From the eastern end of Tortola, Beef Island, to the west end, there are many spectacular white-sand beaches along the north shore. Most deepen very gradually and have light surf, allowing for very leisurely swimming. However, some beaches do have heavier surf and undertow, so it is always wise to ask someone, or observe any signs, before swimming. The list below does not encompass all the beaches, but rather points out some of the most popular and easily accessible ones.
Long Bay, Beef Island is just minutes from the airport, a long, curved stretch of beach that is one of the more secluded and little-used beaches. There are no amenities available.
Lambert beach, Tortola
Lambert Bay is a very long beach, with moderate surf, and less clear water than several other beaches. There are two well-sign posted roads, one for the hotel and one for the beach. The hotel is very welcoming of lunch and dinner guests.
Josiah's Bay is a surfer's beach popular with natives as well. It's another good-sized beach with heavy surf when in season, and a strong undertow at the corners of the beach. However, many swimmers enjoy this beach, and the waves, simply by swimming away from the corners of the beach and at a safe depth. The beach extends very gradually, allowing swimmers to range far from the shore. There are two bar/restaurants at Josiah's Bay. The Grape Tree offers excellent food at moderate prices, and the larger bar, with a large stock of alcoholic beverages, offers food as well. Neither are fine dining establishments but rather casual beach bars.
Brewer's Bay is the only non-white sand beach on the island. The sand is a dark gold. The bay offers snorkeling opportunities in calm weather, but because of the runoff routes from the mountains, the water is often murky after even moderate rain. Development around the island has circumvented nature's natural filtration systems, such as salt ponds, and as a result most beaches are not attractive after heavy rains because of runoff from roads that zig and zag up the mountainsides, and home development sites cut harshly into the sides of the mountains as well. That said, Brewer's Bay is an excellent place to go if you want good snorkeling right off the beach, decent food, friendly locals, reasonably warm water (late April), and some peace and quiet. Watching the pelicans diving into the watch for fish is fascinating, but can be a little unnerving when they plunge in near where you are snorkelling. These pelicans and other predators (nothing scary) are after the large schools of small "feeder fish," which will let you swim along in their midst. If you take some bread or bagels with you in a plastic bag, the smaller fish will almost eat right out of your hand. A taxi from Road Town was only US$28 each way (US$7 each if you share a ride with 3 others). The drivers are happy to narrate what you are passing and will stop high above the harbor for a nice scenic photo opportunity.
Brewer's Bay, Tortola, BVI
Cane Garden Bay is the most popular, populous, and touristy of the beaches available. Boats moor here, and on the nearly 3/4 mi length there are five restaurants, one bar and two vendors. It is also the only beach where there is a supermarket nearby. Live music is common. You will find it a Myett's (happy hour), Elms and Quito's, where local guitar legend Quito Rhymer often plays. There are two parts to this beach and one half, before Quito's dock, has no bars or restaurants and so mostly deserted. Cane Garden Bay is "ground zero" for all cruise ships. That means when cruise ships are in it will be crowded. If you want to go the the beach, go early so you can get a decent spot. Also, you want to arrive before many of the "vendors" that place chairs and lounges in the best locations and then rent you the chair. Cane Garden Bay, like all beaches in the BVI's are public and you have just as much right as the chair rental vendors. Also, if you are anchored with your sailboat, be aware that Cane Garden Bay has had a number of dinghy thefts. In March, 2010, one sailor was confronted at knifepoint when he tried to stop the theft of his dinghy.
Apple Bay is a surf and party area, and does not offer much in the way of swimming. It is here that you will find the "Bomba Shack," a main party site for the island's full moon parties. During these parties the street is often flooded with native and tourist party-goers, and hallucinogenic mushrooms, which are legal to possess and use in the BVI, are readily available. Users should state a preference for fresh, live mushrooms if available. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay are the two surfing areas of the island. There are several good restaurants here, Sugar Mill (fine dining), Coco Plum, Sebastian's and Bomba's. On Fridays there are fish frys under the two huge banyan trees.
Long Bay - West End Not to be confused with Long Bay - Beef Island, this beach at the western end of the island is easily accessible, very large, and has good swimming and moderate surf. There are several restaurants and bars, however, they sit back from the beach rather than spill onto it, as in Cane Garden Bay.
Smuggler's Cove Difficult to access but worth the effort, Smuggler's Cove lies at the extreme western tip of Tortola. Accessible by narrow and bumpy dirt roads, this is a small oasis used mostly by expatriate workers who reside in Tortola. There is a restaurant and bar and several small stands selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Try to get to the beach early to get a choice spot. There are three vendors who set up beach chairs in some of the best spots. All three vendors offer good and drinks. Generally, they offer these chairs free as long as people are willing to spend some money on food or drinks.
Brandywine Bay is a recently man-made beach, one of the only on the island's south shore. It is generally not used by locals or tourists, as natural beaches abound.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Tortola
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Tortola - updated May 2024
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Tortola Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
