The British Virgin Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the Caribbean. The British Virgin Islands are located just 100 kilometers east of Puerto Rico. They consist of 36 islands, 16 of which are inhabited. They all lie on a relatively flat, underwater bank that rises almost 60m below sea level. Except for Anegada, all the islands are of volcanic origin. The highest point on the islands is Mount Sage on Tortola at 521 meters. The Sir Francis Drake Channel runs right between the islands, a waterway 6 to 7 km wide and only 10 to 20 m deep.
The British Virgin Islands consist of 36 islands, 16
of which are inhabited. The four largest are:
Anegada
Jost Van
Dyke
Tortola - main island with the capital Road Town
Virgin Gorda
With 8,600 inhabitants, the capital Road Town on Tortola is also the largest city in the British Virgin Islands. The second largest city is Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda with around 2,000 inhabitants.
Beef Island
Cooper Island
The island has a north-south extension of 4.5 km, is
between 200 and 1,400 m wide, 150 m high and separated from Beef Island
by a 900 m wide channel. In the southeast in Cam Bay there are a few
jetties and very little beach, but it is protected by reefs and popular
with divers.
Part of Cam Bay and its saltwater lagoon is the
youngest national park in the archipelago. Anyone who wants to anchor
there needs a permit from the National Park Authority.
In the
west of the island lies the former Indigo Plantation. The land has been
divided up. There are 17 houses, a tennis court and a small harbor.
There is no hotel, restaurant or shop on the island.
Directly
southwest of Great Camanoe lies the much smaller, uninhabited island of
Little Camanoe.
This 340 hectare, irregularly shaped island is
privately owned. it is just over 3km long, with a narrow gooseneck in
the north. The south is 1.8km wide and 246m high. It lies about 1.5km
off the northeast tip of Tortola. The entire island is a landscape and
nature reserve. There is a supernaturally large number of Caribbean
plants and animals there. These include 14 species of reptiles and about
50 species of birds. Even the endangered Anegada Rock Iguana is
represented there.
In the 18th century, a Quaker family settled
there and grew sugar cane. The descendants were married and then left
the island until it was uninhabited. In the 1930s, a couple named
Bigelow bought the island and built a clubhouse for guests. After their
death, Dr. Henry Jarecki bought the island in 1975. In the following
years, several luxurious guest cottages were built. Hotel guests can
explore the island on 14 different hiking trails.
North Bay and
White Bay have the most beautiful of the seven beaches, and are also
where the hotel complexes are located. Uninvited guests are not welcome.
The island can only be reached by water taxi.
Beaches:
White Bay, on the southwest side of the island. Has a long, white sandy
beach.
Accommodation:
Guana Island Club. Tel.: 494-2354,
495-9786, Fax: 495-2900. 15 cottages, restaurant for hotel guests only,
beach bar, 2 tennis courts, hiking trails, 7 beaches, kayaks, sailing,
diving, water skiing. Feature: ★★★★. Price: Prices In summer: double
room US$ 695; in winter: double room US$ 1,025 - 1,250. Rental prices
include breakfast. Lunch and dinner, soft drinks and evening wine, plus
17% tax.
This 22 hectare island off the southwest coast of
Tortola is privately owned and can be rented in its entirety. The manor
house is on a hill, and the guest cottage for 2 people is right on the
beach. The small island has its own helipad and a jetty. The powerboat
belonging to the complex is available to guests for fishing, diving and
excursions. The island also offers a large pool, kayaks, sailboats,
diving equipment, bicycles, table tennis, badminton and volleyball
facilities. Guests with sailboats who are not renting are not welcome.
Just a few hundred meters northwest of Little Thatch Island lies
Great Thatch Island. It is uninhabited.
This 50 hectare island on the North Sound, north of
Virgin Gorda, is privately owned by Sir Richard Branson. It is about
1,150 meters long, a maximum of 500 meters wide and 77 meters high. The
hotel is located on a large sandy beach on the south coast. The name
goes back to the Misquito Indians, traces of whom have been found on the
island. If you are in the region without your own boat, you can be
picked up from Gun Creek. If you are coming by boat, please note that
the jetty is reserved for hotel guests. There are currently plans for a
larger hotel complex. The hotel on the island is currently closed.
