A perennial delight to yachtsmen and landlubbers alike, some 60 islands of the BVI have succeeded in safeguarding their special charm from the inroads of mass tourism. However, the secret is out as an increasing number of escapists discover this ancient archipelagoes many natural advantages, from sanctuaries for exotic fauna and flora to fabulous fishing and dive sites.
Among the most frequently visited of the BVI's handful of inhabited islands are Tortola, virgin Gorda, Beef Island, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Peter, Mosquito, and Guana Islands. All of these lilting place names reflect idyllic sites for unwinding, wriggling your toes in the sand, and absorbing the tranquil pleasures of sunshine and sapphire seas.
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Tortola
Tortola, "land of turtle doves' or Chocolate City is the largest
of the British Virgin Islands overlooking Sir Francis Drake Channel and
situated about 60 miles east of Puerto Rico. Its most popular point of
entry for vacationers is the East End Beef Island Airport linked to the
capital city of Road Town by the one-lane Queen Elizabeth Bridge.
Road Town's scenic setting and sheltered yacht-filled harbour provide a helpful orientation to the laid-back BVI lifestyle evolved over the last 400 years by English, Dutch, French, and Spanish adventurers, followed by plantation owners and 20th century settlers. This friendly and diversified community tempts travellers with every sort of regional and international cuisine found in a choice of cheerful pastel painted restaurants, former forts, and sugar mills. Palate-pleasing menus feature West Indian specialties of fresh lobster, conch, turtle, spicy goat, and curries of every description. An authentic English pub serves Pusser's Rum, traditional drink of the British Navy for 300 years, as well as a popular fruit flavoured local concoction known as the "Painkiller."