There's no nonstop service from the U.K. or the continental United States to Tortola's Beef Island International Airport (EIS), located on an island adjoining the East End of Tortola, or the Virgin Gorda Airport (VIJ); connections are usually made through San Juan, Puerto Rico, or St. Thomas, USVI.

Beef Island/Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada airports are classic Caribbean -- almost always sleepy. However, the Beef Island terminal can get crowded when several departures are scheduled close together, and lines at service desks move slowly when this happens; give yourself at least an hour.

Carriers

Air St. Thomas (PHONE:284/495-5935) flies from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda.

Air Sunshine (PHONE:284/495-8900; www.airsunshine.com) flies from San Juan and St. Thomas to both Tortola and Virgin Gorda.

American Eagle (PHONE:284/495-2559 or 800/433-7300; www.aa.com) flies from San Juan to Tortola.

Cape Air (PHONE:284/495-2100; www.flycapeair.com) flies to Tortola from San Juan and St. Thomas.

Clair Aero Services (PHONE:284/495-2271) flies from St. Thomas on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays to Tortola, the flights continuing on to Virgin Gorda and Anegada.

Fly BVI (PHONE:284/495-1747; www.fly-bvi.com) operates charter flights to wherever you want to go.

LIAT (PHONE:888/844-5428 or 284/495-2577; www.liatairline.com) flies from St. Thomas to Tortola.

Transfers Between the Airport and Town

Anegada

On Anegada, your hotel will organize your transportation.

Tortola

At the Beef Island/Tortola Airport, taxis hover at the exit from customs. Fares are officially set; they're not negotiable and are lower per person when there are several passengers. Figure about $15 for up to three people and $5 for each additional passenger for the 20-minute ride to Road Town, and about $20-$30 for the 45-minute ride to West End. Expect to share your taxi, and be patient if your driver searches for people to fill his cab -- only a few flights land each day, and this could be your driver's only run.

You can also call the BVI Taxi Association (PHONE:284/495-1982).

Virgin Gorda

On Virgin Gorda, call Mahogany Rentals and Taxi Service (The Valley, PHONE:284/495-5469).

If you're staying on North Sound, a taxi will take you from the airport to the dock, where your hotel launch will meet you, but be sure to make launch arrangements with your hotel before your arrival. If your destination is Leverick Bay, your land taxi will take you there directly.

Note that if your destination is Virgin Gorda, you can also fly to Beef Island/Tortola and catch the nearby North Sound Express, which will take you to Spanish Town or North Sound.

Ferries connect the airport gateway of St. Thomas, USVI, with Tortola and Virgin Gorda. They leave from both Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook. Ferries also link St. John, USVI, with Tortola, Jost Van Dyke and The Valley, Virgin Gorda, as well as Tortola with Jost Van Dyke, Peter Island and The Valley, Virgin Gorda.

Tortola has two ferry terminals -- one at West End and one in Road Town -- so make sure you hop a ferry that disembarks closest to where you want to go. There's huge competition among the Tortola-based ferry companies on the St. Thomas-to-Tortola runs, with boats leaving close together. As you enter the ferry terminal to buy your ticket, crews may try to convince you to take their ferry. All ferries from the BVI to St. Thomas stop in St. John to clear U.S. customs. Ferry schedules vary by day, and not all companies make daily trips.

If you're heading to Tortola from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook, St. Thomas, take boats run by Native Son or Smith's Ferry. The boats stop at West End and Road Town. Nubian Princess sails between Red Hook and West End. Inter-Island Boat Service runs between St. John and West End.

For trips to Road Town and The Valley, Virgin Gorda, from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, take Speedy's Ferries. From St. John to The Valley, Virgin Gorda, take Inter-Island Boat Services.

To Jost Van Dyke, take Inter-Island Boat Services from St. John and Jost Van Dyke Ferry Service or New Horizon Ferry Service from West End, Tortola. To Spanish Town and Bitter End in Virgin Gorda from Beef Island, Tortola, take North Sound Express. To Peter Island, take the Peter Island Ferry from Road Town.

