Why Scrub Island Should Be on Your BVI Yacht Week Itinerary
Scrub Island BVI pairs a full-service 55-slip marina and resort dining with shallow family beaches and sheltered coves—an easy, practical stop for any BVI yacht week.
Scrub Island BVI earns a place on your Yacht Week because it combines a full‑service, 55‑slip marina (including several mega‑yacht berths), resort dining and spa services, sheltered family beaches and a network of quiet coves for snorkeling and paddling — all within a short launch from Trellis Bay. If you need a dock day with provisioning, a crew lunch ashore, or a calm beach for kids, this island delivers both convenience and choices without losing the “island escape” feel. Below I walk through marina logistics, dining, beaches, snorkel spots and the access steps you’ll actually use during charter week.
Marina Facilities and Docking Options
Scrub Island’s marina is built for transient charters and larger private yachts: the facility lists 55 deep‑water slips with a handful of berths set aside for larger “mega” yachts (the marina advertises capacity for vessels up to roughly 160 feet).
What that means for your planning
- Slip availability: 55 slips is enough to handle a mix of monohulls, catamarans and a few larger yachts, but the marina fills on peak winter dates and holidays — reserve early if your plan includes a dock night.
- Services at the dock: expect fresh water, shore power, pump‑out, trash service and ice; a fuel station is onsite. The marina village also houses a small provisioning outlet and dive shop.
- Marina access fee / guest benefits: marina slip rental is often assessed an additional guest access fee (the resort has previously applied a percentage access/service amount) that grants use of pools, spa, beach bars and some resort services — factor that into your charter budget as it’s commonly applied to transient guests.
Dockage rates — what to expect
- Rates are published seasonally and quoted in USD by the marina; expect a per‑foot, per‑night structure with higher rates for holidays and peak season. Published examples show daily per‑foot rates that vary through the year and can reach higher levels around December holidays. Use the marina’s current rate sheet or call the dockmaster before arrival for a firm per‑night figure.
Docking comparison (quick reference)
| Feature | What to expect | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Slips | 55 deep‑water slips | Reserve for peak season and holidays. |
| Mega‑yacht berths | Several berths for yachts up to ~160 ft | Good for mixed‑fleet rendezvous. |
| Services | Fresh water, shore power, pump‑out, trash, fuel | Marina village provisioning and dive shop on site. |
| Fees | Seasonal per‑foot, per‑night rates; holiday premiums | Marina posts seasonal rate tables — request current rates from marina. |
Operational tips
- Reserve as soon as your itinerary is firm; docks are often booked on popular weekend legs and winter high season.
- If arriving from outside the BVI by private yacht, note the marina’s customs/clearance requirements — confirm your clearance point before attempting to berth.
Resort Amenities and Dining Experiences
The Scrub Island resort side is compact but complete: signature dining, a casual marina bar, spa services, pools and a small provisioning shop give you the convenience of a resort day without a long transit from your boat.
On‑site dining
- Cardamom & Co. is the resort’s higher‑end restaurant, positioned with marina and island views and a menu that blends local flavours with broader Caribbean and international dishes. It’s the place for an elevated dinner ashore.
- Donovan’s Reef Marina Bar & Grill is the casual, poolside option overlooking the marina — straightforward grills, sandwiches and cocktails, and a relaxed, family‑friendly atmosphere. The venue doubles as a pool bar with kid‑friendly features in the pool area.
Other resort facilities useful to charterers
- Ixora Spa, main pools and a small retail/provisioning outlet (Scrub Island Outpost) for top‑up provisions and basic needs.
- Dive BVI operates from the island and provides scuba and snorkel services, plus equipment rental — useful if you don’t want to carry every piece of snorkel kit aboard.
Practical dining advice
- Reservations are common for Cardamom & Co. on busy winter nights; Donovan’s Reef handles walk‑ins more readily but can fill for major events. If you plan a group dinner ashore during Yacht Week, book the marina dock and restaurant slot ahead.
Family-Friendly Beaches and Activities
Scrub Island gives you a straightforward beach day for families without a long tender run. Two named beaches are the go‑to spots.
Ideal family beaches
- Pavilion Beach: a sheltered bay with a gentle, shallow entry that suits small children and casual swimming.
- North Beach: larger, more open sand with room for games and the island’s occasional beach events (the island runs a North Beach festival-type event seasonally). The beach area is backed by resort amenities for shade and comfort.
Activities that keep kids and adults happy
- Pools and a waterslide at the resort pool (useful if sea conditions make shore entry tricky).
- Supervised or guided family snorkel trips from the dive shop, easy kayak or paddleboard runs around the shoreline, and beach games. Equipment rentals are commonly offered through the island’s water‑sports providers.
What to pack for a family day
- Reef‑safe sunscreen, snorkel masks for small heads (marina/dive shop rents gear but sizes can be limited), a basic first‑aid kit and a light sun shelter if you want more shade than the resort provides. Rentals exist but supply can vary by season.
