British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are a self-governing British overseas territory, situated in the Caribbean just to the east of the US Virgin Islands.
The BVIs, as they are called, are a popular travel destination for sailors, fishermen (and women), sun worshippers, and other independent travellers, albeit not for the cost conscious. Boating among the dozens of tiny, mostly uninhabited, islands is a great stop on any tour of the Caribbean islands.
Regions
- Jost Van Dyke
- Tortola-- The largest of the islands and home of the capital city, Road Town
- Virgin Gorda
Culture and History
Landscape
The British Virgin Islands are comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 43 uninhabited islands, including the island of Anegada. The islands fall into two types, with relatively flat coral islands and steep volcanic islands. The highest point is Mount Sage at 521m.
Climate
Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation. Has experienced several hurricanes in recent years, although with little consequent damage, as well as floods, usually in October or November.
History
The islands were first settled by the Dutch in 1648 before being annexed in 1672 by the English.
Economy
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west and indeed the US dollar is the legal currency within the British Virgin Islands. The islands are highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income, together with the offshore financial industry.
Travel to British_Virgin_Islands, visa requirements
Passport and visa regulations are enforced at harbors, especially for boats moving back and forth between the US and British territory.
Flights to British_Virgin_Islands, airtickets
Most international flights into the BVIs involve changing planes in San Juan, Puerto Rico since the Beef Island airport is not set up for large planes. Other flights from Europe involve changing planes in Antigua or other Caribbean Islands. Flights from the UK often go to the US Virgin Islands and then require a fast boat transfer or, more usually, a 45 minute ferry boat ride.
By boat
Boats move freely between the BVI and the US Virgin Islands. A few cruise ships visit the major ports, but small vessels are more common.
Get around
By boat
A great way to see the islands is by boat. Sailboats and motorboats can be rented or chartered with a crew from any major harbor. The conditions for sailing and motoring depend on the time of year and anchoring off islands can be tricky, so either be sure you know what you are doing or hire a crew.
If you are an experienced sailor, it doesn't get any better than the BVI. Line of sight sailing in moderate trade winds, no currents to speak of, barely any tides, and few underwater obstructions other than the shore itself make sailing around the islands very relaxing.
Windward Islands - Windward Islands, one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to crewed in British Virgin Islands. Operating from 8 international offices (USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Monaco).
By car
Cars can be rented on the larger islands such as Virgin Gorda and Tortola, but are obviously unnecessary on many islands where goat paths and foot trails are the main mode of transportation. There is one scooter for rent on Jost van Dyke.
British_Virgin_Islands attractions and sightseeing
Nature is the main attraction in the islands. With coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and scenic seaside villages the main draw.
Other attractions include historic villages, churches, and, if the sun is too much for you, a museum in Road Town, the shady Botanic Gardens or the rain forest on Sage Mountain in Tortola.
City tours
- Sail
The Virgin Islands is the most popular area for a sailing vacation in the Caribbean. This is a first-timers paradise, since the islands are close together and well protected from the Atlantic. You wake up to sunshine and a blue sky, choose the cruising target of the day by pointing on a nearby island and set sail in a comfortable trade wind. There are many yacht charter companies and marinas in the British Virgin Islands.
- Scuba diving
The BVIs are home to the wreck of 'The Rhone', which served as the site for the underwater scenes in the 1977 Nick Nolte/Jackie Bisset/Robert Shaw flick 'The Deep'. The Rhone is the best-known and most often visited dive site in the islands. Lying just west of Salt Island, the Rhone is a former Royal Mail Steamer that sank in a hurricane on October 29, 1867. A spectacularly large 310 ft (94 metres) steamer in her previous life, she's now a three-site dive, with each chunk resting at varying depths, from 20 to 80 ft (6 to 24 metres).
- Fishing
It is illegal for non-British Virgin Islanders to remove any marine organism from BVI waters without a recreational permit. A permit is available for charterers who intend to fish while in the BVI. The cost is $35 ($10 application fee; $25 for the permit). This TEMPORARY FISHING PERMIT can be obtained from the Department of Conservation and Fisheries: Department of Conservation and Fisheries, The Quastisky Building PO Box 3323 Road Town, Tortola. Tel: (284) 494-5681/3429 or (284) 468-3701 ex. 5555/1 Fax: (284) 494-2670 E-Mail: cfd@bvigovernment.org The government office closes early on Friday afternoons and doesn’t reopen until Monday morning. For charterers arriving on the weekend, it may be a couple of days before you can get a permit. When you arrive for your charter, check with the local staff for advice on obtaining a permit.
Shopping, British_Virgin_Islands souvenirs
The main shopping area on Tortola is Wickham's Cay in Road Town. Main Street is a small, winding road leading from the Post Office to the Botanic Gardens. The shops on this road are housed in small, West Indian houses and often painted in bright colours. Notable shops include Pussers, a small department store with a popular bar, Sunny Caribbee selling spices and handmade items mostly from Haiti, Serendipity Bookshop which has a good collection of Caribbean history and cook books and Latitude 18 which sells casual beach clothes.
Additionally, near the cruise ship dock is a branch of Columbian Emeralds, the Craft Market which despite its name sells mostly t-shirts and jewellery, clothes and other goods imported from Florida, Panama and St. Maarten. Island crafts genuinely made in the BVI are limited to crocheted items, straw hats, rum and guavaberry liquer.
On the rest of the island there are a number of pharmacies, supermarkets, variety stores and jewellery shops.
Shopping on Anegada is limited to basic necessities plus two gift shops at the hotel and camp ground. Similarly, on Jost van Dyke there are a few gift shops but little else. Virgin Gorda has a supermarket in the marina and gift shops in the resorts.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Inevitably, seafood is the dish of choice for most people. Lobster and various fish are available from the small restaurants. There are many restaurants throughout the islands varying from rotis and curries from Guyana and Trinidad to Italian, French and Asian.
British_Virgin_Islands nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Rum, not surprisingly, is the drink of choice in the islands. Rum punch and other concoctions can be found at bars on the main beaches and roads. Most beaches do not have any refreshment stands so it would be wise to bring at least water. The "Pain Killer" is highly recommended. As is the Bushwacker. However, each bar has its own speciality drinks and rum punch in one bar may not be like rum punch in any other one. One drink to be careful with is the No See-Um, a refreshing banana, coconut and pineapple long drink made with 151 proof rum.
There is plenty of Nightlife around Road Town, although only tourist places are advertised - ask a local for what is on where. Live local music is a feature of many restaurants and bars. The sunsets are spectacular, so a drink on the beach or in the mountains, watching the sunset and listening to local music before dinner can be a very pleasant vacation from the usual club-based entertainment of most mainlanders.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
If you're renting a boat, you already have your bed too, but for landlubbers, the larger islands offer resorts, budget bungalows and a few things in between. To get off the beaten path you really will need to be seaworthy.
Get out
Island hop to the US Virgin Islands and the rest of the Caribbean islands.
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