Boat Services

Inter-Island Boat Services (PHONE:284/495-4166).

Jost Van Dyke Ferry Service (PHONE:284/494-2997).

Native Son (PHONE:284/495-4617).

New Horizon Ferry Service (PHONE:284/495-9278).

North Sound Express (PHONE:284/495-2138).

Nubian Princess (PHONE:284/495-4999).

Peter Island Ferry (PHONE:284/495-2000).

Smith's Ferry (PHONE:284/495-4495).

Speedy's Ferries (PHONE:284/495-5240).

Banks

Banking hours are usually Monday-Thursday 9-2:30 and Friday 9-2:30 and 4:30-6.

Post Offices

Post offices are open weekdays 9-5 and Saturday 9-noon.

Shops

Stores are generally open Monday-Saturday 9-5. Some may be open on Sunday.

Arriving in the British Virgin Islands

Although customs inspectors in some countries inspect all baggage to allay their concerns about smuggling or drug running, many islands wave those tourists who have no goods to declare through customs inspections with only a cursory question or two. Exceptions include major hubs within the Caribbean, such as Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Antigua. If you're yachting through the islands, note that harbor customs are often thorough, as well.

These rules generally apply throughout the Caribbean: you are limited to bringing in 2 liters of alcohol, two cartons of cigarettes, and a reasonable amount of duty-free goods for your personal use. More than that, and you'll be asked to pay a hefty import tax.

Electricity is 110 volts, the same as in North America, so European appliances will require adaptors. The electricity is quite reliable.

General emergencies (PHONE:999).

Hospitals & Clinics

Anegada Government Health Clinic (PHONE:284/494-8049).

Jost Van Dyke Government Health Clinic (PHONE:284/495-9239).

Peebles Hospital (Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-3497).

Virgin Gorda Government Health Clinic (The Valley, PHONE:284/495-5337).

Pharmacies

Cay Pharmacy (Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-8128).

Island Drug Centre (Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5449).

J. R. O'Neal Drug Store (Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-2292).

Medicure Health Center (Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5479).

Islanders are religious, and churches fill up on Sunday. You're welcome to attend services, but be sure to dress up. If you encounter any rudeness, you probably didn't begin the conversation properly: only after courteous exchanges ("Hello, how are you today?" and "Not too bad, and how are you?") should you get down to the business of buying groceries, ordering lunch, or hiring a taxi.

Travel Plan Tours (PHONE:284/494-4000).

can arrange island tours, boat tours, and yacht charters from its Tortola and Virgin Gorda bases. Or you can just rent a taxi (minimum of three people) on either Tortola or Virgin Gorda.

The staff at your hotel can recommend a doctor, dentist, clinic, or hospital should a need arise. Sometimes, particularly at family resorts, a nurse is on-site during the day and a doctor is on call. Doctor visits, incidentally, can be costly -- even on islands where the general cost of living would make you think otherwise. Doctors and hospitals may require cash payment or take a major credit card; Medicare, Medicaid, and many U.S. medical insurance policies are not valid outside the U.S.

Divers' Alert

Do not fly within 24 hours of scuba diving.

Food and Drink

Traveler's diarrhea, caused by eating contaminated fruit or vegetables or drinking contaminated water, isn't a big problem in the Caribbean, but it does occur. So watch what you eat. Avoid ice, uncooked food, and unpasteurized milk and milk products, and drink only bottled water or water that has been boiled for several minutes, even when brushing your teeth. Mild cases may respond to Imodium (known generically as loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol, both of which can be purchased over the counter. Drink plenty of purified water or tea -- chamomile is a good folk remedy. In severe cases, rehydrate yourself with a salt-sugar solution (½ teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar per quart of water).

Over-the-Counter Remedies

Island drug stores and supermarkets are well stocked with familiar over-the-counter medicines and other health products that you might need. If you don't see precisely what you want, ask the pharmacist to recommend an appropriate substitute. If you can only use a specific or an uncommon medicine, be sure to bring a sufficient supply with you.

