Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to sample the
roti
—Caribbean/Indian-style burritos or turnovers stuffed with curried
chicken or goat, potatoes and peas, or carrots.
Rum punch
is the island cocktail of
choice, but beware; it can be deceptively strong.
Conch
and
lobster
are top seafood
selections.
Nightlife & Entertainment
Nightlife on Tortola is of the laid-back,
beach bar
variety; you'll have to go elsewhere for clanging casinos and big entertainment com-
plexes. Head to a popular hangout like the
Bomba Shack
in Apple Bay—a surfside
shack constructed of driftwood and broken surfboards—for rollicking full-moon par-
ties. Steel bands and scratch bands appear regularly around
Road Town,
hammered
oil drums or steel “pans” in tow. Pick up a copy of
Limin' Times,
an events listing
guide, at your hotel.
Orientation
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
B.V.I. Tourist Board Office
(
&
284/494-3134
) is in the center of Road
Town near the ferry dock, south of Wickham's Cay I. Here you'll find information
about hotels, restaurants, tours, and more. Pick up a copy of the
Welcome Tourist
Guide,
which has a useful map of the island.
ISLAND LAYOUT
Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands. Road Town is the capital, and Main
Street in Road Town has many shops and restaurants. Wickham's Cay (sometimes
called Wickham's Cay I) and Wickham's Cay II together form a small Inner Harbor
in Road Town. This harbor takes in the Moorings complex area with Fort Burt and
Prospect Reef standing near the port entrance. The cruise ship pier juts out at the far
right of the cay, and passengers can stretch their “shopping legs” on land here at a
number of gift shops.
GETTING THERE
Close to Tortola's eastern end is
Beef Island,
the site of the main airport for all of
the British Virgin Islands. This tiny island is connected to Tortola by the one-lane
Queen Elizabeth Bridge.
Taxis meet every arriving flight. Government regulations prohibit anyone from rent-
ing a car at the airport—visitors must take a taxi to their hotels. The fare from the
Beef Island airport to Road Town is $15 for one to three passengers.
GETTING AROUND
The roads in Tortola are steep and twisting—not for the faint of heart. The island is
fairly small, so driving distances aren't long.
BY TAXI
The best driver we've found on Tortola is O'Dean “Mr. Quick” Chalwell.
What he doesn't know about his island isn't worth knowing. Call
Quick's Taxi Ser-
vice
at
&
284/496-7127.
For other taxi options in Road Town, dial
&
284/494-
2322;
on Beef Island, call
&
284/495-1982.
Your hotel can also call a taxi for you;
there is a taxi stand in Road Town, near the ferry dock. A typical fare from Road
Town to Cane Garden Bay is $25; from Road Town to Josiah's Bay on the north coast,
it's $20.
BY BUS
It's better to use taxis, unless your budget is limited. If you wish to travel
by bus, the
Scato's Bus Service
(
&
284/494-2365
) operates from the north end
of the island to the west end, picking up passengers who hail it down. The bus runs
6
194
