Tortola Tour

Hi all,

We are doing a B2B cruise in late April 2015 for our 20th anniversary. We have never ben to the Caribbean before and one of the stops is Tortola from 8am-4pm.

We used to live in Newfoundland Canada, which for anyone that has been there, is sort of like the Baths - huge rocks, stunning shoreline, etc, without the warmth :D. Anyway, we have little interest in seeing the Baths.

What we would like to do is perhaps a tour of the island, maybe a couple hours at a beach, then some time at the dock to browse and maybe have a drink before we leave. Is that a realistic option for our timeframe?

From reading numerous posts here, it seems like there are taxis waiting at the dock. Are there certain signs to look for when hiring a cab - are there registered vs unregistered operators? Is there a specific driver/company that anyone has used in the past that they can recommend? What would be the price of an island tour?

After the beach, how difficult is it to get a taxi back to the pier? SInce our plan is just a couple of hours at a beach, does it matter whether it is CGB, BB, or SC?

Sorry for all the questions!:o

Hi Willise, all good questions!

I think your idea for an itinerary is perfect for the time you have there. In regards to a taxi and a tour, you will find several drivers at the other end of the dock with signs describing their tour and the price, and most will have an option to spend a couple hours at a beach. One of these should work perfectly for you, we haven't taken one but I remember they are very reasonable for the time.

I would choose either BB or CGB as SC is a bit further out and there aren't taxis stopping in there like at BB and CGB. You've probably read that CGB will be the busiest beach so just choose between BB and CGB based on the experience you want. It's very easy to get a taxi back from either but CGB is easiest if you want that safety factor.

A walk around the port is nice and there are several nice little clothing and other shops. We like Sunny Caribbee, a great little spice shop. They also have a website for when you run out of those great spices!

And a drink at Pusser's Pub is a great way to end your day on Tortola.

Have a great first Caribbean cruise! :)

Thank you so much for your detailed reply.

The spice shop and Pusser's sound like a really great way to end the day.

I guess I was just a little concerned about the taxi situation. Friends of ours who vacation in Jamaica frequently mention to us that they only get in the taxis with the red license plate since those are the licensed operators and the others are just locals trying to make a few bucks.

We would really like to do a private tour, but we just want to make sure it is safe. Maybe hooking up with another couple for a guided tour would be the best of both worlds - personal tour and peace of mind LOL

I think that you will find great tour options at the dock and others will be joining you so it will be very reasonable, just verify you can be dropped at the beach.

Enjoy!

I think that you will find great tour options at the dock and others will be joining you so it will be very reasonable, just verify you can be dropped at the beach.

Enjoy!

We have stopped off in Tortola twice. Fist time we did a ships tour. That was quite good, but second time we just left the ship and went out of the gates. There was a Guy with a clipboard directing you to the type of tour you wanted. Most stopped at a beach for an hour or two and were about half price. About 25 US I seem to recall. I asked the driver " why do you all have left hand drive buses , but drive on the left?. He replied " Well Mon we get them from America. It's cheaper that buying Right hand drive's from Japan or England. But hey, we don't always drive on the left".

Yes you can get great tours that include beach stops right from the drivers at the port, no need to book an excursion through the ship.

And yes, watch out (listen for a horn) when driving around the switchbacks up the steep hills, drivers use all of the road to make the turns!