Pests and Other Hazards

The major health risk in the Caribbean is sunburn or sunstroke. Having a long-sleeve shirt, a hat, and long pants or a beach wrap available is essential on a boat, for midday at the beach, and whenever you go out sightseeing. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 -- especially if your complexion is fair -- and apply it liberally on your nose, ears, and other sensitive and exposed areas. Make sure the sunscreen is waterproof if you're engaging in water sports, limit your sun time for the first few days, and drink plenty of liquids, monitoring intake of caffeine and alcohol, which hasten the dehydration process.

Even experienced swimmers should exercise caution in waters on the windward (Atlantic Ocean) side of the islands. The unseen currents, powerful waves, strong undertows, and rocky bottoms can be extremely dangerous -- and lifeguards are rare. Even in the calmest water, watch out for black, spiny sea urchins; stepping on one is guaranteed to be painful for quite some time.

The small lizards native to the islands are harmless (and actually keep down the bug population), and poisonous snakes are hard to find. Beware of the manchineel tree, which grows near the beach and has green applelike fruit that is poisonous and bark and leaves that can burn the skin. The worst insect problem may well be the tiny no-see-ums (sand flies) that appear after a rain, near swampy ground, and around sunset; mosquitoes can also be annoying. Bring along a good repellent.

Shots and Medications

No special shots or vaccinations are required for Caribbean destinations.

English is the official language, and it's often spoken with a West Indian accent and with a few unusual idiomatic expressions. If someone says he's just limin', it means he's hanging out. If you ask for an item in a store and the shopkeeper replies, "It's finished," then the shop has temporarily run out.

There are post offices in Road Town on Tortola and in Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda (note that postal service in the BVI isn't very efficient). Postage for a first-class letter to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom is 55¢; for a postcard, 35¢.

Airmail between Caribbean islands and cities in the United States or Canada takes 7-14 days; surface mail can take 4-6 weeks. Airmail to the United Kingdom takes 2-3 weeks, to Australia and New Zealand, 3-4 weeks.

For a small fee, Rush It (Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-4421) in Road Town and in Spanish Town, offers most U.S. mail and UPS services (via St. Thomas the next day).

If you wish to write to an establishment in the BVI, be sure to include the specific island in the address; there are no postal codes.

Banks & ATMs

On Tortola there's a Barclays Bank near the waterfront in Road Town; First Bank is also near Road Town's waterfront and has an ATM machine. On Virgin Gorda, Barclays Bank isn't far from the ferry dock in Spanish Town.

Information

Barclays Bank (Wickham's Cay I, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-2171).

First Bank (Wickham's Cay I, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-2662).

Credit Cards

Most hotels and restaurants in the BVI accept MasterCard and Visa, and some also accept American Express, Diners Club, and Discover. Beware that a few accept only cash or traveler's checks.

Currency

The currency is the U.S. dollar. Any other currency must be exchanged at a bank.

Taxes

There's no sales tax in the BVI. However, there's a 7% government tax on hotel rooms.

Most hotels add a service charge ranging from 5% to 18% to the bill. A few restaurants and some shops tack on an additional 10% charge if you use a credit card.

The departure tax is $5 per person by boat and $10 per person by plane. There's a separate booth at the airport to collect this tax, which must be paid in cash. The departure fee is included in your ferry fare.

Tipping

Tip porters and bellhops $1 per bag. Sometimes a service charge (10%) is included on restaurant bills; it's customary to leave another 5% if you liked the service. If no charge is added, 15% is the norm. Cabbies normally aren't tipped because most own their cabs; add 10%-15% if they exceed their duties.

When traveling internationally, carry your passport even if you don't need one (it's always the best form of I.D.) and make two photocopies of the data page (one for someone at home and another for you, carried separately from your passport). If you lose your passport, promptly call the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police.

