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nice beach not too far from port

hladygirl

By hladygirl,
in Tortola

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blue_water

blue_water

Posted
Posted

nothing close to port, majority of folks take the safari buses to Cane Garden Bay for a beach day with several beach bar options. Check your ship excursions.

I would recommend Smuggler's Cove over anything (including Jost).

Look at the Tortola forum on TA for some insight, ideas, I posted some recommendations there for some folks.

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blue_water

blue_water

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Not all happenin' at one beach unfortunately -

 

Cane Garden Bay is the busiest bay on Tortola with several beach bars and rentals available. No real shaded areas except in the open-air bars/restaurants. No snorkeling in CGB. You can hire a water taxi to Jost Van Dyke (Soggy $$$ Bar, etc) if you have enough time in port. You would book the CGB beach excursion through the ship or take a private taxi for $48 round trip ($24pp for 2 people and $8pp for 3 or more).

 

Smuggler's Cove has the best snorkeling and is one of the most beautiful beaches on Tortola. Patricia serves excellent jerk chicken/dogs/burgers and has a small bar. Rest rooms are not as good as CGB but there are porta-potties as well. Also no rentals to speak of, the lounges are free, Nigel rents snorkel equipment. More secluded spot that is a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the view of Jost and Sandy Cay.

 

Long Bay Resort offers day passes (check with ship or contact the resort). Nice beach, bathrooms nearby at the lobby and perhaps in the beachside paviolion, nice spot to spend a day. Smuggler's is just beyond Long Bay.

 

So CGB has the food/drink/bathrooms

Smuggler's has the food/drink/snorkel

Long Bay has the food/drink/bathrooms

 

These are all on the west coast of Tortola. You also have Trellis Bay by the airport, not a beach or snorkel destination but some bars and the Scrub Island Resort is there, and Long Bay Beef Island is on the other side of the airport. Nothing there but a beautiful beach locals frequent.

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candydane

candydane

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How far to walk to Smuggler's Cove from Long Bay Resort? If we get day passes at Long Bay Resort to get it's benefits, could we walk to Smuggler's Cove to snorkel and then walk back to the resort area?

 

Does Jost Van Dyke have the things I mentioned? I know the ship has an excursion there.

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blue_water

blue_water

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No you cannot walk to Smuggler's from Long Bay. You could walk to Nature Boy's, his place is before you go up the hill and is marked by a surfboard sign. Just a small place on the beach. If you head back north from Long Bay you pass Sebastian's and come to Zion Hill Road. Just a few steps past that corner on the right is the infamous Bomba's Shack. should be open, have the driver stop and get a drink (you - not the driver).

 

Regarding your question on swimming/snorkeling, chairs/shade/umbrellas, good restrooms, and a place to buy snacks/drinks -

The Soggy $ Bar, Ivan's, and Seddy's One Love are all in White Bay on Jost and you will find everything there just as in Cane Garden bay. No snorkeling there but I believe you can snorkel down the beach a bit.

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katiecat

katiecat

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Blue water- Thanks for sharing so much information on Tortola. I had my heart set on jvd but from what I'm hearing on here everybody wants a way there.

I'm thinking about your first choice smuggler's cove. The taxi service there is it vans or cars just wondering how many could go together to share expenses.

Thanks:)

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blue_water

blue_water

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Published rate is ~$32pp roundtrip from the dock, $16pp for 2 people, or $12pp for 3 or more people. So if you can round up a few others you can save on the taxi. Kids 4 - 10 yrs old are 1/2 fare, 3 & under free.

 

Smuggler's doesn't have fancy restrooms (no beach on Tortola does for that matter). But Patricia's grill is a great lunch and she has cold beers (2/$5 Red Stripes or Heineken) and a small bar (try the RumDum!) and free lounges and it's a friendly spot not overrun like CGB.

 

You could make JVD if in port long enough, there is a ferry out of West End and water taxis available out of CGB. We never did it on a cruise but I know others have. The bars are fun and there are a bunch of cats dropping in all day long. Smuggler's is quiet in comparison.

 

Other taxi rates are available on this link if you decide to go elsewhere, these should be close.

 

http://www.bvivacation.com/transport...ares-rates.php

 

I see that another cruiser has booked the Kuralu for a day saill out of West End Tortola. I asked her if she booked through the ship or not and I'll let you know what she says. It's a great day sail hitting one of 2 itineraries -

Jost Van Dyke, Sandy Spit, and a snorkel spot (Green Cay I think), or

The Norman Caves, the Indians, and either Willie T or Cooper Island.

