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Airline Flights To/From BVI

Tortola, the main island of the British Virgin Islands, is the location of the BVI's only major airport, the Beef Island Airport (EIS) (current weather conditions) at Tortola's adjoining Beef Island on its East End (see area map). The largest airplanes served are turboprops for intra-Caribbean flights.

Tortola's Beef Island Airport Behind Trellis Bay


Major Caribbean connections for large jets making intercontinental flights are at San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) (see San Juan airport map and info here). Large jets also fly directly to St. Thomas (STT) (340-776-6282) in the United States Virgin Islands (see info here). From St. Thomas airport, after a short taxi ride, travelers usually take the ferry over to the BVI (see Ferries To/From USVI below). Another option is St. Maarten (SXM) now that American Eagle and other local carriers have regular scheduled service to Tortola's Beef Island airport (see below).

Local connections using smaller turboprop and other planes must be made from San Juan, St. Thomas or St. Maarten on American Airlines' subsidiary American Eagle, LIAT, or other local Caribbean airline. See the B-V-I Tour Guide's NO More Travel Jitters! for travel tips.

Ferries To/From USVI



The ferry comes into Soper's Hole from the USVI.




St. Thomas also has ferry service (see below as well) from its downtown Charlotte Amalie dock near the airport. The ferries ($40/22 round trip/one way for adults, $28/17 for children 3-11 years old) go to the West End (Soper's Hole) and Road Town on Tortola and "The Valley" on Virgin Gorda (see map of ferry routes). In addition, the new Fast Ferry goes directly between Charlotte Amalie dock and Road Town.

Red Hook, on the other end of the island from the St. Thomas airport, has ferry service to the West End and Jost Van Dyke. The taxi costs, per person, about $4.50 to downtown Charlotte Amalie and $9 to Red Hook. See Water Taxis below also.
Follow the below icon and signpost for ferry travel.

To
Soper's Hole
Road Town
"The Valley"
Jost Van Dyke









Airline Connections

AA Boeing 757



American Airlines serves its major routes from the U.S with large jets such as AA's Boeing 757s seen here.

Large Jets--Intercontinental Travel

San Juan, at its Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), is served by American Airlines, BWIA, Delta, Continental, Air Canada, British Airways, Iberia, Lufthansa, Northwest, TWA, United, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
American Airlines (AA), the dominent carrier in the region, utilizies San Juan Airport as its major hub in the Caribbean.
St. Thomas is served by American Airlines, Delta, US Airways, United and now Continental. BVI Welcome Online's Getting There and World Travel Guide have general information on airline flights to the BVI.

St. Maarten/St. Martin is served by many major airlines. For the footloose traveler who enjoys more complex itineraries, this dual Dutch/French island makes an attractive layover visit (or side trip), and St. Maarten/St. Martin itself is the major air and ferry connecting point for nearby islands such as Anguilla (British), St. Barths (French), Saba and St. Eustatius (Statia) (both Dutch)--all intriguing multi-national destinations themselves!



Airfare Quotes.. Expedia, Orbitz, Travel Zoo and Travelocity can be searched for the best fares.

American Eagle ATR



This and other Caribbean destinations are served with American Eagle ATRs, a turboprop plane shown here at the Beef Island airport.

American Eagle, AA's Caribbean subsidiary, is the predominant Caribbean carrier serving Tortola's Beef Island Airport from San Juan Airport. Generally, all flights go through San Juan.

Turboprops and Smaller Planes
--Intra Caribbean Travel

Within the Caribbean, travel is usually on turboprops and smaller planes. The major local carrier is AA's American Eagle with LIAT a distant second.
BVI airports are located at its main airport on Tortola's Beef Island as well as smaller airstrips on Virgin Gorda and Anegada. Even after a major expansion a few years ago, Tortola's Beef Island airport does not accommodate major jets, only 70-80 seat turboprops and small jets.

The hop from San Juan to Tortola takes about 30 minutes and the plane ascends to only 8000' and flies around the frequent clouds with great views of the many islands along this route as well adjoining reefs glinting emerald in the sunlight.

St. Maarten has scheduled service available via American Eagle and other local carriers directly to and from Tortola's Beef Island.

St. John has no airport (but has ferry service from St. Thomas and the BVI).

Charter service is directly available from San Juan or St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda and Anegada as well as Tortola's Beef Island on local airlines. Normally a small group is necessary to make a charter flight competitive in price.



LIAT. An airline serving the Caribbean, LIAT, has flights to the Beef Island Airport using the Dash 8 pictured here. From Tortola, LIAT offers non-stop services to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, St Maarten, Anguilla, St Kitts and Antigua.

LIAT also provides connections to Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad via Antigua. Pictured here is the interior of a Dash 8.

