Read Family Travel Forum's useful tips on how to have a great vacation in the British Virgin Islands and the top family-friendly resorts.
An archipelago of 50 islands, cayes and rocks spread over 59-square-miles, the British Virgin Islands (BVIs to the cognoscenti) are known for calm, clear waters and steady breezes, and are perfect for boating adventures and underwater explorations.
The most well-known of the BVIs include Tortola, the largest island in the chain with the capital of Road Town, and Virgin Gorda which offers more in the way of fine hotels and amenities. The islands do not offer many cultural experiences, but if you enjoy outdoor activities, glorious beaches and peace and quiet, you are sure to find them there. Several small, private islands such as Peter, Necker and Guana Islands offer very deluxe, one-per-island resorts.
Family-Friendly BVI Accommodations
Many families prefer to stay at least one week in the BVI, and enjoy having their own villa or condo unit. The following list of accommodations on Tortola are in the higher-end price bracket, but they are either free-standing homes by themselves, or part of smaller, two to three unit apartment complexes that offer more privacy.
Mount Sage Villas
Road Town
Tortola, BVI
284/495-9567
Mountainside apartments, nearby Sage Mountain National Park and Rain Forest, two-bedroom, two-bath, two-floor apartments, full kitchen, living room, private balcony, car rental available, “convenience yet seclusion.”
Long Bay Beach Resort
Long Bay
Tortola, BVI
866/237-3491
Luxury resort offering shopping, horseback riding, diving, tennis, fine restaurants, beachfront and hillside apartments of various appointment.
Limeberry House
Road Town
Tortola, BVI
284/495-9227
“The most colorful villa in Tortola,” minutes from the beach, tree-filled garden, separate bedrooms, each with bath, off of courtyard.
DatePalm
Road Town
Tortola, BVI
284/494-5022
Two-bedroom apartments, full kitchen, full bath, living and dining rooms, accommodates family of four, balconies w/ sea views, car rentals and maid service available.
The Villas at Fort Recovery
Tortola
800/367-8455; 284/495-4354
One and two-bedroom villas and a large three to four-bedroom house on a private beach. Very luxurious property built around a 17th century Dutch fort, with view of six islands. Activities include swimming, boating, snorkeling, mountain biking and yoga.
To read more about Tortola, enjoy the Greenberg’s review of their Tortola BVI vacation. To read more about deluxe resorts on Virgin Gorda, including the Bitter End Yacht Club, Biras Creek Resort and Little Dix Bay, check out the first-hand reviews by FTF families.
Natural Attractions Abound
Of course, you’re not going to stay in your resort or private villa for the entire vacation. Virgin Gorda is known for its scenic beauty and, in addition to beaches, has The Baths — a very famous waterfront rock formation — and a copper mine. This account of a family vacation by chartered yacht around Virgin Gorda BVI describes some island highlights.
Tortola has the Sage Mountains Rain Forest and a botanical garden. Rum distilleries and diving wrecks are other attractions.
Mostly, it is avid swimmers, snorkelers, scuba divers, fishers and sailors who seek out the magnificent turquoise beaches, and even if your family just wants to rest and read, the beaches truly are quiet and very relaxing.
Sightseers will enjoy knowing that some inter-island travel is available, particularly to other islands such as St. Thomas and St. John (which are U.S. Virgin Islands), St. Bart’s and St. Martin.
Useful Facts for the BVI
Although these islands are part of the British Commonwealth, currency on the islands is the US dollar. English is the spoken language, and driving is on the left side of the road as in the U.K.
As far as climate is concerned, the weather is generally fair and breezy year-round with an average temperature of 90°F during the summer and 85°F during the winter. Winter holiday-goers should plan their vacation carefully as the passing fronts from mid-December through mid-January, known as the Christmas Winds, can cause windy and rainy weather.
More general information about the British Virgin Islands can be found on the following websites: www.bviguide.com, www.britishvirginislands.com and www.bviwelcome.com.
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P.E. Island was amazing! If you ever have the chance to go there take it! It was so beautiful and all of the places in the books were fun to visit.
your picture of the horses on the beach remind me of Sweden. Thanks for bringing back the memories
You wrote a really good article on such an interesting & sad topic!
I’ve always wanted to go to P.E. Island! I loved those books. Luuuucky
nicely written 🙂
This is a wonderful story, you will be a great doctor.
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Hello, Ralph. An email voice from the past. Would like to catch up some time. I left Amtrak in '95 and have been living in the Boston area since '97. Have wonderful wife and 3 daughters (the oldest a senior at Barnard). Hope you and Fran are well. Send me a note some time.
Peter
Its really informative. Thank you Goldenberg.In Australia I like Sydney more because of its added attractions. Thank you .
Its really informative. Thank you Arrien .In Australia I like Sydney more because of its added attractions.
thanks for the information. I can use this for my child, since i do not like ANY thing that moves!!!
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Parents and guardians with questions about transporting minors between countries other than the U.S. should ask the Visa Division of each country's Embassy for exact regulations. Canada, for example, can be very strict about granting children visas and may require a health exam.
