Beaches

Smugglers Cove

A small, sandy beach at the western tip of Tortola, Smuggler’s Cove is bordered by Belmont Estate, a quiet residential community. There are sea grapes and almond trees shading the beach’s perimeter and the water is calm for swimming for much of the year. You can snorkel the coral reef at its western although the best snorkelling is along its outer perimeter. The road to Smuggler’s Cove is unpaved but passable.

Long Bay

This is a lovely mile-long stretch of white sand beach that is ideal for leisurely walks. Long Bay Hotel with its beach bar and restaurant as well as several guest houses line its eastern portion and beach chairs for their guests are scattered along the sand. The western end, which is bordered by a palm grove, offers greater solitude and good swimming. This is an ideal beach for those wanting to work on their tan, since shade is in short supply, especially on the beach’s western section.

Apple Bay

Known as “the Surfing Beach,” Apple Bay is home of the surfer’s bar, Bomba’s Shack, as well as a small community, guest villas, and Sebastian’s and Sugar Mill hotels. The beach’s best swimming is on its western end where the seabed has fewer rocks. The eastern portion is a haven for surfers in the winter months when a north sea swell makes this one of the Caribbean’s favourite surf breaks.

Cane Garden Bay

This popular bay has a gently curving beach and is a popular anchorage with charter yachts which come to the bay to frequent its many good restaurants and night clubs. There are water sports concessions, which rent kayaks, windsurfers and other water toys as well as, several hotels and guesthouses. The beach itself is long with lovely white sand, ideal for sunbathing, and the water is generally sheltered making it safe for swimming most of the year.

Brewer’s Bay

The remains of the rum distillery, for which the bay is name, can still be seen along the roadside at its eastern end. Luxuriant sea grapes and almond trees line much of the sandy beach giving it a lush tropical feel. The water is calm much of the year, but can get rough in the winter, and swimmers should watch out for a rip current when the north sea swell is running. The bay has two beach bars, a campground and good snorkelling.

Josiah’s Bay

On the north shore near East End, Josiah’s has a dramatic wide sandy beach that is ideal for sunbathing. The swimming is good, although like most north shore beaches, one has to be careful of the northerly swell in winter. Because of the great surf, Josiah’s is a popular surfing beach and occasionally competitions are held here. For refreshment, there are a couple of beach bars that serve food and drink.

Lambert Beach

This is a classic Caribbean beach. Palm fringed, wide and sandy, it could adorn a picture postcard. The sand is powdery white and the swimming is generally good, although in winter, when there is a north shore swell, the undertow can be strong. It is also the location of the Lambert Beach Resort and can be reached by a road from East End.

Little Bay

Little Bay is to the east of Lambert and is a small gem of a beach. The road is unpaved and rough and requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. There are large boulders at the western end, and it is fringed with seagrapes at its eastern perimeter. The beach is wide most of the year, but is only recommended for swimming in the summer months, since it is often too rough in the winter.

Long Bay, Beef Island

Although Long Bay, Beef Island is not technically a Tortola beach, it is accessible from Tortola by the Beef Island Bridge. This is a lovely curving beach with vivid white sand. The water is sheltered and is good for swimming most of the year. It is located behind the Beef Island Salt Pond and in order not to disturb nesting terns, enter by the road to Little Mountain Estates at the western end or the dirt road that skirts the pond at its eastern end.

Trunk Bay