The Virgin Islands, commonly known as the British Virgin Islands (BVI), is a British overseas territory located in the Caribbean east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago; the remaining islands constitute the US Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands.
The official name of the Territory is still the "Virgin Islands", but the prefix "British" is often used to distinguish it from the neighboring American territory. The Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands and cays. About 15 of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is situated on Tortola, the largest island, approximately 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands have a total population of about 27,800, of whom approximately 23,000 live on Tortola.
Tortola is one of the most scenic islands in the Eastern Caribbean, being the largest as well as the central point of the British Virgin Islands. Tortola is blessed with gorgeous blue vistas, verdant hills, and powdery white sandy beaches. Aside from its beautiful landscape, Tortola is nearest to the islands of Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke, and Anegada. This makes it a perfect cruise vacation spot. Due to its central location, island hopping is one of Tortola’s main attractions.
Road Town, Tortola’s capital city, is nestled on the hills surrounding a beautiful harbor, making it a picturesque cruise port. The pier is big enough to handle two large cruise ships simultaneously. In order to accommodate ships up to 180,000 gross tons, the pier was expanded in 2015, which means that it can host every current cruise ship except an Oasis-class ship (these are the Oasis Class ship: Oasis of the Seas (2009), Allure of the Seas (2010), Harmony of the Seas (2016), Symphony of the Seas (2018), Wonder of the Seas (2022) and Utopia of the Seas (coming 2024)). There is a new cruise complex, which was constructed at the foot of the pier named Tortola Pier Park, with over 50 shops and restaurants.
The British Virgin Islands have a tropical rainforest climate, meaning temperatures vary little throughout the year, ranging around 32 °C (89.6 °F) in the summer and 29 °C (84.2 °F) in the winter. Rainfall can be quite variable, but the wettest months on average are September to November and the driest months on average are February and March. With beautiful weather year-round, pristine beaches, lush green mountains, snorkelers, and divers dreams, the British Virgin Islands are a vacationer's paradise!
