Peter Island British Virgin Islands
Peter Island is a 1,779 acre private island located in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). It is about 5.2 miles south-west from Road Harbour (Road Town), Tortola. The island was named after Pieter Adriensen (nicknamed “The Commander”) who, along with Joost van Dyk, built a fort and slave pens at Great Harbour on Peter Island to facilitate privateering and the nascent trade in slaves from Angola.
In 1978, an avid sailor purchased Peter Island after sailing past it several years before. There, he established the resort that exists today and lived on the island to maintain the resort.
Peter Island is the largest private island in the BVI and the fifth largest of the 60 islands, quays, and exposed reefs that comprise the BVI. It was owned by the Amway Corporation from 1978 until 2001 when full ownership was transferred to the Van Andel family, co-owners of Amway.
The only accommodations Peter Island Resort Villa’s & Spa was ranked in Conde Nast Traveler’s “Gold List,” and the Travel and Leisure “T+L 500” for 2007, is accessible by boat or helicopter. This magnificent resort hotel has twice been named by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the “Best Places to Stay in the World”.
This world-class resort is complete with seaside spa and restaurants. With regular ferry service from Tortola, one can enjoy the beautiful beach at Deadman’s Bay or dine al fresco by the sea. Dramatic wind-swept hills and beautifully grouped tropical plantings around the resort make a stroll through the grounds worthwhile. Just off to the east is “Deadman’s Chest”, another island bearing the mark of pirate lore.
Peter Island Activities
Peter Island is predominately undeveloped but contains hiking and biking trails on which to discover the tropical flora and fauna indigenous to Peter Island.
Activities on Peter Island are an invigorating, diverse blend of extraordinary adventures and simple pleasures. On the resort’s private island, you can laze on six quiet beaches or play along the shore in 20 secluded coves. Pamper yourself with a spa treatment, swing in a hammock, or cool off in any number of pools. Choose a day of shopping with an excursion to St. Thomas.
Whether you want to snorkel or scuba in BVI, glide across the blue-green waters on a sailboat, sport fish, or hike the trails in search of the perfect sunset view, it is an island paradise you’ll never forget. On land or sea, Peter Island has activities to suit every guest!
WANT MORE? GO TO…TOP 7 THINGS TO DO ON PETER ISLAND
Peter Island Beaches
Peter Island has six beaches, all of which face the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Two of the beaches (Honeymoon and White bay) are for use by Peter Island Resort guests only. The island’s biggest beach is Deadman’s Bay, a mile-long crescent beach shaded by palm trees with a section open to visitors.
- Deadman’s Beach
Deadman’s Beach is said to be named for pirates that were marooned on neighboring Dead Chest island and subsequently drowned swimming to Peter Island, their bodies washed up on shore.  This – the island’s largest beach – is a mile-long crescent of pure white sand dotted with towering palms and surrounded with turquoise blue waters. This beach is perfect for snorkeling or sunbathing and if you happen to get hungry or thirsty during your visit, Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill is just a coconut’s throw away.
- Little Deadman’s Beach
Located at the end of Deadman’s Beach, Little Deadman’s Beach is a true on-island destination. It’s a perfect place to soak up some of the day’s last sunshine with a late afternoon of sunning and yacht watching in front of stunning views of the bay and Sir Francis Drake Channel. And when the sun begins to set or your skin begins to get a little pink, the shade of Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill is only a quick walk away.
- White Bay Beach
Facing Norman Island, rumored to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and located opposite the resort, White Bay Beach is the beach you picture when you imagine a British Virgin Islands vacation. Reserve your tiki hut through the resort’s concierge, arrange for a picnic to be delivered to you, and plan a whole day of sunbathing, snorkeling the best reefs on the island, and sea turtle watching.. This beach is truly special and the memory of it stays with you long after the sand is gone from your cuffs. It’s romantic, it’s inviting and it’s spectacular!
- Honeymoon Beach
Imagine a beach made just for two. Honeymoon Beach is easily one of the most romantic settings anywhere in the entire world. Hidden away at the end of Little Deadman’s Beach, Honeymoon Beach is an intimate and secluded destination for just you and yours. If you’re looking for a romantic escape or some time to just listen to the waves lap on golden shores, you’ve come to the right place.
- Big Reef Bay & Beach
Private. Powerful. Peaceful. Big Reef Bay and Beach is pure British Virgin Islands beach perfection. Located on the windward side of Peter Island, Big Reef Bay & Beach is nestled next to the world-class Spa at Peter Island. Those visitors who find themselves out for an early-morning or mid-afternoon jog particularly enjoy Big Reef Bay & Beach because of the trail that runs along its shores. So whether you find yourself in need of a refreshing post-workout cooldown, a moment of clarity after a relaxing spa treatment, or just some time to enjoy the sound of rolling surf, Big Reef Bay & Beach is that place.
Peter Island Dining
Exceptional cuisine, an elegant wine room, and open-air restaurants await Peter Island guests. Peter Island Resort is known throughout the Caribbean as much for its innovative cuisine as its inspired scenery and artfully combines international favorites with island flair. Classic yet contemporary dishes fused with Asian and Italian culinary influences are served with the unmistakable warmth and personable Caribbean staff of Peter Island.
Resort menus showcase seasonal ingredients, simply prepared and beautifully presented. The cuisine adds new signature dishes including rum-basted tropical lamb satay with grilled pineapple and coconut-lime sauce and seared filet of tuna marinated in a Japanese blend of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.
