25 Unforgettable Things to Do in Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Some islands are meant to be seen. Tortola is meant to be felt.
Swim before breakfast. Follow a mountain trail into the green. Paddle across impossibly blue water. Find a beach you weren’t looking for. Watch the sun disappear from the deck of a boat.
Tortola may be the largest of the British Virgin Islands, but some of its best moments are wonderfully small.
If you’re staying at Long Bay Beach Resort, here are 25 of our favourite ways to experience Tortola and the islands around us.
1. Walk Long Bay Beach Before Breakfast
Start with the simplest one.
Step barefoot from Long Bay Beach Resort onto a mile of white sand and walk while the island is still waking up.
No itinerary. No shoes. Just the sound of the Caribbean and somewhere beautiful to be.
Best for: Slow mornings, couples and sunrise wanderers
From Long Bay Beach Resort: You’re already here.
2. Paddleboard Across Long Bay
When the water settles, take a paddleboard out and see Tortola from a completely different perspective.
Paddleboards are available for guests at Long Bay Beach Resort, making this one of the easiest adventures to add to your morning.
Best for: Beginners, couples and active mornings
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3. Discover Smuggler’s Cove
Just around the corner from Long Bay lies one of Tortola’s little treasures.
Smuggler’s Cove feels wonderfully removed from everything: calm turquoise water, soft sand and the kind of Caribbean afternoon that makes you forget what time it is.
It’s approximately a five-minute drive from Long Bay Beach Resort.
Long Bay tip: Take one of our paddleboards along when conditions permit.
4. Snorkel the Reefs Around Long Bay
You don’t necessarily need a boat to discover what’s beneath the surface.
Grab snorkeling equipment from the resort and explore the reef from Long Bay Beach, subject to sea conditions.
Move slowly. Look closely. The Caribbean becomes an entirely different world beneath you.
5. Play Pickleball in Paradise
Yes, paradise has pickleball.
Start the morning with a friendly match on the Long Bay Beach Resort courts before rewarding yourself with something cold beside the pool.
Whether you’ve played for years or have never picked up a paddle, this may be one of the most unexpectedly fun hours of your holiday.
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6. Take a Private Sunset Cruise
There are sunsets.
And then there are BVI sunsets seen from the water.
Leave Tortola behind for a few hours aboard the Long Bay Beach Resort Ocean Fleet as the afternoon turns gold and the islands begin to silhouette against the horizon.
This is one to save for anniversaries, proposals, honeymoons — or absolutely no reason at all.
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7. Spend a Day Island Hopping
One of the great pleasures of staying on Tortola is realizing that your holiday doesn’t have to stay on Tortola.
The British Virgin Islands were made for exploring by sea.
Our Ocean Fleet can turn a day into hidden coves, snorkeling stops, neighbouring islands, beach bars and long stretches of blue between them.
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8. Hike Sage Mountain National Park
Trade blue for green.
Sage Mountain National Park protects some of Tortola’s most beautiful forest, with a network of trails through tropical vegetation and wonderfully elevated island scenery.
Go earlier in the day, wear proper shoes and take water.
Best for: Nature lovers and active travellers
9. Take Yoga by the Sea
There are yoga studios.
And then there’s yoga with the Caribbean moving behind you.
Join Yoga on the Bay at Long Bay Beach Resort and begin the morning with movement, sea air and the sound of waves instead of a playlist.
10. Try Mat Pilates on the Bay
Prefer a little more burn with your view?
Our beachfront Mat Pilates sessions combine movement with one rather beautiful distraction: Long Bay.
It’s an easy way to keep your wellness routine without making your holiday feel remotely like a routine.
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11. Learn to Surf
When the winter swells arrive, Tortola shows another side of herself.
Surfing is part of the island’s character, with breaks around Tortola attracting everyone from curious beginners to experienced surfers.
Long Bay Beach Resort has surfboards available for guests, subject to conditions.
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12. Explore Cane Garden Bay
For a different rhythm, head to Cane Garden Bay.
Its sweeping shoreline, restaurants, bars and unmistakably Caribbean atmosphere make it one of Tortola’s best-known beach stops.
Come for a swim. Stay for lunch. Somehow still be there when the sun begins setting.
13. Step Inside Callwood Rum Distillery
Just beyond the beach at Cane Garden Bay is a piece of living Tortola history.
Callwood Rum Distillery retains its historic sugar-cane distillery structure, and its original boiler is still used in rum production.
It isn’t polished — and that’s precisely why it’s interesting.
Come curious. Leave knowing a little more about the island beneath the beaches.
14. Discover Mount Healthy Windmill
Tortola’s beauty has a complicated history.
At Mount Healthy National Park stands the BVI’s last remaining windmill, part of an 18th-century sugar plantation where enslaved Africans cultivated and processed sugar cane.
Visit slowly and respectfully. Places like this help tell the fuller story of the British Virgin Islands.
