Tour Recommendations...

I am looking for recommendations that do not include beach time (shocking isn't it.:eek::D)

This will be our first time in Tortola but we are from a place that has lots of sea, sand and sun so we are not interested in that aspect of the island.

We are hoping to take in an island tour that allows us to the see the places of interest and historic sites of the island. Maybe walk around town a bit and browse the shops ( this is for the wife).

Any ideas our tour operators anyone can suggest will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

There will be plenty of taxi drivers at the dock if you just want an island tour. $20, for a nice tour.

Barbados is 8 times the size of Tortola, so you can see much of the island in a short time.

THe Caribee spice shop & Pussers pub are good stops in Roadtown.

Happy Cruising.

There will be plenty of taxi drivers at the dock if you just want an island tour. $20, for a nice tour.

Barbados is 8 times the size of Tortola, so you can see much of the island in a short time.

THe Caribee spice shop & Pussers pub are good stops in Roadtown.

 

Happy Cruising.

Thanks Harp.

Wow...:eek: if Tortola is that small I probably may not need a taxi...I could probably walk.:D

Is Roadtown the capital?

Keep the suggestions coming guys.

Thanks Harp.

 

Wow...:eek: if Tortola is that small I probably may not need a taxi...I could probably walk.:D

 

Is Roadtown the capital?

 

Keep the suggestions coming guys.

Yes Roadtown is the capital where the new dock complex is. I lived in St Thomas many years ago & would go Tortola on occasion. It really is that small, I checked the areas of both islands, but Tortola is very hilly.

You might also take a ferry to VIrgin Gorda & take a tour of that island, including a stop at the Baths. The ferry is a short walk from the dock.

http://www.bvitourism.com/inter-island-ferries

Speedy's also offers atour of Virgin Gorda.

The Baths are beach like , but a pretty unique area.

Since I'm returning to the Virgin Islands for the first time in many years, I've been checking things out myself. I'll look for advice from you if we head to Barbados:)

Cindy

Yes Roadtown is the capital where the new dock complex is. I lived in St Thomas many years ago & would go Tortola on occasion. It really is that small, I checked the areas of both islands, but Tortola is very hilly.

 

You might also take a ferry to VIrgin Gorda & take a tour of that island, including a stop at the Baths. The ferry is a short walk from the dock.

http://www.bvitourism.com/inter-island-ferries

Speedy's also offers atour of Virgin Gorda.

 

The Baths are beach like , but a pretty unique area.

 

Since I'm returning to the Virgin Islands for the first time in many years, I've been checking things out myself. I'll look for advice from you if we head to Barbados:)

Cindy

Thanks for the info Cindy. It is great information.[emoji106] I would be more than happy to provide you with any info you need on Barbados.

Thanks again.

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Yes you wil find several drivers at the new port offering a variety of tours. They will include the oldest operating rum distillery in the Carib and other interesting places. Also some fantastic photo ops. Consider getting dropped at the Bananakeet for lunch with an amazing view of the islands and Carrot, Apple, and Long Bays. Or you can have an English-style lunch at Pusser's Pub in RT. we also love shopping for clothes at Pusser's when we drive into RT. If you stroll the shops by the cruise terminal be sure to hit Sunny Caribbee, a great little spice and rub shop. If you need refills later they also have a website.

Enjoy beautiful Tortola and the wonderful people there!

Sorry I just saw your post on Sunny Caribbee and PP Cindy, guess we like the same things!

Bajan Keith the tours with the very low rates are group tours and are great. These are the open-sided Safari truck taxis that hold between 6 and 30 ppl, the larger taxis generally herd the masses to Cane Garden Bay while the small and mid-size provide the tours.

If you decide to take a private tour for a more personal experience a great option would be stopping at the French deli (labaguette dotcom) at Wickhams Cay II and picking up a very nice baguette sub and a bottle or wine or whatever you like and having the driver choose a hilltop spot for a nice lunch with one of those magnificent views. We have some favorite spots and the driver will too, of course. The imported meats and cheeses at la baguette are delicious and what a nice lunch with a view.

As Cindy mentioned Tortola is a steep, mountainous island which offers exquisite bay and island views. Definitely one of those islands which deserve a tour to experience the beauty. We've toured Barbados and since that is relatively flat in comparison taking a tour of Tortola is an excellent idea for you, whether with a group or on your own.

Yes you wil find several drivers at the new port offering a variety of tours. They will include the oldest operating rum distillery in the Carib and other interesting places. Also some fantastic photo ops. Consider getting dropped at the Bananakeet for lunch with an amazing view of the islands and Carrot, Apple, and Long Bays. Or you can have an English-style lunch at Pusser's Pub in RT. we also love shopping for clothes at Pusser's when we drive into RT. If you stroll the shops by the cruise terminal be sure to hit Sunny Caribbee, a great little spice and rub shop. If you need refills later they also have a website.

Enjoy beautiful Tortola and the wonderful people there!

Thanks for the tips blue. The English style lunch certainly sounds like a good idea and I am positive my wife would not mind doing some shopping either.:p We also like to purchase local spices and sauces so everything sounds great.

All these are within walking distance of each other?

