When is the best time to surf Josiah's Bay?
Peak Dec–Mar · often good Apr, Nov · can still fire Aug–Oct.
Josiah's Bay is a winter wave. From roughly November through April the North Atlantic storm track sends west-northwest to north groundswell past the top of Tortola, and because the bay faces almost due north it catches most of it; December through March is the peak, with November and April the shoulders, and the beach is small or flat from May through July. The trade winds blow from the east, which is side-offshore here, so dawn and early mornings are the clean window and afternoons chop up. Late summer and fall (August through October) add a bonus: tropical systems passing to the north send short, lumpy, sometimes sizeable swells, and the rips are at their worst then; it is also hurricane season, when some East End businesses close. Water sits around 79 to 84 degrees all year, so it is boardshorts and a rash vest; any tide works, with the lower half of the tide the best bet for shape and the top of the tide the softest for lessons.
What does a surf trip to Josiah's Bay look like?
A typical trip from our guide. A real alert comes with the forecast for each day and a fare from your airport.
How much does a surf trip to Josiah's Bay cost?
A five-night trip, per person, before food and rentals.
Checked Oct 17. Stays use our guide's nightly bands; transfers use the guide's quoted rates. Real alerts price the exact dates.
Where should you stay at Josiah's Bay?
Closest to the wave
Surf School BVI Learn2Surf stay package $
surf camp · mid-range · At Josiah's Bay; lessons start on the sand
Tortola's surf school bundles lessons with a bed nearby in its Learn2Surf package (listed from about $160 and up, and past guests have described a simple bush-camp setup at the bay). It is the one surf-camp-style option in the BVI, aimed squarely at beginners and improvers who want to surf every morning with an instructor. Confirm what the accommodation is and current pricing by WhatsApp before you book.
Stays nearbyCheaper
NearDBeach Limin Bar Hostel $
hostel · budget · About 300 metres up the road from the beach; a few minutes' walk
The cheapest bed in the BVI and, unusually for the territory, an actual hostel: a handful of private fan-cooled rooms with a small fridge and shared bathrooms, plus a studio and a one-bedroom with kitchen, run by a local family with a bar out front and a taxi for airport runs. Basic and quiet. Booking is by phone or email rather than an app, and reviews are thin, so write ahead and confirm it is operating for your dates.
Stays nearbyEvery place we researched, with its booking link, is under where to stay below.
What is the wave like at Josiah's Bay?
Break type
Beach
Wave direction
Both
Best swell
N (WNW–NNE window)
Ideal size
2–5 ft
Best tide
Mid
Low: sandbars can go fat-then-dumpy at dead low; shallow inside · High: slopey peaks get soft and backwashy at full high
Consistency
Fairly Consistent
Peak season
Dec–Mar
Nearest airport
STT · ~30 mi
Drive from airport
About 2 hours door to door: taxi, ferry, taxi
It is a learner's wave more than a destination wave. Surfline scores it 3 out of 10, 'pretty consistent for Tortola but not a very good wave', and that is a fair read: it picks up anything from west-northwest around to north, it breaks in the knee-high to head-high range most of the season, and it rarely holds real size cleanly. What it has is warm water, a sand bottom you can fall on, a welcoming lineup of beginners, surf-school groups and a few locals, a beach bar for after, and a car park 50 feet from the sand. For an intermediate it is a fun, uncrowded workout on a small day and the place to send the non-surfing half of the group for a lesson; for an advanced surfer it is the backup when Apple Bay is flat, or the fallback when it is too big.
Logistics are the easiest in the BVI. The bay is about 5 kilometres and 15 minutes from Tortola's own airport at Beef Island, and about 25 minutes over the ridge from Road Town and the ferries from St. Thomas, so you can be in the water two hours after landing on either island. There is no town, just a couple of beach bars, a surf shack and villas on the hill; Trellis Bay by the airport and Road Town supply everything else. One thing to respect: Josiah's is known for strong rip currents whenever the swell gets up, and the government lifeguard is not on duty every day, so learn where the rips run before you paddle out.
Who it suits
Beginners and improvers on their first Caribbean surf trip, families mixing a lesson with a beach day, and intermediates who want a mellow sand-bottom peak with nobody dropping in; advanced surfers should treat it as a small-day session or a barrel lottery rather than the reason to come. Suits a short, easy trip based near the airport or Road Town with a rental car.
