Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI  

Nanny Cay is a classic tropical village. Green leafy palms shade the street, and you can hear bamboo rustling as a gentle ocean breeze cools your skin. Off in the distance, you can hear shrill bird cries, and on the other side is a rushing sound as the tide caresses the shore.  

It sounds like a scene out of a movie. In actuality, it's Nanny Cay (pronounced "key") on Tortola, British Virgin Islands. This little town on the inland sea side of the island is built entirely on a private artificial island off the shore of Road Town, connected to the rest of Tortola with a short bridge. On Nanny Cay, you'll find a full marina with excellent facilities, a hotel, restaurants, and condominiums that are often rentable.

It's small enough to be very walk able, and you get a wonderful view of the hills behind Road Town from anywhere on the island.  

Most of the island is designed to cater to pleasure sailors, but you'll find plenty of relaxing fun here without a boat, too.

What To Do Here

Water sports is the name of the game – whether you love windsurfing or snorkeling, the water is perfect, calm and clear with an excellent prevailing wind. The sun gets hot here, so sunscreen is a must, but the water and breezes are cooling.

Nanny Cay is also a fantastic place to charter boats and crews for daytrips.

Several boats of varying sizes are available, and you can rent them by the day at very reasonable rates. Always wanted to learn how to sail? One of the experienced crew here will be your ideal tutor. For longer excursions and bare boat trips, there are multiple chandleries on the island ready to provide for all your grocery needs.

Peg Leg's Restaurant and Bar is located right on the strand and has the best view on all sides you'll find anywhere on the island. Here you can get excellent Caribbean-style food while you relax and soak up the scenery. Genaker Cafe, in the middle of the marina, offers a second option, as well as breakfast.

Besides these, there are a dozen or more businesses here that cater specifically to tourists: a day spa, diving supplies, boating supplies, etc. Almost every business at the Cay is designed to appeal to both children and adults. This means you can grab  a quick drink at a tiki bar and chat with locals and other visitors while the kids play nearby at playgrounds or the beach.

Check before you go for timing on the multiple regattas that are home ported here at Nanny Cay. Even if you don't participate, it's lots of fun to watch the beautiful boats moving in and out of the harbor.

Where To Stay on Tortola

There's only one real choice right on the island. The Nanny Cay Resort Marina is beautifully decorated, with hardwood floors and classic French doors opening onto gardenlike patios. It's designed to be perfectly relaxing, with every imaginable amenity from sports rentals to car rentals available right at the front desk, so you don't ever have to leave the hotel if you choose not to.

Of course, if you don't, you miss all the other things to do on beautiful Tortola.

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