Restaurant:
Drake's Anchorage. Tel.: 494-2254. French/West
Indian, expensive, the restaurant is closed from July to September!
This oval 30 hectare island off the north coast of
Virgin Gorda is privately owned. It is 740m long, 500m wide and up to
32m high. The originally uninhabited island was developed into the
luxury property it is today by the English multimillionaire Sir Richard
Branson, co-owner of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Records. Around
30 employees look after the guests. The island can only be rented as a
whole. The boat transfer from Beef Island takes about 40 minutes.
Uninvited guests are not welcome.
Necker Island Ltd.. Tel.:
494-2757, Fax: 494-4396. Guest houses for a maximum of 26 people. 2
floodlit tennis courts, gym, helipad, boat rentals, fishing, beach,
kayaks, sailing, surfing, diving, water skiing. Price: In summer:
€14,000 - €22,500; in winter: €15,000 - €27,000, minimum 4 nights.
This southernmost of the British Virgin Islands is also known as
Treasure Island. It is said to resemble Stevenson's Treasure Island,
although it cannot be in terms of its location. There are said to have
been great treasures in the caves on the island. A letter from 1750
states that the treasures captured from the "Nuestra Senora", worth
$450,000, were recovered there. Today it is a popular anchorage for
sailors. For this reason, there is the Billy Bones Restaurant and the
Willy T. Floating Restaurant as well as 2 bars. A national park has been
established to protect the environment. It was extended to the
northwestern offshore islands of Pelican Island and The Indians and
covers 4 hectares of land and 364 hectares of water.
Boat
connection
Norman Island Ferry. Tel.: 494-0406. There is a boat
connection to The Bight from the Pirates Bight Restaurant. Departures on
request.
Shopping
Pirate's Plunder Gift Shop, c/o Billy Bones.
Pirates Bight Bar & Restaurant, on the beach. Tel.: 496-7827.
International. Open: daily 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m.
Price: Lunch prices: Caesar salad $14, burger $14, Bar-Be-Que ribs $14,
sandwich $14, fish & chips $16, evening prices: 1/2 chicken $28, tuna
steak $31, beef steak $35.
William Thornton -Willy T, Floating Bar &
Restaurant, The Bight. Tel.: 494-0183, 496-8603, fax: 494-6543. West
Indian. Open: daily from 11:30 a.m.
The 2.7 km² island is now privately owned by JVA Enterprises,
Michigan, USA. It has the shape of two almost right-angled legs. Its
west-east extension is almost 5 km, its north-south extension 3.5 km.
The highest elevation is Eagle's Nest at 164 m. In the northeast at
Sprat Bay there is a hotel and a marina. There are sandy beaches at
Deadman's Bay and White Bay.
At the end of the 17th century,
German slave traders from Brandenburg settled on the island. Before they
could fortify the island more strongly, they were expelled by the
governor Colonel Codrington. Danish planters from the island of Tortola
subsequently grew sugar cane and then cotton until the end of slavery.
In 1855, Methodists built a charcoal factory at Little Harbour Bay, the
remains of which have been preserved to this day. In 1916, a hurricane
destroyed all the buildings on the island. Four years later, there were
some tobacco plantations there. In the early 1930s, retired English
diplomat John Brudenell-Bruce built a large house, which he and his
family lived in for around 20 years. Then the family moved to Tortola,
where the company "Little Denmark" was founded. In the late 1960s,
Norwegian millionaire Peter Smedwig built some guest houses and the
marina with clubhouse. He ran the property for around 10 years until his
death. Two entrepreneurs from Michigan then bought the whole island.
Off the island is the 320-hectare Rhone Marine Park to protect the
shipwreck. The national park also extends to the 13.6-hectare island of
Dead Chest.
