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We
have done our best to provide as many answers as possible to questions
which have been posed to us over the years, but contrary to popular
belief ... there is always something new under the sun. If you have
any questions which have not already been addressed or require additional
information, please feel free to send us an e:mail and we will do our
best to answer you when able. What
is the best time of year to plan our BVI vacation? What is the best time of year to plan our BVI vacation? The weather in the British Virgin Islands is relatively consistent year round with temperatures of 26 to 31 degrees C (79 to 88 degrees F) in the summer to 22 to 28 degrees C (72 to 82 degrees F) in the winter. Our tradewinds are almost always constant from October through July. Winds tend to die off in August and September. There is no real rainy season perse, but short rains showers generally occur more often from August through October. Hurricane season is from June 1st to November 30th. Caribbean hurricanes have occurred most frequently during the month of September but the "possibility" for hurricane development can occur throughout the hurricane season and in fact at anytime throughout the year. For more details about hurricanes, go to the "Weather" page. Do we need passports to visit the British Virgin Islands? US and Canadian citizens do not need passports although it makes things easier both with the airlines and immigration. A birth certificate or voter's registration card plus one piece of photo ID are required to enter the BVI. Visitors from all other countries require a passport and may require a visa. For more information, refer to the Government Information section. Should we exchange our money for local currency? The US dollar is the currency of the British Virgin Islands. If bringing cash, it is best (less expensive) to exchange your funds prior to arrival in the BVI. Traveler's Checks and most major credit cards are widely accepted but you should be aware that several small businesses and some charter companies are not equipped to deal with credit cards. Tough question and one which would require that I write a book to answer that one! The BVI is literally rife with fabulous beaches and its just about impossible to say which are "the best". It truly depends upon what you are looking for. So ... rather than reinvent the wheel, I suggest you get the Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands which has brief descriptions and sometimes pictures of some of the more popular beaches and anchorages. We have provided a page where our readers may vote for "MY Favourite BVI Beach" and list the reasons why they like any particular beach over all others. All are welcome to participate. Once we have accumulated enough responses, we will post the page with your comments which may help other BVI travelers decide which beaches they plan to hit while on vacation in the islands. The BVI has an excellent reverse osmosis (salt water conversion) plant which is often referred to as "town water". The water is perfectly safe to drink. Some hotels, villas and restaurants use cistern water which is usually quite safe to drink, however, if in doubt, bottled water is widely available. Should we bring electrical adapters? The BVI power supply is 110 volts, 60 cycle AC, the same as standard in the United States. Visitors from countries with other types of electrical systems will need adapters. (Some hotels supply hairdryers or adapters. Check with your hotel or travel agent.) How much are the BVI airport taxes? There is a $10.00 per person (US) departure tax when leaving the islands by air. There is no departure tax if leaving by ferry. What is the legal drinking age? There is no specific drinking age on the law books of the British Virgin Islands. According to the Attorney General's office, the Liquor License Act (section 34) specifies that alcoholic beverages may not be served to anyone who "appears" to be under the age of 16 years. That's a pretty broad opening! I suppose if parents are concerned about their children drinking while in the BVI, you should be certain that either yourselves or another reliable adult accompanies them when at bars or restaurants. May we get married in the BVI? Yes, of course! In fact due to the natural beauty of the BVI and the number of romantic places to exchange wedding vows and enjoy your honeymoon, the wedding industry is booming in the British Virgin Islands. For full details see the "Weddings & Social Events" section. We have heard that Humpback Whales can sometimes be seen in the BVI ... when? Its true, the Humpback whales migrate every year and are often seen in BVI waters around February and March. These very shy creatures with their newly born calves have been known to visit various BVI bays and anchorages to the delight of many visiting yachtsmen. I have been fortunate enough to see them on at least 5 occasions over the past several years. Its a question of being in the right place at the right time ... but being out on the water has a definite advantage! Do any BVI Scuba companies offer rendezvous diving? Yes ... almost all of them do. If you are here on charter and would prefer to sail to your diving destination and meet up with one of the nearby SCUBA companies at your chosen dive site, just hail them on VHF channel 16 or call them on your boat phone to make whatever arrangements for equipment rentals you may need and to set a time to rendezvous. Click here to go directly to a list of all BVI SCUBA companies. May I bring my pet to the BVI? Yes you may, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are planning an extended stay. For full details go to "Importing your Pet to the BVI". Are there any nude beaches in the BVI? Sorry, no. Public nudity is illegal in the British Virgin Islands and upsetting to British Virgin Islanders. However, there are no restrictions as to how small bathing attire may be ... provided private areas are sufficiently covered. We do not pass judgment on those who enjoy nude sun bathing but would appreciate it if visitors would kindly respect our laws and the sensibilities of the BVI people. Are there any casinos in the BVI? Sorry, no. Gambling is illegal in the BVI ... except during the anual Humane Society gaming night. This is a very popular event which last year was held at Peg Leg Landing at Nanny Cay on Tortola.
