An Insiders’ Guide to Tortola’s Beaches
By Claudia Colli
Tortola, the main and most populated island in the British Virgin Islands has an abundance of beaches. Tortola’s beaches are among the most beautiful in the world, a rare and significant boast that few places can make. I have a photo of me sitting on a French beach in Nice as a college student on my first trip to Europe. The “beach” was actually a pebble strewn shoreline, not a grain of sand in sight. The water that lapped on the water’s edge was gray and cold. Of course, the beach was filled with trendy French people, some visual compensation. But as a beach going experience, it was a dud. There is a similar photo of my husband as an 8-year-old sitting with his family on a similar pebble strewn beach in England. They were fully dressed, sandals and socks still on, bravely smiling in spite of a cold off shore breeze. I don’t think the sandwiches they were eating were much compensation.
Long Bay: A Mile of Pure Pleasure
So, my first trip to the BVI was a revelation beach-wise. Long Bay, an almost mile-long beach on Tortola was my introduction to a Caribbean beach. This mile long strip of white sand took my breath away. It was heaven on earth. A small hotel with cottages on stilts lined the eastern end of the beach. A majestic stone and coral building, once part of an 18th century sugar works contained a small beach bar. The beach bar is still there, upgraded and stylish, with swings at one end of the bar, and a view to die for.
But I mostly go to Long Bay to walk. The soft white powdery sand is powdery soft. The eastern bit is narrow, but once you walk past a group of large boulders known as Black Rock on to the western section, the beach widens out, edging an area owned by the BVI government, so no houses, beach bars or hotels.
As I stroll down the beach leaving footprints in the sand, I meet the occasional hotel guest and residents with dogs and kids. So, it can be quite social. But mostly I am alone. There once was a Taino village at the back of the beach, nestled in the jungle-like interior. Did they feel as lucky as I do to be there in such an untrampled environment? They collected shellfish in a lagoon at the back of the beach and launched canoes from the beach to fish. They certainly thought it was a spiritual spot since ritual objects found in the area show that they worshipped the triangular hill at the western end as a Zemi, a form of Taino deity.
Long Bay though is more of a beach for walking than swimming, since the sea bed can be a bit rocky. Though that doesn’t stop teenagers and adventurous adults from body surfing.
Smugglers Cove
Smugglers is also on the North Shore of Tortola, a little further west than Long Bay. You get there along a rough dirt road. The sand is sumptuous, a curving arc of sand with a small reef on the western end. Because the reef largely shelters the water – at least when there isn’t a north swell running in winter – Smugglers Cove is a good place for swimming.
Above the beach, dotting the hillside, are beautiful villas peeking out from thick tropical foliage. There are a couple of beach bars actually rough and ready wooden shelters featuring beer and burgers. But when I go with friends, I prefer bringing my own picnic: a bottle of Prosecco and cheese and crackers. When the cork to the Prosecco pops open, I catch a smile of envy from the beach goers surrounding me. Smugglers is a popular family beach, especially on Sundays when groups of friends with kids barbecue and bring beach floaties. I love to watch the pure pleasure on the youngsters’ faces as they horse around in the water squealing with delight.
Beaches With Sand and Solitude
If you prefer more solitude, try other north shore beaches such as Trunk Bay and Rogues Bay which are accessed from the Ridge Road. These beaches are more challenging to reach, but the effort is worth it. When I first arrived in the BVI, Trunk Bay, then known as Elizabeth Bay, could only be reached by hiking, which I did with friends on several occasions. The descent was steep, and the path, basically a cow path, could be rough and meandering. When we reached the bottom, hot, sweaty and scratched by bush, the view and a cool dip in the clear turquoise water made the hike well worth it. The beach felt primal. It was a glimpse of the Virgin Islands, before people!
Today, you no longer have to walk. Access is through a housing development with a winding concrete road winding downwards. The last few yards are rougher and you have to walk through a narrow path surrounded by bush to get to the beach. It is gorgeous, though, a wide expanse of white sand, and is well worth the trip.
Little Bay
This small gem of a beach is located at Tortola’s eastern end. It too has a comparable swathe of white sand and not much shade. But that can be fixed by bringing along a beach umbrella. You reach Little Bay via the eastern end of the Ridge Road, driving along the upper road past Lambert Beach Resort. When you come to a dirt road heading downwards, that’s it. The concrete road to the left is a private road. So, make sure you have a four-wheel drive car and head down.
More Tortola Beaches
Cane Garden Bay, is Tortola’s most popular beach. Its harbor is large, it has moorings and for the most part is calm, making this a favorite overnight spot for cruisers and charter boaters. There is a sandy beach and a multitude of restaurants and beach bars making this a lively spot for families in the day, and singles looking for music and night life in the evening. It is a popular destination for cruise ship passengers, so check the port authority website to see if a ship is in, or visit late in the day. With a rum punch in hand, enjoy the sunset – on a clear day it is spectacular!
Brewers Bay. A lot can be learned about this small community by its name. Located just east of Cane Garden Bay the area was once central to the sugar industry, which was in its hay day in the late 18th and early 29th centuries. Leaning precariously into the road, there is the remains of a stone and brick rum distillery at the eastern end of the bay. The sand is beige rather than white, but is comfortable beneath the feet. Beware though, like most north shore beaches, the water can get rough with an undertow if the northly swell is up. But when the water is calm and with a shallow gradient into the water, making it is an easy place to swim and float. A reef further out in the bay is a haven for snorkelers. At the eastern end, there is a small beach bar with a limited menu and at the back of the beach a tangle of sea grapes and almond trees offers shade.
Josiah’s Bay
Josiah’s Bay is located towards the eastern end of Tortola is popular with surfers and families. There’s little to no shade, so again bring an umbrella. But for sun lovers, this is the beach for you. In the winter large swells can roll in which makes this a popular beach for surfers. If you want to try this sport out, there is even a surf school here for kids and adults. A beach bar at the beach’s entrance provides snacks and drinks for the hungry and thirsty.
There are spectacular beaches throughout the BVI. I have narrowed it down by starting with my favorites on Tortola. In future editions I will highlight some of my favorites elsewhere in the BVI.