Recently, Gulfstream has teamed up with Continential to offer flights from San Juan.

Local Airlines

Fly BVI offers flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Tortola and Virgin Gorda as well as sightseeing flights and personalized service to local Caribbean connecting points (click on image at left to get more information). Also, Air St. Thomas (800-522-3084), Air Sunshine, Caribbean Wings (495-6000), Cape Air (800-352-0714, 495-2100), Aero Gorda (495-3371) offer similar flight services.

Anegada Flights. Clair Aero (email 495-2271) has regularly scheduled flights from Beef Island to Anegada--see details. This flight takes about 10 minutes and the one and two engine planes with 3 and 7 passengers ascend to 2000'.

Useful Information

Customs/immigration (284-494-3701) requires proof of citizenship, normally a passport, but for US and Canadian citizens, a certified copy of a birth certificate (or a US or Canadian Naturalization Certificate) plus a driver's license (official photo ID) will suffice. Note: a voter registration card may no longer be enough.

Note that US customs now requires a valid US passport to re-enter the US (see BVI Tourist Board's Useful Information and US State Department's Consular Information Sheet).

Currency, Electric Plugs & Time. The money currency is the US dollar; however, cash or traveler's checks may be desirable since smaller restaurants and other businesses may not honor major credit cards. ATMs are available but all cards may not work.

Electric Plugs. The electrical current (110V 60Hz) and triangular plugs (2 flat blades above a ground pin) are the same as in the US, but smaller than in Europe but good for Japan.

Time. BVI time is Atlantic Standard time, the same as US Eastern Standard time in the summer and one hour ahead in the winter.

Phone Use. The phone area code is (284) 49 + the 5-digit local number (the area code 809 is still in use but is being phased out). 800 numbers and foreign cards do not work in local payphones. Phone cards, including the simpler smart (chip) cards, are sold locally and at Cable & Wireless (C&W), the BVI phone company. Or dial 1-800-Call-USA (C&W) with a credit card.

Cell Phones. US cell phones usually work north of Tortola (especially on Jost Van Dyke), with at least reasonable roaming rates, due to the closeness to USVI cell towers on St. Thomas (which may override local cell service). Elsewhere, foreign cell phones can register en phone with a credit card for expensive connections via Boatphone.

Internet Access. Internet access locations are available here, along with BVI Marine WiFi hotspot rental and Renport wireless access.

Emergencies. The police and medical emergencies number is 999. The BVIs are generally risk-free of contagious disease, but the Centers for Disease Control's International Travelers' Hotline can be reached at 404-332-4559.

Language. Proper British English, often with a charming West Indian inflection, is the language spoken (it *is* a British colony, you bloody better be sure of that!).

Travel Guide, Misc. Also, the BVI Tourist Board (800-835-8530) has an excellent Tourism Directory (see contact info here). Here is more useful information such as work permits and customs, pets, taxes, cruising and fishing permits.

Nearby Attractions

Trellis Bay & Marina Cay has ferry docks for intra island travel as well as nearby places to get a bite to eat, connect to the internet, shop or sightsee, or simply find a relaxing refreshment near the Beef Island Airport. See the B-V-I Tour Guide's So we're stuck at the airport.

Intra Island Transportation

For Land Transportation, see below.

By sea, Ferry service (see overall schedules of all major ferries) is also quite extensive (see the ScubaMom's map of ferry routes and inter-island travel tips). Also, Small Boat Rentals & Day Sails provide a means of water transport as well as vacation adventure.

Beef Island Airport at Trellis Bay

The North Sound Express (495-2271) connects directly from the Beef Island Airport (at its nearby Trellis Bay dock) to the Bitter End and Leverick Bay in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, and to the "The Valley" (The Baths) at Virgin Gorda (Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour and Spanish Town) by reservation at least four hours ahead (but try anyway).

Local Trellis Bay Ferries. In addition, Marina Cay has a free ferry from its dock near the airport on Trellis Bay. Bellamy Cay in Trellis Bay has a free launches on call.

Resort Launches and Courtesy Vans. Resorts such as Guana Island, Little Dix Bay, Biras Creek and Peter Island provide water launches for their guests. Tortola-based resorts such as Long Bay Beach Resort often have courtesy vans as well. Usually someone from the resort will be holding up a card with the resort's name just past customs.

Taxis and Rental Cars. Taxis, but not car rentals, are available at the Beef Island airport.

Road Town

Road Town, the capital and main habitation of the BVI, is well connected by the ferry system to "The Valley" (The Baths) at Virgin Gorda as well as Soper's Hole on the West End of Tortola. All of these are general ports of entry to the BVIs together with Beef Island Airport and Jost Van Dyke. See Native Son's Schedule and Smith's Ferry Schedule.

