Side Trips

Marina Cay

Marina Cay is a private 2.4-hectare (6-acre) islet near Beef Island. It was the setting of the 1953 Robb White book Our Virgin Island, which was later filmed with Sidney Poitier and John Cassavetes. For 20 years after White's departure, the island lay uninhabited, until its hotel opened. That hotel was recently taken over by Pusser's, the famous Virgin Islands establishment.

The island is only 5 minutes by launch from Tortola's Trellis Bay, adjacent to Beef Island International Airport. The ferry running between Beef Island and Marina Cay is free of charge. There are no cars here. Nonguests are welcome to visit.

For the Island Hopper

If you'd like to island hop, seeing as many of the different British Virgins as you can in a week, your best bet is to base yourself in Tortola and take day trips from there. Tortola offers the most convenient network of planes and boats for getting from one island to another.

After a couple of days spent exploring Tortola, its beaches, and nearby accessible islets, you can either fly or take the ferry over to the second-most-intriguing island of the B.V.I., Virgin Gorda, which many visitors find even more charming than Tortola. Speedy's Fantasy (tel. 284/495-5240), a ferry service, arrives on Virgin Gorda in time to spend a day at its fabulous Baths and returns to Tortola in the evening.

On yet another day, you can set out to explore the rugged, small, and remote island of Jost Van Dyke, taking the New Horizons Ferry Service (tel. 284/495-9278) from Tortola, a 25-minute trip. Spend the day at the beach and lunch at one of the local eateries, such as Foxy's, before returning to Tortola.

The final island that merits a trip is Anegada, the most northerly of the Virgins, lying 48km (30 miles) east of Tortola. Once on the island, you can visit a bird sanctuary, indulge in uncrowded beaches, and have a lobster lunch at Cow Wreck Beach Bar & Grill. Instead of a ferry service (there isn't any), go by private boat or take a short flight with Fly BVI (tel. 284/495-1747), winging to the island from the Tortola airport.

Of course, you could spend months exploring other hidden islets and tiny islands in the B.V.I. Many of these are accessible only by a private yacht or rented boat. Don't despair if you're boatless or don't have the budget to rent a yacht -- if you've seen Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada you will have experienced the very best of the B.V.I.