Boat connection:
Peter Island Ferry, Peter Island
Ferry Dock, Road Town. Tel.: 495-2000. A ferry for restaurant guests
runs between Road Town and Peter Island Resort. Departures from Road
Town daily at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; departures
from Peter Island at 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
Marina:
Peter Island Yacht Harbour, Sprat Bay. Tel.: 495-2000,
Fax: 495-2500. VHF: Channel 16. 23 berths, including 3 for mega yachts,
hotel restaurant, showers, ice, electricity, fuel, water.
Diving:
Paradise Watersports. Tel.: 495-9941, Fax: 495-2500.
Shopping:
Peter Island Resort. Boutique, souvenirs.
Restaurants:
Tradewinds, Peter Island Resort. Tel.: 495-2000. International,
expensive.
Restaurants:
Lazy Iguana Beach Club. Tel.:
494-2449. West Indian.
Accommodation:
Peter Island Resort.
Tel.: 495-2000, Fax: 495-2500. 54 rooms, 1 villa, restaurant, bars,
pool, 4 tennis courts - 2 of which are floodlit, gym, souvenir shop,
bike rental, 5 beaches, kayaks, sailing, surfing, diving. Feature:
★★★★★. Price: In summer: double room from US$540; in winter: double room
from US$865.
Scrub Island is located northeast of Tortola and Beef Island. The
long, narrow island is around 2.5 km long and a maximum of 800 m wide.
Part of the island has been divided up and residential buildings are
currently being built there. For the further development of the island,
a hotel with a marina belonging to the Mainsail Resort group is planned,
under construction and completed. In order to preserve the naturalness
of the island, it is planned that even in the final development phase of
the hotel there will never be more than 200 people on the island at any
one time.
Scrub Island Ferry. Scrub Island Ferry, departures from
Beef Island, North Sound Dock: every hour every day between 7:00 a.m.
and 11:00 p.m.; departures from Scrub Island: every hour every day
between 7:45 a.m. and 10:45 p.m.
Mainsail Development. Tel.:
849-4104, 440-3440 (reservation phone), fax: 433-5132. 10 villas and 26
suites, opened in April 2010. Caravela Restaurant, Tierra Tierra
Restaurant by the pool, One Shoe Beach Bar & Grill; pool with waterfall
and bar; fitness center, wellness center, mini market, 2 tennis courts;
marina with 53 berths.
Donovan's Reef, on the beach. Tel.: 495-2508,
Mobile: 499-1825. International. Open: Mon - Thu 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.,
Fri - Sat 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
The first inhabitants of the islands here were probably Ciboney
Indians from the North American mainland around 2000 BC. They were
followed around 100 AD by Igneri Indians from the Arawak tribe from the
north of South America. The second wave of Arawaks came around 1300, the
Taino Indians. They were overrun by the warlike Carib Indians, the men
were killed and the women were taken into the tribe.
On his
second voyage, Christopher Columbus discovered the chain of islands and
named them after Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. It was not until
1555 that the Spanish King Charles V gave the order to occupy the
islands and exterminate all the Indians there. For the Spanish, these
small islands soon became as useless as Aruba and Bonaire in the very
south of the Caribbean. So the islands remained without permanent
residents for the next hundred years.
Between 1585 and 1595, Sir
Francis Drake sailed between the islands several times. On his last
voyage, he assembled his fleet off Virgin Gorda to attack the Spanish
bases on the island of San Juan from there. In addition to Francis
Drake, several pirates and privateers also used the many islands and
bays as hiding places during these decades, and some islands were named
after them. Norman Island was named after a French pirate, and the
Thatch Islands were named after Edward Thatch or Teach, who was better
known as Blackbeard.
From 1628, the English laid claim to the
archipelago. The first settlers to arrive on the island of St. Croix
were the Dutch in 1643, and in 1648 they also landed at Soper's Hole on
Tortola. In 1672, Denmark began settling St. Thomas and St. John. In the
same year, a group of Dutch sought protection from the governor of the
Leeward Islands, Colonel William Stapleton, against further attacks on
the islands. The English immediately seized the entire archipelago and
declared it English property. In 1680, a peaceful agreement was reached
to divide the archipelago. The western archipelago with Saint Croix,
Saint John and Saint Thomas remained in Danish possession, while the
eastern archipelago became British. In 1917, the Danes sold their
islands to America, and since then they have been the American Virgin
Islands.
