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Tortola - where to stay?
I started out going to Tortola and switched to STJ. You can stay cheaper on Tortola, sort of. Tortola reminds me of a hilly Yucatan, the beaches are far apart and there is a good bit of driving. There are not many beach hopping options, but there are usually beach bars on every beach with food options.
I'm actually a fan of Sebastian's hotel - http://www.sebastiansbvi.com/. There is a small beach there and you can usually watch the surfers. Bomba Shack, Coco Plum, Long Bay and half dozen other places are a flat walk. Coco Plum is a great restaurant and the food at Sebastian's is reasonable. I second the Sugar Mill as the best food on the island. We also LOVE the Jolly Roger as a great place to lime out while waiting for ferrys.
For beaches, I like Brewers Bay, Smugglers Cove, Long Bay for grassy snorkeling (by the airport, not the resort).
Cane Garden Bay can get busy during cruise ship days. But, there are a bunch of restaurants and bars over there as well as Bobbi's market.
I have heard some pretty bad things about Long Bay from folks. One couple we met on their honeymoon left after the second night and were headed to STJ without a reservation just to get away. We saw them later on STJ and they had snagged a villa and were loving it. Apparently some of the rooms are not up to par.
I would seriously consider breaking up a Tortola trip with a couple of nights on Jost. White Bay Villas, Sandcastle and the Perfect Pineapple with Gregory (one of Foxy's boys by Gertrude) (http://www.perfectpineapple.com/) are great.
Bottom line, Tortola is better than St. Thomas, but that is not saying a lot. My ranking goes STJ, Anegada, JVD, Virgin Gorda, Tortola, STT.
Cheers, RickG
I'm actually a fan of Sebastian's hotel - http://www.sebastiansbvi.com/. There is a small beach there and you can usually watch the surfers. Bomba Shack, Coco Plum, Long Bay and half dozen other places are a flat walk. Coco Plum is a great restaurant and the food at Sebastian's is reasonable. I second the Sugar Mill as the best food on the island. We also LOVE the Jolly Roger as a great place to lime out while waiting for ferrys.
For beaches, I like Brewers Bay, Smugglers Cove, Long Bay for grassy snorkeling (by the airport, not the resort).
Cane Garden Bay can get busy during cruise ship days. But, there are a bunch of restaurants and bars over there as well as Bobbi's market.
I have heard some pretty bad things about Long Bay from folks. One couple we met on their honeymoon left after the second night and were headed to STJ without a reservation just to get away. We saw them later on STJ and they had snagged a villa and were loving it. Apparently some of the rooms are not up to par.
I would seriously consider breaking up a Tortola trip with a couple of nights on Jost. White Bay Villas, Sandcastle and the Perfect Pineapple with Gregory (one of Foxy's boys by Gertrude) (http://www.perfectpineapple.com/) are great.
Bottom line, Tortola is better than St. Thomas, but that is not saying a lot. My ranking goes STJ, Anegada, JVD, Virgin Gorda, Tortola, STT.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI