Intriguing History, Caribbean Culture and Mother Nature at Her Best
By Victor Block
Two decades ago, I visited the British Virgin Islands. I checked out their inviting beaches, visited historic and nature-made sites, and oohed and aahed at the magnificent scenery.
During my recent return trip there, I relived those experiences. I also enjoyed others which make this a welcoming destination for those seeking to combine a typical sun, surf and sand vacation with opportunities to delve into intriguing touches of Caribbean culture.
The initial impression is the setting. Narrow, potholed roads twist and turn over almost vertical hills. Every overlook provides yet another picture postcard view.
The first places many visitors head for are beaches, and they come in sizes and amenities to meet most tastes. From quiet isolated inlets to water sport centers to rocking party venues, the something-for-everyone variety leaves little to chance.
A good place to delve into BVI history is Road Town on Tortola. The Virgin Islands Folk Museum brims with pre-Columbian artifacts that were used by people who once inhabited the islands. Stories it tells include tales of pirates and buccaneers who found a home base there for seeking quick treasure.
The J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens is an oasis of tropical plants that represent the habitats of the BVI. Given the lush foliage that proliferates everywhere, even such a magnificent garden seemed almost redundant to me.
I took time to visit three of the other inhabited islands, of some 60 that comprise the BVI. Because of its coral and limestone topography, contrasting with the volcanic origin of the others, Anegada Island is rimmed by some of the loveliest sparkling sand beaches.
Virgin Gorda Island offers remnants of early African, Spanish and Indian settlements, but is best known for a geologic formation called “the Baths.” This is a collection of large granite boulders piled on a beach which form a series of scenic grottoes.
Jost Van Dyke Island, said to be named for a Dutch privateer, makes up in attractions what it lacks in size (about 3.5 square miles). It’s dotted by the ruins of early sugar mills and laced by early explorer foot paths. But the virtual world-wide reputation of this tiny enclave also rests upon the Soggy Dollar Bar, a nondescript but inviting beach watering hole which reputedly is the birthplace of the highly popular local beverage known as the Painkiller.
The name of the establishment came from the fact that before a road had been built, people docked their boat nearby, swam to shore and paid the bar bill with wet paper money taken from their pocket.
Those folks were early participants in an activity for which the BVI today is world-famous. Along with the usual leisure pursuits expected in the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are known as a paradise for boaters. The first visitors came by sea and since then, the consistent trade winds, clear water and countless islands close enough to navigate by sight have combined to earn the archipelago the nickname of sailing capital of the Caribbean.
For many people, the islands serve as a stopover before they rent a catamaran or sailboat and head out. Sea-faring visitors can discover tucked-away coves, deserted beaches and other attractions unavailable to landlubbers.
However, I highly recommend spending time on the islands. Each has its own scenic appeals, variety of activities and intriguing chapters of history to relate.
For more information log on to bvitourism.com. MSN
Victor Block is an experienced travel writer and guidebook author who journeys around the country and the world checking out the must-see sites and looking for below-the-radar things to see and do. He belongs to the Society of American Travel Writers, has won a number of awards for his stories, has visited more than 75 countries and looks forward to adding to that list.