Are there any golf courses in the BVI? There are no "real" golf courses, although there is a tiny course where duffers may stretch their legs at Prospect Reef Resort on Tortola. There has been talk about building one for several years. Stay tuned for new developments. We would like to do some island hopping. Is this possible? Certainly! There are any number of ways to visit the different islands, you may take a ferry to several of the islands, go on day sail trips, hire a small power boat for the day or hire a charter flight. See the "Transportation" and "Water Sports" sections for more details. What is the tipping etiquette in the BVI? Tipping is customary in the British Virgin Islands. Some hotels & restaurants include a 10 to 15% service charge on their bills whilst others leave the tip to your discretion. Be sure to check your bill or inquire to find out if a service charge has been included. How do we get to our hotel, villa or charter base from the airport or ferry dock? Taxis are always available at the airport and ferry terminals. Some hotels, villas and charter bases provide pick up services. Contact your hotel, resort, villa, yacht broker or travel agent for details. Taxi rates are detailed here. If you are flying into St. Thomas and plan to ferry over to Tortola or Virgin Gorda, be aware when planning your flights that the last ferry of the day leaves St. Thomas between 4:00 and 5:30 PM, depending upon the day of the week. Check the ferry schedules listed in the transportation section for accurate information. For Ferry Schedules and rates, click here. Can I access the Internet in the BVI? There are several hotels & villas which now offer internet connections from your room or will allow you access to the internet if you ask nicely. Caribbean Connections (at Village Cay) in Road Town offers internet services and so does Caribbean Printing (beside Road Town Wholesale). There is also an Internet Cafe in Road Town near the Ample Hamper and beside the Discount Liquor Store. I am told that Jeremy Wright (Boardsailing BVI) has also established an Internet Cafe on Beef Island at Trellis Bay. We have heard about the Full Moon Parties at Bomba's Shack ... when are they?
May I use a metal detector on the beaches? There are no restrictions on the use of metal detectors (that we know of) in the BVI. If you are into treasure hunting, I know somebody who lost his wedding ring in Cane Garden Bay some time ago. Some believe there may still be treasure on Norman Island and Anegada. Happy hunting! Can I use my cellular telephone in the BVI? Yes you can! Boatphone uses TDMA digital networks and any analogue phone will work with their system. (Please Note: CDMA and GSM networks will not work.) It is less expensive to bring your own phone and all you have to do is simply have your phone activated. If you don't have a TDMA cell phone, you can rent one from Boatphone. If you bring your own phone, the daily charge (not including calls) is $5.00 for each day you use the phone. If you do not use the phone on any given day, you will not be charged. If you rent from Boatphone, there is a flat $10.00 per day charge, plus calls.
If you are chartering a yacht, the rates are somewhat different. All boats are equipped with boat phones. See the Yacht charter section for details. You have some pretty strange words in the BVI - how do you pronounce ...?
