BVI’s Best Kept Secret: Guana Island

May 29th we sailed East toward Guana Island.  Mom enjoyed another gorgeous morning on the bow as we let the wind carry us forward through the spectacular British Virgin Islands.

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Guana Island is an 850-acre private island. Cottages and Villas can be rented for an all-inclusive $5,000 – $15,000 per WEEK, or the whole island can be rented at an average rate of $30,000 per night. Yes, per NIGHT!! A maximum of 36 guests are allowed at any one time to maintain that private-island feel.

Of it’s seven beaches, White Bay Beach is on the leeward side of the island and is even equipped with private mooring balls at a rate of $30 per night. That’s pretty standard for anywhere in the BVI so why not spend it in front of an exclusive private island? We were told by one of the staff members that the island is private, but the ocean floor and the sand on the beach are technically public. We were welcome to play on the south end of the beach as long as we stayed clear of the resort facilities.

The beach was gorgeous and the water was clear. Several large tarpon swam around the boat and there were some small coral patches near the beach suitable for beginner snorkelers. Not many charter boats come here so we had the place all to ourselves. It was incredible!

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Monkey Point lies to the south with day-moorings which are supposedly maintained by the Virgin Islands National Park staff. It’s a popular spot for charter boats to snorkel during the day, though overnight mooring is not allowed. We took a dinghy ride to Monkey Point from our mooring in White Bay and we were less than impressed with the snorkeling there after what we had already seen at Muskmelon Bay to the North.

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Our recommendation: Skip the popular “Monkey Point” and head straight for Muskmelon Bay! The rocky cliffs surrounding the bay give these moorings a truly majestic feel. The stillness echoed around us. Depths of 60-80′ give off a rich blue brilliance to the ever-so-clean waters in what we believe to be the “Best Kept Secret of BVI.” Moorings here also cost $30 per night, however the islands staff sometime doesn’t come to collect. If you’re lucky, you might get the 2-for-1 deal!

The coral formations in Muskmelon Bay made for some of the most magnificent snorkeling we have ever seen. Like underwater highways, the millions of small bait fish swam past us in and out of the coral mazes. Each crevice seemed never ending as they looped around and up and down. The coral heads are on average 8-10′ tall and full of life. Hundreds of different species of reef fish thrive here.

A return trip with an underwater camera is a MUST, though the true magic of this place will forever be engrained in our memories. Especially magical for Bean, it was her very first time snorkeling! What a lucky woman to be introduced to the underwater world in Muskmelon Bay, BVI…

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Stay tuned for more adventure in the BVI! We are currently enjoying the rest of Hurricane Season in Mt. Hartman Bay, Grenada.  Please leave us a comment if you enjoyed these photos!

11 comments

  1. Michelle says:

    Incredible photos! I feel like I was literally transported to paradise in a matter of seconds! I have been following your blog from the beginning and it’s so inspiring to watch you grow and travel as a couple! I am completely jealous, but never the less inspired at such an amazing task! I have never travelled outside of the country and I am 41years old. We have seniors in high school this year and I am praying that once they graduate we can start our adventure as a couple again! Thank you for sharing all of your stories to the world. I love the ocean and I hope to one day visit the Hawaiian islands. How has the boat met your sailing needs? Is there anything different you would have done when purchasing a cruising sailboat again?

    • Thanks Michelle :) It’s so nice to hear you still follow along!! We sincerely do hope our travels bring inspiration to others. Keep your dreams alive and just know that it is possible to make them come true! The boat we chose has proven to be everything we could ever need! It was really a fluke that we found her but we’re so lucky we did. She’s an excellent solid cruising boat and we know she is tougher than us. Doing our homework on the different kinds of boats for our needs was helpful. We were glad we opted for a true bluewater boat just incase we do decide to do a major crossing someday!

  2. Jeanne Frostad says:

    Beautiful! So amazing to think we were all there in this beautiful spot in the BVI’s. How fortunate for all of us. Great pictures Jody, Amy and Peter.

    A note for Michelle: Michelle, This was my first trip to these amazing islands. I have been to Hawaii and it is beautiful as well I but I really think nothing can compare to the BVI’s Or the USVI. I am 70 years old and wished that I had discovered this magical place in my younger years……..plan a trip here with your husband and don’t wait………that is the problem, we wait and then it is too late. My husband passed away 3 1/2 years ago and he would have loved a trip like this. So I will say it again………plan, go, and enjoy NOW!

  3. Carleen - "Raise a Little Hull" says:

    We were just there chartering in February. Hubby lost his reading glasses in that very bay near the resort when he jumped in to that lovely water forgetting that he was wearing them. The BVI are so easy to sail around and the folks who live there were really nice. Our single week was too short!

  4. Mark & Stacy says:

    Peter and Jody, Hello to you both!! I was able to take a moment this morning and go through your sight and catch up on all your incredible adventures! You do such an amazing job and your writing is so descriptive it makes me feel like I am there! Thank you for sharing with all of us and doing it so beautifully, The pictures you and Peter take are incredible! I hope you both are enjoying Greneda, it looks like Peter is feeding everyone well on board, my goodness the lobsters look amazing! Give the kids a big squeeze for me, island life seems to be well suited to them both. Look forwarding to giving you all big hugs in the hopefully near future!! XOXO Stacy

  5. Mark & Stacy says:

    Peter and Jody, Hello to you both!! I was able to take a moment this morning and go through your sight and catch up on all your incredible adventures! You do such an amazing job and your writing is so descriptive it makes me feel like I am there! Thank you for sharing with all of us and doing it so beautifully, The pictures you and Peter take are incredible! I hope you both are enjoying Grenada, it looks like Peter is feeding everyone well on board, my goodness the lobsters look amazing! Give the kids a big squeeze for me, island life seems to be well suited to them both. Look forwarding to giving you all big hugs in the hopefully near future!! XOXO Stacy

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