Caribbean (Fodor's, 2011) - Fodor's Travel Publications [28]
SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS
Dive historic wrecks and the 18-mi-long Horseshoe Reef, the world’s third-largest barrier reef, with We Be Divin (284/541–2835 | www.webedivinanegada.com) based out of the Anegada Reef Hotel. Prices for one- and two-tank dives as well as an introductory dive range from $100 to $150, and include all gear as well as refreshments.
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OTHER BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
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COOPER ISLAND
This small, hilly island on the south side of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, about 8 mi (13 km) from Road Town, Tortola, is popular with the charter-boat crowd. There are no paved roads (which doesn’t really matter, as there aren’t any cars), but you can find a beach restaurant, a casual hotel, a few houses (some are available for rent), and great snorkeling at the south end of Manchioneel Bay.
WHERE TO STAY
Fodor’s Choice | Cooper Island Beach Club.
$$ | RESORT | Once you arrive here via a complimentary ferry ride from Road Harbour Marina, Tortola, there’s nothing to do but relax, enjoy the sun and the sea, and visit with old and new friends. Pros: lots of quiet; the Caribbean as it used to be. Cons: small rooms; modest furnishings; island accessible only by ferry. | Manchioneel Bay | Box 859, Road Town, Tortola VG11106 | 284/495–9084 or 800/542–4624 | www.cooper-island.com | 12 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no phone, no TV. In-hotel: restaurant, bar, beachfront, diving, Wi-Fi | MC, V | EP.
GUANA ISLAND
Guana Island sits off Tortola’s northeast coast. Sailors often drop anchor at one of the island’s bays for a day of snorkeling and sunning. The island is a designated wildlife sanctuary, and scientists often come here to study its flora and fauna. It’s home to a back-to-nature resort that offers few activities other than relaxation. Unless you’re a hotel guest or a sailor, there’s no easy way to get here.
WHERE TO STAY
Guana Island Resort.
$$$$ | RESORT | Guana Island is a nature lover’s paradise, and it’s a good resort if you want to stroll the hillsides, snorkel around the reefs, swim at its six beaches, and still enjoy some degree of comfort. Pros: secluded feel; lovely grounds. Cons: very expensive; need boat to get here. | Guana Island | 67 Irving Place, 12th fl., New York, NY 10003 | 284/494–2354 or 800/544–8262 | www.guana.com | 15 rooms, 1 cottage, 1 2-bedroom villa, 1 3-bedroom villa | In-room: no a/c (some), no phone, no TV (some), Wi-Fi. In-hotel: restaurant, beachfront, water sports, Internet terminal, Wi-Fi | AE, MC, V | FAP.
NORMAN ISLAND
This uninhabited island is the supposed setting for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The famed caves at Treasure Point are popular with day-sailors and powerboaters. If you land ashore at the island’s main anchorage in the Bight, you can find a small beach bar and behind it a trail that winds up the hillside and reaches a peak with a fantastic view of the Sir Francis Drake Channel to the north.
Willy T.
$$ | ECLECTIC | The ship, a former Baltic trader and today a floating bar and restaurant anchored to the north of the Bight, serves lunch and dinner in a party-hearty atmosphere. Try the conch fritters for starters. For lunch and dinner, British-style fish-and-chips, West Indian roti sandwiches, and the barbecue chicken are winners. | The Bight | 284/496–8603 | Reservations essential | MC, V.
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Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI | Back
The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI | Back
Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda, BVI | Back
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVI | Back
Surfsong Villa Resort, Tortola, BVI | Back
FODOR’S BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Editors: Douglas Stallings, Eric Wechter