Skip to main content

Great Harbour, Jost van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

Smallest of the four main British Virgin Islands, Jost van Dyke takes its name from a 17th-century Dutch pirate who was among the BVI’s first European settlers. Just three square miles in size, this rugged island remains largely unspoiled — perfect for lazing on one of its pristine white-sand beaches like White Bay, consistently ranked among the finest in the Virgin Islands. Weather permitting, your Seabourn captain will anchor at Great Harbour on the island’s southern coast, the idyllic place to deploy the ship’s marina for a day of play in the warm Caribbean waters. Rent a dingy or charter a boat to explore some of the outlying islets and cays; nearby Diamond Cay offers great snorkeling. Snorkel enthusiasts can head to The Playground, an iconic site that attracts manta rays, reef and nurse sharks, colorful parrotfish and squid. For terra firma adventure, hike a few miles east of Great Harbour to the Bubbly Pool, where waves roll through the boulders to form a Jacuzzi-like pool. Be sure to try a Painkiller, the island’s signature rum cocktail, at the world-famous Soggy Dollar Bar in White Bay.