Tortola Beaches

If ever an island were to be awarded a prize for being a true paradise, the award could easily come to the British Virgin Islands for Tortola Beaches. Home of some of the most scenic and absolutely untouched beaches in the whole of the Caribbean, Tortola is easily reachable from many places.

It should come as no surprise that British Virgin Island beaches regularly feature in those ‘Top Ten’ lists that travel magazines love so much – and you won’t have to spend long here to understand why.
And it’s not just a case of ‘if you see one beach, you’ve seen them all’, because the beaches of Tortola, although uniformly excellent, each have their own unique personality.

Tortola beaches run through the whole A to Z of Caribbean perfection. Well, there’s A for Apple, as in Apple Bay, but I can’t get further down the alphabet than T for Trunk Bay, actually.

Cane Garden Bay view from Sage Mountain

If only there was a beach on Zion Hill! Whatever you’re searching for in a beach, you’ll be sure to find it here.

If you’re looking for great surfing, for instance, then search no further than Josiah’s Bay, or Apple Bay where the local surfing population go to find the perfect waves. If you're lucky enough to catch a rare but epic winter swell at Cane Garden, you'll probably experience some of the best surf you've ever had! For different reasons, I love surfing at Josiah's Bay. It’s between Road Town and East End and is one of the best – if not the very best - surfing beaches in the whole of the BVI.

If your preference is for a lively, happening beach with lots of water activities and good evening entertainment, then try Cane Garden Bay. Here there are plenty of kayaks, paddleboats, even power boats, to hire plus Quito’s Gazebo for some chilled out evening tunes and a glass or two of the locally produced Callwood rum.

Quito's at Cane Garden

Brewer’s Bay, a spectacular switch back drive away from Road Town, can offer perhaps the best snorkeling on Tortola. The variety of fish and the stunning coral formations on the western side of the usually calm waters of Brewer’s Bay will keep any enthusiast happy for days, beginner or veteran.

If it’s your fantasy to meander through the crystal clear waters of a white sand beach set in an idyllic background before relaxing on a beach chair and just breathing in the atmosphere, then Long Bay, to the west of Tortola, will be just perfect – with the quality of the bars and restaurants of the Long Bay Resort just a stone’s throw away.

Donna at Long Bay East

Or do you want an absolute haven of peace and solitude in a sequestered bay, with fantastic snorkeling on a coral reef about 100 feet from the shore?  

The delightfully named Smuggler’s Cove is the place for you, in that case. The water is totally transparent and usually completely calm. Many visitors park away from the beach and just walk there. It’s perfect.

Smuggler's Cove

Brandywine Bay is unusual in Tortola in that it is now largely artificial; having been substantially eroded, the BVI authorities brought in thousands of tons of dredged sand from other island locations. Now, Brandywine Bay can offer excellent swimming but also some good shell collecting – so bring a sieve and a small spade.

And, if you’re off to Beef Island and you’re looking for a beach to spend a few hours before the plane leaves, then there are few better spots than Trellis Bay or Long Bay, East End. Trellis Bay can best be described as ‘quirky’, with an arty feel to it. Long Bay would be just the place to spend your last few hours in the British Virgin Islands before returning to ‘normality’. Take a picnic and enjoy some final sunbathing and swimming in its heavenly turquoise waters.

All these beaches – and the wonderful thing is that there are many more I’ve not mentioned here; just waiting for you to discover them.

Click on a beach link to discover more about the fantastic beaches of Tortola:

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