British Virgin Islands / Island Essentials

All travellers to the BVI will need to know the essential island facts. The information on BVI shown below is current (2011).

Currency / Credit Cards

The unit of currency is US dollar and no other currency is accepted.

ATMs are located at banks in Road Town, Rite Way grocery in Purcell, East End, Sopers Hole, West End and at Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. Most have daily withdrawal limit of US$200.

Credit cards are widely accepted anywhere that deals regularly with tourists. This can include beach bars, but do not expect local bars or small local restaurants to accept them. There is a 10¢ stamp duty on all cheques and travel cheques.

Most of the major credit cards are accepted in restaurants, duty free shops, and the larger supermarkets, though it might be prudent to double check payment methods in advance, especially when dining out. It is worth noting that certain credit cards may attract an additional charge or simply not be accepted.

Check-In/Check-Out

As a general rule check-out times are 12 noon and check-in is not usually before 3pm, during which time accommodations are made ready for new arrivals. The relative lateness of the check in is not usually a problem because the majority of international arrivals into the country are in the early to late afternoon. Some properties may provide day rooms/shower facilities subject to availability, or may be flexible on check-in or check-out times by prior arrangement.

If you are chartering a yacht, charters run from noon to noon. If your yacht is available the charter company may be able to board you earlier. You should check with them close to your arrival date. If you flight arrives too late for you to start your charter on the same day, most charter companies offer the option of a sleepaboard on your first night, at an additional charge. In which case boarding tends to be after 5 pm and the yacht will be prepared for your late arrival.

Departure Tax/Taxes

A departure tax must be paid when you leave the BVI, in US Dollars cash. At the airport it is US$20 and is payable at the window next to the Departure Lounge. Those departing by ferry must now pay $5 at a separate window after obtaining their ferry ticket. There is a US$7 tax for passengers who come ashore from a cruise ship.

A 7% hotel tax is added to all accommodation bills (for stays of six months or less). There is no sales tax to pay on goods you buy on the island.

Electricity

Domestic current runs at 110 volts AC, 60 Cycles and uses 2-pin sockets in US style.

Embassies/Consulates

There is no diplomatic representation in the BVI and so you will need to be in touch with your closest embassy or consulate. These are usually in Barbados.

Emergencies

For Police, Fire and Ambulance : 999 or 911

For a marine emergency, you can contact VISAR (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue). For a radio call, use channel use Channel 16. On land call 767.

Medical

The British Virgin Islands is generally a benign place, and you will experience little that you wouldn’t expect to suffer in Europe. There is no malaria, but there are very occasional outbreaks of dengue fever, another mosquito-borne disease. Make sure not to get bitten if it is around.

In the case of a basic emergency the BVI government facilities are adequate, the Peebles Hospital, Road Town (Main Street, t 494 3497) and the Virgin Gorda Clinic, Spanish Town (not 24 hours). However, queues in the waiting room at the hospital can be long and it can be hot, so in the case of non-emergency treatment you may choose to go to one of the many private clinics. Prices are reasonable – the average cost of a consultation is in the region of US$40–60. Prescription medicines are significantly less expensive in the BVI than you will find in the US. For major medical issues and treatment by specialists, many people go to Puerto Rico.

Anyone needing to be Med-evaced out of the BVI will have to be seen by theBVI Medical Authorities who will arrange medevac should they deem it necessary. Make sure that your insurance is up to date.

The Eureka Medical Complex, Road Town, t 494 2346
offers a comprehensive range of services, including an in-house lab facility. They are open Mon - Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 8.30am–1pm. They are closed on Sundays and public holidays. They also have a branch in Virgin Gorda.

The Bougainvillea Clinic, Road Town, t 494 2181
This clinic is not for regular ailments. They specialise in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery and offer a limited range of scheduled surgical procedures.

Nudity

Nudity is illegal in the BVI. The BV Islanders are very modest and they are likely to get upset at women walking around town in a swimsuit and men walking around bare-chested. They are also polite so they probably won’t actually say anything to you, but you are asked not to do it. If you want to get an all-over tan you’ll have to do it in the privacy of the deck of your boat or balcony. Very occasionally toplessness has been known on certain remote beaches, including Smuggler’s Cove in the far west of Tortola.

Places of Worship

The established religion in the BVI is Anglican, but there are a number of other denominations including Roman Catholic, Methodist Baptist, Pentecostal, Jehovah’s Witness and Seventh Day Adventist. There are three Anglican Churches in the BVI, St George’s on Main Street in Road Town, t 494 3894, St Paul’s in Sea Cow’s Bay to the west of Road Town and St Mary’s in the Valley in Virgin Gorda.

The Catholic Community, t 494 2690, also has three churches, St William’s in Road Town, Mary Star of the Sea in East End in Tortola and St Ursula’s in the Valley in Virgin Gorda.
Service Charge/Tipping
There is no standard procedure for tipping throughout the BVI, but with so many American visitors there is an expectation in the bars. The rule of thumb is 10-15%. Use your discretion; remembering that staff are normally paid just the minimum wage. Some restaurants include a service charge in your bill, so do check your bill before leaving a tip on top. Others don’t normally levy a standard service charge, but might apply a 15% service charge to groups of 6-8 or more. Finally, be aware that unless waiting staff have spent time working in the US, you are unlikely to receive swift and attentive service. Be prepared to actively seek your waiter’s help!

Time Zone

The BVI is in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, which is four hours behind GMT, ie Britain in winter, and five hours behind Europe. During the winter it is an hour ahead of the eastern seaboard of the USA.

The BVI has no daylight saving time, so when the clocks change in summer the island is five hours behind Britain, six behind Europe and on the same time as the eastern seaboard.

Water

There is a wide range of easily recognised brands of bottle water available for purchase in bars, restaurants and grocery shops. In most bars & restaurants a request for water will yield a 500ml bottle of water. Tap water is generally fine for drinking, and you don’t have to be concerned about ice or the water in which salads have been washed or vegetables cooked. If you are renting a villa or chartering a yacht you may want to consider buying water in 1 gallon bottles for ordinary drinking as some water tanks and cisterns can be dodgy.