Making the most of Roadtown Tortola
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Most cruise calls at Tortola use Road Town's Cruise Pier, which can handle two large ships simultaneously. Expanded in 2015, it accepts ships up to 180,000 gross tons, allowing every current cruise ship except an Oasis class ship.
At the foot of the pier is the new Tortola Pier Park cruise complex. Its 80,000 square feet includes an administration building and 50 shops and restaurants, an assembly point for land-tours and a separate pier for boat tours. Town is only a short walk away.
It is now the British Virgin Islands' most visited cruise port.
A printable map is available to take with you.
Cruise calls timetable: Roadtown.
BVI cruise schedule, including whether you are or at anchor.
The Capital of the British Virgin Islands, Road Town surrounds its harbor like an amphitheater, with buildings climbing hillsides in search of scarce land. In this tropical archipelago, the spacious, beautiful Road Town harbor is busy with island life and marine activity. Businesses, government, restaurants, hotels, charter boats, cruise ships and shops are all here. Behind its placid tropical exterior, Road Town is an international city at the crossroads of an ongoing Caribbean maritime culture of upscale tourism and offshore finance.
Of the BVIs’ 23,500 citizens, about 80% live and work on Tortola.
In Main St's heart, HM Prison has stark whiterubble walls dating to the 18th century; the fortress remains a working jail.
Getting around
A readily available taxi 'tour' is another way to see the island. Taxis abound on Tortola; with a legitimate taxi association driver, fares generally let you go anywhere you want for less than renting a car. Thoroughly confirm the fare charge before entering the taxi.
Apple Bay, Brewer's Bay, Elizabeth Beach, Josiah's Bay Beach, Long Bay Beach and Smuggler's Cove are secluded, palm-shaded beaches for excellent swimming and snorkeling. Many well-equipped facilities also offer fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving and more.
Nearby places
Many ferries near the cruise dock make visiting the other "Virgins" easy, i.e The Baths on Virgin Gorda, also in the British Virgin Islands. The trip takes about 25 minutes.
On Tortola's north shore, Cane Garden Bay is a long, lovely curved bay sheltered from heavy winds and favoured by boaters as an anchorage. Tourists and BVI residents enjoy swimming, windsurfing and other water sports, plus the lively beachfront bars and restaurants.
Food and shopping
Cruise ship visitors wanting to stretch their "shopping" legs ashore can browse the shops on Wickham's Cay.
Quaint Main Street is the best shopping location; head across Waterfront Drive towards the nearest hillsides.
On the Waterfront, Crafts Alive Marketplace is a collection of gaily coloured tents. It sells some of the batiks and tourist trinkets found in marketplaces on other Caribbean islands, but has a handful of genuinely interesting stalls.
Money
Currency: U.S. Dollar.
Staying connected
English is spoken, though Caribbean patois is common.