Tortola is 60 miles east of Puerto Rico and 22 miles east of Saint Thomas. The island is about 10 miles long and 3 miles wide.
English is universally spoken throughout the British Virgin Islands. Those who work with tourists will speak quite clearly, but older natives have a thick and distinctive West Indian accent that, when spoken quickly, can be very difficult to understand. Because of the influence of British culture, a stronger emphasis is placed on politeness and decorum. It is generally expected to begin any conversation with a "Good morning," or whatever time of day is applicable, rather than the common American English habit of simply beginning a conversation without salutation.
Getting there
By plane
Air travel is the usual way to access the BVI, however, long-distance direct flights are not available, and you must transit one of the four Caribbean gateways; San Juan, St. Thomas, Antigua & St. Maarten. Connections are readily available through commuter airline operations on the lower end, if your schedule allows.
There are several reliable scheduled airlines serving Beef Island, so don't think you need a private charter - these are mainly for oligarchs and movie stars
Air Charter companies, like Fly BVI (http://www.flybvi.com) and Aeroshares Charter, LLC (http://www.aeroshares.com) have become more popular in recent years. These charter flights get you to your destination directly, without transfers or water shuttles. They will also be there if your arriving flight is delayed for any reason. No sense paying for a Villa in Paradise or having a bare boat charter sitting at the marina under contract while you wait at the airport. That's no way to spend your vacation.
The airport on Tortola, Terrence B. Lettsome Airport (IATA : EIS) a.k.a. Beef Island Airport is located on the East End. Some travelers opt to fly into St. Thomas, having Fly BVI Air Charter meet them for the 14-minute flight. Some opt to travel on the water ferry to Road Town, then take taxi to their villa or marina. Though, depending on the ferry schedule and your arrival and departure times, this option can virtually tie up the better part of two days during your vacation.
By boat
Tortola is also visited by cruise ships. Virtually all dock at a large pier near the entrance to the inner harbor at Road Town, with fairly easy walking into town.
The Tortola Ferry moves between Tortola and St. Thomas. In actuality, there is a group of several different ferry companies that provide service between the two islands. These ferries are what connects the people of the British Virgin Islands with the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ferries link the city of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas with either Road Town or the West End of Tortola.
The ferry is one of the more popular ways to reach Tortola from the U.S. This is due to the fact that Americans can reach Tortola via only one direct flight and then a short ferry ride. This will no doubt save the traveler several hundred dollars, since a second flight would not be necessary.
You can catch one of the ferries, almost anytime of day. After 5:00PM most of the services are shut down for the evening. The ride lasts about 50 minutes depending on the weather. The scenery is well worth the price of the ride.
Costs
One-way ranges from $25-$30 for adults, $19-$25 for children
Round-trip ranges from $45-$52 for adults, $30-$42 for children
Times
Vary greatly between companies. Some of the companies even alternate their schedules between themselves and another company. For a current list take a look at this page's ferry schedule .
Tips
Many travelers find it easier to just buy two one-way tickets from different companies instead of one round-trip ticket with the same company. Since ferries from different companies are coming and going constantly, you should be able to catch a ferry at any time during the day. Often times one company will be convenient upon arrival, but not upon departure. Just check the schedule to find out if this will be the case for you, if not then by all means, buy the round-trip ticket and save a few bucks.
Traveling around
Many affluent visitors will take a charter boat trip from one of several marinas to some of the best places, as many smaller and less-inhabited islands offer mooring and amenities. While charter-boat tourism makes up the bulk of travel to the British Virgin Islands, there are many beautiful places throughout the four main islands that are easily accessible.
By car
There are many small independent auto rental businesses, all with relatively comparable rates. Prices range from $50 per day and up, as demand is usually high. Driving in the BVI can be very difficult, as many winding mountain roads and cliffs, washed-out roads, and roaming livestock compound the difficulty of driving on the left side of the road. Driving can be a good way to see the entire island of Tortola at your own pace, but so can a readily available taxi tour, and drivers know all the spots. Taxis are abundant on Tortola, and so long as you drive with a legitimate taxi association driver, prices will generally allow you to travel anywhere you'd like for less than the cost of renting a car.
By bus
"Buses" in Tortola refers to full-sized passenger vans, or large modified open-air pickup trucks with bench seating and a canvas top: these are known locally as "safaris". Traveling by bus can be less expensive than having a taxi to oneself, and is often an option when traveling from the airport to Road Town, or from town to either end of the island.
By thumb
Hitch-hiking is still fairly common in Tortola during the daytime, as crime is fairly uncommon. Rather than the American "thumb" technique, Tortolan hitch-hikers will point with the index finger from an arm extended in the direction they wish to travel. Pickup trucks will often stop to allow riders in the back, and many drivers on this still-personable and friendly island will stop to give a ride.
