As the archipelago’s largest island, the Capital isle of Tortola is the starting point for my British Virgin Islands adventure. Some of the most stunning white-sand beaches in the world line the shores of Tortola, inviting romantic strolls and cool dips in the shade of gently swaying palms. Elsewhere, the landscape is characterised by lush mountains, hidden harbours, and sweeping plains.
Road Town, the capital of the British Virgin Islands, has a harbour dotted with sailing boats and is known as a yachting hub. In the island's southwest, forested Sage Mountain National Park offers trails and sweeping views over neighbouring cays.
Although the British Virgin Islands are under the British flag, Tortola uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency due to its proximity too and frequent trade with the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Aquamarine, turquoise, sapphire, cerulean: Any and every shade of blue can be found in the BVI. The 50-plus islands and cays here are lapped by the Caribbean Sea, an ever-undulating artist’s canvas that’s delightfully stuck in a blue phase. The chain’s four main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada are surrounded by dozens of smaller islets and cays, while the protected waters along the coral reefs offer different hues. When you’re sailing around the larger islands, the sea is a deep blue. But come closer to shore and you’ll see the shallows cut through with turquoise and jade. And on Anegada, swimming takes on a different shade entirely, with delicate baby blues dominating the colour scape at popular swimming spots.
A adventurous tour of the island by a very rickety 4 wheel drive vehicle, was in a strange way very exciting and frightening at the same time, but did give us spectacular views of the magnificent coastline and its myriad hues of blue.
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