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Road Town
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Caressed by steady breezes and turquoise waters, Road Town is often referred to as the sailing capital of the Caribbean. The British Virgin Islands, with the major isles being Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, make for some spectacular island hopping even if you are not here to set your sail.
Initially settled by the Arawak, the islands were re-explored and given their modern name by Christopher Columbus. What we call British and U.S. Virgin Islands today were then the subject of numerous claims by different European powers including the English, the Danish and the Dutch. By the 17th century, the English had taken control of islands like Tortola, Anegada and Virgin Gorda, and introduced sugar cane and with it slavery in the area.
In the 1960s, the British Virgin Islands became an autonomous British Overseas Territory and began turning their head away from agriculture and towards tourism, with busy Road Town in Tortola as the centre of it all. After its recovery from Hurricane Irma in 2017, Road Town continues to be not only a haven for charter boats but also a stepping stone to exploring the plenty of cays and coves of the archipelago.
Initially settled by the Arawak, the islands were re-explored and given their modern name by Christopher Columbus. What we call British and U.S. Virgin Islands today were then the subject of numerous claims by different European powers including the English, the Danish and the Dutch. By the 17th century, the English had taken control of islands like Tortola, Anegada and Virgin Gorda, and introduced sugar cane and with it slavery in the area.
In the 1960s, the British Virgin Islands became an autonomous British Overseas Territory and began turning their head away from agriculture and towards tourism, with busy Road Town in Tortola as the centre of it all. After its recovery from Hurricane Irma in 2017, Road Town continues to be not only a haven for charter boats but also a stepping stone to exploring the plenty of cays and coves of the archipelago.