Peter Island Ferry. From its dock on the East or airport side of Road Town, the Peter Island Ferry (495-2000) connects to Peter Island's Sprat Bay, the water entrance to Peter Island Resort.

By Land. Road Town is centrally located and well connected to all parts of Tortola. The Beef Island airport on Tortola's East End is a relatively short distance away, although the coastal road twists and dips constantly. Cane Garden Bay is right over the mountain.

Taxis and Rental Cars. There are always plenty of taxis at the ferry dock. Road Town has many car rentals around town.

Soper's Hole on the West End

Soper's Hole on the West End of Tortola is connected by ferry to Road Town and on to "The Valley" (The Baths) at Virgin Gorda as well as to St. Thomas at Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook and St. John at Cruz Bay.

Also, the When goes to Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke.

Taxis and Rental Cars. There are always plenty of taxis at the Soper's Hole ferry dock. Over at The Wharf, call Chappy's Taxi Service (496-5960, 495-4392). Car Rentals are available nearby next to the Jolly Roger Inn.

Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour/
"The Valley"/Spanish Town

"The Valley" (The Baths) at Virgin Gorda, also called the Yacht Harbour and Spanish Town, is the main connection to Road Town. Also, the North Sound Express (495-2138) goes to the Beef Island Airport at Trellis Bay (by reservation at least four hours ahead).

A main road goes to the North Sound at Leverick Bay and Gun Creek (see below). A great drive!

Taxis and Rental Cars. There are always plenty of taxis and car rentals here.

Virgin Gorda Airport

One of the world's most beautiful locations, this airport sits on Virgin Gorda's scenic far coast at Taylor's Bay, the granite sand runway alongside an emerald reef amidst a series of rocky ridge outcroppings down the shore. Also located here is the Flying Iguana restaurant. Well worth a stop and tour.

Airline service includes Air Sunshine, Veques Airlink, Air St. Thomas, Gordo Aero and Caribbean Wings. Scheduled flights go to San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Croix daily. Gordo Aero goes to Beef Island, St. Thomas and Anegada on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Chartered service goes to the various islands up to South America.

Until recently owned by Little Dix Bay resort, the Virgin Gorda airport has been upgraded by the BVI government in recent years with paved apron and roundabouts at the ends of the rundway, serving up to eight seat dual engine planes. Due to the cross winds here, no single engine planes with passengers are allowed.

North Sound

The Bitter End and Leverick Bay are the interconnecting points for the North Sound Express (495-2138) ferry service linking the Beef Island Airport at Trellis Bay with the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.

Road to "The Valley." At Gun Creek and Leverick Bay, all of these resorts in the North Sound are connected to "The Valley" (The Baths) at Virgin Gorda by road for the terrestrially advantaged with the requisite BVI "airplane-like" views and steep mountainous terrain.

Bitter End Ferry. At Gun Creek, there is a free ferry connecting the Bitter End.

Launches. Saba Rock provides a launch to its restaurant and resort patrons to anywhere in the North Sound. Biras Creek provides a launch to its dining and lodging guests to various points. Drakes Anchorage provides a launch to Leverick Bay and Gun Creek. The North Sound generally has every kind of water-related rental device from water taxi to dinghy.

Jost Van Dyke

A ferry, the When (a delivery boat and fun day ferry day) runs from Soper's Hole on the West End to Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke. Also, another ferry goes from Great Harbour to the U.S.V.I. on a more restricted basis. See overall schedules of all major ferries.

Anegada

Clair Aero (email 495-2271) has regularly scheduled flights from Beef Island to the small airport at Anegada--see details. Other local airlines offer charter and various sightseeing and day trips.

By Water. Anegada has no regular ferry service. However, many boat trips can be arranged.

Peter Island

The Peter Island Ferry (495-2000), pictured here, connects Peter Island's Sprat Bay, the water entrance to Peter Island Resort with its dock in Road Town (the first left on the water coming into Road Town from the airport).

United States Virgin Islands

Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, a great day trip for the power shopper, Red Hook on the BVI side of St. Thomas and Cruz Bay at St. John (another interesting destination) are all well interconnected in the ferry system.

Launches (also Ferries & Supply Boats)

Launches, a term for a variety of motor-powered small boats, the water version of the taxi or courtesy van, are used throughout the islands.

