Virgin Islands, British eSIM

No. St Thomas and St John belong to the US Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States, while the BVI are a British Overseas Territory. The two are only a short boat ride apart, and many trips start with a flight to St Thomas and a ferry to Tortola, but each side of the channel is a separate territory with its own immigration. Read the destination list on the offer, and either choose one that names both, or arrange a separate plan for the US side.

Ferries link Road Town and West End on Tortola with Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, and others cross to St Thomas and St John in the US Virgin Islands. Some routes run several times a day, others only on certain days, and timetables change with the season. Arrive early at the dock, especially for border crossings that involve immigration. Save the timetable, your ticket and the address at the other end offline before you leave the hotel.

For most visitors, yes; it is the territory's best-known sight. The trail scrambles over and between huge granite boulders, with ladders and rope handholds in places, and wades through shallow pools on the way to Devil's Bay. Arrive early in the morning or late in the day, as cruise ship tours crowd it at midday. Wear shoes with grip, keep the phone in a waterproof pouch and save the taxi or boat pickup point before you set off.

Plan as if the boat will often be offline. Around Road Town, Virgin Gorda and the busier anchorages a phone may find a signal, but on open water and in remote anchorages it may not, and that varies with the handset, the plan and the exact spot. Before leaving the marina, download cruising guides, mooring information, restaurant bookings and the week's plans. Charter companies supply the boat's navigation and communication equipment for safety; mobile data is for convenience.

The Atlantic season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and Hurricane Irma, which struck in September 2017, caused severe damage across the territory. Many charter companies adjust their fleets and contracts around these months, and some businesses close for part of the autumn. The busiest season runs from December to April. For a summer or autumn trip, choose flexible bookings, follow official forecasts before departure and check that the businesses you rely on are open.

It can be, but an overnight is easier. The ferry from Tortola runs only on certain days, and small planes are the other option, so a day trip leaves limited time for the long beaches, the flamingo ponds and a lobster lunch. Distances on the island are bigger than they look, and most visitors hire a car or scooter or use a taxi. Book the return before you go, agree the pickup times with your driver and save everything offline, as services on Anegada are limited.

Steep hillsides on Tortola, the open water of the channel and remote anchorages are where a signal is most likely to fade, and what a handset finds varies with the device, the plan and the exact spot. Close to the US Virgin Islands, a phone may also pick up a network from the US side. If data fails ashore, check that the travel line is on, selected for mobile data and has data roaming enabled, and look at which network the phone has joined.

No. Horizon fixed-data plans have no throttling. There is no daily limit that slows you down, so you can use your whole plan in one day if you need to. Your speed depends on the local network, your signal and how busy the network is. When your data allowance is used up, the plan stops rather than slowing down.

Yes. We always refund the full amount you paid when you request it, whether your eSIM is unused, partly used or fully used. There is no time limit for requesting a refund.