See
Beaches
From the eastern end of Tortola, Beef Island, to the west end, there are many spectacular white-sand beaches along the north shore. Most deepen very gradually and have light surf, allowing for very leisurely swimming. However, some beaches do have heavier surf and undertow, so it is always wise to ask someone, or observe any signs, before swimming. The list below does not encompass all the beaches, but rather points out some of the most popular and easily accessible ones.
Long Bay, Beef Island is just minutes from the airport, a long, curved stretch of beach that is one of the more secluded and little-used beaches. There are no amenities available.
Lambert Bay is a very long beach, with moderate surf, and less clear water than several other beaches. There are two well-sign posted roads, one for the hotel and one for the beach. The hotel is very welcoming of lunch and dinner guests.
Josiah's Bay is a surfer's beach popular with natives as well. It's another good-sized beach with heavy surf when in season, and a strong undertow at the corners of the beach. However, many swimmers enjoy this beach, and the waves, simply by swimming away from the corners of the beach and at a safe depth. The beach extends very gradually, allowing swimmers to range far from the shore. There are two bar/restaurants at Josiah's Bay. The Grape Tree offers excellent food at moderate prices, and the larger bar, with a large stock of alcoholic beverages, offers food as well. Neither are fine dining establishments but rather casual beach bars.
Brewer's Bay is the only non-white sand beach on the island. The sand is a dark gold! The bay offers snorkeling opportunities in calm weather, but because of the runoff routes from the mountains, the water is often murky after even moderate rain. Development around the island has circumvented nature's natural filtration systems, such as salt ponds, and as a result most beaches are not attractive after heavy rains because of runoff from roads that zig and zag up the mountainsides, and home development sites cut harshly into the sides of the mountains as well. That said, Brewer's Bay is an excellent place to go if you want good snorkeling right off the beach, decent food, friendly locals, reasonably warm water (late April), and some peace and quiet. Watching the pelicans diving into the watch for fish is fascinating, but can be a little unnerving when they plunge in near where you are snorkeling! These pelicans and other predators (nothing scary) are after the large schools of small "feeder fish," which will let you swim along in their midst. If you take some bread or bagels with you in a plastic bag, the smaller fish will almost eat right out of your hand. A taxi from Road Town was only $28 each way ($7 each if you share a ride with 3 others). The drivers are happy to narrate what you are passing and will stop high above the harbor for a nice scenic photo opportunity.
Cane Garden Bay is the most popular, populous, and touristy of the beaches available. Boats moor here, and on the nearly 3/4 mi length there are five restaurants, one bar and two vendors. It is also the only beach where there is a supermarket nearby. Live music is common, especially at Quito's, where local guitar legend Quito Rhymer often plays. There are two parts to this beach and one half, before Quito's dock, has no bars or restaurants and so mostly deserted.
Apple Bay is a surf and party area, and does not offer much in the way of swimming. It is here that you will find the "Bomba Shack," a main party site for the island's full moon parties. During these parties the street is often flooded with native and tourist party-goers, and hallucinogenic mushrooms, which are legal to possess and use in the BVI, are readily available. Users should state a preference for fresh, live mushrooms if available. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay are the two surfing areas of the island. There are several good restaurants here, Sugar Mill (fine dining), Coco Plum, Sebastian's and Bomba's. On Fridays there are fish frys under the two huge banyan trees.
Long Bay - West End Not to be confused with Long Bay - Beef Island, this beach at the western end of the island is easily accessible, very large, and has good swimming and moderate surf. There are several restaurants and bars, however, they sit back from the beach rather than spill onto it, as in Cane Garden Bay.
Smuggler's Cove Difficult to access but worth the effort, Smuggler's Cove lies at the extreme western tip of Tortola. Accessible by narrow and bumpy dirt roads, this is a small oasis used mostly by expatriate workers who reside in Tortola. There is a restaurant and bar and several small stands selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Brandywine Bay is a recently man-made beach, one of the only on the island's south shore. It is generally not used by locals or tourists, as natural beaches abound.
Things to do
While Tortola has many of the things you would expect from one of the Virgin Islands like scuba diving, boating and fishing it also has a host of other great things to do like:
The Sage Mountain Park - lots of hiking and the tallest mountain in both the US and British Virgin Islands. There are remnants of primary rain forest near the peak.
Dolphin Discovery unforgettable interactive experience at any Dolphin Discovery's seven locations in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. Swimming with dolphins is everything you´ve imagined and more - and a chance to encounter these highly intelligent and friendly marine mammals which will fascinate and amaze you. However, you might note that the dolphins are enclosed in a very small area and often swim up to the barrier to the open sea and remain there. (Commercial link deleted)
The Callwood Rum Distillery - A historic Rum manufacturer. This is a great place to visit and is lots of fun.
Fort Recovery - This was built in 1648 by a Dutch colonist.
Joseph Reynold O'Neal Botanic Gardens - Beautiful Gardens with a great representation of the islands vegetation.
The Baths on Virgin Gorda, also part of the British Virgin Islands.
Yachting - Tortola has world renown sailing conditions. The island is the epicenter of the Caribbean yachting community.
