Driving through the Hillsides: Tortola, British Virgin Islands
It was 5:00 o’clock on a Saturday morning, when I was awaken by the ringing sounds coming from my telephone. I answered and a warm, kind and friendly voice was on the other end. The conversation was detailed and brief.
However, by the time it was over, I was excited, thrilled and definitely wide awake. Just like that, I was spontaneously invited to visit and go on a Land Tour of Tortola, British Virgin Islands!
After I bought my ticket, I boarded the ferry that took me from St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands to Tortola. The trip was approximately one hour. As a result of the long lines, it took an additional 30 minutes to be cleared through Customs and Immigration.
Tortola was a beauty. There were steep lush green hillsides, beautiful scenic views and pristine beaches. My first stop was Road Town, the capitol of the British Virgin Islands.
Road Town is located on the center of Tortola’s south coast and it is a tourist district. The town is small, busy and has a lot of stores to shop from. It is well known as a hub for yacht chartering and most of them are docked on the premises of popular hotels. It is common to leave a yacht and walk right into a bar or restaurant.
In addition to hotels, there were banks, government offices , churches, coffee shops and much more. After walking around Road Town, I was on my way to the Sky World Lookout.
It sure was windy up there. However, the views were fantastic. Although, it was a bit hazy due to the rainy weather, I was still able to see St. John, Jost Van Dyke and other neighboring islands. My next stop was Cane Garden Bay, Tortola.
Cane Garden Bay was a great place to relax or go for a swim. The sand was soft and smooth and the sun shined brilliantly over it.There were countless eateries and souvenir shops that lined the Bay. There were also chairs with umbrellas that could be rented for $5.00.
The ocean water was aqua blue and crystal clear. Outside the swim guard lines, there were beautiful sailboats. Cane Garden Bay was very picturesque.
My last stop was Stout’s Lookout at Windy Hill, Tortola. There was a beautiful view of the Cane Garden Bay and other neighboring islands. There was also one restaurant with panoramic views of the hilly location. The name Windy Hill, certainly lives up to it’s name because the sea breeze was constantly blowing and it kept the area very cool.
If you are going to travel to the British Virgin Islands, there are a few things that you may need to know. A round trip ticket from St. Thomas to Tortola cost $70.00 and with some ferries it can cost $90.00. You will need to travel with a passport. Make sure that you are aware of the ferry schedule and be there at least 20-30 minutes prior to boarding. Lastly, the Departure Tax to leave Tortola cost $15.00 for residents and $20.00 for visitors.
As I stood there on Windy Hill basking in the sun, I couldn’t help but think that taking that call that woke me up was well worth it.
The Land Tour of Tortola, British Virgin Islands was awesome!
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I enjoyed this post Africah. The descriptions are great I specifically enjoyed this line .. “Tortola was a beauty. There were steep lush green hillsides, beautiful scenic views and pristine beaches”.. I’d like to visit Tortola someday
I enjoyed this blog post.. You’re an insightful writer. This was a great read.. another getaway spot being added on to my list
I truly enjoyed this post. Tortola sounds beautiful and the weather sounds just right. I enjoy relaxing at the beach so this line in particular, “Cane Garden Bay was a great place to relax or go for a swim. The sand was soft and smooth and the sun shined brilliantly over it”, caught my attention. I’ve been to Tortola many years ago with my parents so I vaguely remember my experience, but this blog post makes me want to visit all over again to recapture the experience.
This place seems awesome .. Deff better than cold NYC. Wish I was there relaxing in the sun.
This place seems awesome. It sure is better than cold NYC.
This was a great read. Truly enjoyed it.. if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have known about Tortola.. thanks for informing. 🙂
This blog post was a nice read, I’m from Long Island and it’s currently cold over here. However, reading this post brought some warmth to my heart as I imagined myself being physically there enjoying the rays of the sun beaming causing me to tan lol and swimming in the blue ,clean, clear and refreshing beach water.
Just like all of your blog post this was another good read that I enjoyed. Where I live it’s pretty cold .. I know it’ll warm up soon.. but traveling with you and reading your blog posts makes it feel like summer all year round lol so I think thats awesome. I’m sure Tortola is just as spontaneous as you’ve explained.
Hi Africah, this post was great, I live in St. Thomas but I have a few family members that reside in Tortola …and it’s just as lovely as you described and the weather is great! Stay awesome Africah.. you’re very inspiring
Hey Africah, my wife and I really adore you and together we agreed that this post is amazing, Tortola is now on our list of places to visit really soon. Continue to be awesome, insightful, and inspiring!
Tortola sounds beautiful and your smile in that picture is gorgeous and the background looks bright. Great Post!
Tortola sounds fascinating..sounds like a great place to visit, relax and soak up the sun.
Never been to Tortola before but would love to visit one day…. your descriptions are great. This place sounds marvelous. I hope when I do visit I have just as much of an awesome time as you did.
Hello Africah, this post deff captured my attention.. the pictures are great because the background looks bright and the grass looks like a rich colored green.. over here where I live in Westchester, NY.. it’s still cold and the ground is still covered with snow. Also the very descriptive words you’ve used in this post lets me know this place is warm & incredible.
WOW! This place sounds great, wish I was there at the moment. I appreciate all of your posts you offer a great deal of places people should consider visiting someday & Tortola is one of them. Lovely Post!
I enjoyed this post sooooo much that I read it over 5 times while enjoying my breakfast. The warm feeling you bring about in your posts are just great especially for those who live in cold areas!!
ONE WORD FOR THIS BLOG POST… AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up Africah, you’re truly an inspiration to many.
I enjoy writing in my journal everyday and every time I read one of your post I include something I’ve learned… & today after reading this post I’ve learned how beautiful Tortola is and the warmth in the air and the gorgeous view seems incredible. Also, I’m sure many would agree your beautiful face and great smile adds to the beauty and awesomeness of it all.
This was great read.. i really enjoyed it… Tortola looks like a great place to visit
Great Post really enjoyed it
This Was a fun post to read because I always enjoy learning about other places around the world especially the ones I’ve never been too like Tortola..this place sounds exciting
This post is exciting Tortola sounds like a great vacation spot and the view sounds astonishing
This was a fun read .. I haven’t been to much places but I recently decided to do some vacationing with friends this is going on the list
I enjoyed reading thus blog post as I always do … Keep informing all your readers … Tortola sounds great!!
Africah this post was great very informative couldn’t have asked for anything better ..
Awesome post .. Keep it Up
Tortola is truly amazing as you described it and best of all it is surrounded by other islands and islets and cays which creates an adventure for those on charter boats to explore or to enjoy a private space for a day while out sailing in crystal clear waters you can see your toes and the sand. It is a must place to visit as the weather is always warm and hot with a nice touch of cool breeze from the sea that surrounds each island.