Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the channel, curving around like a pearl necklace. This expanse of unclut-
tered road is one of the loveliest on Tortola.
The crumbling antique masonry on the right side of the road (look through
the creeping vegetation) is the ruins of a stone prison built by the English in the
18th century for pirates and unruly slaves. Lush St. John will appear across the
distant channel.
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Continuing on, you'll come to the unpretentious hamlet of:
3
West End
Here, you'll see the pier at Soper's Hole. Yachters and boaters report to the
Immigration and Customs officer stationed here.
Turn left on the hamlet's only bridge to:
4
Frenchman's Cay
Enjoy the scenic view and, to the west, Little Thatch Island.
Retrace your route toward Road Town. At the first major intersection, turn left up
Zion's Hill. Tucked into a hollow in the hillside is the:
5
Zion Hill Methodist Church
This church boasts a devoted local following, despite its rural isolation.
Continue on the road that runs along the island's northern coast, past some of its
greatest beaches; you'll pass the Methodist Church of Carrot Bay and the Seventh-
Day Adventist Church of Tortola.
6 Quito's Gazebo
Quito's Gazebo (p. 213;
&
284/495-4837) is located at Cane Garden Bay, on the island's
north coast. The owner is Quito Rymer, one of the island's best musicians. The place
serves piña coladas (either virgin or laced with liberal quantities of local Callwood's rum)
from an enlarged gazebo built almost directly above the waves.
Shopping
Most of Tortola's shops are on Road Town's Main Street. Unfortunately, the British
Virgins have no duty-free shopping. British goods are imported without duty, though,
and you can find some good buys among these imported items, especially in English
china. In general, store hours are Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
You might start your shopping expedition at
Crafts Alive,
an open-air market lying
in the center of Road Town and impossible to miss. It consists of a series of old-
fashioned West Indian-style buildings that are stocked with crafts, ranging from
Caribbean dolls to straw hats, from crocheted doilies to the inevitable B.V.I. T-shirts.
Very few of these items, however, are made on the island; we noted that some, in fact,
come from Panama.
In arts and crafts, you'll find higher-quality items at
Aragorn's Local Arts and
Crafts Center
, Trellis Bay (
&
284/495-1849;
www.aragornsstudio.com), a
showcase for the most talented artisans on the island. “A lot of Europeans used to
look down on Caribbean art,” Aragorn Dick-Read once told the press. But he has
worked to create a greater appreciation of Caribbean culture among visitors. Here you
will find an array of copper sculptures, island prints, local art, and jewelry, including
the island's best selection of handcrafted pottery. The finest of woodcarving and
metalwork is also displayed here in a newly expanded studio.
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