The paperwork for vacations and short stay visits can be found at this link:
http://www.familytravelforum.com/how/advice/10545-Required-Documents-For-Travel-With-Minors.html?p=4
Would appreciate a copy of the sample formpermission letter for minor traveling with other than parent situation.
Yoga today is very important in people’s life. Yoga is gaining more and more importance as there is a lot of stress at workplaces. Yoga is the best and easy way to reduce the stress. And I have some good yoga tips at http://www.jiyohealthy.com/category/stress/
Playground Safety Common-sense rules. We are getting parents and professionals to pool together to create a kid-friendly understanding of how to have fun safely on any playground.
Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze is so much fun, and clean for an outdoor facility. Pumpkins arriving in one week!
hi looking for a quote for a pick up from newark airport on the 22/10/09 for four people to east 88st
i had a report to do on martinique, and before my teacher told me what i had to write about, i had know clue about martinique. now i want to go there. this site helped me do my project,and hopfully i will get an A
Looking for what ever we need for my Fiance to bring his daughter from Jamaica to Canada. He is a single parent and has primary custody, but I'm sure travelling internationally, that he will need a letter from her birth mother.
Thanks
Pattii
The mother of my daughter left her with out my consent to D.r and left her there with her mother returning to the United State abondoning my child for 5 years and just to go visit her every year a 1 year old little girl ..Wjat u think is dat
love the pix, you really capture what’s so beautiful about all these places. thanks for bringing those thoughts to my screen.
I had the best family reunion ever with primo events beach homes in virginia Beach. They gave me a beautifyl resort house and provided family games which made it fun for everybody.
Dennis Carini
New Jersey
Eva, the document is available on page 4 of this story. Thanks!
Please send me Permission to Travel Form
THanks for this resource!
Hello,
I would like to introduce a famous restaurant in Budapest, Liszt Ferenc square 9. Café Miró Grande restaurant is located in the heart of Budapest.
I think Café Miró Grande's chef prepared the best Hungarian dishes in Budapest, for example Goulas soup, 'Lecsó', etc.
Don't miss it, when you visit the beautiful city of Budapest.
Another attraction of note is taking a canopy tour. When we filmed the pilot episode for our TV series "Paradise Hunter" we filmed with The Original Canopy Tour. They were excellent and provided some great knowledge of the bio-diversity in the cloud forest.
I would like to obtain a sample form or letter to authorize my mother in-law (my daughters grand mother) to travel to orlando florida where they will be meeting up with the other parent & then in a few days travel on a domestic flight to miami
please email me. Need a sample Permission to Travel letter for International Travel with one parent.
read the instructions first
We've book a number of trips to Phuket for beginners and more advanced divers. The've all had a great time. Although is a bit further than the Caribbean. If you stay longer it's worth the flight time.
I need sinple form traveling with my step daughter, her mother is deceased. Her Father will not be traveling with us to the Bahamas
Hi to parents and grandparents traveling with minors, in need of this Permission Letter.
You can get a free sample of this blank form by filling out the email request at the end of this story. We ask everyone to sign up this way so that we can send you email updates as these regulations change, which is often!
Please read the story through to the end so that you understand the issue in full. Thanks for your interest in family travel!
FTF Editors
please send me the Permission to Travel letter for International Travel with one parent form.
This resort is totally top notch. It's great there. And Amelia Island is one beautiful relaxing place. Love Fernandina Beach and also visiting Fort Clinch. All the best.
My granddaughter a minor,is travelling out of the country with me for two weeks, and I need a permission form for her parents to sign, in case of emergency, so that I can make medical decisions for her. Thank you.
This is really interesting take on the concept. I never thought of it that way.
Thanks for the comment, Paola! Fun story and glad you took the time to write.
Here's to roses and wine!
Can you please send me a standard document for a minor travelling with one parent.
Thanks
Javier,
You can request a sample Permission to Travel letter by using the form at the end of this story. For information on a temporary resident visa, please check with the Canadian High Commission at this webpage: http://www.visabureau.com/canada/canadian-high-commission.aspx
good luck!
Hello there i am looking for a letter sample of the one paren tarvel with child,the one Canadian Embassy requiring to extend temporary resident visa. Thanks for your kindly help.
What a great story, you were so lucky to be home at that time of year and your pictures are beautiful… Wish I could see it too.
This is soooooo right for all of us, not only Americans.
Anyway,about the roses, he is right especially about the odd number….
I liked hearing about Verona, I never knew there really was a balcony there and that any of that R&J story was true!
The legend of H? Long has it that, “Once upon a time, soon after the Vi?t people established their country, invaders came. The Jade Emperor sent Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons down to earth to help the Vi?t people fight against their enemy. Right at the time invaders’ boats were rushing to the shore, the dragons landed down on earth. The dragons immediately sent out from their mouths a lot of pearls, which then turned into thousands of stone islands emerging in the sea like great walls challenging the invaders’ boats. The fast boats couldn’t manage to stop and crashed into the islands and into each other and broke into pieces.
Diane:
Please go to the last page of this story and fill out a request form. Then the documents will be e-mailed to you.
Jillian
Need a sample Permission to Travel letter for International Travel with one parent.