With favorable trade winds and near perfect weather, Tortola has become one of the more popular sailing destinations in the world. Thousands of travelers every year raise anchor from Tortola traversing all over the Virgin Islands. Their experience levels range from the professional all the way to the novice (land-lover). Don't think that sailing is just for high rollers, many charter boat companies offer boats for rent as low as $200 per day in the low season .
In fact many people fly in to Tortola just to hop on a yacht and spend their entire vacation on the vessel. These people will often sail to some of the smaller neighboring islands in search of an uninhabited island where they can have the beach all to themselves. Others set sail to enjoy the great snorkeling or fishing. Anegada is a popular destination because of it's bountiful coral reefs. At night there are plenty of moorings (anchorage balls) available in the larger bays.
If you're a novice and entertaining the thought of taking the boat out for the day, don't worry there are classes available for beginners at just about every marina. If you don't have that kind of time, just hire a captain for the day. They usually only cost about $150 per day. Many times you can hire a cook for the day for about the same price.
Truth be told, this is not an island for the lover of malls or entertainment complexes. If you're not offshore partying on a yacht, you could be lying on a beach meditating on the beautiful turquoise waters, or SCUBA or snorkeling looking at the corals and tropical fish, or maybe you're onshore partying at a bar. There's not a heck of a lot to do after you've taken the obligatory tours of the above-listed "attractions", although the original architecture of little wooden houses and Cockroach Hall built on a huge rock on Main Street is not be missed.
So let's talk party.
Alcohol is immensely popular in the BVI, both beer and island cocktails, most notably rum. For beer, dark beers are rare. Red Stripe and Carib are the local beers, and other popular beers you'd expect to see are available as well. Roadside stands offer ice-cold beer for two or three dollars each, and bars offer beer at a comparable price to what you'd pay in an average-guy bar in the U.S. Rum Punch and Painkillers are two popular drinks. It is not at all unusual to chat up strangers and both buy and receive drinks. Remember to say "Cheers."
Restrictions on alcohol are very light. Bars usually stay open as long as business is booming, frequently about 3 a.m. on weekends. It is acceptable to leave a bar with your beer, and if you know the bar well, not too unusual to walk in with one, either. Smoking is absolutely taboo in every business and public area in the BVI and cigarettes, though sold in the supermarkets are kept in locked cabinets since a recent law in July 2007. Drinking and driving is strictly illegal and although police generally do not stop cars until they have crashed, if you are found to be drunk you will be prosecuted for it. However, out of a basic moral obligation to your fellow human beings, it would be wise to not abuse this lack of enforcement.
Marijuana is very frowned upon by authorities, so much so that immigration and visitation by Rastafarians was once regulated by legislation in the BVI. Being caught with even a small personal amount of marijuana will almost certainly lead to a stiff fine usually in the region of $1,000 and instant deportation.
Mushrooms are legal in the British Virgin Islands. The native species grows in the hills and is available after rains, which occur throughout the year. Mushrooms are available at full moon parties, the right bars, and from casual purveyors. Although they are legal, many non-trippers frown on their use and it would be gauche to roam the town asking strangers for mushrooms. Rather, have a few drinks with a native or expatriate who seems to be of the right attitude and bearing before bringing up the topic.
Bars
Le Cabanon, casually known as "The Cab." An excellent bar with a great crowd in the heart of Road Town, the Cab has great, friendly bartenders, and a clientele composed mostly of ex-pat workers and tourists. Revelry here is par for the course from Thursday to Saturday night.
The Royal BVI Yacht Club, just west of town. Too bad Javier Fletcher and Phil Medeiros don't jam out that sweet sweet music at sushi night anymore. This is mostly frequented by English ex-pats and hosts races and the local rugby club.
Red Rock Restaurant & Bar, located at Penn's Landing Marina on East End. Expats from all corners blend with locals, sailors & tourists to hear the latest island gossip and share stories of adventures past & present. Martin runs a tight kitchen, delivering a delightfully eclectic menu. From Pizza to exotic gourmet delights. Martin's partner, Leslie, serves at the bar and keeps the conversation lively. Big games, especially NFL football are shown on the flat panel display.
Other good bars and party spots: Bomba Shack in Apple Bay, The Bat Cave at Village Cay in Road Town(Hot nightclub, and Italian dining), Quito's in Cane Garden Bay. In Road Town: the Virgin Queen is a sports bar and serves pizzas, Pussers, next door to Le Cabanon offers wild happy hours, ladies' nights and its own blend of rum and rum-based drinks and also draught beer (sometimes). To the east of the island is the Last Resort (best dining on the island and often parties) situated on a small islet off Trellis Bay in the East End (free water taxi on request).
Eat
Budget
Roti Palace, Main Street in Road Town, offers roti (Indian flat bread) wrapped around various curries from vegetable to goat.
Capriccio's, on the Waterfront in Road Town. A proper Italian cafe with pizzas and daily pasta specials. Arguably the best food on the island.
