The British Virgin Islands are a self-governing British overseas territory, situated in the Caribbean just to the east of the US Virgin Islands.
The BVIs, as they are called, are a popular travel destination for sailors, fishermen (and women), sun worshippers, and other independent travellers, albeit not for the cost conscious. Boating among the dozens of tiny, mostly uninhabited, islands is a great stop on any tour of the Caribbean islands.
Regions
Understand
Landscape
The British Virgin Islands are comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 43 uninhabited islands, including the island of Anegada. The islands fall into two types, with relatively flat coral islands and steep volcanic islands. The highest point is Mount Sage at 521m.
Climate
Subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation. Has experienced several hurricanes in recent years, although with little consequent damage, as well as floods, usually in October or November.
History
The islands were first settled by the Dutch in 1648 before being annexed in 1672 by the English.
Economy
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west and indeed the US dollar is the legal currency within the British Virgin Islands. The islands are highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income, together with the offshore financial industry.
Get in
Passport and visa regulations are enforced at harbors, especially for boats moving back and forth between the US and British territory.
By plane
Most international flights into the BVIs involve changing planes in San Juan, Puerto Rico since the Beef Island airport is not set up for large planes. Other flights from Europe involve changing planes in Antigua or other Caribbean Islands. Flights from the UK often go to the US Virgin Islands and then require a fast boat transfer or, more usually, a 45 minute ferry boat ride.
By boat
Boats move freely between the BVI and the US Virgin Islands. A few cruise ships visit the major ports, but small vessels are more common.
Get around
By boat
A great way to see the islands is by boat. Sailboats and motorboats can be rented or chartered with a crew from any major harbor. The conditions for sailing and motoring depend on the time of year and anchoring off islands can be tricky, so either be sure you know what you are doing or hire a crew.
If you are an experienced sailor, it doesn't get any better than the BVI. Line of sight sailing in moderate trade winds, no currents to speak of, barely any tides, and few underwater obstructions other than the shore itself make sailing around the islands very relaxing.
By car
Cars can be rented on the larger islands such as Virgin Gorda and Tortola, but are obviously unnecessary on many islands where goat paths and foot trails are the main mode of transportation. There is one scooter for rent on Jost van Dyke.
See
Nature is the main attraction in the islands. With coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and scenic seaside villages the main draw.
Other attractions include historic villages, churches, and, if the sun is too much for you, a museum in Road Town, the shady Botanic Gardens or the rain forest on Sage Mountain in Tortola.
Do
The Virgin Islands is the most popular area for a sailing vacation in the Caribbean. This is a first-timers paradise, since the islands are close together and well protected from the Atlantic. You wake up to sunshine and a blue sky, choose the cruising target of the day by pointing on a nearby island and set sail in a comfortable trade wind. There are many yacht charter companies and marinas in the British Virgin Islands.
The BVIs are home to the wreck of 'The Rhone', which served as the site for the underwater scenes in the 1977 Nick Nolte/Jackie Bisset/Robert Shaw flick 'The Deep'. The Rhone is the best-known and most often visited dive site in the islands. Lying just west of Salt Island, the Rhone is a former Royal Mail Steamer that sank in a hurricane on October 29, 1867. A spectacularly large 310 ft (94 metres) steamer in her previous life, she's now a three-site dive, with each chunk resting at varying depths, from 20 to 80 ft (6 to 24 metres).
It is illegal for non-British Virgin Islanders to remove any marine organism from BVI waters without a recreational permit. A permit is available for charterers who intend to fish while in the BVI. The cost is $35 ($10 application fee; $25 for the permit).
This TEMPORARY FISHING PERMIT can be obtained from the Department of Conservation and Fisheries:
Department of Conservation and Fisheries,
The Quastisky Building
PO Box 3323
Road Town, Tortola. Tel: (284) 494-5681/3429 or (284) 468-3701 ex. 5555/1
Fax: (284) 494-2670
E-Mail: cfd@bvigovernment.org
The government office closes early on Friday afternoons and doesn’t reopen until Monday morning. For charterers arriving on the weekend, it may be a couple of days before you can get a permit. When you arrive for your charter, check with the local staff for advice on obtaining a permit.
Buy
The main shopping area on Tortola is Wickham's Cay in Road Town. Main Street is a small, winding road leading from the Post Office to the Botanic Gardens. The shops on this road are housed in small, West Indian houses and often painted in bright colours. Notable shops include Pussers, a small department store with a popular bar, Sunny Caribbee selling spices and handmade items mostly from Haiti, Serendipity Bookshop which has a good collection of Caribbean history and cook books and Latitude 18 which sells casual beach clothes.
