A First-Timer's Guide to Belmont, Tortola
This first-timer's guide to Belmont starts with the short version: Belmont is a small corner of Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands, and a first visit goes best when you treat it as one stop in a wider island journey. Plan your arrival, your transport and your boat days early, and the rest of the trip takes care of itself.
Below is the practical orientation we'd give anyone planning a first trip to Belmont, Tortola: how to get there, how to move around, how long to stay and which homes we'd suggest.
Getting to Belmont, Tortola: Flights, Ferries and the Bridge
The key arrival fact is that Tortola's main airport sits on Beef Island, a small island off Tortola's eastern end that's joined to the main island by a bridge. Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport is the territory's main gateway, and from there you cross onto Tortola by road.
International routes to the British Virgin Islands usually connect through a regional hub, with San Juan in Puerto Rico a common choice. The other classic arrival is by sea. Ferries link Tortola with St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, so a flight into St. Thomas followed by a ferry crossing is a well-worn alternative.
A few things to sort out before you fly:
- Check your passport early. The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory with their own entry process, so confirm the requirements well before departure.
- Line up your connections. Regional flights and ferries run on their own schedules, so we arrange transfers around them rather than the other way round.
- Pack for a boat. Soft bags travel far more easily than hard cases on ferries and water taxis.
Getting Around Tortola and the Wider Virgin Islands
Driving is on the left, and Tortola's roads are steep, narrow and winding. The island is mountainous, with Sage Mountain forming its highest ground, so a route that looks short on a map can take real concentration. If you'd rather not drive, a private driver is the easier choice.
The water is the other half of the map. The Sir Francis Drake Channel runs between Tortola and the islands to the south, and it's the reason this corner of the Virgin Islands Caribbean is known worldwide for sailing. Inter-island ferries connect Tortola with Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. A private charter turns the same water into a day of swimming and snorkeling stops.
The U.S. dollar is the official currency, which keeps the money side simple for many visitors.
How Long to Stay on a First Visit
We suggest a week as a comfortable first stay. That gives you time to settle in, spend a day on Tortola itself and still leave room for two or three days on the water. Anything shorter leaves little room once the transfers are counted.
A sensible first week might look like this:
- Tortola days: a drive over the ridge for the views, and time on the island's north shore beaches.
- A Virgin Gorda day: The Baths, the famous granite boulder formations at the island's southwest end.
- A sailing day: a crew-led charter to the smaller islands and reefs of the channel.
- A slow day: no plans at all, which is often the point of a luxury villa holiday.
What to Plan Ahead
Timing matters more than anything else. December through April is the drier, busier season, and boats, villas and transfers fill earliest then. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so travel in those months calls for flexible plans and good travel insurance.
Boat charters, private drivers and in-villa dinners are the other things worth arranging before you land. Renting a villa in the Caribbean is easiest when the logistics are settled in advance, and that's the part we handle.
Where We Suggest Staying for a First Visit
Our Belmont page doesn't list any homes, and neither does our Tortola page. The villas we suggest are on Virgin Gorda, elsewhere in the British Virgin Islands, and you'd reach Tortola from them by boat.
On Virgin Gorda, we'd look first at Aquamare, which our listing places on the beach at Mahoe Bay. Each villa on the property has its own private infinity-edge pool, some with sunset views, and a thatched palapa sits by the sea. Kayaks and snorkeling equipment are on hand, daily housekeeping and concierge services are included, and a personal chef can be arranged in advance. According to our listing, Virgin Gorda Airport is about 4.5 kilometers away and Spanish Town about 4 kilometers.
At the eastern end of Virgin Gorda, inside a private resort community, sits Xela. It's a contemporary home with a wrap-around pool, sunrise views, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit and original contemporary art inside. For a couple, The Cliff Penthouse sits on a cliffside in the same community, with floor-to-ceiling glass and a private wraparound terrace with an infinity plunge pool. It looks out to the sunset.
Both homes share the community's facilities, including its beach club, pools, tennis and water sports equipment. A daily housekeeper and concierge are listed for each, and daily breakfast at the beach club is among the listed services. According to our listings, reaching either airport from these homes requires a boat transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you fly into for Belmont, Tortola?
The main airport is Terrance B. Lettsome International on Beef Island, joined to Tortola by a bridge. Routes usually connect through a regional hub such as San Juan, and ferries from St. Thomas are the main sea alternative.
Do you need a car on Tortola?
Not necessarily. Driving is on the left and the roads are steep and winding, so a private driver is often the easier choice. We can arrange transfers and drivers for your whole stay.
What currency is used in the British Virgin Islands?
The U.S. dollar is the official currency. It's one of the simplest parts of planning a first trip.
Planning Your First Trip to Belmont
A good first-timer's guide to Belmont comes down to a few decisions made early: when to travel, how you'll arrive and how much of the trip you'll spend on the water. Settle those, and Tortola and its neighboring islands are easy to enjoy.
We've been arranging Caribbean villa stays since 1979, and every home we offer is personally inspected, with a pre-arrival check before each stay. Whether you picture yourself at Aquamare, at Xela or at The Cliff Penthouse, and whatever brings you to Belmont, Tortola, when you're ready, we're here.
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