15. Wander Through Road Town
Spend a few hours discovering Tortola beyond the beach.
Road Town is the capital of the British Virgin Islands and a lovely change of pace for travellers wanting to browse local shops, find something handmade or simply watch everyday island life unfold.
Sometimes exploring without a checklist is the best plan.
16. Visit the J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens
Hidden within Road Town is a peaceful botanical escape filled with palms, tropical flowers and plants representing several of the BVI’s natural habitats.
The gardens cover just under three acres, making them easy to enjoy as part of a relaxed morning exploring town.
17. See Tortola on a Scenic Island Drive
Tortola’s roads climb, curve and reveal views when you least expect them.
Let someone else concentrate on the hills while you take in secluded bays, colourful villages, mountain viewpoints and the changing coastline.
Long Bay Beach Resort can help arrange an island tour tailored around what you’d most like to see.
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18. Go Scuba Diving
Some of the BVI’s greatest scenery isn’t visible from land.
Spend a morning diving reefs, underwater landscapes and some of the area’s celebrated dive sites.
Long Bay Beach Resort can help guests arrange a Dive Safari with experienced local professionals.
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19. Go Fishing in the BVI
Trade the beach for open water and head offshore.
The waters surrounding Tortola are well known for recreational and game fishing, and a private excursion is a completely different way to experience the BVI.
Our team can help connect guests with trusted local operators.
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20. Kayak Along Tortola’s Coast
There is something wonderfully quiet about exploring an island under your own power.
A kayak lets you slow everything down — following the shoreline, slipping into calmer water and noticing little corners you might otherwise pass.
Our team can help arrange kayaking experiences around Tortola.
21. Take a Day Trip to Jost Van Dyke
Small island. Big personality.
Jost Van Dyke is one of the BVI’s most loved day trips, known for white-sand beaches, laid-back beach bars and the naturally formed Bubbly Pool.
You can reach Jost Van Dyke from Tortola by ferry or make the journey part of a private Ocean Fleet adventure.
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22. See The Baths on Virgin Gorda
This one technically takes you away from Tortola — and that’s exactly the point.
The Baths National Park on Virgin Gorda is one of the BVI’s iconic natural landscapes, where enormous granite boulders form passages, grottoes and pools beside impossibly clear Caribbean water.
Make a day of it.
Our Experiences team can help you plan the journey from Long Bay Beach Resort.
23. Give Yourself an Afternoon at The Cure Day Spa
Adventure doesn’t always have to raise your heart rate.
Sometimes the best thing to do in Tortola is absolutely nothing for an hour.
Retreat to The Cure Day Spa at Long Bay Beach Resort for treatments designed to bring the body back to holiday speed.
24. Swim, Then Stay at the Swim-Up Bar
This may be the easiest itinerary on the list.
Swim.
Order something cold.
Stay longer than intended.
The Long Bay Beach Resort pool and swim-up bar were designed for precisely the sort of afternoon where your biggest decision is whether to get out of the water.
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25. Do Absolutely Nothing
We saved an important one for last.
Not every day in the British Virgin Islands needs an excursion.
Find a daybed. Read three pages of a book. Fall asleep. Swim. Order lunch. Walk the beach. Watch the sky change colour.
Because sometimes the thing you remember most about Tortola isn’t what you did.
It’s how wonderfully little you needed to do at all.
Let Us Show You Our Tortola
There are countless ways to experience the British Virgin Islands, but the best island days rarely begin with a checklist.
Tell us what you love.
Adventure. Water. Food. Wellness. History. Hidden beaches. Or simply somewhere beautiful to disappear for the afternoon.
Our team at Long Bay Beach Resort can help turn it into your kind of Tortola.
Ready to explore?
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Have something special in mind?
Contact our Experiences Team at experiences@longbay.com and let us help plan your island adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tortola
What are the best things to do in Tortola?
Some of the best things to do in Tortola include exploring its beaches, hiking Sage Mountain, snorkeling, paddleboarding, sailing, surfing, visiting Cane Garden Bay and taking a sunset cruise around the British Virgin Islands.
How many days do you need in Tortola?
Five to seven days gives you time to enjoy Tortola’s beaches and island experiences while leaving room for day trips to nearby islands such as Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda.
Can you visit Jost Van Dyke from Tortola?
Yes. Jost Van Dyke makes an easy day adventure from Tortola by ferry or private boat. Guests of Long Bay Beach Resort can also explore private boating experiences with our Ocean Fleet.
What are the best things for couples to do in Tortola?
Sunset sailing, secluded beaches, spa treatments, snorkeling, paddleboarding and slow beachfront dinners are among our favourites for couples visiting Tortola.
What can guests do at Long Bay Beach Resort?
Guests can enjoy paddleboarding, snorkeling, pickleball, tennis, yoga, Pilates, spa experiences and ocean adventures, alongside a mile-long white-sand beach.