Tranquil Coves and Snorkeling Spots
If you want quiet snorkeling away from the busier beach strip, Scrub Island’s leeward coves and the islets nearby are the ticket. These are best reached by tender, kayak or paddleboard and offer protection and clearer water on calm days.
What you’ll find underwater
- Expect typical British Virgin Islands reef life: reef fish, hard corals and occasional sightings of turtles and rays in season. The island’s dive providers run guided snorkel tours if you want a quick local orientation. Use the dive shop for up‑to‑date reef condition advice.
Access and equipment
- Small coves are tenderable from the marina and readily reached by kayak or SUP; the marina/dive shop rents snorkel and dive equipment. For longer or deeper snorkel sites, a guided excursion from Dive BVI or an experienced local guide is a simple, time‑efficient choice.
Safety note
- Cove conditions vary with wind direction and swell. Morning sessions are often calmest; if the forecast shows strong easterlies, pick more sheltered bays or postpone the swim. Consult the dive shop or your charter skipper for the local wind and current picture before launching.
Access and Logistics for Yacht Charters
Getting to Scrub Island from Tortola and Beef Island is straightforward; the resort operates a short launch from Trellis Bay, and the marina has its own guest docking protocol. Plan these steps ahead to avoid last‑minute problems.
Getting there
- Trellis Bay launch: the resort publishes a complimentary guest ferry/launch between Trellis Bay (Beef Island area) and Scrub Island; published materials indicate the run is approximately 10–15 minutes each way.
- By private yacht: you may berth directly at the marina subject to slip availability and clearing any customs requirements — the marina and port authorities outline pre‑arrival clearance steps for vessels arriving from outside the BVI. Call the marina to confirm your planned arrival port of entry.
Logistics checklist for charterers
- Reserve: slip + shore power if required; tell the charter base and marina your ETA. Peak winter and holiday dates book early.
- Customs and entry: if you arrive to the BVI from another jurisdiction by sea, ensure you’ve cleared customs at an approved port before attempting to berth at Scrub Island’s marina. The marina’s arrival notes emphasise this requirement.
- Provisioning & fuel: small provision store on site for top‑ups; full provisioning is best handled in Road Town or via your provisioning service prior to arrival. Fuel is available at the marina but confirm hours and payment methods before arrival.
Table: Access options at a glance
| From | Typical travel time | How to arrive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef Island / Terrance B. Lettsome (EIS) / Trellis Bay | ~10–15 min launch | Resort launch/water taxi from Trellis Bay | Resort launch schedules published; times vary seasonally. |
| Road Town / Tortola | Variable (short taxi to Trellis Bay + launch) | Taxi to Trellis Bay then resort launch, or direct yacht arrival | Plan around customs/entry procedure and marina availability. |
| Private yacht (from neighboring islands) | Depends on leg | Direct berth at Scrub Island marina | Confirm customs and docking availability before arrival. |
Final practical reminders
- Confirm current dockage rates and any resort guest access fee before you allocate your budget — the marina posts seasonal rate tables and applies holiday premiums.
- Reserve restaurants for dinner if you have a larger group; bring child sizes of snorkel masks if you can, since rental stock varies.
Include Scrub Island on your yacht week if your plan calls for a day (or two) that mixes a dock day with easy shore options, solid provisioning, reliable dining and calm beaches for kids — its marina and resort amenities let you swap a long service run into Road Town for a comfortable island break close to Tortola. Ready to plan the leg? Book the slip early, set aside time for a Cardamom dinner and reserve a morning snorkel with the dive shop for the calmest water.
Plan your yacht week and include Scrub Island for a practical blend of resort comfort and quiet island cove time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scrub Island has a 55-slip deep-water marina with five berths configured for larger yachts (up to about 160 ft). Dockage is charged by foot with seasonal rates; many operators publish daily per-foot rates that rise during holidays and high season.
The resort offers Cardamom & Co. as its signature restaurant and Donovan’s Reef Marina Bar & Grill for casual, poolside and waterfront dining, plus a small provision store and beach-bar outlets.
Pavilion Beach and North Beach are the island’s primary family-friendly beaches—both have shallow entry and space for children’s activities and beach games.
Yes. Several small, sheltered coves on the leeward side and nearby islets offer calm water for snorkeling; local dive shops and the marina rent gear and run guided trips.
Most visitors use the resort’s launch or a short water taxi from Trellis Bay (the Trellis Bay dock sits by Beef Island/Terrance B. Lettsome Airport); private yachts simply berth at the marina subject to availability and clearance.
Written by
Sailnboat Editorial
The Sailnboat editorial desk covers yacht and boat chartering worldwide — routes, bases, seasons, boat types, paperwork and the practical costs that decide a trip. We are a charter marketplace, not a boat owner or a local agency: what we sell is judgement and support, so our guides are written to help you make a decision, not to sell you a specific boat. Every guide is checked against live operator and marina data before it goes out.
Fact-checked against live operator and marina data, and published under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: .
