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Among Tortola’s sharp peaks and bougainvillea-clad hillsides you’ll find a mash-up of play places. Take surfing lessons, join fire jugglers at a full-moon party, dive on shipwrecks, and by all means go sailing amid the festive surrounding isles.
More than 80% of the BVI’s 28,000 citizens live and work on Tortola. It's the BVI’s governmental and commercial center, plus its air and ferry hub. It's also the Caribbean's charter-boat capital. Beyond busy Road Town, groovy beaches and West Indian settlements full of local flavor await.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Tortola.
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At 1716ft, Sage Mountain rises higher than any other peak in the Virgin Islands. Seven trails crisscross the surrounding 92-acre park, including the main path that leaves from the parking lot and moseys up through the greenery to a picnic spot. From there, you can head onward on the central trail and return on the north trail for a good loop (be prepared for mud). There's a US$3 entrance fee, but nobody's been around to collect it for years.
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Shady, tree-lined Brewers has decent snorkeling and a more tranquil scene than you'll find at nearby Cane Garden Bay – possibly because getting here involves a brake-smoking drive down steep switchbacks. Nicole's Beach Bar (open 10am to 10pm) has restrooms, rents chairs and snorkels (no fixed price; bargain hard), and offers food and drinks. All other establishments here were destroyed by the 2017 hurricanes and hadn't returned at research time.
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Cane Garden Bay is probably on the postcard that drew you to the British Virgin Islands. The gently sloping crescent of sand hosts plenty of beachside bars and water-sports vendors renting kayaks and paddleboards. It’s a popular yacht anchorage, and becomes a full-on madhouse when cruise ships arrive in Road Town and shuttle passengers over for the day. It's the island's main party beach, but you can't deny its beauty and good-time vibe. Live bands often rock the bars.
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An undeveloped gem at the foot of a valley on the north shore, Josiah’s Bay is a dramatic strand that has excellent surf with a point break in winter. Many say it offers Tortola’s best surfing. A beach bar serves snacks and cold beers. Surf School BVI has a facility on-site from which it rents boards and offers lessons.
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Near the island’s northwestern tip, Smuggler’s is a gorgeous patch of sand that is lightly trod compared to its neighbors, as access is via a crazy-narrow, pothole-cratered road. That said, cruise-ship groups do make their way here on occasion. Nigel's snack stand sells beer and rents beach chairs. The only other amenity is a portable bathroom. Snorkeling is fair.
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Local metal sculptor Aragorn Dick-Read started his studio under the sea-grape trees fronting Trellis Bay, the broad beach just east of the airport. It grew to include space for potters, coconut carvers and batik makers, many of whom you can see at work in the now-sprawling arts center. Aragorn also hosts family-friendly full-moon parties.
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It’s more a folk-art gallery and junk shop than a museum, but it’s funky however you describe it, with a hodgepodge of shells and signs painted with cryptic local sayings filling the shelves. The hours vary depending on when the proprietor, Egbert Donovan, is around to show you through. He’ll also encourage you to buy something.
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Apple Bay is long and narrow, and is known as the ‘surfing beach,’ especially from late December to March, when the consistent swells roll in. It’s not a traditional beach with lounge chairs, swimming and people lolling on the sand. Rather it's a spot to watch ripped folks catch waves. Sadly, many of the area's ramshackle beach bars, including the famed Bomba Shack, were destroyed in the 2017 hurricanes and haven't returned.
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Just off the North Coast Rd at the west end of Cane Garden Bay, this is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the Eastern Caribbean. The Callwood family has been producing Arundel rum here for more than 300 years, using copper vats and wooden aging casks. A small store sells the local liquor and pours samples (four shots US$1). You can also pay US$4 for a 10-minute tour to see the rum-making process.
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