The Road Town Bakery, Main Street offers sandwiches and really fantastic pastries. There are only a couple of tables outside here so its primarily take-away.
Serendipity Bookshop Cafe, in an old West Indian house on Main Street. Offers espresso, paninis, wraps and has internet access.
Indigo Moods, near the Roundabout. Offers vegan fare - tofu in different ways served plated or in a roti.
Outside of Road Town, there is Palm's Delight in Carrot Bay also the very strange North Shore Shell Museum which has home-grown soursop daiquiris, good barbeque and a very large number of shells although not much variety in them. In Cane Garden Bay, Stanley's serves burgers and chicken at a budget price and lobster at quite a bit more. The Camp Ground in Brewer's Bay has a very limited menu, but its not expensive.
Mid-range
Pussers on Frenchman's Cay caters to a sailing and local crowd. Its far superior for eating to its sister restaurant in Road Town.
In Road Town and its environs, Nexus, Village Cay Marina, the Pub, and Le Cabanon have good but unremarkable food at mid-range prices. Le Cabanon and Village Cay Marina are more popular as loud and fun bars.
Splurge
If $200 for two for a meal with wine is what you are looking for, then try these places.
Brandywine Bay Restaurant above the Bay is a beautiful place in a fabulous location.
Sugar Mill restaurant in Little Apple Bay, part of beautiful hotel.
Dove, Road Town.
15 Abbott Lane in Road Town.Closed down permanently.
Oscar's, on Frenchman's Cay.Taken over by owners of "Dove" and renamed "Watermark"
Donovan's Reef, on Scrub Island. Private launch to and from Trellis Bay moorings is provided upon request (VHF channel 19). Superb location. Look for Tarpon swimming under the jetty once the sun has set. No longer open. Island in the process of redevelopment. Will eventually have marina,retail outlet, restaurant and bar.
Drink
Red Rock Restaurant & Bar (redrockbvi@hotmail.com) , 284 4951646, 4-10PM, East End, Tortola, 5min. from the airport, Casual waterfront dining at Penn's Landing Marina; Dingy eccess. Fresh Seafood,Certified Angus Beef, Homemade Pizza,Vegetariean dishes, Daily Specials.
Sleep
Mid-range
Jolly Roger Inn, West End
Splurge
Caribbean Villas and Resorts, . Provides villa rentals on the beaches of Tortola.
Peter Island Resort, Road Town,, 1-800-346-4451, Fax: 1-770-476-4979, . The Peter Island Resort is a self-contained resort set on an 1800-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands with 5 breathtaking beaches.
Purple Pineapple Villa Rentals, . Has many options from Budget to Plush rentals. The lowest price search range on their site is from $0-$2000, with most search results just below and above $1000.
Casa Luna, Smugglers Cove, . Casa Luna overlooks Smugglers Cove, offering breezy outdoor living with beautiful views and total privacy. Minutes from the beach and near the West End ferry dock. 4WD recommended.
Buy
The US Dollar is the official currency. Credit cards and travelers checks are widely accepted.
Books on the BVI, its flora and fauna (not much, but there are small boa constrictors, mongooses, lizards and the smallest gecko in the world). The best place to buy them is at Serendipity Bookshop which is the largest and most fully-stocked bookstore on the island. Upstairs is an espresso bar and internet cafe with free wi-fi and paintings by local artists. On Main Street in Road Town.
Locally-made souvenirs at Bamboushay which sells handmade pottery in a little wooden house on Main Street and has a pottery in Nanny Cay where you can visit and even try your hand at making some china yourself.
Unique BVI stamps at the Philatelic Bureau attached to the Post Office on Main Street.
Some tradition may be served by visiting Pusser's General Store, on the waterfront southwest side of Road Town, within sight of the cruise ship pier. Through the English tavern in front, they sell souvenirs and Pusser's Blue Label Rum...ostensibly made with the same recipe used by the British Royal Navy for centuries.
T-shirts and sculpture by Aragorn Dick-Read in his studio on Trellis Bay at the East of the island.
Food and the obligatory souvenir bottle of rum and Cuban cigar at Bobby's, Riteway and One Mart, all good supermarkets in Road Town.
Note that in both the Cruise Ship Vendors' Market and the Craft Market the goods are imported from Miami, St. Martin and Panama and very little, if anything, is locally-made.
Learn
H.Lavity Stoutt Community College
Work
Work permit needed to work on the island.
Contact
The police emergency number is 999 or 911.
Environmental Issues
Tortola is one of the premier destinations for bareboat sailing charters. However, in the BVI, sailboats are not required to have holding tanks for sewage storage, as they are in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Instead, each boat pumps its raw sewage into the surrounding water. There are rules against flushing the head (toilet) in a marina, but it appears to be unenforceable.
Road Town collects its sewage and pumps it without further treatment into the Sir Francis Drake Channel, several hundred yards offshore.
Toilet paper is not allowed to be flushed from boats. Instead, used toilet paper must be disposed of in the trash can next to the toilet.
