{"id":1670324,"date":"2026-10-29T17:51:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/?p=1670324"},"modified":"2026-10-29T17:51:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:51:44","slug":"harbours-road-town-tortola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/segelmagazin\/haefen-road-town-tortola\/","title":{"rendered":"Harbours in Road Town on Tortola: arrival, harbour information and sailing destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Road Town is the capital of the British Virgin Islands and lies on the south coast of Tortola on the wide bay of Road Harbour. Here you'll find how to reach your trip start in Road Town, where the marinas in Wickham's Cay II and Village Cay are located, where to shop, what wind to expect, which sailing destinations lie off Road Town and what skippers need to consider when clearing in.<\/p>\n<h2>The essentials at a glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>There are no direct flights from Europe: you change in San Juan, Antigua, St Thomas, St Maarten or Miami and land at Terrance B. Lettsome Airport on Beef Island, about eight kilometres as the crow flies east of Road Town.<\/li>\n<li>Ferries run from St Thomas to Road Town during the day. The last one usually departs between 16:30 and 17:00; anyone arriving later stays overnight on St Thomas.<\/li>\n<li>The marina in Wickham's Cay II with two large charter bases and the Village Cay Marina are both on the north side of Road Harbour, close to each other.<\/li>\n<li>From both marinas you can reach supermarkets on foot; in Wickham's Cay II there's also a market with a delicatessen counter right at the marina.<\/li>\n<li>In winter the trade winds usually blow stronger and there's less rain; in summer the wind is lighter. The hurricane season runs from June to November.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What harbours are there in Road Town?<\/h2>\n<p>For sailing trips, two marinas in Road Town are important, both on the north side of Road Harbour: the marina in Wickham's Cay II, home to two large charter bases, and the Village Cay Marina about 400 metres further south-southwest on the edge of the city centre.<\/p>\n<p>On the shore of Road Harbour there are also smaller facilities such as the Fort Burt Marina, the Road Reef Marina and the Inner Harbour Marina, which don't have their own section in this profile. Road Harbour is also the commercial harbour of the British Virgin Islands; cruise ships and ferries to neighbouring islands also call here.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Feature<\/th>\n<th>Marina Wickham's Cay II<\/th>\n<th>Village Cay Marina<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Location<\/td>\n<td>North side of Road Harbour, north-eastern section<\/td>\n<td>North side of Road Harbour, edge of the city centre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Berths<\/td>\n<td>90<\/td>\n<td>106 on three pontoons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Yacht size<\/td>\n<td>Draught up to about 3.4 m<\/td>\n<td>Length up to about 58 m, draught up to 3.5 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>VHF channel<\/td>\n<td>12<\/td>\n<td>71<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Special feature<\/td>\n<td>Home to two large charter bases, hotel, pool<\/td>\n<td>Marina with hotel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Information correct as at: October 2026.<\/p>\n<h2>Arriving for your trip start in Road Town<\/h2>\n<p>You reach Road Town by plane via a hub in the Caribbean or by ferry from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The last stretch you travel by taxi.<\/p>\n<h3>From Terrance B. Lettsome Airport to Road Town<\/h3>\n<p>Terrance B. Lettsome Airport (code EIS) is located on Beef Island, a small island off the eastern tip of Tortola. It's about eight kilometres as the crow flies to the marinas in Road Town. There are no direct flights from Europe, Canada or South America. Connections are available via San Juan in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, Antigua, St Maarten and Santo Domingo; from North America there's only a direct flight from Miami. For travellers from Great Britain, Antigua is the usual transfer point.<\/p>\n<p>From the airport you take a taxi to Road Town. Taxi fares are set by an official tariff, last amended in December 2022.<\/p>\n<h3>By ferry or taxi via St Thomas<\/h3>\n<p>If you land at St Thomas airport, you take a taxi to the ferry terminal: Charlotte Amalie is about ten minutes, Red Hook about 45 minutes. From there, ferries run daily to Tortola, depending on departure to Road Town or to West End. Ferries only operate in daylight. The last one usually leaves between 16:30 and 17:00, the first in the morning around 07:30. If your flight lands too late, plan an overnight stay on St Thomas.<\/p>\n<h3>Which harbour is mine?<\/h3>\n<p>If you are arriving as a cabin charter guest: which marina and which berth is stated in your trip documents. Both marinas are close to each other, Wickham's Cay II further northeast, Village Cay nearer to the town centre. Give the taxi driver the full name, so \"Wickham's Cay II\" or \"Village Cay Marina\".