Additionally, near the cruise ship dock is a branch of Columbian Emeralds, the Craft Market which despite its name sells mostly t-shirts and jewellery, clothes and other goods imported from Florida, Panama and St. Maarten. Island crafts genuinely made in the BVI are limited to crocheted items, straw hats, rum and guavaberry liquer.
On the rest of the island there are a number of pharmacies, supermarkets, variety stores and jewellery shops.
Shopping on Anegada is limited to basic necessities plus two gift shops at the hotel and camp ground. Similarly, on Jost van Dyke there are a few gift shops but little else. Virgin Gorda has a supermarket in the marina and gift shops in the resorts.
Eat
Inevitably, seafood is the dish of choice for most people. Lobster and various fish are available from the small restaurants. There are many restaurants throughout the islands varying from rotis and curries from Guyana and Trinidad to Italian, French and Asian.
Drink
Rum, not surprisingly, is the drink of choice in the islands. Rum punch and other concoctions can be found at bars on the main beaches and roads. Most beaches do not have any refreshment stands so it would be wise to bring at least water. The "Pain Killer" is highly recommended. As is the Bushwacker. However, each bar has its own speciality drinks and rum punch in one bar may not be like rum punch in any other one. One drink to be careful with is the No See-Um, a refreshing banana, coconut and pineapple long drink made with 151 proof rum.
There is plenty of Nightlife around Road Town, although only tourist places are advertised - ask a local for what is on where. Live local music is a feature of many restaurants and bars. The sunsets are spectacular, so a drink on the beach or in the mountains, watching the sunset and listening to local music before dinner can be a very pleasant vacation from the usual club-based entertainment of most mainlanders.
Sleep
If you're renting a boat, you already have your bed too, but for landlubbers, the larger islands offer resorts, budget bungalows and a few things in between. To get off the beaten path you really will need to be seaworthy.
Get out
Island hop to the US Virgin Islands and the rest of the Caribbean islands.
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a British overseas territory, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S. Virgin Islands (see also Spanish Virgin Islands).
The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Around fifteen of the islands are inhabited. The largest island, Tortola, is approximately 20 km (~12 mi) long and 5 km (~3 mi) wide. The islands have a total population of about 22,000. Road Town, the capital, is situated on Tortola.
History
The Virgin Islands were first settled by Arawak Indians from South America around 100 BC (though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC). The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the fifteenth century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea is named. (Some historians, however, believe that this popular account of warlike Caribs chasing peaceful Arawaks out of the Caribbean islands is rooted in simplistic European stereotypes, and that the true story is more complex.)
The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the fanciful name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.
The Spanish Empire acquired the islands in the early sixteenth century, mining copper on Virgin Gorda, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, French, Spanish and Danish all jostling for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates. During the process of colonisation the native Amerindian population was decimated.
The Dutch established a permanent settlement on the island of Tortola in 1648. In 1672, the English captured Tortola from the Dutch, and the British annexation of Anegada and Virgin Gorda followed in 1680. Meanwhile, over the period 1672–1733, the Danish gained control of the nearby islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix.
The British islands were considered principally a strategic possession, but were planted when economic conditions were particularly favourable. The British introduced sugar cane which was to become the main crop and source of foreign trade, and slaves were brought from Africa to work on the sugar cane plantations. The islands prospered economically until the growth in the sugar beet crop in Europe and the United States significantly reduced sugar cane production.
In 1917, the United States purchased St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix from Denmark for US$25 million, renaming them the United States Virgin Islands. Subsequently, the British renamed the islands they controlled as the British Virgin Islands.
The British Virgin Islands were administered variously as part of the Leeward Islands Colony or with St. Kitts and Nevis, with an Administrator representing the British Government on the Islands. Separate colony status was gained for the Islands in 1960 and the Islands became autonomous in 1967. Since the 1960s, the Islands have diversified away from their traditionally agriculture-based economy towards tourism and financial services, becoming one of the richest areas in the Caribbean.
Geography
The British Virgin Islands comprise around sixty semi-tropical Caribbean islands, ranging in size from the largest, Tortola (approximately 12 miles by 3 miles), to tiny uninhabited islets. They are located in the Virgin Islands archipelago, a few miles east of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The North Atlantic Ocean lies to the north of the islands, and the Caribbean Sea lies to the south. Most of the islands are volcanic in origin and have a hilly, rugged terrain. Anegada is geologically distinct from the rest of the group and is a flat island composed of limestone and coral.
