Islands destinationAnegada IslandBritish Virgin Islands | Caribbean Sea

Last updated on 10/02/2026 at 12:30 AM
Anegada is the second-largest island in the British Virgin Islands, but also the flattest and most unique island in the archipelago. Unlike the other mountainous islands of the British Virgin Islands, Anegada is actually a coral atoll, giving it a distinctive character with its coral reefs, white-sand beaches, and turquoise lagoons.
Anegada Island (Mer des Caraïbes)
Anegada Island (Mer des Caraïbes) © | Dreamstime.com
Anegada means « drowned island » in Spanish, referring to its particularly low elevation above sea level! Anegada lies off the coast of Virgin Gorda, about 12 miles to the north.
Lagoons and coral reefs
Anegada is known for its coastline fringed by coral reefs, particularly the famous Horseshoe Reef, one of the largest coral reefs in the Northern Hemisphere. The island is surrounded by shallow waters and lagoons, perfect for snorkeling.
Pink flamingos and West Indian iguanas — which can grow up to 5 feet long — have also found a sanctuary among the lagoons and pink- and white-sand beaches.
A unique little islet
« Conch Island », literally the island of conch shells, is a small, unusual islet rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea off the island's southeastern tip. It was formed by the shells discarded when generations of fishermen cleaned the conch they had caught on their way back to shore. Carbon dating has shown that the islet is the result of approximately 200 years of conch fishing activity.
« Conch island » is a small, unusual islet rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea
« Conch island » is a small, unusual islet rising from the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea © | Dreamstime.com
How to get there ?
To reach Anegada, you can take a ferry from Tortola, the main gateway to the British Virgin Islands. Regular ferry services connect Road Town with Anegada, with the trip taking about one hour. You can also take a regional flight from Tortola to the island's small airport.
If you are sailing in the Caribbean, you can also anchor off Anegada by sailboat or private boat and enjoy its well-known anchorages.
Because of the island's remote location in the northern part of the archipelago, it is recommended that you check ferry and flight schedules before your trip.
The marine species in the British Virgin Islands
British Virgin islands
The islands from caribbean Sea
Explore new islands

Our latestUpdates

Photo of the Day
Anémone encroûtante (Parazoanthus axinellae)
Anémone encroûtante
(Parazoanthus axinellae)