Introduction
Still the islands on which you dream of being shipwrecked...Parts of the British Virgin Islands are so beautiful, you'd happily marry the closest iguana just so you could stay there forever. Think dramatic green hills, blue skies, tripped-out sunsets and beaches where the loudest noise is the donk of a coconut dropping on sand as soft as a baby's bottom.
Destination Facts
Capital: Road Town
Governor: David Pearey (representing Queen Elizabeth II)
Chief Minister: Ralph T O'Neal
Government: dependent territory of the United Kingdom
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 59
Population: 19615
Languages: Methodist (45%), Anglican (21%), Catholic, other
Currency: US Dollar (US$)
Weight System: Imperial
Country Dialing Code: 284
Getting There
The peak tourist season is December to May, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the reliably balmy Virgin Islands weather. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be about two-thirds of those charged during the busier months. An additional draw is that the calmer weather between April and August tends to keep the waters clearer for diving.
Getting there and away
There are no direct international flights to the British Virgin Islands. The only access by plane is via San Juan in Puerto Rico, or via St Thomas or St Croix on the US Virgin Islands. Heaps of international airlines fly to San Juan, one of the busiest hubs in the Caribbean. From San Juan, American Eagle, LIAT, Cape Air and Air Sunshine have daily flights to Tortola. American Airlines, Delta and US Airways have direct flights from several US destinations to St Thomas and St Croix. Air St Thomas offers frequent flights from St Thomas to Tortola, with less frequent flights to Virgin Gorda. LIAT flies from several Caribbean destinations, including Sint Maarten and Antigua. Most flights from Europe connect via Miami or San Juan before flying on to connectors in St Thomas. There's a 10.00 air tax when leaving the British Virgin Islands. Frequent ferries shuttle between the British Virgins and the US Virgin Islands. There's a 5.00 sea departure tax (7.00 for cruise ship passengers).
Getting around
Most flights to the BVI land at Tortola's Terrence B Lettsome Airport on Beef Island, which is connected to the eastern coast of Tortola by a short bridge. It's 15km (9mi) east of Road Town. Plenty of taxis are available for trips into the capital. The tiny airport on Virgin Gorda is near Spanish Town, at the edge of Taylors Bay on the southeastern coast. There's an airstrip smack in the middle of Anegada; you can walk from the airport to most places on the island. Anyone who's done it will tell you the only way to get around the British Virgin Islands is by chartered sailboat, and there are loads of bareboat and crewed charter operators ready and willing to help your dream boat vacation come true. Road Town has the most charter companies, but there are scores of others on every island. A proficiency test is required before you're allowed to go it alone, and night sailing or sailing near Anegada, where waters can be very rough, is prohibited. Aero Claro offers service from Tortola to Virgin Gorda and Anegada; Fly BVI offers chartered flights within the islands. A better way to island hop in the British Virgins is via the inexpensive, efficient ferries that travel between the larger islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. There are heaps of car rental agencies on Tortola. You'll need a temporary British Virgin Islands driving license, available from the rental agencies for 10.00, and a valid home license. Drive on the left. Anegada has a jeep rental shop, which is good because its roads are nothing more than glorified sandlots. There are rental agencies on Virgin Gorda, but if you're just heading to The Baths and back it's easier to jump on a shuttle bus. There are jeep rental agencies on Jost Van Dyke, but they've only got a few vehicles, so book ahead. If you bring your own bicycle to the islands, you're supposed to register it with the traffic office in Road Town. It's not difficult finding a taxi on Tortola but tougher on the other islands. Rates are fixed and based on the distance and the number of passengers. The best way to get around the smaller islands is to walk or boat from bay to bay.
Visa:
Citizens of the US and Canada do not require a passport, but should carry a birth certificate or naturalization certificate with a picture ID to prove citizenship. This will change as of December 31 2006, however, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative mandates that all travellers re-entering the US will be required to carry a passport (travel to the BVI usually requires stopovers on US soil). British citizens need a passport but not a visa. Citizens of all other countries need a passport and, in some cases, a visa. Visitors are permitted to stay up to six months but must have an onward ticket.
Weather
Reliably Caribbean, the weather in the British Virgins is balmy, with daily highs between a cosy 25° C (77° F) in winter and 28° C (82° F) in summer. Perhaps the most pleasant climatic aspect of these islands is the combination of the trade winds that keep humidity low and the Caribbean currents that keep waters warm. The wettest months, September through November, bring powerful but usually short bursts of rain, and although they hold the slim possibility of hurricanes, they are unlikely to dampen your visit.
