For Monday, August 17–Tuesday, August 18, I’d do Tortola + Jost Van Dyke rather than trying to cram in Virgin Gorda. It gives you a real BVI experience—scenic Tortola, a night on Jost, and a relaxed beach day—without sacrificing hours to ferry connections and customs.

Monday: St. Thomas → Tortola → Jost Van Dyke

8:00 AM — Arrive at Charlotte Amalie ferry terminal
Take the 9:00 AM Charlotte Amalie → Road Town, Tortola international ferry. The BVI Tourism schedule currently lists this daily departure; allow extra time for check-in and BVI Immigration/Customs on arrival. Confirm the ferry schedule/operator here.

Before leaving St. Thomas:

• Every traveler needs a passport.
• Complete the BVI’s online Immigration & Customs form at BVI e-Card within 72 hours of arrival; save the receipt on your phone.
• Ferry schedules can move with weather and demand, so confirm directly with the operator the day before.

About 10:15–10:45 AM — Clear in at Road Town
Once through Customs, hire a taxi for a short Tortola scenic loop:

1. Road Town / Sir Francis Drake Highway for your first island views.
2. Cane Garden Bay for a swim, coffee, or early lunch.
3. Continue west to West End Ferry Dock.

Ask the taxi driver to have you at West End by 12:30 PM. Do not make this a long sit-down lunch—you need the connection.

1:00 PM — West End → Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
Take New Horizon Ferry to Great Harbour. The crossing is about 25 minutes; the published daily departures include 1:00 PM. It is $30 one way / $40 round-trip as currently posted. New Horizon’s schedule and booking page | +1 (284) 542-5959

Afternoon and night — Jost Van Dyke

• Check into a stay in Great Harbour if you want the easiest ferry logistics, or White Bay if the beach is the priority.
• Spend the afternoon on White Bay: swim, float, and work your way along the beach bars.
• Have dinner back in Great Harbour so you are close to the morning ferry dock—or arrange a taxi back from White Bay before dark.

Why overnight on Jost: It is the one place in the BVI where slowing down pays off. A rushed day trip is fun; an overnight lets you enjoy White Bay after the daytime boat crowds thin out.

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Tuesday: Jost Van Dyke → St. Thomas

Morning — White Bay at its best
Have an early breakfast and get to White Bay by 8:30–9:00 AM. This is your quietest, prettiest stretch of beach time before day-charter groups arrive. Swim, snorkel near the edges of the bay, and keep lunch light—you have an international ferry to catch.

12:00 PM — Great Harbour → West End, Tortola
Take the noon New Horizon ferry back to West End. That departure preserves a relaxed Jost morning while still leaving plenty of buffer time for the St. Thomas connection.

12:30–3:30 PM — West End buffer / lunch
You will have a long but useful buffer at West End. Use it for lunch near the dock, pack up, and get positioned for Customs. This is intentional: international ferries and weather do not reward tight connections.

4:00 PM — West End, Tortola → Red Hook, St. Thomas
The BVI Tourism schedule currently shows a daily 4:00 PM West End-to-Red Hook crossing; Tuesday has fewer earlier options because some Aquatic Rentals sailings do not run Tuesdays. Expect to arrive back in St. Thomas in the late afternoon, then allow time for U.S. Customs and Immigration. Official BVI ferry schedule

Important: Treat the 4:00 PM ferry as the plan, but reconfirm it when you arrive in Tortola Monday. If you have a Tuesday evening dinner reservation, flight, or cruise obligation, I would not schedule it too tightly—border processing and sea conditions can change the timing.

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What this itinerary deliberately skips

Virgin Gorda / The Baths are spectacular, but I would not add them to this self-guided Monday–Tuesday route. The St. Thomas–Virgin Gorda direct ferry is currently Saturday-only, so getting there and back Monday/Tuesday requires several Tortola connections and eats a large part of both days. Do it only if you book a private BVI boat charter and make The Baths your main goal.

Quick practical notes

• Bring cash in U.S. dollars, swimsuits, reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag, and motion-sickness medication if you are prone to it.
• Ferry companies may add baggage, environmental, terminal, and BVI departure fees; ask for the all-in price when booking. BVI departure tax for ferry passengers is commonly listed as $20 per person, but confirm with your carrier.
• You will be driving on the left in the BVI. For this short trip, taxis are much easier than renting a car.
• August is hurricane season: verify ferries the evening before and morning of travel.

👉 Would you like me to turn this into a booking-ready version with a recommended Jost hotel for your budget and specific lunch/dinner stops?