I can't think of any others at the moment, but if you have any good ones ... fire away and we'll add it to the list! How can we get to the Willy-T or Billy Bones from Tortola? Both the William Thornton Floating Bar and Restaurant and Billy Bones Restaurant are located at the Bight, Norman Island. There are no scheduled ferries which go out to the bight, but the supply boats come and go at least twice a day. The phone numbers are in the phone book, give them a call the day before you want to go and arrange a ride for yourselves! They both leave from Nanny Cay at around 10:00 in the morning or 4:30 - 5:00 in the evening with fresh supplies and staff. How Many Islands are in the BVI? A Lot! I can't tell you how many times I have been asked this question. The stock answer in most published accounts is in the neighbourhood of 60. However, in the interest of making this site as complete as possible, I decided to sit down with a chart and start counting. (One would think I have nothing but time on my hands!) I came up with the following list: Tobago, Little Tobago, Jost Van Dyke, Little Jost Van Dyke, Green Cay, Sandy Spit, Sandy Cay, Great Thatch, Little Thatch, Frenchman's Cay, Tortola, Nanny Cay, Pelican Island, The Indians, Norman Island, Carrot Rock, Peter Island, Dead Chest Island, Salt Island, Cooper Island, Carval Rock, Ginger Island, Round Rock, Buck Island, Fallen Jerusalem, Beef Island, Bellamy Cay, Marina Cay, Little Camanoe, Great Camanoe, Scrub Island, Guana Island, West Dog, Great Dog, Cockroach, George Dog, West Seal, East Seal, Virgin Gorda, Mosquito Island, Prickly Pear Island, Saba Rock, Eustatia Island, Necker Island, Anegada and Little Anegada. By my count, that's 46. However, If you consider that Fallen Jerusalem and The Indians are comprised of several rocky outcroppings which might be considered individual "islets" ... then I suppose 60 is as good a number as any, but I believe it might be a titch on the high side. How Many Islands are inhabited? Heavy sigh ... sit down and count again. OK, I think there are 19 ... if you include those which have only a restaurant or a single dwelling on them. They are: Jost Van Dyke, Frenchman's Cay, Tortola, Nanny Cay, Norman Island (sort of), Peter Island, Salt Island (one guy), Cooper Island, Beef Island, Bellamy Cay, Marina Cay, Great Camanoe, Scrub Island (sort of), Guana Island, Virgin Gorda, Mosquito Island, Prickly Pear Island, Saba Rock, Necker Island, Anegada. Is it safe to drive in the BVI? Well of course it is! That is not to say it isn't an experience for the unitiated ... but ever since cars were first brought to the islands, people have managed the task. You must keep in mind that we drve on the left. There are no traffic lights and very few stop signs. Many of the roads can be challenging and even scary your first time out. Most people will tell you that a 4 wheel drive vehicle is an absolute necessity. Nonsense! I have had a front wheel drive, automatic transmission, Toyota Paseo for 9 years and have NEVER been stuck or unable to get up and down any of the hills on Tortola. I have however driven other vehicles with rear wheel drive and which were light in the rear end. They are a nightmare to drive ... particularly when the roads are wet. If you take it slowly and put a sign on the dash in front of you as a reminder to stay left, you should be o.k. If the round abouts frighten you, remember that vehicles on your right have right of way. Jump into the circle only when there are no vehicles approaching from the right. Driving in the BVI can be great fun and a wonderful experience! Unless you drive the islands, you will miss hundreds of the most spectacular views one will ever see! We would love to move to the British Virgin Islands. What is involved? Visitors may stay up to 6 months at a time provided they have prearranged accommodations and proof of sufficient means of support while in the BVI. If you are planning a permanent move to the British Virgin Islands, there is quite a bit involved, please contact the BVI Immigration Department for more information. How can I get a job in the BVI? Your prospective employer must obtain a work permit for you PRIOR to arrival in the BVI. Foreigners may be employed in the BVI only if no British Virgin Islanders are available or qualified for the job in question. Work permits must be renewed annually. For detailed information contact the BVI Labour Department.
BVI
Chamber Of Commerce & Hotel Association
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