Still the islands on which you dream of being shipwrecked...Parts of the British Virgin Islands are so beautiful, you'd happily marry the closest iguana just so you could stay there forever. Think dramatic green hills, blue skies, tripped-out sunsets and beaches where the loudest noise is the donk of a coconut dropping on sand as soft as a baby's bottom.
Destination Facts
Capital: Road Town
Governor: David Pearey (representing Queen Elizabeth II)
Chief Minister: Ralph T O'Neal
Government: dependent territory of the United Kingdom
Time zone: GMT -4
Area: 59
Population: 19615
Languages: Methodist (45%), Anglican (21%), Catholic, other
Currency: US Dollar (US$)
Weight System: Imperial
Country Dialing Code: 284
Getting There
The peak tourist season is December to May, but this has more to do with the weather in North America and Europe than it does with the reliably balmy Virgin Islands weather. It's therefore best to visit outside this period, when you can expect room rates to be about two-thirds of those charged during the busier months. An additional draw is that the calmer weather between April and August tends to keep the waters clearer for diving.
Getting there and away
There are no direct international flights to the British Virgin Islands. The only access by plane is via San Juan in Puerto Rico, or via St Thomas or St Croix on the US Virgin Islands. Heaps of international airlines fly to San Juan, one of the busiest hubs in the Caribbean. From San Juan, American Eagle, LIAT, Cape Air and Air Sunshine have daily flights to Tortola. American Airlines, Delta and US Airways have direct flights from several US destinations to St Thomas and St Croix. Air St Thomas offers frequent flights from St Thomas to Tortola, with less frequent flights to Virgin Gorda. LIAT flies from several Caribbean destinations, including Sint Maarten and Antigua. Most flights from Europe connect via Miami or San Juan before flying on to connectors in St Thomas. There's a 10.00 air tax when leaving the British Virgin Islands. Frequent ferries shuttle between the British Virgins and the US Virgin Islands. There's a 5.00 sea departure tax (7.00 for cruise ship passengers).
Getting around
Most flights to the BVI land at Tortola's Terrence B Lettsome Airport on Beef Island, which is connected to the eastern coast of Tortola by a short bridge. It's 15km (9mi) east of Road Town. Plenty of taxis are available for trips into the capital. The tiny airport on Virgin Gorda is near Spanish Town, at the edge of Taylors Bay on the southeastern coast. There's an airstrip smack in the middle of Anegada; you can walk from the airport to most places on the island. Anyone who's done it will tell you the only way to get around the British Virgin Islands is by chartered sailboat, and there are loads of bareboat and crewed charter operators ready and willing to help your dream boat vacation come true. Road Town has the most charter companies, but there are scores of others on every island. A proficiency test is required before you're allowed to go it alone, and night sailing or sailing near Anegada, where waters can be very rough, is prohibited. Aero Claro offers service from Tortola to Virgin Gorda and Anegada; Fly BVI offers chartered flights within the islands. A better way to island hop in the British Virgins is via the inexpensive, efficient ferries that travel between the larger islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. There are heaps of car rental agencies on Tortola. You'll need a temporary British Virgin Islands driving license, available from the rental agencies for 10.00, and a valid home license. Drive on the left. Anegada has a jeep rental shop, which is good because its roads are nothing more than glorified sandlots. There are rental agencies on Virgin Gorda, but if you're just heading to The Baths and back it's easier to jump on a shuttle bus. There are jeep rental agencies on Jost Van Dyke, but they've only got a few vehicles, so book ahead. If you bring your own bicycle to the islands, you're supposed to register it with the traffic office in Road Town. It's not difficult finding a taxi on Tortola but tougher on the other islands. Rates are fixed and based on the distance and the number of passengers. The best way to get around the smaller islands is to walk or boat from bay to bay.
Visa:
Citizens of the US and Canada do not require a passport, but should carry a birth certificate or naturalization certificate with a picture ID to prove citizenship. This will change as of December 31 2006, however, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative mandates that all travellers re-entering the US will be required to carry a passport (travel to the BVI usually requires stopovers on US soil). British citizens need a passport but not a visa. Citizens of all other countries need a passport and, in some cases, a visa. Visitors are permitted to stay up to six months but must have an onward ticket.
Weather
Reliably Caribbean, the weather in the British Virgins is balmy, with daily highs between a cosy 25° C (77° F) in winter and 28° C (82° F) in summer. Perhaps the most pleasant climatic aspect of these islands is the combination of the trade winds that keep humidity low and the Caribbean currents that keep waters warm. The wettest months, September through November, bring powerful but usually short bursts of rain, and although they hold the slim possibility of hurricanes, they are unlikely to dampen your visit.
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