In the middle of the 17th century, differences of
opinion arose in England over freedom of thought and belief. The radical
group of these freethinkers formed the "Society of Friends", also
commonly known as Quakers. Many of them were persecuted for their views
and emigrated to America. One of their most famous was William Penn, who
went to Pennsylvania. In 1655, the first Quakers came to Barbados, in
1727 they founded colonies in Tortola and Virgin Gorda, and another was
established on the island of Jost Van Dyke. One of their cemeteries can
still be found on Tortola today.
The islanders planted fields and
grew cotton, indigo, ginger and sugar cane. From the beginning of all
written records, it is reported that law and order were not respected on
the islands. Pirates were often in the waters. Due to the poor quality
of the soil and high taxes, illegal trade was carried out with the
French and Spanish.
In 1717, the first census showed 195 whites
and 175 coloureds. In 1720, there were already 1,122 whites and 1,509
coloureds.
Around 1750, around 1,200 whites and 6,000 coloureds
lived on the British Virgin Islands.
In 1805, 1,300 whites and
9,220 coloureds lived on the islands.
Around a hundred years
later, in 1901, only 2 whites and 4,906 coloureds lived there.
By
1946, the number of residents had increased slightly to 40 whites and
6,468 coloureds.
The abolition of slavery in 1834 led to the
liberation of over 5,000 African slaves and further impoverishment of
the population. This led to further unrest and an incompetent
government. It is therefore not surprising that the anger of the
residents culminated in a tax revolt in 1853. The poor economic
situation caused all whites to leave the archipelago, and the plantation
system collapsed. A redistribution of land ownership was the result. The
abandoned land was bought up for little money by the remaining coloured
people or simply occupied. There was an economic and political
standstill until the end of the century. It took that long for the
government in London to take action. The Federation of the Leeward
Islands, the alliance of states of the Windward Islands, was formed as
early as 1872, and the British Virgin Islands were part of it. In 1902
the island administration was abolished and the Federation of the
Leeward Islands took over central administration. The Virgin Islands
were given a governor who was permanently present on the island and
implemented political instructions from London on site. At the same
time, the English school system was introduced. Until the end of the
Second World War, however, development in the Virgin Islands lagged far
behind the other British colonies in the Caribbean. The end of the war
led to a strong economic boom in the US Virgin Islands, which provided
jobs for many residents of Tortola on the neighboring American islands.
At the same time, the age of tourism began and many visitors to the US
Virgin Islands also visited their British neighbors. As a result, the
system of Leeward Islands administration was called into question. As
early as 1950, the Virgin Islands were given more say in the
administration, and in 1956 the Leeward Islands administration was
abolished. In 1958, the islands voted against joining the West Indies
Federation, instead seeking closer economic ties with the US Virgin
Islands and thus with the USA. During the 1960s, the colonial
authorities in London carried out several studies. They led to the
conclusion that the Virgin Islands should be given more financial
support and that tourism should be made the leading economic factor. The
islands were then given a new constitution in 1967 with extensive
self-government.
The most important economic factor today is
financial services. Officially, around 500,000 companies and over 1,000
ships are registered on the islands. Tourism is also important, with
over 300,000 tourists per year. At the end of 2000, around 400,000
letterbox companies were registered on the islands.
The first settlers recognized the benefits of soapwort, which the
English called the soapberry tree. Saponin is extracted from the small,
yellow fruits and roots. Mixed with water, it dissolves grease and dirt
from laundry. The dried seeds were used to make necklaces and buttons.
In addition, all typical tropical plants can be found on the Virgin
Islands, from sea grapes on the beach to various types of palm trees,
frangipani, hibiscus and 30 types of wild orchids. In many home gardens
you can find mango and papaya trees, breadfruit trees and tamarinds, as
well as tall, shade-giving kapok trees. Because of the poor soil and low
rainfall, cacti such as Turk's cap and barrel cactus as well as aloe can
be found everywhere on the islands.
