Trellis Bay: First and Last Stop on Tortola
So you just flew into the Beef Island Airport ready to start your Tortola adventure, and you want to get right to celebrating? Go to Trellis Bay, check out the boats, have a cup of coffee at D'Best Cup or a snack at De Loose Mongoose, or take a free ferry over to The Last Resort, a great restaurant with an English buffet that just happens to sit on the tiny Bellamy Cay island in the center of Trellis Bay. Where is Trellis Bay?
Trellis Bay is on Beef Island, just a few minutes from the
airport. This little community isn't an amazing beach, and you'll see more
naturally beautiful spots on Tortola, but you can't beat the charm of Trellis
Bay. Why? It could be the waters crowded with boats, dinghies, and
yachts that anchor here. Or it could be small unique shops like Aragorn's
Studio, where you can purchase original works of art unlike anything you've ever
seen before. Or it could just be the gentle Caribbean ambiance of the community,
its buildings painted in ocean pastels and shaded by effusive greenery on every
street. There are a few don't-miss points on Trellis Bay. * Aragorn's Studio is run by – who else? -- artist
Aragorn, who creates unique copper and steel iconographic sculptures and woodcut
print T-shirts. He also sells a wide variety of traditional Caribbean arts and
crafts, and has a small selection of products by other artists on the islands
like ceramic jewelry by Fedirica. You can pick up fresh fruit grown locally at
the little fruit market next to his shop. Aragorn also charters trips in Gli Gli,
his handmade Carib Indian canoe (actually a pierogue) with authentic Carib
dishes provided for lunch. * The Last Resort sits on Bellamy Cay, named after Black
Sam Bellamy, Prince of Pirates, who used to make his base here while engaging in
stolen cattle barbacao and stolen rum carousing. You can carouse at The Last
Resort today by taking the free ferry out, partaking of the excellent buffet,
and enjoying the provided entertainment, mostly comedians. Sure, it's not quite
like swashing buckles, but you'll get to enjoy the same free ocean breezes Black
Sam and his crew used to pray for. * Trellis Bay Market is the last chance you'll have before
leaving the island for purchasing some of the excellent rums and other
provisions provided by the historically-agricultural Tortolans. * The great winds here in the bay provide for phenomenal
windsurfing, and you can rent windsurfing gear at Boardsailing BVI or BVI
Watersports. No matter where you rent the gear, know that this bay is a
world-class windsurfing area, and may not be for beginners. * The beach down next to De Loose Mongoose sits next to an
excellent snorkeling area for beginners. The tiny canyons in the reef just
offshore hide dozens of types of marine wildlife, and even close to shore you'll
find shells and other ocean debris ready for the taking – free souvenirs of
your trip to paradise. Whether it's your first stop upon arriving or the last place you go while waiting for your flight home, Trellis Bay is a Tortola treasure you shouldn't miss.
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