Capital: Road Town
Area: 153 km2
Official Language: English
Currency: US Dollar
Population: 21 272 (2002 estimate)
Government: British overseas territory with internal self-government
The British Virgin Islands are a self-governing British overseas territory, situated in theCaribbean just to the east of the US Virgin Islands.
The BVIs, as they are called, are a popular travel destination for sailors, fishermen, 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 theCaribbean islands.
Landscape
The British Virgin Islands comprise 60+ islands and keys, with more than 43 of them being uninhabited islands. The islands fall into two types: the majority are steep volcanic islands (including the main islands, Tortola and Virgin Gorda), and a small number of relatively flat coral islands (such as Anegada and Sandy Spit). In fact, Anegada is referred to as "the drowned island" because its elevation is so low. Many people miss it altogether until they sail close to it. The highest point is Sage Mountain on Tortola.
Climate
With a tropical climate tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, and little seasonal temperature variation, the weather in the BVI is rather enjoyable. In the low season, there are some hurricanes, although in recent years they have had little consequent damage beyond some flooding.
Regions
Tortola is the capital island of the British Virgin Islands and Road Town is the capital city.
Virgin Gorda is a small island, about eight square miles, only a few miles from Tortola and its airport on Beef Island.
Anegada is an island in the British Virgin Islands. It has a year round population of less than 200 on 15 square miles (38 sq km), which makes it the second largest island in the chain, after Tortola, but the most sparsely populated of the main islands. It is also geographically isolated, being separated by some 15 miles of blue water from the rest of the chain.
Jost Van Dyke is an island in the British Virgin Islands. An easy and beautiful sail from Tortola and the home of the notorious rum Painkiller.
The Southern lslands of the British Virgin Islands are uninhabited, but nonetheless oft visited by island hopping yachters. They are beautiful, and provide some of the best snorkeling and diving opportunities in the territory.
The British Virgin Islands maintain a separate border control with United Kingdom. Nationals of Canada, EU, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, United States of America etc. do not require a visa to enter and visit the British Virgin Islands. Other nationals require a visa. For more detailed information, refer to the following website for more details.
Passport and visa regulations are enforced at harbors, especially for boats moving back and forth between the US and British territories. US customs may tell you a certified birth certificate is acceptable, but as of June 2009, ferry operators can only take passport carrying US citizens or face a CBP.GOV $3,000 fine. US CBP.GOV offices in St. Thomas.
By plane
Most international flights from North America into the BVIs involve changing planes in either San Juan, Puerto Rico since the Beef Island airport is not set up for large planes. Other flights from Europe usually involve changing planes in either Antigua (for the UK) or Saint Martin (for the Netherlands and France), although flights from Spain also connect through San Juan. Alternatively, international flights go directly into the neighbouring U.S. Virgin Islands and travellers can then use a fast boat transfer or, more usually, a 45 minute ferry boat ride.
The only major carrier with flights directly into the British Virgin Islands is American Airlines (through its American Eagle operating subsidiary). Connections on other airlines usually involve switching to a smaller local carrier, such as Cape Air (which code shares with Continental Airlines), LIAT, Air Sunshine or the recently formed BVI Airways.
By cruise ship
The main cruise ship pier in the BVI is located on Tortola via Road Harbour. The port holds two large cruise ships, but some cruise passengers may find themselves being shuttled into the dock by a smaller boat because their ship is either too large for the pier or the pier already has two ships docked.
Tortola is an ideal hub from which cruise travellers can experience day-trips to incredible attractions and excursion opportunities to one of the numerous nearby islands. From snorkel trips to shopping to the Baths, or just sipping the famous BVI Painkiller at Pusser's or another beach bar, it's easy to hop from island to island in the BVI.
By boat
Boats move freely between the BVI and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A few cruise ships visit the major ports, but small vessels are more common.
Ferries move between Tortola and St. Thomas. There are several different ferry companies that provide service between the two islands. These ferries are what connects the people of the British Virgin Islands with the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ferries link the city of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas with either Road Town or the West End of Tortola.
