Get to know Road Town

Located on the south side of Tortola, Road Town is the territorial capital of the British Virgin Islands—the largest settlement on its biggest island, with a population of more than 12,000 permanent residents. Centuries of history and culture define this colorful Caribbean city, where open-air buses, called “safaris,” join charter yachts as the primary modes of for-hire transit. Road Town derives its name from roads of the nautical sort, specifically the crescent-shaped harbor that helped it become one of the region’s principal seaports. This natural advantage was furthered through the reclamation of neighboring keys at Wickams Cay, creating a protected inner harbor that’s today a world-class boating hub. Road Town’s commercial ferry terminal is also a gateway to ports of call throughout the Caribbean, with routes serving Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and St. Thomas. Most long-distance flights land at the latter American island, but Tortola’s own Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, just a short drive away, is the most substantial in the BVI.

Living in the British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands comprise some of the world’s most remote, exclusive, and downright breathtaking real estate, spanning four principal islands—Virgin Gorda, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Anegada—and a chain of some 50 mostly-uninhabited outliers. As the name infers, this breathtaking archipelago is part of the United Kingdom, but its close proximity to the US mainland, and myriad lifestyle benefits, draws a fully international audience. Most commercial travelers arrive through St. Maarten, St. Thomas or San Juan, taking the final leg by connecting flight or ferry. The BVI property market welcomes leisure-seekers with an array of choices, from eco-conscious new developments with resort amenities to veritable private isles. Rugged, romantic coastlines, coupled with a year-round tropical climate, define paradise in every sense of the word, whether you’re at the helm of your yacht or simply at home.