Ferries sail to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and to St. John and Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands many times daily. Also available is a once a week ferry to Anegada, the only coral island in the BVI. Several airlines operate daily flights to all the islands of the Caribbean between Trinidad and Puerto Rico.
Contact & location
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Tortola is the capital island of the British Virgin Islands and Road Town is the capital city.
Understand
Tortola is 60 miles east of Puerto Rico and 22 miles east of Saint Thomas. The island is about 10 miles long and 3 miles wide.
English is universally spoken throughout the British Virgin Islands. Those who work with tourists will speak quite clearly, but older natives have a thick and distinctive West Indian accent that, when spoken quickly, can be very difficult to understand. Because of the influence of British culture, a stronger emphasis is placed on politeness and decorum. It is generally expected to begin any conversation with a "Good morning," or whatever time of day is applicable, rather than the common American English habit of simply beginning a conversation without salutation.
Getting there
By plane
Air travel is the usual way to access the BVI, however, long-distance direct flights are not available, and you must transit one of the four Caribbean gateways; San Juan, St. Thomas, Antigua & St. Maarten. Connections are readily available through commuter airline operations on the lower end, if your schedule allows.
There are several reliable scheduled airlines serving Beef Island, so don't think you need a private charter - these are mainly for oligarchs and movie stars
Air Charter companies, like Fly BVI (http://www.flybvi.com) and Aeroshares Charter, LLC (http://www.aeroshares.com) have become more popular in recent years. These charter flights get you to your destination directly, without transfers or water shuttles. They will also be there if your arriving flight is delayed for any reason. No sense paying for a Villa in Paradise or having a bare boat charter sitting at the marina under contract while you wait at the airport. That's no way to spend your vacation.
The airport on Tortola, Terrence B. Lettsome Airport (IATA : EIS) a.k.a. Beef Island Airport is located on the East End. Some travelers opt to fly into St. Thomas, having Fly BVI Air Charter meet them for the 14-minute flight. Some opt to travel on the water ferry to Road Town, then take taxi to their villa or marina. Though, depending on the ferry schedule and your arrival and departure times, this option can virtually tie up the better part of two days during your vacation.
By boat
Tortola is also visited by cruise ships. Virtually all dock at a large pier near the entrance to the inner harbor at Road Town, with fairly easy walking into town.
The Tortola Ferry moves between Tortola and St. Thomas. In actuality, there is a group of several different ferry companies that provide service between the two islands. These ferries are what connects the people of the British Virgin Islands with the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ferries link the city of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas with either Road Town or the West End of Tortola.
The ferry is one of the more popular ways to reach Tortola from the U.S. This is due to the fact that Americans can reach Tortola via only one direct flight and then a short ferry ride. This will no doubt save the traveler several hundred dollars, since a second flight would not be necessary.
You can catch one of the ferries, almost anytime of day. After 5:00PM most of the services are shut down for the evening. The ride lasts about 50 minutes depending on the weather. The scenery is well worth the price of the ride.
Costs
One-way ranges from $25-$30 for adults, $19-$25 for children
Round-trip ranges from $45-$52 for adults, $30-$42 for children
Times
Vary greatly between companies. Some of the companies even alternate their schedules between themselves and another company. For a current list take a look at this page's ferry schedule .
Tips
Many travelers find it easier to just buy two one-way tickets from different companies instead of one round-trip ticket with the same company. Since ferries from different companies are coming and going constantly, you should be able to catch a ferry at any time during the day. Often times one company will be convenient upon arrival, but not upon departure. Just check the schedule to find out if this will be the case for you, if not then by all means, buy the round-trip ticket and save a few bucks.
Traveling around
Many affluent visitors will take a charter boat trip from one of several marinas to some of the best places, as many smaller and less-inhabited islands offer mooring and amenities. While charter-boat tourism makes up the bulk of travel to the British Virgin Islands, there are many beautiful places throughout the four main islands that are easily accessible.
By car
There are many small independent auto rental businesses, all with relatively comparable rates. Prices range from $50 per day and up, as demand is usually high. Driving in the BVI can be very difficult, as many winding mountain roads and cliffs, washed-out roads, and roaming livestock compound the difficulty of driving on the left side of the road. Driving can be a good way to see the entire island of Tortola at your own pace, but so can a readily available taxi tour, and drivers know all the spots. Taxis are abundant on Tortola, and so long as you drive with a legitimate taxi association driver, prices will generally allow you to travel anywhere you'd like for less than the cost of renting a car.
By bus
"Buses" in Tortola refers to full-sized passenger vans, or large modified open-air pickup trucks with bench seating and a canvas top: these are known locally as "safaris". Traveling by bus can be less expensive than having a taxi to oneself, and is often an option when traveling from the airport to Road Town, or from town to either end of the island.
By thumb
Hitch-hiking is still fairly common in Tortola during the daytime, as crime is fairly uncommon. Rather than the American "thumb" technique, Tortolan hitch-hikers will point with the index finger from an arm extended in the direction they wish to travel. Pickup trucks will often stop to allow riders in the back, and many drivers on this still-personable and friendly island will stop to give a ride.
