By plane -- On Tortola’s eastern end is Beef Island, the site of the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport, the main airport for all of the British Virgin Islands. This tiny island is connected to Tortola by the one-lane Queen Elizabeth Bridge.

Both Hertz (tel 800/654-3131 in the U.S., or 284/495-4405 on Tortola; www.hertz.com) and National (tel 284/494-3197; www.nationalcar.com) have locations at the airport.

Taxis, taxi vans, and multi-passenger safari buses meet every arriving flight. The fare from the Beef Island airport to Road Town is $15 for one to three passengers.

By ferry -- Many people arrive by air into St. Thomas and ferry over on one of the many public (and private) ferries traveling between the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

By cruise ship -- Tortola recorded nearly 400,000 cruise passengers arriving in Road Harbour in 2012. Its pier in Road Town has the capacity to host two large cruise ships at a time; other cruise ships anchor just outside the harbor and tender in.

As we went to press, cruise ships scheduling stops in Road Harbour included Regent Seven Seas (Windstar); Costa Cruise Lines (Costa Magica); Crystal; Celebrity; Royal Caribbean (Jewel of the Seas); Cunard; Holland America; Silver Seas (Silver Spirit); and P&O Cruises (Arcadia).

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.