Tortola Dolphin Excursion and Much More By Courtney Klotz
When I traveled to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, I was amazed by its mountainous geography, beaches and the variety of activities available to do because I went there to have a relaxing quiet time with my family at the beach. My favorite activity that I enjoyed was swimming with the dolphins in Tortola and I recommend it as a great family bonding experience or just a great enjoyable way for anybody to experience the fun and beauty of dolphins. Tortola is the largest and most populated of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands which form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. Local belief is that the name was originally given to the island by Christopher Columbus, meaning “land of the turtle dove”. In actuality, Columbus named the Island Santa Ana. When the British moved in after the Dutch, they altered the name to is present day form of Tortola. Tortola is a mountainous island, 13.5 miles long and 3 miles wide. It is formed by volcanic activity and lies near an earthquake fault, and minor earthquakes are common. The temperatures are normally very warm throughout the year so it’s a great place to visit for a tropical and sunny location. I went with my family one winter break and there’s nothing better than a sunny holiday getaway.
My favorite activity that we did was swimming with the dolphins! It was $139 per person to have direct contact with the dolphins in the Caribbean Tortola water. You get to feed the dolphins little fish after every trick that they do for you like wave hello with their cute little fin and the trainer blows the whistle. After some primary tricks you get to go in the water and do tricks with them, which include holding onto the dolphins dorsal which is their fin that sticks up out of the water. Another trick the dolphins do is pushing your feet while you’re lying on your back in the water. This experience made me realize how smart dolphins really are and what gentle happy creatures they are. It even looks like their smiling at you with a minor curve on their upper lip that looks like a friendly smirk. My entire family enjoyed it and the water was a beautiful touch to the experience.
There were a variety of activities to choose from and although the Swimming with the Dolphins excursion was my favorite there are plenty other attractions and activities to enjoy. A very popular activity that my family and I did one day was sailing at Cane Garden Bay which was $200 for the day because we rented from a charter boat company. It was a good thing my dad learned how to sail as a little boy so he could teach my brother without having to take more expensive classes. However, there are classes available at basically every marina. Long Bay- West end beach had great snorkeling with moderate surf and good weather to enjoy the beautiful corals and fish. Other attractions to check out are the sage mountain park which is great for hiking, and the callwood Rum distillery which is great for couples and family’s of age. I went to Tortola when I was seventeen and I was with my family so I wasn’t looking for a party although I heard that Apple Bay is the Surf and party area that features the must check Bomba Shack, flooded with party goers. Although we went there to check out the surf one day and ate at a great restaurant called Sebastian’s and Bomba’s. They have a great fish fry, which are a specialty they have every Friday. One place you must check out is Roti Palace located on Main Street in Road Town which offers great Indian food. It was to my surprise how much I enjoyed the roti (Indian flat bread) wrapped around various curries from vegetable to goat because I usually do not like Indian food at all! There were so many amazing things to do in Tortola and I’m happy I got to share my relaxing and fun experience with you.
Tortola BVI Vacation
Now I’m guessing your wondering how to arrive and travel to the beautiful Tortola part of the British Virgin Islands. If you are local the Tortola Ferry provides travelers with the opportunity to arrive by sea. The ferry runs between Charlotte Amalie, St.Thomas and either Road Town or the West End of Tortola. The ferry schedule varies but prices range anywhere from $45-$52 round trip. There are also seaborne airlines with daily flights provided from neighboring islands such as Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St.Croix. If you’re a bit more of an out of Towner traveling all flights arrive at the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport. The airport is actually located on Beef Island, which lies just to the east of Tortola but is connected by the queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Most commercial flights come from St.Marten, Antigua and Puerto Rico. Upon arrival there are a variety of hotel accommodations to choose from. We stayed at the Heritage Inn where the hotel prices on average are $180 a night. It was luxury at an affordable price. To make reservations you can call toll free 1-877-831-7230. If you really want to splurge with impeccable privacy I would suggest the casa Luna, which starts at $3000 a week for 1-2 people. You can contact them at 970-901-8074 for reservations.
Hopefully, you can take my advice and insight about activities and attractions on Tortola, British Virgin Islands and have a wonderful vacation too. Our vacation’s beautiful surroundings created a great environment for family bonding that we will never forget. My family and I look forward to the opportunity of traveling to Tortola again someday.
"This experience
was booked for my wife's 50 birthday. its always a worry
that things wont go to plan on such a big occasion. also
booking from the UK via the internet. but I should not have
worried. every aspect of the service was second to none.
The whole program from start to finish was a great success.
not only thanks to Dolphin World / Keys Adventure Tours,
but to every body that was involved." <more>
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My favorite activity that we did was swimming with the dolphins! It was $139 per person to have direct contact with the dolphins in the Caribbean Tortola water. You get to feed the dolphins little fish after every trick that they do for you like wave hello with their cute little fin and the trainer blows the whistle. After some primary tricks you get to go in the water and do tricks with them, which include holding onto the dolphins dorsal which is their fin that sticks up out of the water. Another trick the dolphins do is pushing your feet while you’re lying on your back in the water. This experience made me realize how smart dolphins really are and what gentle happy creatures they are. It even looks like their smiling at you with a minor curve on their upper lip that looks like a friendly smirk. My entire family enjoyed it and the water was a beautiful touch to the experience.
England