See
Beaches
From the eastern end of Tortola, Beef Island, to the west end, there are many spectacular white-sand beaches along the north shore. Most deepen very gradually and have light surf, allowing for very leisurely swimming. However, some beaches do have heavier surf and undertow, so it is always wise to ask someone, or observe any signs, before swimming. The list below does not encompass all the beaches, but rather points out some of the most popular and easily accessible ones.
Long Bay, Beef Island is just minutes from the airport, a long, curved stretch of beach that is one of the more secluded and little-used beaches. There are no amenities available.
Lambert Bay is a very long beach, with moderate surf, and less clear water than several other beaches. There are two well-sign posted roads, one for the hotel and one for the beach. The hotel is very welcoming of lunch and dinner guests.
Josiah's Bay is a surfer's beach popular with natives as well. It's another good-sized beach with heavy surf when in season, and a strong undertow at the corners of the beach. However, many swimmers enjoy this beach, and the waves, simply by swimming away from the corners of the beach and at a safe depth. The beach extends very gradually, allowing swimmers to range far from the shore. There are two bar/restaurants at Josiah's Bay. The Grape Tree offers excellent food at moderate prices, and the larger bar, with a large stock of alcoholic beverages, offers food as well. Neither are fine dining establishments but rather casual beach bars.
Brewer's Bay is the only non-white sand beach on the island. The sand is a dark gold! The bay offers snorkeling opportunities in calm weather, but because of the runoff routes from the mountains, the water is often murky after even moderate rain. Development around the island has circumvented nature's natural filtration systems, such as salt ponds, and as a result most beaches are not attractive after heavy rains because of runoff from roads that zig and zag up the mountainsides, and home development sites cut harshly into the sides of the mountains as well. That said, Brewer's Bay is an excellent place to go if you want good snorkeling right off the beach, decent food, friendly locals, reasonably warm water (late April), and some peace and quiet. Watching the pelicans diving into the watch for fish is fascinating, but can be a little unnerving when they plunge in near where you are snorkeling! These pelicans and other predators (nothing scary) are after the large schools of small "feeder fish," which will let you swim along in their midst. If you take some bread or bagels with you in a plastic bag, the smaller fish will almost eat right out of your hand. A taxi from Road Town was only $28 each way ($7 each if you share a ride with 3 others). The drivers are happy to narrate what you are passing and will stop high above the harbor for a nice scenic photo opportunity.
Cane Garden Bay is the most popular, populous, and touristy of the beaches available. Boats moor here, and on the nearly 3/4 mi length there are five restaurants, one bar and two vendors. It is also the only beach where there is a supermarket nearby. Live music is common, especially at Quito's, where local guitar legend Quito Rhymer often plays. There are two parts to this beach and one half, before Quito's dock, has no bars or restaurants and so mostly deserted.
Apple Bay is a surf and party area, and does not offer much in the way of swimming. It is here that you will find the "Bomba Shack," a main party site for the island's full moon parties. During these parties the street is often flooded with native and tourist party-goers, and hallucinogenic mushrooms, which are legal to possess and use in the BVI, are readily available. Users should state a preference for fresh, live mushrooms if available. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay are the two surfing areas of the island. There are several good restaurants here, Sugar Mill (fine dining), Coco Plum, Sebastian's and Bomba's. On Fridays there are fish frys under the two huge banyan trees.
Long Bay - West End Not to be confused with Long Bay - Beef Island, this beach at the western end of the island is easily accessible, very large, and has good swimming and moderate surf. There are several restaurants and bars, however, they sit back from the beach rather than spill onto it, as in Cane Garden Bay.
Smuggler's Cove Difficult to access but worth the effort, Smuggler's Cove lies at the extreme western tip of Tortola. Accessible by narrow and bumpy dirt roads, this is a small oasis used mostly by expatriate workers who reside in Tortola. There is a restaurant and bar and several small stands selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Brandywine Bay is a recently man-made beach, one of the only on the island's south shore. It is generally not used by locals or tourists, as natural beaches abound.
Things to do
While Tortola has many of the things you would expect from one of the Virgin Islands like scuba diving, boating and fishing it also has a host of other great things to do like:
The Sage Mountain Park - lots of hiking and the tallest mountain in both the US and British Virgin Islands. There are remnants of primary rain forest near the peak.
Dolphin Discovery unforgettable interactive experience at any Dolphin Discovery's seven locations in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. Swimming with dolphins is everything you´ve imagined and more - and a chance to encounter these highly intelligent and friendly marine mammals which will fascinate and amaze you. However, you might note that the dolphins are enclosed in a very small area and often swim up to the barrier to the open sea and remain there. (Commercial link deleted)
The Callwood Rum Distillery - A historic Rum manufacturer. This is a great place to visit and is lots of fun.
Fort Recovery - This was built in 1648 by a Dutch colonist.