Where exactly is Josiah's Bay?
18.4484, -64.5913
What are the lineup and the town like at Josiah's Bay?
Localism
mellow
Crowd
Mellow. On a typical winter morning expect a surf-school group on the inside, a few families and a dozen or so surfers spread over several peaks; weekends and cruise-ship days are busier on the sand than in the water. Between swells and in summer the bay is near empty. The hazard Surfline lists is 'dodging beginners', which tells you everything about the crowd.
Josiah's Bay is known as the friendliest lineup in the BVI, rated Welcoming on Surfline: it is where Tortola's kids learn, where the surf school runs its groups and where visiting beginners take their first waves, with a few locals and expats on the better peaks. The rules are beach-break basics. Spread out along the sandbars rather than crowding the school's peak, give lesson groups room on the inside, call your direction on the A-frames, and do not paddle out in front of someone already up and riding. On the rare hollow mornings the handful of locals who have waited all year for it get the sets; a nod and a 'good morning' go a long way on an island this small.
In the lineup: Park in the lot 50 feet from the sand, check the beach from the bar for five minutes before you suit up, and look for where the whitewater is NOT rolling in: the dark, flat, choppy lanes between the peaks are the rips, and on anything over head high they run hard. Pick a peak, line up on a landmark on the hill and keep checking it, because the sweep along the beach is constant. The peaks shift with the sand, so the best bank may be at either end of the bay one week and in the middle the next; lower tide tends to give shape and hollowness, higher tide softens everything for lessons. If you get caught in a rip, do not fight it: stay on your board, paddle parallel to the beach until the pull eases, then come in with the whitewater. The sand bottom is forgiving but the shorebreak can dump on a bigger day, and there is nothing to hold onto on either headland. A lifeguard is sometimes on duty, not always; surf with a buddy and keep an eye on any beginners near you.
There is no town at Josiah's Bay. It is a wide beach at the bottom of a steep green valley on Tortola's quiet East End, with two shacks selling roti and beer, a surf school hut, a public toilet block, a car park and villas scattered up the hillside; goats and the odd cow own the road. The nearest bustle is Trellis Bay by the airport, a sailors' hangout with a market, two restaurants, an art studio and a monthly full-moon party, and Road Town's offices and marinas 25 minutes over the ridge. Tortola as a whole is British, polite, sailing-minded and expensive, with a tiny surf community that is genuinely glad to see visitors. Evenings are early unless you drive, the stars are bright, and on a winter morning with lines wrapping into the bay and nobody out, it feels like you have found a secret.
How do you get to Josiah's Bay?
Fly into Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (then ferry to Road Town, Tortola) (STT) — about 30 miles from the break, About 2 hours door to door: taxi, ferry, taxi. Terrance B. Lettsome International (EIS) on Beef Island is Tortola's own airport and is the closest an airport gets to a surf spot in the Caribbean: Josiah's Bay is about 5 kilometres and 15 minutes by road, over the Queen Elizabeth II bridge and up the East End. American Airlines flies nonstop from Miami, and Cape Air, interCaribbean, Winair and Tradewind run turboprop hops from San Juan, St. Thomas and the neighbouring islands; the short runway rules out big jets, and Silver Airways, which used to fly San Juan to EIS, shut down in June 2025. EIS fares are usually much higher than STT, which is why most surfers fly to St. Thomas and take the ferry, but if the fare works, EIS saves two taxis, a ferry and about two hours. Taxis at EIS are regulated and shared, boards go on the roof, and the regulated fare to Josiah's Bay is in the $8–20 per person band depending on how many ride.
- taxi$9–11 per person to the Charlotte Amalie ferry dock, $17–23 per person to Red Hook, plus about $3 per bag · 10 minutes to Charlotte Amalie; 30–40 minutes to Red Hook
Leg one on St. Thomas. STT taxis are shared vans with government-set per-person fares and roof racks, so a board bag is routine (expect the per-bag charge). For Josiah's Bay you want the Charlotte Amalie dock, ten minutes from the airport, because its boats go to Road Town, the ferry port on the right side of Tortola; the Red Hook boats land at West End, which adds 40 minutes of island road on the far side.
