Cane Garden Bay
A classic Caribbean crescent: palms, beach bars, and a protected anchorage under green hills.
Capital island
Tortola
The heart of the BVI
Tortola is where most journeys begin. Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport sits on Beef Island, joined to Tortola by the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, and Road Town harbour is the busiest marina in the territory. Steep ridges drop to bays on both coasts: Cane Garden Bay for sunset sails and live music, Josiah’s Bay for Atlantic swell, Smuggler’s Cove for a quiet west-end afternoon. Inland, Sage Mountain National Park holds the highest point in the Virgin Islands and remnants of dry rainforest. Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay still makes rum the old way, in a stone works that has stood for centuries.
Highlights
Sage Mountain
Hike to 1,710 feet for a view across the Sir Francis Drake Channel and the whole island chain.
Road Town
Capital harbour, ferry terminals, markets, and the jumping-off point for every charter.
Callwood Rum Distillery
One of the oldest continuously working rum distilleries in the Caribbean.
Beaches
All beaches
Lively
Cane Garden Bay
Tortola’s most famous beach. Palms, beach bars, live music, and a protected anchorage under the ridge.
Surf
Josiah’s Bay
Atlantic-facing and wilder. When the swell is up, this is the BVI’s surf beach.
Quiet
Smuggler’s Cove
A west-end hideaway reached by a rough road. Calm water and very few buildings.
Lively
Trellis Bay
Beef Island’s social harbour. Full Moon parties, the Last Resort, and the airport next door.
Where to stay
Tortola · Boutique hotel
Sugar Mill Hotel
$$$A converted 17th-century mill above Apple Bay. Intimate, well-fed, and a short walk to the surf.
Check ratesTortola · Beachfront
Long Bay Beach Resort
$$$A west-end beachfront stay with a long walkable strand and sunset over Jost Van Dyke.
Check rates
Tortola · Yacht charter
The Moorings & Sunsail
$$$Bareboat or crewed from Road Town. For many visitors, the yacht is the hotel.
See chartersThings to do
Sailing & yacht charter
Steady trades, line-of-sight islands, and the densest charter fleet in the Caribbean. Bareboat, crewed, or a day sail from Road Town.
Hike Sage Mountain
The highest point in the Virgin Islands. Cloud forest remnants and a view of the whole chain.
Getting there
Fly into EIS on Beef Island, or take the ferry from St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie or Red Hook) to West End or Road Town. Taxis and rental cars (drive on the left) cover the island.
Full travel info