Joseph Reynold O'Neal Botanic Gardens - Beautiful Gardens with a great representation of the islands vegetation.
The Baths on Virgin Gorda, also part of the British Virgin Islands.
Yachting - Tortola has world renown sailing conditions. The island is the epicenter of the Caribbean yachting community.
With favorable trade winds and near perfect weather, Tortola has become one of the more popular sailing destinations in the world. Thousands of travelers every year raise anchor from Tortola traversing all over the Virgin Islands. Their experience levels range from the professional all the way to the novice (land-lover). Don't think that sailing is just for high rollers, many charter boat companies offer boats for rent as low as $200 per day in the low season .
In fact many people fly in to Tortola just to hop on a yacht and spend their entire vacation on the vessel. These people will often sail to some of the smaller neighboring islands in search of an uninhabited island where they can have the beach all to themselves. Others set sail to enjoy the great snorkeling or fishing. Anegada is a popular destination because of it's bountiful coral reefs. At night there are plenty of moorings (anchorage balls) available in the larger bays.
If you're a novice and entertaining the thought of taking the boat out for the day, don't worry there are classes available for beginners at just about every marina. If you don't have that kind of time, just hire a captain for the day. They usually only cost about $150 per day. Many times you can hire a cook for the day for about the same price.
Truth be told, this is not an island for the lover of malls or entertainment complexes. If you're not offshore partying on a yacht, you could be lying on a beach meditating on the beautiful turquoise waters, or SCUBA or snorkeling looking at the corals and tropical fish, or maybe you're onshore partying at a bar. There's not a heck of a lot to do after you've taken the obligatory tours of the above-listed "attractions", although the original architecture of little wooden houses and Cockroach Hall built on a huge rock on Main Street is not be missed.
So let's talk party.
Alcohol is immensely popular in the BVI, both beer and island cocktails, most notably rum. For beer, dark beers are rare. Red Stripe and Carib are the local beers, and other popular beers you'd expect to see are available as well. Roadside stands offer ice-cold beer for two or three dollars each, and bars offer beer at a comparable price to what you'd pay in an average-guy bar in the U.S. Rum Punch and Painkillers are two popular drinks. It is not at all unusual to chat up strangers and both buy and receive drinks. Remember to say "Cheers."
Restrictions on alcohol are very light. Bars usually stay open as long as business is booming, frequently about 3 a.m. on weekends. It is acceptable to leave a bar with your beer, and if you know the bar well, not too unusual to walk in with one, either. Smoking is absolutely taboo in every business and public area in the BVI and cigarettes, though sold in the supermarkets are kept in locked cabinets since a recent law in July 2007. Drinking and driving is strictly illegal and although police generally do not stop cars until they have crashed, if you are found to be drunk you will be prosecuted for it. However, out of a basic moral obligation to your fellow human beings, it would be wise to not abuse this lack of enforcement.
Marijuana is very frowned upon by authorities, so much so that immigration and visitation by Rastafarians was once regulated by legislation in the BVI. Being caught with even a small personal amount of marijuana will almost certainly lead to a stiff fine usually in the region of $1,000 and instant deportation.
Mushrooms are legal in the British Virgin Islands. The native species grows in the hills and is available after rains, which occur throughout the year. Mushrooms are available at full moon parties, the right bars, and from casual purveyors. Although they are legal, many non-trippers frown on their use and it would be gauche to roam the town asking strangers for mushrooms. Rather, have a few drinks with a native or expatriate who seems to be of the right attitude and bearing before bringing up the topic.
Bars
Le Cabanon, casually known as "The Cab." An excellent bar with a great crowd in the heart of Road Town, the Cab has great, friendly bartenders, and a clientele composed mostly of ex-pat workers and tourists. Revelry here is par for the course from Thursday to Saturday night.
The Royal BVI Yacht Club, just west of town. Too bad Javier Fletcher and Phil Medeiros don't jam out that sweet sweet music at sushi night anymore. This is mostly frequented by English ex-pats and hosts races and the local rugby club.
Red Rock Restaurant & Bar, located at Penn's Landing Marina on East End. Expats from all corners blend with locals, sailors & tourists to hear the latest island gossip and share stories of adventures past & present. Martin runs a tight kitchen, delivering a delightfully eclectic menu. From Pizza to exotic gourmet delights. Martin's partner, Leslie, serves at the bar and keeps the conversation lively. Big games, especially NFL football are shown on the flat panel display.
Other good bars and party spots: Bomba Shack in Apple Bay, The Bat Cave at Village Cay in Road Town(Hot nightclub, and Italian dining), Quito's in Cane Garden Bay. In Road Town: the Virgin Queen is a sports bar and serves pizzas, Pussers, next door to Le Cabanon offers wild happy hours, ladies' nights and its own blend of rum and rum-based drinks and also draught beer (sometimes). To the east of the island is the Last Resort (best dining on the island and often parties) situated on a small islet off Trellis Bay in the East End (free water taxi on request).
Eat
Budget
Roti Palace, Main Street in Road Town, offers roti (Indian flat bread) wrapped around various curries from vegetable to goat.
Capriccio's, on the Waterfront in Road Town. A proper Italian cafe with pizzas and daily pasta specials. Arguably the best food on the island.
The Road Town Bakery, Main Street offers sandwiches and really fantastic pastries. There are only a couple of tables outside here so its primarily take-away.
Serendipity Bookshop Cafe, in an old West Indian house on Main Street. Offers espresso, paninis, wraps and has internet access.
Indigo Moods, near the Roundabout. Offers vegan fare - tofu in different ways served plated or in a roti.
Outside of Road Town, there is Palm's Delight in Carrot Bay also the very strange North Shore Shell Museum which has home-grown soursop daiquiris, good barbeque and a very large number of shells although not much variety in them. In Cane Garden Bay, Stanley's serves burgers and chicken at a budget price and lobster at quite a bit more. The Camp Ground in Brewer's Bay has a very limited menu, but its not expensive.
Mid-range
In Road Town and its environs, Nexus, Village Cay Marina, the Pub, and Le Cabanon have good but unremarkable food at mid-range prices. Le Cabanon and Village Cay Marina are more popular as loud and fun bars.
Splurge
If $200 for two for a meal with wine is what you are looking for, then try these places.
Brandywine Bay Restaurant above the Bay is a beautiful place in a fabulous location.
Sugar Mill restaurant in Little Apple Bay, part of beautiful hotel.
Dove, Road Town.
15 Abbott Lane in Road Town.Closed down permanently.
Oscar's, on Frenchman's Cay.Taken over by owners of "Dove" and renamed "Watermark"
Donovan's Reef, on Scrub Island. Private launch to and from Trellis Bay moorings is provided upon request (VHF channel 19). Superb location. Look for Tarpon swimming under the jetty once the sun has set. No longer open. Island in the process of redevelopment. Will eventually have marina,retail outlet, restaurant and bar.
Drink
Sleep
Mid-range
Splurge
Caribbean Villas and Resorts, . Provides villa rentals on the beaches of Tortola.
Peter Island Resort, Road Town,, 1-800-346-4451, Fax: 1-770-476-4979, . The Peter Island Resort is a self-contained resort set on an 1800-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands with 5 breathtaking beaches.
Purple Pineapple Villa Rentals, . Has many options from Budget to Plush rentals. The lowest price search range on their site is from $0-$2000, with most search results just below and above $1000.
Casa Luna, Smugglers Cove, . Casa Luna overlooks Smugglers Cove, offering breezy outdoor living with beautiful views and total privacy. Minutes from the beach and near the West End ferry dock. 4WD recommended.
Buy
The US Dollar is the official currency. Credit cards and travelers checks are widely accepted.
Books on the BVI, its flora and fauna (not much, but there are small boa constrictors, mongooses, lizards and the smallest gecko in the world). The best place to buy them is at Serendipity Bookshop which is the largest and most fully-stocked bookstore on the island. Upstairs is an espresso bar and internet cafe with free wi-fi and paintings by local artists. On Main Street in Road Town.
Locally-made souvenirs at Bamboushay which sells handmade pottery in a little wooden house on Main Street and has a pottery in Nanny Cay where you can visit and even try your hand at making some china yourself.
Unique BVI stamps at the Philatelic Bureau attached to the Post Office on Main Street.
Some tradition may be served by visiting Pusser's General Store, on the waterfront southwest side of Road Town, within sight of the cruise ship pier. Through the English tavern in front, they sell souvenirs and Pusser's Blue Label Rum...ostensibly made with the same recipe used by the British Royal Navy for centuries.
T-shirts and sculpture by Aragorn Dick-Read in his studio on Trellis Bay at the East of the island.
Food and the obligatory souvenir bottle of rum and Cuban cigar at Bobby's, Riteway and One Mart, all good supermarkets in Road Town.
Note that in both the Cruise Ship Vendors' Market and the Craft Market the goods are imported from Miami, St. Martin and Panama and very little, if anything, is locally-made.
Learn
H.Lavity Stoutt Community College
Work
Work permit needed to work on the island.
Contact
Environmental Issues
Tortola is one of the premier destinations for bareboat sailing charters. However, in the BVI, sailboats are not required to have holding tanks for sewage storage, as they are in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Instead, each boat pumps its raw sewage into the surrounding water. There are rules against flushing the head (toilet) in a marina, but it appears to be unenforceable.
Road Town collects its sewage and pumps it without further treatment into the Sir Francis Drake Channel, several hundred yards offshore.
Toilet paper is not allowed to be flushed from boats. Instead, used toilet paper must be disposed of in the trash can next to the toilet.
Ferries sail to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and to St. John and Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands many times daily. Also available is a once a week ferry to Anegada, the only coral island in the BVI. Several airlines operate daily flights to all the islands of the Caribbean between Trinidad and Puerto Rico.
Contact & location
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