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The British Virgin Islands are made up of about 50 islands and islets. The four largest islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Tortola is the largest island with an area of 21 square miles. The other larger islands are Anegada at 15 square miles, Virgin Gorda at 8 square miles and Jost Van Dyke at 3 square miles. Smaller islands include Great Tobago, Peter, Cooper, Norman, Guana, Beef, Great Thatch and Marina Cay. The beaches are lovely and the water inviting. The British Virgin Islands are among the world's loveliest cruising grounds for charters and yachts. Learn More about the BVI
Tortola is the largest and most populated, around 13,000 residents, of the British islands. The island is 12 miles by 3 miles. Tourism is still fairly new in Tortola so the villages are more subdued rather than resort like. Tortola is home to the capital town of Roadtown, the seat of Government House and other administrative buildings.
JR O'Neal Botanical Gardens is a lovely garden located in the center of the city. It contains about four acres of indigenous and exotic plants.
Sage Mountain National Park - Mount Sage, at 1,780 feet, is the highest point in the British Virgin Islands. The National Park offers visitors easy hiking on well-maintained paths that overlooked beautiful vistas.
Fort Recovery is the ruins of a Dutch stronghold; the stone tower is believed to have been built by Dutch settlers.
Shore Shell Museum is a wonderful museum of seashells.
Cane Garden Bay is one of Tortola's most popular beaches. It offers you protected swimming on a beautiful white sand beach. Lined with shops, restaurants and local bars it is a great place to visit.
Virgin Gorda is the second largest of the B.V.I. It is 10 miles long and 2 miles wide. The population is around 1,400. The island's name translates into the 'fat virgin'. From a distance the island looks like a woman laying down with a protruding stomach, or so Columbus thought. The primary activities here are centered around the outdoors. The most famous attraction is the Baths.
The Baths are a unique rock formation of huge granite boulders and hidden natural pools. It is right out of a tropical dream. The baths are excellent for swimming. It is one of Virgin Gorda's most celebrated natural attractions. A stunning and popular stop for visitors.
Little Fort National Park is a 36 acre wildlife sanctuary. The Gorda Peak National Park is located at an altitude of 1,500 feet - Virgin Gorda's highest peak. See a variety of local plants, as well as enjoy scenic lookouts.
There is an old Copper mine which was mined by Cornish workers from 1838 to 1867. The chimney, boiler house, cistern and mine shaft are still present. Legend says that the Spanish worked the mines in the 1600's. Documentation reveals that the shafts were sank by the English in 1838.
Jost Van Dyke was named for a Dutch settler. About 150 people live on this 4 square mile mountainous island. The island is known for its slow pace. Music and conversation is the norm and can be found at the beach cafes. Exploring the island on foot is easy, since Jost Van Dyke has some of the best hiking trails. Jost Van Dyke represents what all the British Virgin Islands used to be.
Anegada is the most northerly and isolated of the British Virgin Islands. The population is about 250. The island is a coral and limestone atoll. The highest point is 28 feet above sea level. There are some nice beaches but little else. There are more than 500 sunken ships laying around the notorious Horseshoe Reef close to Anegada's shore. Most of the island has been declared off-limits to settlement and reserved for wildlife.
