What to Wear in Virgin Islands

General Style Tips

Smart casual clothes in lightweight natural fabrics will work best – it is warm and sunny but not unbearably hot all year round.
However the nights tend to be a little cooler and a sweater or wrap is worth popping in your case.
Daytime essentials include t-shirts and camisoles, sarong or shorts as most people spend their time on the beach.
Keep your swimwear for the beach, beach bars and hotel pools, though.
Wear plenty of sunscreen (we love the Riemann P20 range for 10 hour protection), sunglasses and a sunhat.
Mosquitoes can be a problem, so take insect/mosquito repellent and cover up with long sleeves and pants when you can, particularly at dusk if you are outdoors. Avoid wearing any scent or perfume.
There are a number of up-market restaurants where the dress code is super smart, so you might like to take a dressy outfit for these venues.

Take some lightweight comfy shoes for exploring – we recommend Hotter shoes, for total comfort along with style.
And pack some pretty flat sandals for the beach – we love the Lindsay Phillips Switch Flops range, they have interchangeable shoe and flip-flop bases with snap-on decorations, so you can change your look from day to evening in an instant whilst still packing light.

Our advice would be to keep swimwear to the beach and pool, and cover up with a kaftan or sarong when walking around public areas.
For evenings, dress is smart casual; ladies tend to wear short summer sundresses, and take a pashmina or wrap as just after a downpour it cools very quickly (but only temporarily).
Remember that a versatile pashmina, pretty scarf or some sparkly accessories can always dress up a simple outfit.

If you're looking for versatile and stylish beachwear, try the Madda Fella range of shirts, shorts, polos and swimwear.
For evenings, guys' dress is smart casual; long pants and short-sleeved shirts (no t-shirts). Tailored shorts are acceptable.
For great versatile travel jackets with multiple pockets including RFID security options, we love the SCOTTeVEST range.

The rainy season is through July, August, September, October, November and December. You do still get lots of sunshine, but it is interrupted by deluges of rain which last for up to 30 minutes at a time. A travel umbrella or light raincoat will be useful at these times.
We love the Weather+ app – it gives an accurate 6 day forecast for day and night, which when you're planning from home is really helpful. You can keep all the places you've been to too – a nice way to remember your trip 🙂 Download for iPad/iPhone or Android

A lightweight day sack or beach bag will come in handy to carry your sightseeing essentials.
The tap water is generally safe to drink, but it may not be to your taste and many visitors do prefer to buy bottled water. Consider carrying a LifeStraw Filtration Water Bottle instead – fill up from any source and get clean, safe drinking water without wasting plastic bottles.
Look after your mobile phone with a phone bunjee – it protects against loss, theft and damage.
To use electrical gadgets you may need a travel adapter plug, and also a step up voltage converter if your devices are not designed for the local voltage (110V).
If you're aiming to travel with just carry-on baggage, try the CabinMax soft-sided rucksack – it's light, roomy and has plenty of pockets to keep your stuff organized.
Avoid paying unexpected baggage fees – use an accurate luggage scale to ensure you keep within the weight allowance. Don't forget to leave room for souvenirs on the way home! The Virgin Islands offer duty free shopping, so jewelry, alcohol and high-end electronics are popular buys. Just remember any liquids will need to be packed in your hold luggage when you travel home.