Harbour. Nearby, be sure to visit the Bubbly Pool, a natural sea-spa where the Atlantic Ocean waves break over the rocks into a protected bubble bath type pool. The area is surrounded by a small sandy beach and is a wonderful place to relax.

Taking the road or your boat one bay west of Great Harbour will lead you to White Bay. Relax on another gorgeous white sand beach and enjoy the view of Tortola and part of the USVI. Ashore, you can cool off with a drink at the informal Soggy Dollar Bar at the White Bay Sandcastle Hotel.

Read more about local entertainer, Foxy in Foxy "Unplugged".

Jost Van Dyke Beaches

Jost Van Dyke offers a choice of beaches. If you like action, then Great Harbour is for you. You can have your choice of beach bar, restaurant or island boutique as you walk barefoot in the sand from one end of the beach to the other. A popular anchorage for charter boats, it's a nice place to relax with amenities close at hand. Don't forget to stop at Foxy's Beach Bar and listen to Foxy sing and play his guitar.

The beach at White Bay is a wonderful, picture-perfect stretch of sand. This is another popular spot with the boating crowd, so expect a few people on weekends and holidays. Visit the Soggy Dollar Bar at White Bay Sandcastle, or stop in and have a drink at the Stress Free Beach Bar at Ivan's Campground, which works on the honour system.

The Bubbly Pool on the east end of the island is a fun stop. While the beaches are small, the refreshing play in the champagne-like bubbles is great. The pool gets its name from the foaming action of the ocean waves crashing over the rocks into the spa-like site.

Just east of Jost Van Dyke, you'll find the tiny islands of Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit. Both islands are uninhabited, isolated and stunning. Ringed by soft-sand beaches, each island looks like a Hollywood movie set for a desert island. The colours of the sand and adjacent sparkling sea are the stuff of post cards and travel brochures. These are great islands to visit by boat.

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