Entering the British Virgin Islands

U.S. and Canadian citizens, as well as citizens of all other countries, need a valid passport. While the government says U.S. and Canadian citizens may use a birth certificate and a photo ID, in practice some immigration agents can be a bit sticky if you don't have a passport. If you're wearing dreadlocks, BVI law does not allow you into the territory.

Passport Offices

The best time to apply for a passport, or to renew your old one, is in fall or winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.

Australian Citizens

Australian Passport Office (PHONE:131-232; www.passports.gov.au).

Canadian Citizens

Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G3, PHONE:819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport).

New Zealand Citizens

New Zealand Passport Office (PHONE:04/474-8100 or 0800/22-5050; www.passports.govt.nz).

U.K. Citizens

London Passport Office (PHONE:0870/521-0410; www.passport.gov.uk).

U.S. Citizens

National Passport Information Center (PHONE:900/225-5674; travel.state.gov/passport_services.html). Calls are 35¢ per minute for automated service, $1.05 per minute for operator service.

Although crime is rare, use common sense: don't leave your camera on the beach while you take a dip or your wallet on a hotel dresser when you go for a walk.

The area code for the BVI is 284; when you make calls from North America, you need only dial the area code and the number. From the United Kingdom you must dial 001 and then the area code and the number. From Australia and New Zealand you must dial 0011 followed by 1, the area code, and the number.

To call anywhere in the BVI once you've arrived, dial all seven digits. A local call from a pay phone costs 25¢, but such phones are sometimes on the blink. An alternative is a Caribbean phone card, available in $5, $10, and $20 denominations. They're sold at most major hotels and many stores and can be used to call within the BVI, as well as all over the Caribbean, and to access USADirect from special phone-card phones.

International Calls

For credit-card or collect long-distance calls to the United States, use a phone-card telephone or look for special USADirect phones, which are linked directly to an AT&T operator. For access, dial 800/872-2881, or dial 111 from a pay phone and charge the call to your MasterCard or Visa. USADirect and pay phones can be found at most hotels and in towns.

The country code for the United States and Canada is 1; for Australia, 61; for New Zealand, 64; and for the United Kingdom, 44.

Tourist Offices

In the British Virgin Islands

BVI Tourist Board (Ferry Terminal, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-3134).

Virgin Gorda BVI Tourist Board (Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor, Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5181).

At Home

BVI Tourist Board (U.S.) (370 Lexington Ave., Suite 1605, New York, NY, 10017, PHONE:212/696-0400 or 800/835-8530; www.bvitouristboard.com).

BVI Tourist Board (U.K.) (55 Newman St., London, W1P 3PG, U.K., PHONE:20/7947-8200).

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) (80 Broad St., New York, NY, 10004, PHONE:212/635-9530, FAX: 212/635-9511).

The Caribbean high season is traditionally winter -- from December 15 to April 14 -- when northern weather is at its worst. During this season you're guaranteed the most entertainment at resorts and the most people with whom to enjoy it. It's also the most fashionable, the most expensive, and the most popular time to visit -- and most hotels are heavily booked. You must make reservations at least two or three months in advance for the very best places (sometimes a year in advance for the most exclusive spots).

Hotel prices drop 20%-50% after April 15; airfares and cruise prices also fall. Saving money isn't the only reason to visit the Caribbean during the off-season. Temperatures are only a few degrees warmer than at other times of the year, and many islands now schedule their carnivals, music festivals, and other events during the off-season. Late August, September, October, and early November are least crowded.

The Caribbean climate is fairly constant. The average year-round temperatures for the region are 78°F-88°F. The temperature extremes are 65°F low, 95°F high; but, as everyone knows, it's the humidity, not the heat, that makes you suffer, especially when the two go hand in hand.

As part of the late-fall rainy season, hurricanes occasionally sweep through the Caribbean. Check the news daily and keep abreast of brewing tropical storms. The rainy season consists mostly of brief showers interspersed with sunshine. You can watch the clouds thicken, feel the rain, then have brilliant sunshine dry you off, all while remaining on your lounge chair. A spell of overcast days or heavy rainfall is unusual, as everyone will tell you.