- ferry$25–60 per adult one way depending on operator and route, plus about $40 per person in fees over a round trip · About 60 minutes Charlotte Amalie–Road Town, plus BVI customs; 35 minutes Red Hook–West End
Leg two. Road Town Fast Ferry, Native Son and Smith's Ferry all run Charlotte Amalie to Road Town, the most frequent crossing and the one that drops you 25 minutes from Josiah's Bay. Native Son and Smith's also run Red Hook to West End, which only makes sense if you are splitting the trip with Apple Bay. Fill in the BVI online entry form (bviedcard.gov.vg) within 72 hours before you sail, bring a passport, and budget the $10 USVI port fee, the $10 BVI environmental levy on arrival and the $20 BVI departure tax on the way out. Board bags ride as oversize cargo ($15 and up, operator dependent). Fares differ wildly between booking sites, so check the operator's own page; check in 45 minutes early, and expect fewer sailings on Sundays and in summer. The West End dock is still a temporary post-Irma facility.
- taxi$8–25 per person from Road Town; $8–20 per person from EIS · About 25 minutes from the Road Town ferry; about 15 minutes from EIS
Leg three. Taxis wait at the Road Town ferry terminal and at EIS, fares are set per person by the taxi association (solo riders pay the top of the band, three or more pay the bottom) and most are open-sided safari trucks or vans with roof racks, so boards are normal cargo. Say 'Josiah's Bay' and the driver knows the road; the last stretch is a steep, narrow drop off Ridge Road to the beach car park. Agree the fare before loading boards.
- rental car$55–100/day (small 4x4 to mid-size SUV) from EIS or Road Town agencies · About 15 minutes from EIS; about 25 minutes from the Road Town ferry
Hertz and the local firms rent at EIS and in Road Town, and a car is the comfortable choice at Josiah's because there is nothing within walking distance but the beach. Drive on the LEFT. A valid US or other overseas licence covers stays of 30 days or less; longer stays need a $10 temporary BVI permit from the rental desk or the DMV. The road down to the bay is steep with blind bends, so ask for roof rails or bring soft racks and avoid your first run in the dark.
- private transfer$60–150 per vehicle one way (hotel or villa arranged); water taxi from St. Thomas $100+ per person · 15 minutes from EIS; about 1–1.5 hours St. Thomas to Road Town by water taxi
Lambert Beach Resort and most villa managers will book a private pickup at EIS or the Road Town ferry if you email ahead, which beats waiting for a shared taxi to fill with a board bag. From St. Thomas, licensed water taxis (Dolphin, Tidal Treasures and others) can carry a small group to Tortola on your own schedule and clear BVI customs on arrival; expensive per head, but a late flight into STT otherwise means a night in Charlotte Amalie.
Do you need a car at Josiah's Bay?
Do you need a car?
recommended
Walkability
If you rent one of the villas on the hill above the bay or the hostel 300 metres up the road, you can walk to the sand in a few minutes and never need wheels on a surf day; the beach bars cover lunch and a sunset drink. That is the whole walkable world. Dinner, groceries, an ATM and anything else are a drive: Trellis Bay and the airport 15 minutes east, Lambert Bay 10 minutes, Road Town 25 minutes over the ridge.
Rent a small 4x4 ($55–100/day at EIS or in Road Town) and Josiah's becomes an easy base: 15 minutes to Trellis Bay for dinner and the market, 25 minutes to Road Town's supermarkets and banks, 40 minutes to Cane Garden Bay and Apple Bay when a bigger swell calls for a reef. Without a car, taxis are plentiful and regulated (roughly $8–20 per person to EIS or Trellis Bay, $8–25 per person to Road Town, less per head the more of you ride) but must be called or arranged rather than hailed at the beach, and there is no rideshare in the BVI. Tortola's cheap 'safari' buses run the Road Town to East End corridor but do not come down to the bay and are impractical with a board. Driving is on the left and the drop from Ridge Road to the beach is steep and narrow. For phone data the BVI is not covered by US domestic plans: Digicel, Flow and CCT sell prepaid SIMs ($10–20) in Road Town but not at the airport, none offers a prepaid eSIM, so a third-party travel eSIM bought before you fly is the simple answer.