Very popular sail, you may want to look at that? You can contact them directly through their site or here's the e-mail -

info@kuralu.com

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blue_water

blue_water

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You're one of the lucky ones if you get there, very few cruisers - and even those staying on the island - get to Smuggler's. If time ave the driver stop at Long Bay so you can take a quick walk along that beach. They offer day-passes so it will be more crowded there.

Enjoy your cruise!

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Conanc

Conanc

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Not all happenin' at one beach unfortunately -

 

Cane Garden Bay is the busiest bay on Tortola with several beach bars and rentals available. No real shaded areas except in the open-air bars/restaurants. No snorkeling in CGB. You can hire a water taxi to Jost Van Dyke (Soggy $$$ Bar, etc) if you have enough time in port. You would book the CGB beach excursion through the ship or take a private taxi for $48 round trip ($24pp for 2 people and $8pp for 3 or more).

 

Smuggler's Cove has the best snorkeling and is one of the most beautiful beaches on Tortola. Patricia serves excellent jerk chicken/dogs/burgers and has a small bar. Rest rooms are not as good as CGB but there are porta-potties as well. Also no rentals to speak of, the lounges are free, Nigel rents snorkel equipment. More secluded spot that is a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the view of Jost and Sandy Cay.

 

Long Bay Resort offers day passes (check with ship or contact the resort). Nice beach, bathrooms nearby at the lobby and perhaps in the beachside paviolion, nice spot to spend a day. Smuggler's is just beyond Long Bay.

 

So CGB has the food/drink/bathrooms

Smuggler's has the food/drink/snorkel

Long Bay has the food/drink/bathrooms

 

These are all on the west coast of Tortola. You also have Trellis Bay by the airport, not a beach or snorkel destination but some bars and the Scrub Island Resort is there, and Long Bay Beef Island is on the other side of the airport. Nothing there but a beautiful beach locals frequent.

 

Great information. Thank you! :)

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Shopgirl76

Shopgirl76

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blue_water,

 

Thank you so much for the information. We too are looking for somewhere to be in Tortola. A beach day sounds great to us as we have a 10 and 8 year old with us. I was thinking of CGB until you mentioned Smuggler's Cove. Is this a good beach to just chill out on for the day? We will do some wading/swimming and I know the boys will want some sand play. Do you recommend this beach for that? And how far a taxi ride is it from the port? Are there taxis ready available out side the ship?

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blue_water

blue_water

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Just realize that Smuggler's is not associated with a resort and is a bit secluded and rustic. But it is the most beautiful spot in the BVI IMHO and worth the effort getting there. The ride isn't that bad, just the last portion (Belmont Road) from Long Bay is unpaved, bumpy, and narrow.

 

If you want a busy spot with more options choose CGB, the beach is big and has several beach bars, but it's nowhere as nice a place to lime and enjoy the views....

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blue_water

blue_water

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Published rate is ~$64pp roundtrip from the dock, $32 pp for 2 people, or $24pp for 3 or more people. So if you can round up a few others you can save on the taxi. Kids 4 - 10 yrs old are 1/2 fare.

 

Katiecat I emtered the wrong taxi rates earlier, they are corrected here.

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  • 2 weeks later...
katiecat

katiecat

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blue water- The cabs in Tortola are they just a car or a shuttle that I can take a few people with me to smuggler's?

I'd like to invite others from my roll call they enjoy good snorkeling, and I enjoy less crowded places & beauty.

Thanks

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blue_water

blue_water

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Katiecat, Smuggler's was made for you guys (and for my wife and me)! There will certainly be others there that have been on Tortola before or the taxi drivers turn them on to Smuggler's, or they live there. But you will find a fairly long bay that is mostly secluded. Nigel rents snorkel equip and Patricia keeps you fed and happy. I really can't recommend it enough...

 

There are vans, sedans, and open safari-type taxis, I would call ahead and reserve a van or 2 for your group to minimize any waiting time. You can find contact info at a few sites, but let me contact a driver we know there to see if he would be interested in taking you to Smuggler's and returning at a specific time to pick ypu up. He should be since that would allow him to take other fares in between. He's a great guy and very professional.

Do have any idea on the number of people? I'll be back! ;)

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katiecat

katiecat

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Katiecat, what date are you on Tortola?

 

Blue water I'm going to smugglers Jan 28th. My ship is in port 9-6 that day.

I'm not sure how many would go from my roll call are original plans were JVD and I had 8 people interested in that within a week.

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