Road Town

Understand

Tortola is 60 mi (96 km) east of Puerto Rico and 22 mi (35 km) east of Saint Thomas. The island is about 10 mi (16 km) long and 3 mi (4.8 km) 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; the common American English habit of simply beginning a conversation without salutation is considered aggressive and even rude.

BVI Tourism website

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 (SJU IATA), St. Thomas (STT IATA), Antigua (ANU IATA) and Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin (SXM IATA). Connections are readily available through commuter airline operations on the lower end, if your schedule allows. Private charter flights are unnecessary as there are several reliable airlines serving Beef Island. Air charter companies, like Fly BVI and Aeroshares Charter, LLC are popular. 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.

1 Terrence B. Lettsome Airport (EIS IATA Beef Island Airport) (on the East End of Tortola). Some travellers opt to fly into St. Thomas, having Fly BVI Air Charter meet them for the 14 min flight, while others opt to take the water ferry to Road Town, then take a taxi to their villa or marina, although 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. Road Town Airport (RAD IATA). A small airport with connections to Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Saint Thomas and Saint Croix.

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. because Americans can reach Tort

Getting 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

Car rental There are many small independent car hire companies, all with relatively comparable rates. Prices start from US$50, as demand is usually high. Driving in the BVI can be challenging, as many winding mountain roads and cliffs, washed-out roads, and roaming livestock compound the difficulty for some drivers of driving on the left side of the road. Many roads have large "speed bumps", many of which are not clearly marked by road signs or road paint. Road signs may be confusing or non-existent. Take solace in that this is an island and it is practically impossible to become totally lost. Locals will always help direct you. Driving can be a good way to see the entire island of Tortola at your own pace.

Taxi tour Another way to see the island is to organise a readily available taxi 'tour'. Taxis are abundant on Tortola, and so long as you use a legitimate taxi association driver prices will generally allow you to travel anywhere you wish but for less than the cost of renting a car. Always ensure that you thoroughly confirm the fare charge before you get into the taxi. Taxi fares are regulated for each of the islands and taxi tariffs are published online by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board.

BVI Taxi Association, ☏ +284 494 2322, +284 494 3942. BVI United Taxi Association, ☏ +284 499 3607. Elroy’s Pleasure Tours, ☏ +284 495 2598, +284 495 1222, +284 495 1022. Island Magic, ☏ +284 495 3378, +248 340 775 7292. Karl Scatliffe, ☏ +284 541 7541, +248 342 7541. Nanny Cay Taxi, ☏ +284 494 2512 ext 2299. Quality Taxi, ☏ +284 494 8397. Road Town Taxi Association, ☏ +284 494 8755.

See

Often overlooked are some of the island's interesting historical ruins, including "The Dungeon" (originally named Dojon, a Spanish fort dating from the 1700s) and the "African Church" (officially, St Phillips, a church for African slaves freed by the Royal Navy and dumped on Tortola, and reportedly the first free black church in the Americas). Although not as impressive as the larger colonial-era ruins in Saint Kitts and Puerto Rico, they still make a nice change of pace. For those tired of heat and sun, a stroll around the National Park in the rain forest at the top of Mount Sage offers a cooler alternative. The going is not hard, but the paths can be rough, and the elderly or infirm may want to consider whether to brave the paths.

Road Town

Road Town is the capital of the British Virgin Islands.

Botanic Gardens Folk History Museum on Main Street

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 wa

Do

Tortola has many of the things you would expect from one of the Virgin Islands like scuba diving, boating and fishing:

BVI Scuba Co, Inner Harbour (across from the cruise ship terminal), ☏ +1-284-540-2222. 8AM-6PM. Offering daily scu