I prefer to be east. I grew up on the East Coast of the United States in Baltimore, Maryland. I spent a year in the northeast of France. I currently live in the southeast corner of Jersey in the Channel Islands. Little Bay and Lambert Bay are two of my favorite beaches on Tortola, and I loved living at both locations. I spent my weekends at Brandywine Bay, Josiahs Bay, Trellis Bay, and Long Bay, Beef Island. When I worked as a lecturer at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay was my happy place, and I tended to stay on that side of the island on evenings and weekends.
Though I may love the eastern neighborhoods on Tortola and Beef Island, many potential property buyers overlook this area. East End needs a rebrand.
The natural advantages of the eastern side of the island include the varied topography — steep hillsides, wide beaches, salt ponds, natural harbors — as well as the advantage of being on the windward side of the island. ast-facing properties have morning sun but cool off in the afternoons and evenings — the perfect time to cherish island life.
As I mentioned, East End is home to some of the most secluded and stunning beaches in the British Virgin Islands. Josiahs Bay is a surfer’s paradise and also a great spot to sunbathe and people watch on a Sunday. Well Bay, Beef Island offers a calm and tranquil hideaway to snorkel, paddleboard, or simply read a book beneath the shade of a sea grape tree. For a livelier vibe, Long Bay, Beef Island provides a party atmosphere on the weekends with music pumping, barbeques smoking, and even a kitesurfer or two leaping through the air.
Rocky outcropping at Lambert Beach on the east end of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
But the biggest selling point for the eastern side of the island is accessibility. The east hosts the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island, which offers flights to and from Virgin Gorda, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Antigua, Dominica, St. Maarten, the Dominican Republic, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The ferry dock on Beef Island serves Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Scrub Island as well as private ferries to and from luxury resorts. For individuals who work on Virgin Gorda but who want the convenience of Tortola, the east is an ideal place to live.
The east also hosts several day care centers and schools, including Cedar International School and HLSCC, an institution of rigorous education under the guidance of current president Dr. Richard Georges.
Palm trees on Beef Island beach – British Virgin Islands.
The eastern side of the island is also home to amazing restaurants, including Brandywine Estate Restaurant in Brandywine Bay, which is currently ranked as the number one restaurant on Tortola on tripadvisor.com (as of the time of this publication). The restaurant is the go-to spot for special occasions, leisurely lunches, date nights, or hog roasts. One of my all-time favorite restaurants on Tortola is Jeremy’s Kitchen in Trellis Bay, home of the Famous Awesome Sandwich, hearty breakfasts, and raucous full moon parties. Next door is Trellis Bay Market Bar and Grill, serving mouth-watering cocktails, roti and jerk chicken. Also in Trellis Bay is Loose Mongoose Café, serving what might be the best coffee in the BVI, accompanied by fresh baked goods, with Loose Mongoose Restaurant right nearby on the beach. Red Rock Restaurant and Bar offers innovative waterfront dining at Penn’s Landing Marina. Turtle Restaurant at Wyndham Lambert Beach Resort cannot be surpassed on Tortola for barefoot luxury dining on one of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean.
For boat owners, the east has several protected marinas and mooring fields. Hodge’s Creek Marina, JY Harbour View Marina, Penn’s Landing Marina, and Beef Island all offer reasonable rates for places to dock or moor up in protected areas. The natural harbor of Paraquita Bay is where boats are taken in preparation for harsh storms.
Another reason why the east is the best place to buy in Tortola right now? Middle-income families can still afford it. There are many single-family homes for sale in the east right now, and two property developments offer an amazing opportunity for young families to get on the property ladder. These two developments are Eastover Estates and Brandywine Bay Oceanfront Condos. Both could be the next hub of family life in Tortola.
Eastover Estates on Beef Island has available plots of land ranging in size from .7 acres to 1.25 acres and ranging in price from £175,000 to £375,000. All plots are steps to the beach for snorkeling, paddleboarding, swimming, sunbathing, or building sand castles. The attraction of Eastover Estates is that you can build your Caribbean dream home from scratch with all of the specifications bespoke to cater to your family.
For those wanting to move into a luxuriously designed residence, Brandywine Estate Bayside Residences are modern homes perched on the water’s edge in Brandywine Bay. The development consists of ten luxury, three-bedroom waterfront townhouses with a private dock for each resident. There are plans for the hillside opposite the estate to be transformed into a green space with picnic benches and pergolas. Brandywine Bay is a calm, protected bay ideal for swimming and water sports.
There are still other hidden gems available in the east. I was surprised to discover that there is still land available for purchase in Little Bay, one of the most exclusive parts of the island with arguably the best secluded beach. Homes are also for sale in Little Bay, Hodges Creek, Nora Hazel Point, Josiahs Bay, Lambert Bay, and Beef Island. Surfsong in Well Bay, Beef Island is a gated and private estate of 2.5 acres with seven bedrooms and over 500 feet of private waterfront land.
The eastern side of Tortola, from Kingston to Chapel Hill on the south side and from Josiahs Bay to Hawks Nest on the north side — plus all of Beef Island — include stunning beaches, pristine waters, travel access, rigorous education, and divine dining. For residents of the British Virgin Islands, this is the time to buy east before all the snowbirds buy everything up!
