DREAM ESCAPES
Crystalline waters, crayon-bright towns and lively thatched-roof rum shacks make the largest of the British Virgin Islands a must-visit
Tortola STAY
Spilling out onto powder-soft shores at the western end of the island, Long Bay Resort (3) is one of Tortola’s loveliest addresses. The highceilinged suites – all chalky-white walls and heaps of rattan – lead out onto breathtaking terraces (2), and the vibe is laid back. Here, you have a pared-back, barefoot hideaway, soundtracked by the ebb and flow of the surf; somewhere to really slow down and kick back.
TASTE
Frothy iced lattes and just-baked croissants are the order of the day at 1748 Coffee Shop, while just across the Sir Francis Drake Channel – a mere whoosh away by motorboat – easy-breezy Cooper Island Beach Club is a must for languid, toes-inthe-sand lunches of conch fritters, zesty tuna ceviche and Parmesan-confettied Caesar salad. Back at base, the hotel’s brand-new thatched-roof gin bar pours some of the best dirty martinis in the British Virgin Islands, and it’s a great spot to watch the sky segue from fuchsia to electrictangerine at sunset.
INDULGE
Little stalls dot Road Town’s vibrant, palm-fringed streets
(1), packed to the rafters with shell-adorned trinkets, straw hats and tie-dye pareos in saturated shades. On the waterfront, the lively craft market, with its bright wooden shops and cheery, carefree mood – is well worth a wander.
EXPLORE
Sun-licked Tortola is home to a wealth of paradisiacal beaches, with wave-lashed Josiah’s Bay and off-the-beaten-track Smuggler’s Cove among the most ravishing. Intrepid types can hike Sage Mountain National Park’s forest trails, although the best way to get acquainted with this colourful isle is by boat. Set sail on a catamaran for a laid-back afternoon of cove-hopping, and be sure to drop anchor at one of the ramshackle beachside rum bars for a pineapple-muddled punch or two.
› Stays at Long Bay Resort, Tortola, start from $225 (approx £162) per night; visit longbay.com. BA flies London to Antigua from £378 return; visit ba.com. InterCaribbean Airways flies on to Tortola from £134 one way; visit intercaribbean.com. For up-to-date travel advice, visit gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice