4 to 5 hours ashore
Road Town and a beach
- Walk Road Town from the pier.
- Or taxi 20 minutes to Cane Garden Bay.
Rather book it? A short island drive with lookouts.
Tortola shore excursions
The gateway to the British Virgin Islands, with island-hopping boat trips, famous beach bars, and the giant boulders of The Baths on Virgin Gorda.
Getting ashoreShips dock at the cruise pier in Road Town, the capital, a short walk from shops and restaurants.
Tortola port day essentials
read this before you book
Which pier you're at
Road Town cruise pierIn the capital. Downtown Road Town is a 10 to 15 minute walk.
The Road Town ferry terminal, for trips to Virgin Gorda and The Baths, is about a 12-minute walk from the pier.
Taxis
Taxis charge per person, each way, depending on distance. Confirm the fare before you get in.
Recent fares have been about $10 to $16 per person. Cane Garden Bay and Brewers Bay are about 20 minutes away; Smuggler's Cove about 30.
Money
US dollars are the official currency.
Language
English.
Back on board
All-aboard is usually 30 minutes before sailing; your ship's daily planner has the exact time. A day at The Baths on your own means a ferry each way: check the return times before you go.
Be aware
- Ferries to Virgin Gorda can be cancelled in rough seas, and The Baths gets very crowded when several ships are in.
Last checked November 2026. Prices change; confirm before you pay.
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Plan your day in Tortola
pick by your time ashore
6 to 8 hours ashore
Cane Garden Bay or Brewers Bay
- Taxi over the mountain to a north shore beach.
- Swim, snorkel and lunch on the sand.
Rather book it? A beach day with transport.
9 hours or more
The Baths on Virgin Gorda
- Ferry from Road Town to Virgin Gorda.
- Scramble through the giant boulders of The Baths.
- Check ferry times both ways; this is a long day.
Rather book it? A Baths tour by boat, which saves the ferry worry.
Times are approximate. Whatever you choose, plan to be back at the pier an hour before all-aboard. Compare tours for each idea below.
Compare Tortola tours
Start times and meeting points vary by tour. Check them against your ship's schedule before you book.
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Tortola tours from GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide's own search results for Tortola, in GetYourGuide's order. Check each tour's start time and meeting point against your ship's schedule.
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Tortola tours from Shore Excursions Group
Shore Excursions Group sells tours built around cruise ship schedules, backed by their guarantee to get you back to the ship. Their tours aren't listed on this page; browse them on their site.
See Tortola excursions on Shore Excursions Group
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Scout's notes on Tortola
Short port days
Cane Garden Bay, the island's best-known beach, is about a 20-minute drive over the hills from Road Town. Short catamaran snorkel trips to nearby islands and reefs are another easy pick.
Long port days
Boat trips to Virgin Gorda to explore The Baths, a beach scattered with huge granite boulders and sea pools, are the top excursion. Trips to Jost Van Dyke for White Bay and its beach bars are a close second. Both mean time on the water each way.
Getting back on time
Inter-island ferries run to schedules that don't wait for cruise ships. If you go to Virgin Gorda or Jost Van Dyke on your own, know the last ferry that gets you back with time to spare, or book a tour that returns you to the pier.
From fellow cruisers
Tips from people who've been, read by us before they go up.
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