Holidays

The following public holidays are celebrated in the BVI: New Year's Day, Commonwealth Day (Mar. 14), Good Friday (the Fri. before Easter), Easter Sunday (usually March or April), Easter Monday (day after Easter), Whit Monday (the first Mon. in May), Sovereign's Birthday (June 16), Territory Day (July 1), BVI August Festival Days (usually the first two weeks in Aug.), St. Ursula's Day (Oct. 21), Christmas, and Boxing Day (day after Christmas).

Car Rentals

Both Tortola and Virgin Gorda have a number of car-rental agencies. Although taxi service is good on these two islands, many people who want to explore the islands and try a different beach every day opt for renting a vehicle. On Anegada it's possible to rent a car, but most people rely on taxis for transportation. Jost Van Dyke has a single road, and visitors travel on foot or by local taxi. On the other islands there are no roads.

Most agencies offer both four-wheel-drive vehicles and cars (often compacts). Rates begin at $55 a day and $330 a week, not including 5% sales tax.

On Anegada

D. W. Jeep Rentals (The Settlement, Anegada, PHONE:284/495-9677).

On Tortola

Avis (opposite Police Station, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-3322).

Hertz (West End, Tortola, PHONE:284/495-4405).

Itgo Car Rental (Wickham's Cay I, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-2639).

On Virgin Gorda

L&S Jeep Rental (South Valley, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5297).

Mahogany Rentals and Taxi Service (Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5469).

At Home

Avis (PHONE:800/331-1084; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 0870/606-0100 in the U.K.; 02/9353-9000 in Australia; 09/526-2847 in New Zealand; www.avis.com).

Dollar (PHONE:800/800-6000; 0124/622-0111 in the U.K.; where it's affiliated with Sixt; 02/9223-1444 in Australia; www.dollar.com).

Hertz (PHONE:800/654-3001; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 020/8897-2072 in the U.K.; 02/9669-2444 in Australia; www.hertz.com).

National Car Rental (PHONE:800/227-7368; 020/8680-4800 in the U.K.; www.nationalcar.com).

Requirements

You'll need a temporary BVI license, available at the rental-car company for $10 with a valid license from another country.

Road Conditions

Tortola's main roads are well paved, for the most part, but there are exceptionally steep hills and sharp curves; driving demands your complete attention. A main road circles the island and several roads cross it, almost always through mountainous terrain.

Virgin Gorda has a smaller road system and a single, very steep road links the north and south ends of the island.

Anegada's few roads are little more than sandy lanes.

Rules of the Road

Driving in the BVI is on the left side of the road, British style -- but your car will have left-hand drive like those used in the U.S. Speed limits (rarely enforced) are 20 mph in town and 35 mph outside town.

Your hotel staff will be happy to summon a taxi for you. Rates aren't published, so you should negotiate the fare with your driver before you start your trip. It's cheaper to travel in groups, because there's a minimum fare to each destination, which is the same whether you're one, two, or three passengers. The taxi number is also the license plate number.

On Tortola

On Tortola, the BVI Taxi Association (Near the ferry dock, Road Town, Tortola, PHONE:284/494-7519) has stands in Road Town near the ferry dock and at Wickham's Cay I.

The Beef Island Taxi Association (Beef Island Airport, Tortola, PHONE:284/495-1982) operates at the Beef Island/Tortola airport.

You can also usually find a West End Taxi Association (West End ferry terminal, Tortola, PHONE:284/495-4934) taxi at the West End ferry dock.

On Virgin Gorda

Andy's Taxi and Jeep Rental (The Valley, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5511) offers service from one end of Virgin Gorda to the other.

Mahogany Rentals and Taxi Service (The Valley, Virgin Gorda, PHONE:284/495-5469) provides taxi service all over Virgin Gorda.