Caribbean Special: Drift away with a painkiller

The timeless beauty of the British Virgin Islands

By Valerie Singleton
Saturday, 13 April 2002

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"Do you have a McDonald's?'' asked an American girl

"Do you have a McDonald's?'' asked an American girl. Sailing around the British Virgin Islands (BVI), she'd come ashore for a tour of Tortola. Her taxi driver told her gently that "you won't find any fast-food outlets here''. She looked surprised.

We were at Skyworld, a small restaurant on one of the highest points on Tortola – with Virgin Gorda, one of the larger isles. The view of small islands and cays in every direction was breathtaking . The islands have evocative names like Dead Man's Chest, Salt Island, Ginger, Pelican, The Dogs and Mosquito. It was May – out of season, uncrowded and unusually hot.

I first visited the BVI six years ago and nothing seemed to have changed much – still no burger bars and you still can't fly direct from Britain, which means more effort and cash is required to get there. But the reward is an area of the Caribbean that remains remarkably undeveloped, with unspoilt and beautiful beaches. It's also one of the few places where many establishments don't bother with room keys.

There are several well-known, upmarket hotels in the BVI, but there are also many delightful villas and inns which make it possible to visit at a reasonable price. Many are self-catering, but eating out in the BVI, even the mid-range restaurants, can match London.

We began our two weeks on Tortola at Sebastian's on the Beach, a small turquoise and pink hotel that straddles the narrow road on Apple Bay. I got up early to swim as pelicans dive-bombed noisily around me for fish. There's not much else on Apple Bay except the renowned Bomba's Surfside Shack (and it is a shack!) along the beach from Sebastian's. Bomba's full-moon parties are listed in the BVI calendar of events. From the variety of garments left hanging from the beams, they're extremely raucous. We missed out on a full moon so I came back with my wardrobe intact.

It was too hot to sunbathe after 10am, so most days we took off to see the island. Tortola – 12 miles long and three miles wide – is hilly, wonderfully luxuriant and the largest of the islands. We hired a four-wheel drive for the steep inclines and hairpin bends. Sometimes we cut over the mountains to the capital, Road Town, every turn in the road revealing spectacular scenery. Other times we took the longer route on the pot-holed shore road, much in need of the re-surfacing which had just begun.

Road Town sprawls around its bay on reclaimed land, apparently still coming to terms with being one of the world's larger offshore-banking centres. At the very back of town, narrow, pretty Main Street, which in the Sixties was on the waterfront, winds past brightly painted gingerbread houses. One lunchtime we noticed two women with very large straw hats and big sunglasses obviously making early sorties from the Pink Palace above Main Street, where a British plastic surgeon has run a successful clinic for many years.

The large open-air market on the waterfront was fun to wander through, but sells much the same stuff you find in Caribbean markets anywhere: baskets, hats, sarongs, sandals, cards. Unlike their counterparts elsewhere, these stallholders are apparently not prepared to bargain. The BVI economy is in good shape and people aren't desperate for a sale at any price.

From Road Town you can pick up ferries that run between the main islands. Half an hour by boat south of Tortola is tiny Cooper Island, a place to do very little. The Beach Club cottages, set back among the trees and oleanders, were painted in delicious combinations of colours: turquoise and lemon yellow, pink and lilac.

As we landed, we were invited to a wedding. Under the sea grape trees by the beach, Cheryl and Robert from Preston, looking extraordinarily cool in wedding dress and suit, were about to tie the knot. The other guests, dressed in shorts and beachwear like us, were four actors and Chris Tilling, part owner of the Beach Club. As champagne glasses were raised to the newly-weds, Robert looked at me in surprise: "I met you on Blue Peter in 1968'', he said. "I appeared with the Fleetwood Sea Cadets Marine Band.'' Still mad about the sea, Robert and his bride sailed off on honeymoon on their chartered boat. After a lazy day on Cooper Island doing very little, we sipped the famous BVI "Painkiller" cocktails under the coconut palms as the lights from Road Town began to flicker on across the water. The Blue Peter card worked – Chris invited us to dine on delicious conch in the open-air restaurant on the edge of the beach.

Fort Recovery, back on Tortola hidden between the shore road and the sea, was our last stop. The remains of the stone fort in the grounds date back 400 years. The atmosphere was tranquil – Fort Recovery is known for its relaxing treatments. We drove home along the shore on a newly tarmacked road. Some small changes have reached the BVI after all.

Travellers Guide

The British Virgin Islands Club (020-8758 4740, www.vch.co.uk) specialises in smaller, owner-managed properties. Prices start at £22 per person per night, based on four sharing a two-bedroom villa or £3 per person based on a two sharing a poolside garden room at an inn. The best-value flights to Tortola, for around £650, travelling from one of several UK cities on Air France via St Martin.

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