Tortola - Living Accomodations

[Delecto]

I'm moving to Tortola within the next few weeks to take some ASA courses and dedicate my life to learning sailing. The goal is to eventually buy and move into a live aboard boat and embark on a long circumnavigation (likely solo). In the meantime I need a place to live in Tortola. Ive done some searches and all that I've come up with are vacation rentals. Anyone out there have a place to rent or at the very least can point me in the right direction? Thanks

Joe

[GordMay]

Greetings, and welcome aboard Joe.

[Delecto]

Hey thanks. I've been reading up on the archives here and it really warms my heart seeing all the sincerity in the exchange of ideas/advice on this forum.

[Soft Air]

Try Dear Miss Mermaid's Daily Britsh Virgin Islands Weather Blog at StormCarib and DearMissMermaid.Com contact her and she may give you updated information about your request.

Good luck

[Delecto]

Hmmm am I looking for an email address? I can't seem to find one, the whole site appears to be just a weather information resource.

[John A]

How about a Google search on Britsh Virgin Islands and select the yellow pages for real estate?

Before you get to far into this project I'd suggest investigating the resident visa requirements for the Britsh Virgins to see if there's any conflict.

[Delecto]

Visa shouldnt be a problem since I have both US and EU passports. As for real estate I'm not looking to buy any property, I just want a cheap place to stay even a campground is fine.

Edit: Not that I can't afford a nice place, I'd just rather save as much as I can for a really nice 40 foot blue water cruiser that I can fix up and keep provisioned for a very long trip. (ie: I don't plan on working and having an income the next couple years)

[Soft Air]

Here is her email, she is super nice and she may be able to help you

DearMissMermaid@aol.com

[Delecto]

Great I've sent her a message. In the meantime ive come across the traveltalk forum and its BVI subsection. Hopefully that'll lead to something...

[Steve W]

go to www.traveltalkonline.com Locate the BVI site. Lots of help there.

Steve

[MarkJ]

Hi on St Martin we found they call cheap places "Crew Accomodation".
Dorms and single / double rooms for the big charter boat crews when they are looking for jobs or waiting.
It was still expensive at $30 per night per person. We started in a dorm - Nicolle was double pluss unfunfilled - then a double room was ok at $60 per night.

Mark

[Reality Check]

Dear Miss Mermaid is visiting in the states until after the 4th. Personal friend of mine and she is a good source to locate accommodations or about anything else on Tortola.

Think this question is from the same poster from a different forum....

You do need to understand that you have a 30 day limit to your stay in the BVI. Extensions are possible but are time consuming to get as you have to go into Road Town and wait hours / days to get application and approval completed.

The location of your sailing classes will be a key info point as moving around on Tortola with out a car that can mountain climb is difficult or expensive.

[John A]

A side note to anyone visiting the BVI's.

I was told by BVI Customs that the 30 day limit is for the calender year. In other words if you were sailing from St Maarten to the BVI's and stayed for 20 days before continuing on to the USVI's and then returned to the BVI's on your way down island, you could only stay 10 days, before a fine would be charged.

[Reality Check]

While English is the Official language in BVI, you will often have difficulty in talking with Customs and Immigrations Officers who can often be difficult to understand.

If you have a 30 day entrance and leave prior to the full 30 days AND return prior to the end of that 30 days... you will only have the remaining days allowed. The KEY is to leave but NOT return prior to the end of the previously approved end date.

Almost all cruisers stay about 30 days then go to another island such as USVI or St. Martin for a while then return to the BVI for another 30 days and repeat as often as you wish but I do think a total of 180 days may be the max in one year without a formal visa or residency approval. I know literally hundreds of Ex-Pats/ cruisers who spend most of their time in BVI and they either have the residency approval or make the monthly trips to other locations with an eye on the last date approved for being in BVI and not returning prior to that date or have plans to re-exit and return after it has passed.

While this may seem like a problem, is really isn't for most of us. St. John has many places to keep you occupied for a few days/ weeks or longer. St. James has a nice anchorage and St. Thomas has interesting places to go on land but not one of my fav boating locations for several reasons. The Spanish Virgin Islands are also a day sail away from St. Thomas and the two near by islands are full of interesting places you can spend weeks visiting.

I know you can get two 30 day extensions if you go to Road Town and apply, but you have to have a good reason for the 2nd one. It appears to be approved if your having boat repairs and parts are due in or if a medical reason prevents you from leaving. What they are doing is attempting to prevent "dead beats" from becoming island bums and causing a drain on local services. They want you to spend money but they don't want to have to support you.

Just don't be shocked when you arrive to find you have a 30 day limit unless you have made some prior arrangements for a longer stay and have documentations with you on arrival. You will probably still get the 30 approval at entrance then have to go to Road Town to get any changes.

[nautical62]

For camping, you might try St. Johns, USVI and take the ferry over to Tortola when needed.