Bellamy Cay in Trellis Bay has a free launch on call for dining patrons.
Pirates Bight Beach Bar & Restaurant at Treasure Island's The Bight has a supply boat to bring patrons from Nanny Cay.
Biras Creek provides a launch to Gun Creek and elsewhere for its dining and lodging guests.
The Bitter End provides a free ferry to Gun Creek near Leverick Bay.
Cooper Island has a regular launch from Road Town's Prospect Reef (see schedule).
Drakes Anchorage provides a launch to Leverick Bay and Gun Creek.
Guana Island transports guests from the Beef Island airport.
Little Dix Bay have launches for guests needing water transport.
Marina Cay has a free ferry from its dock near the airport on Trellis Bay.
Peter Island provides a ferry (495-2000) from its dock in Road Town.
Saba Rock Resort provides a launch to its restaurant and lodging patrons.

Water Taxis

Water Taxis are generally available. Sheppard's Powerboat Rentals and Water Taxis (495-4099) out of Soper's Hole offers transportation to outlying islands. Cadie's Water Taxi (496-5403 beeper, 499-3853 cellular, email) has 7' Boston Whaler and 20' Mako for island tours and general taxi trips--$20 round trip from Soper's Hole /Carrot Bay to Jost Van Dyke.Water taxis at the Water Sports Center at Leverick Bay (495-7366) are available for $20 split time drop-off and pick-ups trips. Also, see Small Boat Rentals.

Dohm's V.I. Water Taxi (340-775-6501) has Wave Piercers catamaran motorboats (see picture) for hire between any of the islands. Also, Day Sails provide a means of vacation adventure via the water.

Land Transportation

By land, Taxi service is available at the Beef Island airport (but not car rentals) and all over the main islands of Tortola (see Tortola Tour for general land routes) and Virgin Gorda. Also, charterers and innkeepers often provide courtesy transportation to and from the Airport and elsewhere.

Lodging ashore guests should consider renting a car or jeep to get around (see car rentals below). Also, you can hail down Scato's bus (494-2365), an 8-passenger van, for $2-10 ad hoc rides with BVIslanders across Tortola.

Car & Jeep Rentals

Sporty Jeeps



This fine 2 Door Suzuki Vitara Jeep is great fun! Its 1999 rate is $45-55 daily and $285-330 weekly from International Car Rentals (494-2516 email) in Road Town.

Rental companies will generally bring the vehicle to you; except not to the Beef Island airport. Also, drop-offs at the airport can be arranged for an extra charge.
Check with your insurance agent at home to see if you will be covered in the BVI.

A BVI license good for three months will be issued for $10 based on your existing license.


On Tortola, local companies include International Car Rentals (494-2516 email, in Road Town), D&D Car Rentals (495-7676, at Wickham's Cay in Road Town) and Denzil Clyde Jeep and Car Rentals (495-4900, courtesy pickup and drop off in West End area).

On Tortola also, various major companies offer car and jeep rentals (see list), including: Hertz (free pick up in Road Town, West End (495-4405 next to the Jolly Roger) and Cane Garden Bay) and Avis (494-2193 in Road Town across from police station and at the West End, 495-4973), Budget (494-2639 at Wickham's Cay in Road Town).

On Virgin Gorda, Andy's Jeep Rentals (495-5252), L&S Garage Taxi & Car Rental (495-5297), Mahagony Rentals and Taxi Service (495-5469), and Speedy's (495-5240) rent cars and/or jeeps, although four wheel drive vehicles are preferred on Virgin Gorda.

Hiring a Taxi

Your resort will generally summon a taxi for you. On Tortola, taxis can be found at the Beef Island Airport, BVI Taxi Association (494-2875) stands near Wickham's Cay and the ferry dock in Road Town as well as the ferry dock at Soper's Hole. Taxis can be chartered by agreement.

Taxi fare on Tortola is, from or to the Beef Island Airport, $15 to Road Town, $30 to Cane Garden Bay and $35 to the West End. Also, it's $15 to/from Road Town and Cane Garden Bay.

On Virgin Gorda, taxis can be found at the airport or the stand at the Yacht Harbour ferry dock. Also, the rental companies on Virgin Gorda provide taxi service, including Andy's Jeep Rentals (495-5252), L&S Garage Taxi & Car Rental (495-5297), Mahagony Rentals and Taxi Service (495-5469), and Speedy's (495-5240). A fare to anywhere in The Valley is about $3 and a trip to Leverick Bay or Gun Creek is $20 for up to four people.

Tours

Beach Trips can be arranged where your party can be dropped off at a beach and picked up later. Tours can also be arranged through taxi companies or individual taxi drivers. A tour of Tortola is about $45 and Virgin Gorda $30 for an hour and one-half.

Weather Forecast. The best local weather source is CaribWx (ZBVI radio 780 AM) in Road Town with regular and marine forecasts. USA Today has a 5 day weather forecast for the British Virgin Islands. More weather links are available at NewsLinks for the BVI.