For “Caribbean Tea” each afternoon, Peter Island features English tradition with a tropical spin, offering flavored iced teas with fresh-baked pastries and Caribbean breads. Typical fare includes passion fruit, mango, rum, lemongrass or cinnamon tea with coconut drops, banana or carrot bread, and pancake-sized chocolate chip cookies.
The dedication to fine dining reaches beyond the resort’s restaurants and lounges. Expanded room service, poolside luncheons, and PeterIsland’s famous White Bay Picnic Lunch each provide a new and decidedly exceptional approach. The picnic, a gourmet lunch delivered to guests at the specified time by a staff member, includes real linens, plates, silverware and cold drinks. When summoned, resort staff promptly removes the basket after lunch to ensure a private beach experience.
- Tradewinds Restaurant
Tradewinds is the resort’s main restaurant. Named for the warm breezes that whisper through it, Tradewinds boasts greater intimacy with large dramatic windows and gorgeous views of Sir Francis Drake Channel and Tortola. Table dressings display German china, French silverware and Italian crystal.
- Wine Room
To showcase the essential complement to exceptional food, Peter Island Resort added a wine room to Tradewinds, complete with a mahogany banquet table, floor-to-ceiling wine cases and precise climate control. The resort broadened the depth, variety and quality of wines available and now offers over 300 selections within the Caribbean’s most exclusive collection of champagne, wine, cognac, armagnac, grappa and eau de vie up to $450 per bottle.
Every Thursday, Peter Island Resort welcomes 12 guests to the vintner’s wine-pairing dinner in the private wine room, complete with floor-to-ceiling wine cases.
- Â Drake’s Channel Lounge
Before or after dining, Drake’s Channel Lounge serves sumptuous cocktails and frozen drinks amidst cushioned chaises and brisk Caribbean breezes. Resort favorites include “The Landscape Cocktail”, a tri-colored concoction of midori, mango and raspberry; and the “Mango Smoothie” blended with ice cream, rum and coconut cream.
- Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill
Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill, camouflaged by sea grape trees and towering palms, offers lighter fare for lunch and dinner with the most dramatic setting in the Caribbean. The restaurant features a wood-fired pizza oven and expansive salad bar buffet plus hot entrees, sandwiches, and Peter Island’s special ribs.
Evening at Deadman’s brings a delicious blend of Caribbean and Continental flavors in a seaside casual setting. Each Sunday, a live steel drum band accompanies lunch, all just steps from the beach under the shade of a cedar shake roof.
Monday night features a special West Indian buffet and the steel drum band returns to provide entertainment for dining and dancing under the stars. Jumby Stilt-walkers often come to add more fun.
Peter Island Getting Around
Peter Island Resort offers complimentary shuttle service to the Spa and beaches. Bicycles are also available for guests use.
CONTACT USÂ for more Information about Peter Island British Virgin Islands at 321-777-1707
Peter Island Getting There
The British Virgin Islands are located approximately 1,200 miles southeast of Miami and 70 miles east of Puerto Rico. Peter Island is just five miles south of Tortola and is served by ferry, helicopter and private yacht.
- Arriving Through St Thomas, USVI
If traveling to Peter Island through St. Thomas’ Cyril King International Airport, be sure to arrive before 2:30pm on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Before claiming your baggage, check-in with the Tropic Tours desk, our airport representative. They will direct you to an awaiting taxi for a 15-minute ride to the Peter Island Ferry where you can wait in air-conditioned comfort, or, if there is time, shop a little in Charlotte Amalie. The ferry departs St. Thomas at 3:30pm for a gorgeous 90-minute trip (brief customs stop) to Peter Island. Returns to St. Thomas depart at 8:30am from Peter Island (Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only), so schedule your departures for after noon. Round-trip total, including Tropic Tours taxi, is $199 per person.
- Arriving Through Tortola, BVI
Another popular way to reach Peter Island is to arrive through Tortola’s Beef Island Airport (EIS). If you are connecting through San Juan, Puerto Rico, the resort will send a ferry any day or time to pick you up.
Once you arrive at Beef Island Airport from San Juan, you will have to clear customs and immigration to retrieve your luggage. A Peter Island Resort Representative will be there to greet you afterward. The greeter will escort you to a taxi that will take you to the Peter Island Ferry Dock. The ferry ride into Peter Island is approximately 30 minutes. Cost for this transfer is $60 per person round-trip ($35 per person one way), which includes the taxi and ferry.
- Other Ways to Reach Peter Island
- Public Ferry
A public ferry is available for transport from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, to Road Town, Tortola,. The public ferry will drop off in Road Town, Tortola, where you will then take a taxi to the Peter Island dock. Round-trip transfers from Tortola are $60 per person.
- Water Taxi’s
Private water taxis can be chartered with Dohm’s Water Taxi, located in St. Thomas. Starting at $600 one way from St. Thomas to Peter Island, the trip takes approximately 90 minutes.
- Commercial Flights
Commercial flights are also available through Air Sunshine from St. Thomas to Tortola (Beef Island Airport, EIS). Arrange the Peter Island Ferry pickup service upon arrival. Available on demand, the flight takes approximately 15 minutes and starts at $125 per person one way.
- Charter Flights
Guests may also charter a flight through Universal Jet Charter from St. Thomas to Tortola. Grand Caravan (9-passenger Turbo Prop) rates begin at $3,300. CJ2 (6-passenger Light Jet) rates begin at $6,100.
- Helicopter Transfer
Helicopter transfer from St. Thomas to Peter Island can also be arranged via Caribbean Buzz Helicopters. One-way trips start at $960 for 2 guests plus luggage. Travel time is approximately 30 minutes.
 CONTACT US for more Information about Peter Island British Virgin Islands at 321-777-1707