Cane Garden Bay Beach in Tortola draws a crowd; (c) Soul Of America
Tortola Beaches
Outside of hurricane season, there’s a few things you can always count on at Tortola Beaches — powdery white sand, inviting aquamarine water and a place of perfect relaxation or high-octane water sports.
Cane Garden Bay Beach
A long and lovely curved bay that’s sheltered from heavy winds, Cane Garden Bay on Tortola’s north shore is favoured by boaters for swimming, windsurfing and other water sports. So it also attracts tourists and residents who like to watch and enjoy the activities from lively beach bars and restaurants.
Apple Bay Beach
Just over the hill from Long Bay is the surfer’s paradise of Apple Bay Beach, known for some of the tallest waves in the Caribbean. After a day of fun or relaxation, Surfside Shack’s Full Moon festivities feature a Friday night fish fry hosted by local residents under the banyon trees, or enjoy an evening of live music at one of the local hotels or restaurants.
Josiah’s Bay Beach
Located on the East End, this beach is a sunbather’s paradise with its long, wide swath of powdery sand, beach bar, and nearby guest houses and restaurants. Surfers also covet this spot, when the waves peak in winter.
Brewers Bay Beach
Once the site of sugar plantations and rum distilleries, Brewer’s Bay Beach offers spectacular distillery ruins and some of the best snorkeling in its many reefs. The beach is host to a group of returning campers every winter. It can be accessed by car from Cane Garden Bay or by boat around this Virgin Island’s eastern point.
Elizabeth Beach
One of the widest beaches on Tortola and a favored picnic spot, Elizabeth Beach, also known as Lambert Bay, offers spectacular views, fine white sand and palm groves that provide ample sunshade.
Long Bay Beach
This mile-long stretch of white sand beach is naturally ornamented with palms and sea grapes, that make perfect for romantic sunset walks. The eastern portion is lined with a resort and guest houses, while the western end offers solitude and calm swimming conditions.
Smuggler’s Cove
Like something out of 1940s pirate movie, Smuggler’s Cove is secluded, sheltered and hard-to-reach at the western-most end of Tortola. Only accessible by sea or an unpaved road that is best reached by jeep, you’ll discover warm, clear water, adventurous snorkeling and sea turtle sightings. Maybe you’ll find a pirate’s buried treasure too!
Catamaran sailing off the coast Tortola; credit BVI Tourism Board
