Long Bay – a Tortola Beach
Long Bay Beach is a mile-long, totally breathtaking stretch
of immaculate white sand beach, reaching from outside the well-respected Long
Bay Beach Resort westwards towards Smuggler’s Cove.
If it’s your fantasy to walk along the edge of serene crystal clear water, over powdery virgin sand, in the midst of pristine natural beauty – well, you must see this beach, then. Access to Long Bay, in the west end of Tortola, is easy
enough by road, about 25 minutes from Road Town. Simply follow the coastal road to the Long Bay Resort and you
can park your car at the 1748 restaurant car park or alternatively drive on
through the resort – it’s not a private road – and park a little further
to the west, where the beach is liable to be very peaceful.
If you’re sailing around Tortola, then unfortunately there is no
suitable anchorage at Long Bay. Swimming is generally good here – but be aware that
there’s a patch of coral near the shore right in front of the resort.
If you want to avoid that, to the west of the beach you’ll find a nice,
firm sandy bottom. Normally, you won’t find an undertow here and the water is
quite shallow with few waves, so it’s fairly child friendly, although
sometimes it can be slightly choppy, so keep the little ones well supervised.
It is probably a better idea to fit them with the flotation arm bands,
for real peace of mind. This is one of those beaches that just cries out for a
picnic, it has that type of vibe to it, and the beach itself provides you with
plenty of opportunity to either laze around or indulge in some more hectic
sporting pursuits. There are some
water toys available but not the plethora of activities you might find at some
of the more crowded beaches elsewhere on the island.
Symptomatic of the nature of Long Bay is the fact that there are plenty
of beach chairs – and, what is even better – they are supplied free of
charge, as well. Neither of those
things are something you can always rely on!
The palm trees seductively lining the bay can also provide you with some
welcome shade when the sun is at its height. There is a washroom available in the Long Bay Resort where
also, of course, you can gain access to some superb restaurants and bars - such
as the 1748 Beach Bar and Restaurant, the Palm Terrace Bar or, if you’re
looking for somewhere really special and romantic, the Pasta House, located on
the upper terrace of a converted eighteenth century sugar mill in the resort.
All of these top quality amenities are just a few steps from the beach. The prestigious Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine selected the beaches of the British Virgin Islands as the ‘best beaches’ in the whole of the Caribbean. Long Bay beach, therefore, as one of the most beautiful beaches even in this illustrious company, is really something special. If you’re coming to Tortola for any length of time, you
really must see this beach.
Return to Tortola
Beaches 'Beach' page from Long Bay.
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