Cruise Diva Goes Ashore in the Caribbean
Sights to see & things to do
Tortola
Docking in Road Town, the capital of this British Crown colony, you’ll find yourself on the southern coast of the island. Blackbeard is said to have inspired the sailing ditty, “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum,” by marooning 15 pirates with a single rum bottle at Deadman Bay in the British Virgin Islands. It isn’t difficult to imagine that when confronted with the rugged mountain peaks of Tortola.
Diversions
Other than excellent sailing and yachting, Tortola’s natural beauty and Mount Sage National Park are the main attractions. Any taxi driver can be hired for a tour of the island, which shouldn’t take more than a couple hours.
Shopping
Most shops are located on Main Street in Road Town and in the Wickham's Cay area adjacent to the marina. Island arts and crafts are good finds, as are Caribbean spices and botanical skin care products. At Pusser’s Company Store you’ll find a bar and restaurant—the Painkiller is a famous concoction made with their dark, aromatic rum.
Beaches
Most beaches are on the northern side of the island and about twenty minutes by taxi from Road Town. Palm fringed Cane Garden Bay is reminiscent of a South Seas paradise and the most special beach on Tortola. Nearby Brewers Bay offers good snorkeling, as does Marina Cay on the island’s East End.
Fodor's Caribbean Ports of Call 2013 is all you need to plan your days ashore, PLUS a cruise primer section and cruise line profiles by Cruise Diva, Linda Coffman
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