Cuan Law, a sailing trimaran for diving and island days

Cuan Law suits divers who want the British Virgin Islands as a complete trip, not only as a list of dive sites. The boat moves under sail when conditions allow, then opens the rest of the week to diving, snorkeling, kayaking and island excursions. That changes the choice: this is not a high-volume technical liveaboard built around four or five demanding dives a day. It is a spacious sailing platform for warm-water recreational diving, with time left for beaches, coves and shore walks. The dive programme offers two to three dives per day, while the rest of the boat is arranged for mixed groups, including snorkelers and non-divers. Come aboard for the combination of accessible diving and a genuine BVI sailing holiday.

Cuan Law makes a broad first impression at the dock. Its sailing-trimaran design gives the boat an unusually open feel, with a large aft deck, an upper sun deck, an alfresco area and indoor spaces that do not force everyone into the same room. The vessel dates from 1988, and its character is that of an established working boat rather than a newly launched yacht. Once aboard, guests can move between the dive deck, the shaded outdoor areas, the saloon and the upper deck without losing sight of the islands. The boat spends very little time at the public dock, so boarding quickly becomes part of the cruise rather than the main event. Sails, water and open deck space set the tone before the first dive.

Cuan Law is set up for a group that does more than dive. Divers return to a boat where snorkelers, families and non-divers may be sharing the day, and the generous outdoor spaces give each group somewhere to go. The crew includes a captain, chef, stewards, engineer and dive staff, so the day has distinct hands for navigation, meals and diving rather than one small team doing everything at once. After the last dive, people spread through the main saloon, shaded deck and upper deck, or gather around the bar and film room. The atmosphere is relaxed and social, but the layout also makes it possible to step away from the group. That balance is the point of choosing a sailing liveaboard over a dive-only vessel.

The British Virgin Islands cruise runs from Tortola back to Tortola over seven days and six nights. The route includes dive areas around Cooper Island, Ginger Island, Peter Island, Salt Island, Guana Island, Virgin Gorda, Round Rock, Long Bay, Muskmellon Bay, The Blinders, The Dog Islands and Chikuzen Wreck. The itinerary is flexible because the islands and many of the sites lie close together, allowing the crew to work with local conditions rather than forcing every dive into a fixed sequence. Wreck diving is part of the route, including Chikuzen Wreck when weather permits, while the island stops add beaches, snorkel spots and shore excursions to the week. There are no verified site descriptions or depths available here, so the route is best chosen for its variety rather than for promised profiles.

Dive groups are organised around a maximum ratio of one guide to ten divers. The crew speaks English, and the dive team includes two scuba instructors and additional dive masters. Guests need at least 30 logged dives and an Advanced Open Water Diver certification or equivalent, which fits the boat's focus on straightforward recreational diving rather than a technical programme. Briefings and guiding are handled by the dive staff, with the tenders taking groups out to the sites and bringing them back to Cuan Law. Technical diving is not supported. An introductory scuba experience is also offered for guests who want to try diving in a low-pressure setting, subject to the programme arranged on board.

The dive deck is compact, but it has the details that matter on a warm-water week: seating for preparation, a hanging area for wetsuits, a camera table, charging stations and separate rinse tanks for underwater cameras. Two electric Mako compressors fill the 12-litre tanks carried on board. Nitrox is available for an extra charge, and DIN adaptors are provided. Rental equipment is available for an extra charge. Warm-water showers are available after the dive. Two custom-designed 21-foot rigid-hull inflatable tenders, each powered by a 115-hp four-cycle engine, carry divers to the sites and collect them after the dive. Entry and exit therefore happen from the tenders for most dives, while the main boat remains the working base for preparation, rinsing and recovery.

The hours between dives are built around open air rather than a single lounge. Guests can stretch out on the sun deck, find shade on the alfresco deck, sit in the main saloon or stay close to the dive deck while equipment dries in its hanging area. When Cuan Law is underway, the captain raises the sails when wind and conditions permit, turning a transfer between islands into part of the holiday rather than dead time. Kayaks and other water toys offer another way into the bays, while shore excursions lead to beaches, local bars and island landmarks. On an afternoon without a dive, the boat works as a base for exploring the BVI above the surface.

A day begins with the dive programme, then moves between meals, preparation and time on deck. The boat offers two to three dives on most days, with two dives on the final day. Between entries into the water, guests return to Cuan Law for food, a warm-water shower and a choice of shade, sun deck, saloon or hammock. When the boat is moving between islands, the captain may set the sails, so part of the day is spent watching the BVI pass from the deck rather than sitting at anchor. The last day is deliberately lighter in diving, leaving room for the return to Tortola. It is a measured rhythm, with diving as the centre and sailing and island time filling the spaces around it.

Meals are served buffet style, with Western and local food, snacks available throughout the day, and hot and cold soft drinks. Alcoholic drinks and spirits are included as well. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated, which matters on a week where meals sit between repeated entries into the water rather than around a single long dinner. The table is practical fuel first, but it also gives the group a fixed place to meet after a dive and compare what was seen. There is enough variety for a mixed group, including guests who came mainly for the sailing, snorkeling or island excursions.

The cabins are all convertible twin or double rooms, so the same cabin can suit two friends or one couple. Each has a private bathroom with shower, individual air conditioning, large windows and storage space. That is the practical difference between a week here and a week in a tighter dive boat: there is room to unpack, close the door and reset between dives. The main saloon adds sofas and tables, with a separate film room for evenings when the upper deck is no longer the place to sit. Above it, the sun deck has loungers and hammocks. Cuan Law gives guests several places to sleep, read or watch the islands pass, while the cabin remains the quietest option when the day is done.

Cuan Law departs from Tortola and returns to Tortola after a seven-day, six-night cruise. Transfers are not included. Travellers using air or ferry connections should arrive in the British Virgin Islands the day before boarding, then make their way to the Tortola departure point.