Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Outdoor Activities
Visitors come to Tortola not for historic sights but to explore the island's natural
scenery, with its rugged mountain peaks, lush foliage, and wide sandy beaches.
HORSEBACK RIDING
Shadow's Ranch,
Todman's Estate (
&
284/494-2262
),
offers horseback rides through the national park or down to the shores of Cane Gar-
den Bay. Call for details daily from 9am to 4pm. The cost is from $100 per hour.
SNORKELING
A good beach for snorkeling is
Brewers Bay
(p. 215). Snorkelers
should also consider heading to the islet of
Marina Cay
(p. 223), or taking an excur-
sion to or booking a room on
Cooper Island
(p. 203), across the Sir Francis Drake
Channel. Limited ferry service is run by the hotel.
Blue Water Divers
(see the box
“The Wreck of the
Rhone
& Other Top Dive Sites”) leads expeditions to both sites.
Or consider a trip to
Norman Isle
(p. 219), the fabled setting of
Treasure Island,
for
its caves and protected pools.
YACHT CHARTERS
Tortola boasts the largest fleet of bareboat sailing charters in
the world. The best place to get outfitted is the
Moorings,
Wickham's Cay (
&
888/
535-7289
in the U.S. and Canada, or 284/494-2331 in the B.V.I.; www.moorings.com).
This outfit, along with a handful of others, makes the British Virgins the cruising capital
of the world. You can choose from a fleet of sailing yachts, which can accommodate up
to five couples in comfort and style. Depending on your nautical knowledge and skills,
you can arrange a bareboat rental (with no crew) or a fully crewed rental with a skipper,
staff, and a cook. Boats come equipped with a portable barbecue, snorkeling gear, dinghy,
linens, and galley equipment. If you're going out on your own, you'll get a thorough brief-
ing session on Virgin Island waters and anchorages.
If you'd like sailing lessons, consider
Steve Colgate's Offshore Sailing School
(
&
800/221-4326
), which offers courses in seamanship year-round.
6
DRIVING TOUR:
TORTOLA'S WEST END
START & FINISH:
Harbour Drive, in the center of Road Town.
TIME:
2 hours, not counting stops.
BEST TIME:
Any day before 5:30pm.
WORST TIME:
Sunday, when many places are closed.
This tour concentrates on Tortola's West End, site of some of the lovelier beaches and
vistas. Along the north coast you'll find many of the least developed beaches, which
boast such imaginative names as Apple Bay, Little Carrot and Great Carrot bays, and
Ballast Bay. Stop at any of them to swim or snorkel wherever it looks safe; if in doubt,
ask a local. See the “Tortola” map on p. 193.
1
Wickham's Cay
Here you'll find the densest concentration of shops and restaurants in Road
Town. At first glance, Road Town seems to be a scattered sprawl of modern
buildings that form a crescent along the harborfront and up the hillsides. At
Wickham's Cay, however, some of the town's charm is more apparent, with its
clapboard painted in bright pastel colors, shutters at the windows, and verandas
gracing the facades.
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