In addition to the four main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, other islands include:
Climate
The British Virgin Islands enjoy a sub-tropical climate, moderated by trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year: typical daily maxima are around 29°C (84°F) in the summer and 25°C (77°F) in the winter. Rainfall averages about 115 cm (45 in) per year, higher in the hills and lower on the coast. Rainfall can be quite variable, but the wettest months on average are September to December. Hurricanes occasionally hit the islands, with the hurricane season running from June to October.
Politics
Executive authority in British Virgin Islands is invested in The Queen and is exercised on her behalf by the Governor of the British Virgin Islands. The Governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British Government. Defence and Foreign Affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
The Constitution of the Islands was introduced in 1971. The Head of Government is the Chief Minister, who is elected in a general election along with the other members of the ruling government as well as the members of the opposition. An Executive Council is nominated by the Chief Minister and appointed by the Governor. There is a unicameral Legislative Council made up of 13 seats.
The current Governor is David Pearey (since 2006). The current Chief Minister is Orlando Smith (since June 17 2003) who is a member of ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). The main opposition is the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).
Economy
The British Virgin Islands enjoys one of the more prosperous economies of the Caribbean region, with a per capita GDP of around $38,500 (2004 est.)
In the British Virgin Islands it has long been fashionable to talk about the "twin pillars" of the Territory's economy – tourism and financial services. Politically, tourism is the more important of the two, as it employs a greater number of people within the Territory, and a larger proportion of the businesses in the tourist industry are locally owned, as are a number of the highly tourism-dependent sole traders (e.g. taxi drivers and street vendors). Economically, however, financial services is by far the more important. Nearly 50% of the Government's revenue comes directly from licence fees for offshore companies, and considerable further sums are raised directly or indirectly from payroll taxes relating to salaries paid within the trust industry sector (which tend to be higher on average than those paid in the tourism sector).
Tourism accounts for 45% of national income. The islands are a popular destination for U.S. citizens, with around 350,000 tourists visiting annually (1997 figures). Tourists frequent the numerous white sand beaches, visit The Baths on Virgin Gorda, snorkel the coral reefs near Anegada, experience the well-known bars of Jost Van Dyke, or charter yachts to explore the less accessible islands. A substantial number of the tourists who visit the BVI are cruise ship passengers, although they produce far lower revenue per head than charter boat tourists and hotel based tourists. They are nonetheless important to the substantial (and politically important) taxi driving community.
Substantial revenues are also generated by the registration of offshore companies. As of 2004, over 550,000 companies were so registered. In 2000 KPMG reported in its survey of offshore jurisdictions for the United Kingdom government that over 41% of the world's offshore companies were formed in the British Virgin Islands. Since 2001, financial services in the British Virgin Islands have been regulated by the independent Financial Services Commission.
Agriculture and industry account for only a small proportion of the islands' GDP. Agricultural produce includes fruit, vegetables, sugar cane, livestock and poultry, and industries include rum distillation, construction and boatbuilding.
Since 1959, the official currency of the British Virgin Islands has been the US dollar, also used by the United States Virgin Islands.
The British Virgin Islands are a major target for drugs traffickers, who use the area as a gateway to the United States. According to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, drugs trafficking is "potentially the most serious threat to stability in the BVI".
Demographics
The population of the Islands is around 21,730 at 2003. The majority of the population (83%) are Afro-Caribbean, descended from the slaves brought to the islands by the British. Other large ethnic groups include those of British and other European origin.
The 1999 census reports:
: 83.36% Black
: 7.28% White*
: 5.38% Mixed
: 3.14% East Indian
: 0.84% Others
The islands are predominantly Protestant Christian (86%). The largest individual denominations are Methodist (33%), Anglican (17%), and Catholic (10%).
Transport
Being a small group of islands, transportation is limited. There are 113 km of roads. The main airport (Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, also known as Beef Island Airport) is located on Beef Island, which lies off the eastern tip of Tortola. Virgin Gorda and Anegada have their own smaller airports. The main harbour is in Road Town.
Music
The traditional music of the British Virgin Islands is called fungi after the local cornmeal dish with the same name, often made with okra. The special sound of fungi is due to a unique local fusion between African and European music. It functions as a medium of local history and folklore and is therefore a cherished cultural form of expression that is part of the curriculum in BVI schools. The fungi bands, also called "scratch bands", use instruments ranging from calabash, washboard, bongos and ukulele, to more traditional western instruments like keyboard, banjo, guitar, bass, triangle and saxophone. Apart from being a form of festive dance music, fungi often contains humorous social commentaries, as well as BVI oral history.
See also
External links
Official sites
News and media
Directories