The ferry is one of the more popular ways to reach Tortola from the U.S. This is due to the fact that Americans can reach Tortola via only one direct flight and then a short ferry ride. This will no doubt save the traveler several hundred dollars, since a second flight would not be necessary.
You can catch one of the ferries, almost any time of day. After 5PM most of the services are shut down for the evening. The ride lasts about 50 minutes depending on the weather. The scenery is well worth the price of the ride.
Costs
One-way ranges from $25-$30 for adults, $19-$25 for children
Round-trip ranges from $45-$52 for adults, $30-$42 for children
Times
Vary greatly between companies. Some of the companies even alternate their schedules between themselves and another company. For a current list take a look at this page's ferry schedule.
Tips
Many travelers find it easier to just buy two one-way tickets from different companies instead of one round-trip ticket with the same company. Since ferries from different companies are coming and going constantly, you should be able to catch a ferry at any time during the day. Often times one company will be convenient upon arrival, but not upon departure. Just check the schedule to find out if this will be the case for you, if not then by all means, buy the round-trip ticket and save a few bucks.
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.
Road Town, on Tortola, is one of the principal centres for bareboating (self-hire yacht chartering) in the Caribbean. It is the headquarters of Sunsail Sailing Vacations and Tortola Marine, located in the Road Reef Marina; Conch Charters, and The Moorings which are three of the main charter boat companies operating out of Road Town/Road Harbor. Ten minutes from Road Harbour is Nanny Cay Marina where you can find Horizon Yacht Charters and The Catamaran Company.
By car
Cars can be rented on the larger islands such as Virgin Gorda and Tortola, but are obviously unnecessary on many smaller islands where goat paths and foot trails are the main mode of transportation. There is one scooter for rent on Jost Van Dyke. By law (to protect the taxi driver industry) it is not possible to rent cars at the airport, nor is it possible for car rental companies to pick people up at the airport.
Be aware that the roads are very hilly, the standard of the roads is low, the standard of the driving is very low, and there are no specific laws against driving whilst under the influence. People driving in the BVI for the first time are advised to think as if everyone else on the road is trying to cause an accident and make it look like their fault - although that is not actually true, it will give you the right frame of mind to have when get behind the wheel.
By taxi
Taxis in the British Virgin Islands can be expensive. Do not bother to try and haggle - taxi prices are fixed by law. Taxi rides can be colourful - sometimes taxis are shared with other passengers or the driver may stop en route to run an errand. Either way, it's a good chance to really get to know the island!
See
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.
Do
Beach
The quality of beaches in the British Virgin Islands, even by Caribbean standards, is very high. Because of the large number of beaches, particularly on the north side of Tortola and the west side of Virgin Gorda, the beaches are generally not crowded (with the exception of Cane Garden Bay on Tortola, which is next to a densely populated area). It is not uncommon, even during tourist season, to be able to have a more remote beach largely or entirely to yourself for an afternoon. With the possible exception of Cane Garden Bay, beaches in the BVI do not tend to have the vendors pestering tourists which are characteristic of some other Caribbean islands. Conversely, many of them do not have any amenities, so remember to bring your own lunch and water!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. Apart from cruise ship passengers, the majority of visitors to the British Virgin Islands stay on liveaboard boats or charter sailing vessels.
Get out
Island hop to the U.S. Virgin Islands and the rest of the Caribbean islands.
Stay safe
The BVI has much lower incidence of crime than many other Caribbean areas, and wandering about alone, even at night, is not considered particularly high risk. However, as with all foriegn travel, tourists should use good judgment and avoid certain areas.
Despite the perception of the Caribbean being laid back in relation to drugs, possession and supply of narcotics is a criminal offence and penalties can be severe.
Stay healthy
Most healthcare in the BVI is private and run along the lines of U.S. healthcare (ie. it is expensive). Compared to other Caribbean islands, the quality of care is good, but for serious matters, patients are usually transported to Puerto Rico for care.
Emergency treatment is usually provided from Peebles General Hospital in Road Town. Emergency care is free.
Based on work by BVI Kite Jam, Peter Fitzgerald, Stefan Ertmann and Casey, Wikitravel user(s) Inas, ChubbyWimbus, VolkovBot and Tatatabot, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
