Mini guide to…the island of Tortola
Overview: Part of the BVIs, Tortola makes for a wonderful Caribbean experience. Make sure you factor in enough time to check out some of the surrounding islands as well, as you don’t want to miss anything out after such a long journey to get there!
Where to stay: The best place to stay here is on the water. I stayed with friends on a gorgeous catamaran. The whole point of the BVIs is to island hop so sailing around is the best way get about.
Where to eat: The Last Resort is on a little island off Trellis Bay. They have shuttle boats taking you over which makes the experience all the more exciting. The food is deliciously local and the atmosphere is buzzing with live music on some nights. Pusser’s has wonderful local food, I especially recommend the mahi mahi tacos..yum yum! The Dove is good for a more luxurious dining experience. This restaurant also has its own cocktail bar, Bar Fly, with amazingly delicious and lethal cocktails. If you can make it out of Bar Fly, go dancing at Le Grand Cafe, which is literally a stone’s throw away.
Shop: There isn’t much in the way of shopping, however, if you’re after some little souvenirs, Soper’s Hole is a great little marina with some cute shops and nice restaurants.
Don’t miss: Chill out at Smuggler’s Cove with a cold Red Stripe in hand. This beach is hard to find so it doesn’t get very busy with cruise ship tourists and it has great snorkelling.
Willy T is an absolute ‘don’t miss’. It’s a bar in the middle of the ocean. The setting is gorgeous as you’re surrounded by islands and what better way to enjoy this but while sipping on a painkiller (the signature cocktail of Tortola). The best bit is jumping from the top of the boat into the ocean after you’ve had one or two… no health and safety concerns here at all!
Soak up the atmosphere in Cane Garden Bay. It was one of my favourite beaches. You’ve got the mountains surrounding you and lots of little restaurants to grab a bite. The conch fritters are very tasty! It’s worth staying for the happy hour for cocktails and live local music.
Bomba Shack is also a must. It’s on the north side of the island on the way to Cane Garden Bay. If you drive by it during the day it looks like a wooden shack that’s been washed out by a category 4 hurricane. At night it’s party central, especially on a full moon.
Dive the RMS Rhone shipwreck – it’s only about $50 and it’s a really spectacular dive.
Snorkelling off of Necker Island – the island itself is private, as we know, but nobody (i.e. RB!) is stopping you from looking at the gorgeous corals around it.
Take a boat over to Virgin Gorda. I didn’t get to go because of the weather and it is my biggest regret.
Don’t bother: going into Road Town – of all the Caribbean city centres I’ve been to, this one is by far the least attractive. Having said that, if you’re after some local art there is a great little stall by the waterfront.
When to go/ How to go: Avoid hurricane season, from May to late October and you should be fine 😉 Fly to Antigua from London direct with BA and then you hop on a short flight with Liat Airlines (locals refer to it as the bus shuttle as it’s only a 15 minute flight).
By: Monica Tonissoo, Occupation: Private Banking