The animal world is also
similar to that of other islands. There you can find hummingbirds and
pigeons, ducks, herons and gulls, frigate birds and the gray pelican.
The bananaquit or "yellow bird" is the national bird of the islands.
The pink flamingo has been reintroduced to the small island of Guana
Island.
Apart from a few feral donkeys, horses, cows and
mongoose, there are no wild mammals on the islands. Instead, you can
often find lizards, frogs and, very rarely, iguanas. In the evenings,
you can see various types of bats. The endangered species here also
include sea turtles and, on the island of Anegada, the "rock iguana".
Since there is relatively little rainfall and a constant wind always
blows, the mosquito plague is not a real plague. Various types of
butterflies can be found on the islands.
In the coastal waters
you can find sea turtles and passing whales as well as over 200
different species of fish, various mussels and also lobsters.
In the past, more land was cultivated than today. The agricultural
goods grown were enough to supply the island's population, and some of
them could even be exported. Today, less than a third of the food is
produced domestically. The vegetables on the local markets are only
available seasonally and are sometimes expensive. Even the cultivation
of sugar cane has been stopped and sugar cane has to be bought from the
island of San Juan for rum production.
Caribbean Corner Spice
Factory, Fish Bay Factory, Fish Bay and Crafts Alive Village, Road Town,
Tortola. This factory gets its rum from Arundel. It is mixed with spices
and sold as Arundel Spiced Rum with 43% alcohol.
In August 1740,
Admiral Edward Vernon ordered the British Navy to give each sailor on
board a daily ration of rum, and this was done until 1970. Since then,
pursers have bought their rum rations in the ports. The name purser
became popularly known as "pusser". In 1979, in return for a generous
donation to the Royal Navy pension fund, Charles Tobias was given
permission to produce rum based on this old naval protocol. Since then,
47% rum has been bottled in Tortola under the brand name Pusser's Navy
Rum.
Since 1991, a Tortola Spiced Rum based on Arundel Rum has
been bottled at Brewer's Bay on Tortola. Foxy's Tamarind Bar is located
in Green Harbour on the island of Jost Van Dyke. Foxy's Fire Water, a
rum from the Caroni Distillery in Trinidad with 43% alcohol, is mixed
there under a private brand name. Silver Fox can be bought at the same
place. This rum comes from the same distillery and is already bottled
there.
43% rum from Antigua is supplied to several companies on
the islands, which use it to bottle their own rum: Fine Gold Rum, The
Last Resort, Trellis Bay; Fine Gold Rum, The Bitter End Yacht Club,
Virgin Gorda.
The islands are a British crown colony. Since the new constitution came into force in 1967, the island administration has been headed by a governor as the Queen's representative. Since April 2006, this has been His Excellency David Pearey. He has direct influence on the military, foreign affairs, internal security and the public service. He heads the administration and is the highest judge. He chairs the Executive Council, which includes the First Minister, the Attorney General and three other ministers. The island parliament has 15 members, 13 are elected every four years, the other two are the Speaker and the Attorney General.
Some of the drinking water comes from deep wells, then it is filtered and chlorinated, and there are also seawater desalination plants in Road Town, West End and Virgin Gorda. The first two plants of this type were put into operation on Virgin Gorda in February 1994. Previously there was no tap water there. In addition, you can buy spring water from the brand “Natural Spring Water” in the supermarkets.
All Europeans, except citizens of the non-EU countries of former
Yugoslavia and Albania, can enter for up to six months without a visa.
One month is usually granted upon arrival, and extensions must be shown
to have sufficient funds.
By plane
The islands' main airport
is Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, nine kilometers east of
Road Town. There is no direct connection to Europe. American Eagle and
Cape Air fly to the airport from San Juan on Puerto Rico, Winair from
Sint Maarten and LIAT from Antigua and St. Maarten.
Other
airports are located on the islands of Anegada and Virgin Gorda.
By ship
There are regular ferry connections between Road Town and the
US Virgin Islands. The crossing takes 45 minutes.