Sorry I just saw your post on Sunny Caribbee and PP Cindy, guess we like the same things!

 

Bajan Keith the tours with the very low rates are group tours and are great. These are the open-sided Safari truck taxis that hold between 6 and 30 ppl, the larger taxis generally herd the masses to Cane Garden Bay while the small and mid-size provide the tours.

If you decide to take a private tour for a more personal experience a great option would be stopping at the French deli (labaguette dotcom) at Wickhams Cay II and picking up a very nice baguette sub and a bottle or wine or whatever you like and having the driver choose a hilltop spot for a nice lunch with one of those magnificent views. We have some favorite spots and the driver will too, of course. The imported meats and cheeses at la baguette are delicious and what a nice lunch with a view.

As Cindy mentioned Tortola is a steep, mountainous island which offers exquisite bay and island views. Definitely one of those islands which deserve a tour to experience the beauty. We've toured Barbados and since that is relatively flat in comparison taking a tour of Tortola is an excellent idea for you, whether with a group or on your own.

Great ideas blue....That certainly sounds like a great day to spend the day. Any idea how long a tour will take?

Also can we walk around RT a bit and the do the tour or vice versa? Which would allow us to get our spices/sauces and some souvenir shopping in?

Thanks for all your great ideas so far. Keep them coming.

Yes the shops and Pusser's are all close to the dock. The dock area is new and we haven't seen that yet so you can report back on that too!

Yes the shops and Pusser's are all close to the dock. The dock area is new and we haven't seen that yet so you can report back on that too!

Looking forward to the additional info. When will you be visiting?

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Great ideas blue....That certainly sounds like a great day to spend the day. Any idea how long a tour will take?

 

Also can we walk around RT a bit and the do the tour or vice versa? Which would allow us to get our spices/sauces and some souvenir shopping in?

 

Thanks for all your great ideas so far. Keep them coming.

I would say most folks doing this (touring and shopping) would do it in that order, take a 2 or 3 hour tour and shop and lunch after. So the port area may be less crowded earlier. But it seems a lot of people tend to stay close to the port here for some reason too, and that's a shame. But the group tours will be leaving earlier and I'd take a tour first and do some shopping after.

I would say most folks doing this (touring and shopping) would do it in that order, take a 2 or 3 hour tour and shop and lunch after. So the port area may be less crowded earlier. But it seems a lot of people tend to stay close to the port here for some reason too, and that's a shame. But the group tours will be leaving earlier and I'd take a tour first and do some shopping after.

Thanks...will do it in that order. Any "must see" places that you will recommend on the island tour?

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Yes the shops and Pusser's are all close to the dock. The dock area is new and we haven't seen that yet so you can report back on that too!

I'll be there in November & am looking forward to seeing the new pier area & visiting Caribee & Pussers, especially the painkiller there:D

I haven't seen many reports about the new area.

Cindy

Thanks...will do it in that order. Any "must see" places that you will recommend on the island tour?

 

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I'm sure you've seen your share of the old distilleries and sugar mill ruins living on Barbados. But if interested the Callwood distillery is in Cane Garden Bay which is where most of the cruisers looking for a beach go because there are multiple beach bars there. So other than the distillery I'd normally recommend avoiding that bay. But a driver will probably include that as part of the tour.

https://www.facebook.com/CallwoodRumDistillery

If interested in hiking Sage Mountain is very popular.

If seeing the beautiful coastline and perhaps hitting a nice pottery shop and having lunch sounds good you could ask to go to Trellis Bay near the airport. Aragorn's has some gorgeous pottery -http://aragornsstudio.com/pottery.htm

And we love the fish sandwich at the Cyber Cafe next door.

De Loose Mongoose (also in Trellis bay) is also a neat sopt to stop for a cocktail. YOu can also take the free ferry out to Marina Cay and enjoy lunch and shopping at the Pusser's there. The ferry departs hourly during the day so you'd need to spend some time in Trellis to do that.

http://www.pussers.com/

Actually Tortola is a beautiful island to rent a Jeep and drive, the roads are in very good shape, although if you go over to the north side the steepness of the roads and the switchbacks can be daunting to some folks. But you can drive to Trellis Bay to the east, or to the West Rnd to the west along the flat coastline road. Just a thought...

But to see the sights a tour is the way to go...really just an easy tour to relax and take in the beautiful scenery unless you want to do more...

Thank you so much Blue. Your input certainly has given me lots of insight and food for thought. I can now make a pretty well informed decision. Right now I am leaning towards the island tour to take in the sights and browsing the shops after in RT.

That's a great plan for Tortola. The drivers at the dock really do give excellent tours for a great price, and Pusser's is a great last stop. The Trellis Bay option would be better if staying on Tortola longer and going for the evening and the fire show.

Have a great cruise!

That's a great plan for Tortola. The drivers at the dock really do give excellent tours for a great price, and Pusser's is a great last stop. The Trellis Bay option would be better if staying on Tortola longer and going for the evening and the fire show.

Have a great cruise!

Thanks.[emoji106]

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Great ideas blue....That certainly sounds like a great day to spend the day. Any idea how long a tour will take?

 

Also can we walk around RT a bit and the do the tour or vice versa? Which would allow us to get our spices/sauces and some souvenir shopping in?

 

Thanks for all your great ideas so far. Keep them coming.

Hi Fellow cruisers: Just saw your post and considering the same. This will be our first time there and want to see some of the island without the beach. We live in Florida, so have plenty of beach. We are on the Serenade Nov.13th to the 23rd so will probably have some info for you when we return. Looked on Trip advisor and several recommended taxi. Bob & Nancy The Villages Florida

Hi Fellow cruisers: Just saw your post and considering the same. This will be our first time there and want to see some of the island without the beach. We live in Florida, so have plenty of beach. We are on the Serenade Nov.13th to the 23rd so will probably have some info for you when we return. Looked on Trip advisor and several recommended taxi. Bob & Nancy The Villages Florida

Looking forward to hearing from you when you return Bob & Nancy.

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Yes you wil find several drivers at the new port offering a variety of tours. They will include the oldest operating rum distillery in the Carib and other interesting places. Also some fantastic photo ops. Consider getting dropped at the Bananakeet for lunch with an amazing view of the islands and Carrot, Apple, and Long Bays. Or you can have an English-style lunch at Pusser's Pub in RT. we also love shopping for clothes at Pusser's when we drive into RT. If you stroll the shops by the cruise terminal be sure to hit Sunny Caribbee, a great little spice and rub shop. If you need refills later they also have a website.

Enjoy beautiful Tortola and the wonderful people there!

Hi Blue water: Enjoyed reading your responses. If any other info on Tortola, please advise. Bob & Nancy

Hi Bob & Nancy - wow you have been on quite a few cruises! :) What a great way to see different places!

The one excursion that is recommended with a stop in Tortola or Virgin Gorda is a trip to the Baths on VG. Yoy may already be familiar with that. It can get crowded when several people go at the same time, but it's something unique and worth the effort to ferry and taxi there for those who have not experienced that.

If time is short, or you're looking for a more relaxed day the island tour that Keith is looking at is ideal. You can include a beach and lunch stop if you so desire. We like the Bananakeet at Heritage Inn on Windy Hill with a gorgeous view of Carrot, Apple, and Long Bays and Jost and the islands if open. They also have a Sunday brunch. But we love the cheeseburger in paradise and fish tacos at Tony's in Cane Garden Bay (previously Stanley's Famous Welcome bar). CGB will be quite crowded, though, but there will be no shortage of taxis to return you to Road Town. Myett's next door to Tony's has tables on a covered patio where you can enjoy lunch and drinks as you people watch.

But enjoy your day, love Tortola and the people there...

Thanks forn the info blue water. I just saw your post on antigua, so you will probably hear from us again. Bob

Just a heads up about the taxis at the dock. We were there in June for the first time, and caught a safari type taxi from the pier for an island tour. Its was $20 a head - not bad. So the DW and I enjoyed it, but many were unhappy. Firstly they cram as many people on the taxi as they can so some were quite uncomfortable. Secondly when I asked how long it was going to be the taxi driver said two hours, and we were back in four. Now some of this was my fault I guess as I asked if we could stop at the rum distillery (which was fun) and then I also asked if we could see Bombas Shack, which the driver kindly accommodated. He also dropped us off at Cane Garden Bay at Myetts for an hour. I'm sure they kick him back a few bucks for this, but we sat at the bar and had a few beers and it was nice as far as we were concerned, but the beach itself was quite crowded. So we did see all of the "sights" and we did enjoy it, but about half the folks did not. Maybe they were just grumps - who knows but I could see there point of view.

We are going back again in November and I think I will find a tour guide for just us this time. We live in Florida and could care less about beach time and sunbathing. Really just like to see the island highlights, and have a few beers

Just a heads up about the taxis at the dock. We were there in June for the first time, and caught a safari type taxi from the pier for an island tour. Its was $20 a head - not bad. So the DW and I enjoyed it, but many were unhappy. Firstly they cram as many people on the taxi as they can so some were quite uncomfortable. Secondly when I asked how long it was going to be the taxi driver said two hours, and we were back in four. Now some of this was my fault I guess as I asked if we could stop at the rum distillery (which was fun) and then I also asked if we could see Bombas Shack, which the driver kindly accommodated. He also dropped us off at Cane Garden Bay at Myetts for an hour. I'm sure they kick him back a few bucks for this, but we sat at the bar and had a few beers and it was nice as far as we were concerned, but the beach itself was quite crowded. So we did see all of the "sights" and we did enjoy it, but about half the folks did not. Maybe they were just grumps - who knows but I could see there point of view.

We are going back again in November and I think I will find a tour guide for just us this time. We live in Florida and could care less about beach time and sunbathing. Really just like to see the island highlights, and have a few beers

Yes you can't please everyone all of the time!

There are different tour options available, some are shorter and some include beach stops (always at CGB since that's the only beach that can accommodate taxi-fulls coming in). And of course these inexpensive rates are for group tours and some folks probably expect to have an entire row of seats to themselves for that price. But glad you enjoyed the tour and yes, perhaps consider renting a Jeep next visit to have the utmost flexibility :)