|
|
back to all reviews...
|
|
check out more reviews by country...
|
british virgin islands:
general info
· travel advisories
· getting there
· getting around
when to go
· fast facts
· history
· maps
· itinerary
· hostels
tours
· things to do
· forum
· trivia
· safety
· links
· read reviews
|
|
A perennial delight to yachtsmen and landlubbers alike, some 60 islands of the BVI have succeeded in safeguarding their
special charm from the inroads of mass tourism. The islands have a thoroughly different character from their raucous neighbors. While
the US Virgin Islands have pursued the tourist dollar, the British Virgin Islands have been keen to stay limey and out of the limelight.
However, the secret is out as an increasing number of escapists discover
this ancient archipelagoes many natural advantages...
Among the most frequently visited of the BVI's handful of inhabited islands are Tortola, virgin Gorda, Beef Island, Anegada,
Jost Van Dyke, Peter, Mosquito, and Guana Islands. All of these lilting place names reflect idyllic sites for unwinding,
wriggling your toes in the sand, and absorbing the tranquil pleasures of sunshine and sapphire seas.
The sub-tropical islands are largely rolling hills and beaches with a very temperate climate with temperatures ranging from 26°C - 31°C (79°F - 89°F)
in the summer to 22°C - 28°C (72°F - 82°F) in the winter and rainfall monthly average of 100 mm. The total population of the British
Virgin Islands is estimated at 19,000.
The British Virgin Islands are not a cheap getaway destination: food is pricey because most of it is imported,
and accommodation is simply in short supply. The majority of visitors to the islands sleep on chartered yachts,
and if that's the holiday you're looking for, expect to spend at least US$250 a day. Travellers willing to stay
on land, yet enjoy fine dining and some nightlife, need about US$175 a day. Budget travellers can squeeze by on
less than US$100 a day if they stay at cheaper guesthouses or camping grounds. Coming in the low season will
reduce room prices and charter rental fees, sometimes by as much as half.
The local currency is the US dollar, since the British Virgin Islands decided it was easier to cuddle up with the
same currency as its bustling US neighbor. Travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted on Tortola
and the other large islands, except on Anegada, where it's best to bring cash. Banking and exchange facilities are
concentrated in Road Town on Tortola.
There's a 7% hotel accommodations tax plus a 10% service charge. Tipping is less institutionalised than in US
destinations, but no one is going to look sideways at 10% for good service.
There's so much more to learn... Check out our Facts For The Visitor or read up on our reviews of everything about the British Virgin Islands:
|
|
|
|
|