<\/p>\n<h3>Parking<\/h3>\n<p>Your own car plays hardly any role when starting a trip in Road Town: you can only reach Tortola by aircraft or boat, and from the airport or ferry terminal to the marina you take a taxi. Anyone with a hire car on site parks in Road Town at the roadside, for instance in Wickham's Cay I on Nibbs Street and at Administration Drive. There is also a public car park at the harbour authority BVI Ports Authority, around 750 metres east of Wickham's Cay II.<\/p>\n<h3>Shopping for the trip<\/h3>\n<p>In Wickham's Cay II there is a market with deli counter right by the marina, stocking essentials and snacks. From there you can reach two supermarkets on foot: Rite Way Food Markets in Pasea around 500 metres and One Mart around 700 metres east of the marina. From Village Cay Marina it is around 300 metres to Bobby's Supermarket and around 500 metres to Rite Way Food Markets, both on the Waterfront west of the marina. For a big shop by taxi or car, another Rite Way market is on Waterfront Drive in the south of town, around 1.7 kilometres from Wickham's Cay II. Around Main Street is also Road Town's shopping district.<\/p>\n<h3>Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services<\/h3>\n<p>A pharmacy is on Waterfront Drive, a few hundred metres from Village Cay Marina. The island's hospital, the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital with emergency department, is around 800 metres south-southwest of Village Cay Marina in Road Town. It was built in 2014 as successor to the old Peebles Hospital; in the old building next door is now the Road Town Clinic.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>911: Emergency number for police, ambulance and fire brigade<\/li>\n<li>767: Sea rescue VISAR (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue), 24 hours<\/li>\n<li>At sea: VHF Channel 16 for distress and calling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Entry to the British Virgin Islands<\/h3>\n<p>Since 1 January 2025 there is no longer a paper entry form. You complete the <a href=\"https:\/\/bviedcard.gov.vg\">entry and customs form online<\/a> within the 72 hours before arrival, which includes a photo of your passport page. After submitting you will receive confirmation by email. If you change at St Thomas, you enter the USA there, for which separate entry rules apply depending on your nationality.<\/p>\n<h2>Where is the marina in Wickham's Cay II?<\/h2>\n<p>The marina in Wickham's Cay II is on the north side of Road Harbour, in the northeastern part of the bay. Village Cay Marina is south-southwest of it, nearer to the town centre.<\/p>\n<p>In Wickham's Cay II two large charter bases have their headquarters. After Hurricane Irma in 2017 the complex was completely rebuilt, in 2025 the resort was refurbished. The complex includes a hotel, a pool and several restaurants, so you can also spend the night before your trip starts there.<\/p>\n<h3>Facilities at the marina in Wickham's Cay II<\/h3>\n<p>The marina has 90 berths for yachts up to around 3.4 metres draught. Ashore there is a launderette, the market with deli counter, boutiques, a caf\u00e9, restaurants, a bar, a spa and hire for kayaks and paddleboards. A laundry service for a fee is offered by reception. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the grounds. At the marina there is a fuel station.<\/p>\n<h2>Where is Village Cay Marina?<\/h2>\n<p>Village Cay Marina is on the north side of Road Harbour in Wickham's Cay, on the edge of Road Town town centre. The marina in Wickham's Cay II is north-northeast of it.<\/p>\n<p>The complex combines marina and hotel. Because of its central location you can reach Main Street and the town centre on foot from here.<\/p>\n<h3>Facilities at Village Cay Marina<\/h3>\n<p>The marina has 106 berths on three pontoons and takes yachts up to around 58 metres length, 12 metres beam and 3.5 metres draught. At the berths there is electricity, water and Wi-Fi. The complex includes a hotel.<\/p>\n<h2>What is the weather like in Road Town for sailing?<\/h2>\n<p>On the Virgin Islands the trade wind blows from easterly directions almost all year. In winter it is usually stronger and there is less rain, in summer the wind is lighter and there is more rain.<\/p>\n<p>From December to February cold fronts from North America occasionally bring strong northerly winds, the so-called Christmas Winds, and high swell on the north coasts. The hurricane season begins on 1 June and ends on 30 November. During this period tropical storms can approach from the east and south.<\/p>\n<p>The US weather service in San Juan issues a Small Craft Advisory for the waters when winds of 21 to 33 knots are expected, roughly 5 to 7 Beaufort.<\/p>\n<h2>Which destinations can you reach from Road Town?<\/h2>\n<p>Off Road Town lies the Sir Francis Drake Channel, the waterway between Tortola and a chain of smaller islands to the south. Most destinations can be reached in short day passages. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course from the marinas; for exact planning the chart applies.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cooper Island: around 6 nm<\/li>\n<li>Norman Island, The Bight anchorage: approx. 7 nm<\/li>\n<li>Virgin Gorda, The Baths: approx. 10 nm<\/li>\n<li>Virgin Gorda, Spanish Town: approx. 11 nm<\/li>\n<li>Jost Van Dyke, Great Harbour: approx. 11 nm<\/li>\n<li>Anegada: approx. 25 nm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Norman Island<\/strong> lies at the southern end of the island chain; legend has it that it was the model for Robert Louis Stevenson's \"Treasure Island\". Well-known diving and snorkelling sites lie all around the island.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cooper Island<\/strong> lies to the east of the channel. On your way there you pass Salt Island, where the mail ship RMS Rhone sank in a hurricane in 1867. The wreck lies in the only marine national park in the British Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Virgin Gorda<\/strong> is known for The Baths, huge granite boulders with rock pools on the southwest coast that form part of a national park. The main town is Spanish Town; you can clear in at St. Thomas Bay.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jost Van Dyke<\/strong> to the northwest is the smallest of the four main islands. Great Harbour is the port of entry there.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Anegada<\/strong> is flat and made of coral limestone, unlike the other islands; the highest point is only about 8.5 metres above sea level. The island is surrounded by the Horseshoe Reef, an extensive reef system. Hundreds of ships have been wrecked here; anchoring on the reef is prohibited.<\/p>\n<p>Further east and southeast lie St Martin and Antigua; you'll find harbour profiles under <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/falmouth-english-harbour-antigua\/\">Falmouth and English Harbour on Antigua<\/a> and <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/marina-fort-louis-marigot\/\">Marina Fort Louis in Marigot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do ashore in Road Town?<\/h2>\n<p>Road Town's town centre is small; the main points of interest lie close to Village Cay Marina. From Wickham's Cay II you walk a few minutes longer.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1670222\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1670222\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1670222\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Symbol image: Coast of Tortola with view of the neighbouring islands\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/toernfinder-symbolbild-tortola-kueste-scaled.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1670222\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Symbolic image<\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Main Street: The main commercial street is also the town's historic street, with the mid-19th-century post office, St. George's Anglican Church and the small Virgin Islands Folk Museum.<\/li>\n<li>Old Government House Museum: This building served as the official residence of the British Crown's representative from 1926 to 1996 and has been a museum since 2003. It opens Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; admission for visitors costs US$5 (as of October 2026).<\/li>\n<li>Fort Burt: The English rebuilt the fort in 1776; from the ruins you look out over Road Harbour. Today a hotel and restaurant are part of the site.<\/li>\n<li>J. R. O'Neal Botanic Gardens: The botanical garden in Road Town is maintained by the National Parks Trust; tickets are available as day passes.<\/li>\n<li>Sage Mountain: Tortola's highest mountain at 523 metres is a national park; from the top you overlook the islands around the Sir Francis Drake Channel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>For skippers: Berthing, clearing in and weather in Road Town<\/h2>\n<p>The marinas in Road Town can be reached on VHF; clearing in is handled by Customs and Immigration at Road Town harbour.<\/p>\n<h3>Registration at the marinas<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Marina at Wickham's Cay II: VHF channel 12<\/li>\n<li>Village Cay Marina: VHF channel 71, telephone +1 284 494 2771<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Clearing in at Road Town<\/h3>\n<p>If you are arriving from outside the British Virgin Islands, you must clear in immediately on arrival at a port of entry; Road Town is one of them. The harbour is open for this daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Customs and Immigration from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Outside these hours it is only possible by arrangement and at extra cost.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In advance: You complete the immigration and customs form online within the 72 hours before arrival. Those arriving on their own yacht can additionally register via the SailClear online system.