There is a
relatively dense network of shipping connections within the British
Virgin Islands.
New Horizon Ferry. Tel.: 495-9278. Runs daily
between West End, Tortola, and Jost Van Dyke Island.
North Sound
Express. Tel.: 495-2138. Runs daily between Beef Island and Virgin
Gorda, calling at the piers of Bitter End, Leverick Bay, and The Valley.
Road Town Fast Ferry. Tel.: 495-2323. Runs Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays between the islands of Anegada, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda.
Smith's Ferry Service. Tel.: 495-4495. Runs three to five times a day
between Tortola and Virgin Gorda.
Speedy's Ferry. Tel.: 495-5240.
Runs up to six times a day between Tortola and Virgin Gorda.
Norman
Island Ferry. Tel.: 494-0093. Runs as needed between Hannah Bay near
Nanny Cay, Tortola, and Norman Island.
Peter Island Ferry. Tel.:
495-2000. Runs four scheduled trips between the Peter Island Pier in
Road Town and Peter Island.
Marina Cay Ferry. Tel.: 494-2174. Runs
seven scheduled trips daily between Beef Island and Marina Cay.
Scrub
Island Ferry. Tel.: 440-3440. Runs hourly between Beef Island and Scrub
Island.
Bitter End Ferry. Tel.: 494-2746. Connects Gun Creek to the
Bitter End Hotel, departs every hour daily.
Saba Rock Ferry. Tel.:
495-7711. Connects Gun Creek to Saba Rock.
Car: The road network on the main island of Tortola is well
developed, although very winding. In the capital, Road Town, a
multi-lane highway runs along the coast. There are car rental companies
on several of the larger islands.
Attention - left-hand traffic!
Anyone who wants to drive a car on the British Virgin Islands needs a
national driving license. By presenting your own or international
driving license, you can obtain a restricted driving license from car
rental companies or the Traffic Licensing Office; the price is currently
US$10. The maximum speed in towns is 20 miles (32 km/h), outside of
towns you must not drive faster than 40 miles (64 km/h) per hour.
Airplane: There are regular connections with small aircraft between
the islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
Ship: There are
ferry connections between all 36 inhabited islands, although some of
them are not regularly served. Various types of boats can also be
rented, for example from Windward Islands.
The official language and language of communication is English.
Although the islands are a British overseas territory, their official
currency is the US dollar. There are no major shopping centers on the
islands. In the center of Road Town there are a number of smaller shops.
On the other islands there are only a few souvenir shops and
supermarkets.
Carina Collection, coral jewelry
Figurines made
of coral limestone
Woven baskets and bags
Spices
Pusser's Rum,
bottle 9.95 US $
Silk paintings
About two thirds of all island restaurants offer the same basic
dishes: fried chicken, conch shells, fish and lobster.
Many
Creole-style fish dishes are served with a West Indian sauce made from
tomatoes, onions and garlic.
The island cuisine offers steak in rum
sauce or chicken with coconut flakes.
Tannia is not a girl's name but
a local type of sweet potato. Roti, Indian flatbread filled with chicken
or curry goulash, is available everywhere. Another national dish is
patties, fried pies filled with heavily spiced beef, lobster or fish.
For dessert, you should definitely try mango ice cream.
There are a large number of pubs, bars and clubs in Road Town.
The range of hotels on the islands is not very extensive, and there are no overly large all-inclusive resorts. However, the overnight prices are generally hardly affordable.
H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), Paraquita Bay Campus, Tel. 494-4994, Fax 494-4996. This educational institution is part of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of the Virgin Islands.
The Virgin Islands have one of the lowest crime rates in the entire Caribbean. The government is doing everything it can to keep it that way in the future.
There is a hospital in Road Town and smaller medical centers on Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
The climate in the British Virgin Islands is subtropical with an annual rainfall of 1,150 millimeters. Due to their geographical location, the islands are occasionally affected by hurricanes between June and November. Hurricanes "Hugo", "Luis" and "Marylin" caused great damage to the islands in the 1990s.