Heading west from Road Town, Drake’s Highway runs parallel to the Sir Francis Drake Channel, its namesake, all the way to the western tip of Tortola. The road passes through Sea Cow’s Bay, a community that borders a wide bay once home to manatees. After that, the road passes through a series of more sparsely populated bays until reaching the end of the island.

Two cays lie just offshore Tortola; both are connected to the main island by bridges. Nanny Cay lies about halfway between Road Town and West End and is home to a large marina, hotel, and two restaurants. Frenchman’s Cay lies near the western tip and houses a marina, several shops, a hotel, and a small community. Soper’s Hole, officially the name of the body of water between Tortola and Frenchman’s Cay, now refers to a waterfront complex of bright Caribbean-style buildings on the western end of the cay.

On the north shore, western Tortola is a series of lovely bays, from Smuggler’s Cove, a remote and protected crescent of sand, to Carrot Bay, a traditional village where many islanders still make their living from the sea and the land.