<\/li>\n<li>On arrival you call the harbour on VHF channel 16 and switch to channel 17 when instructed by the harbour authority.<\/li>\n<li>The skipper clears the entire crew in. You must bring the passports of everyone on board, the ship's papers and, if applicable, the SailClear number with confirmation.<\/li>\n<li>Payment is made at the cashier of the tax authority and at the cashier of the harbour authority.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For sailing in the waters of the British Virgin Islands you need a Cruising Permit, issued by Customs. The National Parks Trust also issues a Marine Conservation Permit, which you apply for online; processing takes up to five working days.<\/p>\n<h3>Approach to Road Harbour<\/h3>\n<p>Road Harbour is a wide bay open to the Sir Francis Drake Channel and the islands' commercial harbour. Expect ferries, cargo ships and cruise ships in the fairway. The two marinas lie right inside the bay on the north side.<\/p>\n<h3>Which marine weather forecast applies in Road Town?<\/h3>\n<p>The official marine weather forecast for the waters around the British Virgin Islands is issued by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/marine\/sjumz\">US weather service NWS in San Juan<\/a> . It divides the waters into zones; for the British Virgin Islands the main ones are the coastal waters up to ten nautical miles offshore and the open Anegada Passage east of Virgin Gorda. The forecast gives wind, gusts and sea state for several days, plus warnings such as the Small Craft Advisory.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Disaster Management of the British Virgin Islands also publishes a forecast with wind and sea state around the islands, but does not consider itself an official weather service. During hurricane season it provides information on storm warnings.<\/p>\n<h2>Sailing trips from Road Town on T\u00f6rnfinder<\/h2>\n<p>Im Oktober 2026 gibt es auf T\u00f6rnfinder 1 T\u00f6rntermin in den n\u00e4chsten zw\u00f6lf Monaten mit Start oder Ziel Road Town.<\/p>\n<p>Offers in the whole region can be found under <a href=\"\/en\/cabin-charter-caribbean\/\">Sailing in the Caribbean<\/a>, all dates and sailing areas in the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-trips\/\">trip overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>How do I get from the airport to the marinas in Road Town?<\/h3>\n<p>By taxi: Terrance B. Lettsome Airport on Beef Island is about eight kilometres east of Road Town as the crow flies; fares are set out in an official tariff.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I travel to Road Town by ferry?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, daily ferries run from St Thomas to Tortola, depending on departure to Road Town or West End. They operate only during the day.<\/p>\n<h3>How far apart are Wickham's Cay II and Village Cay Marina?<\/h3>\n<p>About 400 metres. Both lie on the north side of Road Harbour, Wickham's Cay II further north-east, Village Cay Marina closer to the town centre.<\/p>\n<h3>Where can I shop for provisions in Road Town?<\/h3>\n<p>In supermarkets within walking distance of both marinas: near Village Cay Marina are Bobby's Supermarket (about 300 metres) and Rite Way Food Markets (about 500 metres) on the Waterfront; from Wickham's Cay II you walk about 500 metres to the Rite Way shop in Pasea. There is also a shop with a delicatessen counter right at the marina for essentials.<\/p>\n<h3>When is hurricane season in the British Virgin Islands?<\/h3>\n<p>From 1 June to 30 November. In winter the trade winds usually blow more strongly and there is less rain; from December to February cold fronts can bring strong northerly winds.<\/p>\n<h3>Where do you clear in at Road Town?<\/h3>\n<p>At Customs and Immigration at Road Town harbour, daily from 8:30 to 19:00. First you call the harbour on VHF channel 16.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Road Town auf Tortola: Anreise per Flug oder F\u00e4hre, die Marinas in Wickham&#8217;s Cay II und Village Cay, Einkauf, Passat-Wetter und T\u00f6rnziele.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":1670218,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[536],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1670324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviere-haefen","category-536","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1670324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1670324"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1670324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1670327,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1670324\/revisions\/1670327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1670218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1670324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1670324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1670324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}