Cooper Island
A small island in the Sir Francis Drake Channel with one low-impact resort and moorings off the beach.
Updated 2 September 2026
Cooper Island lies in the Sir Francis Drake Channel south of Tortola, a small island with a single beach club and resort at Manchioneel Bay and nothing else, run on solar power with its own water and a rum bar and brewery attached. Mooring buoys off the beach fill with charter yachts in the evening. Dive sites lie around the island and the wreck of the Rhone is a short run west.
The landscape
- Manchioneel Bay - the beach and anchorage the resort sits on.
- The solar operation - the resort running on its own power and water.
- The moorings - the buoys that fill with charter yachts in season.
- The dive sites - the reefs around the island and the Rhone nearby.
When to go
December to May is the season and the busiest for moorings. Hurricane season runs June to November and the resort closes for part of it. Booking is needed for stays.
Good to know
There is one operator on the island and no alternative. It closes for part of the hurricane season. Prices are high and everything must be brought or bought there.
Nearby
Salt Island is south, and Tortola is north.
What to pack for Cooper Island
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Reef-safe sunscreen - High SPF that will not bleach the coral you are swimming over. Find on Amazon
- Quick-dry towel - A microfibre towel packs small and dries in minutes. Find on Amazon
- Water shoes - Protect your feet on rocky entries, hot sand and sea-urchin spines. Find on Amazon
- Dry bag - Keeps phone, cash and keys safe while you are in the water. Find on Amazon
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All packing kitsPlan your trip
Where to start if Cooper Island is going on the list.
Booking links on this page are affiliate links - if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we write about a place.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
