West Island

Heading west from Road Town [1], Drake’s Highway runs parallel to the Sir Francis Drake Channel, its namesake, all the way to the western tip of Tortola [2]. 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 [3], a remote and protected crescent of sand, to Carrot Bay [4], a traditional village where many islanders still make their living from the sea and the land.