Stacey De Luca
Google
Tortola is a lovely, verdant island which has been able to maintain its rustic charm without being over-commercialized. I recommend finding a nice rental property on the north side of the island and staying for awhile to immerse yourself in the island culture. If you arrive by cruise ship you will likely miss out on the warm, friendly people and the stunning beaches.
I should mention that the island is volcanic and quite steep, so if you have a concern about driving on fairly narrow roads with steep inclines/declines, this may not be the place for you. I might also add that the cars are US-designed*, meaning that the steering is on the left; however, they drive in the British-style on the left side of the road, making it interesting for the passenger to be seated on the yellow line and the driver on the road's edge. A curious combination.
We stayed for 10 days and didn't want to leave when our time was up. Highlights of our trip include:
- Smuggler's Bay beach and Patricia's Beach Bar (see separate review)
- Lunch at Brandywine (see separate review)
- Lunch at Marche at Trellis Bay (see separate review)
- Day trip to Virgin Gorda/The Baths (see separate review)
- The French Deli
- Relish gourmet foods
- Steakation butcher/gourmet foods
My husband and I enjoy touring around the island by day, with a lunch destination in mind, and then finding a beach spot for the afternoon. Because of the tricky road situation, we choose to stay in and cook dinner at home every night. That's where The French Deli, Relish and Steakation come into play. The local grocers (Rite-Way, One Mart and Bobby's) are OK for pantry items and some fresh goods, but tend to be very limited in anything resembling gourmet products. Also, I like to support local purveyors who are making an effort to offer quality ingredients. Remember that it is an island, so EVERYTHING has to be shipped in from somewhere or produced locally. We spoke to the guy at Relish, where some of the shelves were bare, and he explained that they had been waiting on a shipment from South Africa for several weeks. The container ship had been held up somewhere, and then when it finally arrived, it got caught up in Customs, often for a week or two. This is the kind of thing these retailers are dealing with. Makes you appreciate them even more!
The only thing that was missing for me on Tortola was a distinct British presence. In fact, Tortola is really British in name only. Other than a couple of Union Jacks flying, there were no signs that it is a British territory at all (unlike Antigua and Bermuda which both have a more distinct British feel.) Regardless, it is a special place and I look forward to returning soon!
* Oddly, the currency and the electrical outlets are also US compatible