Boards: Taxis are open-sided safari trucks or vans with roof racks, so board bags are normal cargo; tell the dispatcher you have boards and expect a small per-bag charge. Ferries carry board bags as oversize cargo for a fee, and the Road Town boats see them all winter. The easier move is to travel light: Surf School BVI rents longboards, shortboards and bodyboards from its shack on the sand at Josiah's, so a lesson-and-beach trip needs hand luggage only, and Island Surf & Sail in Soper's Hole (an hour west) delivers weekly rentals island-wide if you want a proper quiver.
Where can you stay near Josiah's Bay?
Surf camps and guided packages
At Josiah's Bay; lessons start on the sand · Tortola's surf school bundles lessons with a bed nearby in its Learn2Surf package (listed from about $160 and up, and past guests have described a simple bush-camp setup at the bay). It is the one surf-camp-style option in the BVI, aimed squarely at beginners and improvers who want to surf every morning with an instructor. Confirm what the accommodation is and current pricing by WhatsApp before you book. (Direct (surfschoolbvi.vg, WhatsApp +1 284 343 0002))
Hotels and other places to stay
2–10 minutes' walk or a 2-minute drive down to the sand · The closest beds to the wave. The green slope above the bay holds a steady pool of one-bedroom cottages up to multi-bedroom villas with kitchens, decks and a straight view down the swell lines (Serendipity House, with its upper and lower villas, is the long-running one; The Green House and Lime Leaf Cottage are among the smaller places). Most need a car for groceries; some are a short walk to the beach. Best value for a group splitting a winter week. (Airbnb, Vrbo, villa agencies)
Lambert Bay, the next bay east; about 10 minutes' drive · The only full-service resort on this end of the island: 38 rooms and suites in villa-style buildings on a long, usually calm beach, with the BVI's largest freshwater pool, a gym and spa and the Turtle restaurant and bar on the sand, open to non-guests. Pick it for a surf-and-holiday trip with a partner who is not surfing; you drive to Josiah's in ten minutes and the airport is close. Takes a hurricane-season break from the end of August, reopening in the fall. (Direct (lambertbeach.com), Wyndham, Expedia, Booking.com)
About 300 metres up the road from the beach; a few minutes' walk · The cheapest bed in the BVI and, unusually for the territory, an actual hostel: a handful of private fan-cooled rooms with a small fridge and shared bathrooms, plus a studio and a one-bedroom with kitchen, run by a local family with a bar out front and a taxi for airport runs. Basic and quiet. Booking is by phone or email rather than an app, and reviews are thin, so write ahead and confirm it is operating for your dates. (Direct (phone/email); listed on Tripadvisor)
Road Town waterfront, about 25 minutes' drive · Road Town's dependable mid-range hotel on the harbour, a short walk from the ferry terminal, with air-conditioned rooms from standard to two-bedroom suites, a pool and a restaurant and bar. The practical base if you arrive late on the St. Thomas ferry, want restaurants and banks on foot, and are happy to drive over the ridge to surf each morning. (Direct (mariasbythesea.com), Expedia, Booking.com)
Hillside above Road Town harbour, about 25 minutes' drive · A 65-room hotel on the hill at the head of Road Town harbour with a big central pool, harbour-view rooms and suites, a restaurant and bar and on-site parking, five minutes from the ferry. Older bones that took Irma damage but has operated since; rooms in the $180–280 range make it the sensible step up from Maria's for a Road Town base. (Direct (treasureislehotelbvi.com), Expedia, Booking.com)
Wickham's Cay, Road Town, about 25 minutes' drive · Small marina hotel in the middle of Road Town's yacht basin with a pool, dockside restaurant and deli, and the island's banks, RiteWay and the ferry within walking distance. Rooms look over the charter fleet rather than the ocean; it suits a surfer who wants town convenience and does not mind the drive to the north shore. (Direct, Expedia, Booking.com)
Where do you eat at Josiah's Bay?
- Naomi's Little Secrets, Josiah's Baybar · $ budget
Roti, conch fritters, a cold Carib and Ms. Naomi's soursop daiquiri — The beach bar by the car park and the social centre of the bay: West Indian plates, fresh juices, rum drinks, $5 chair rental and a front-row seat on the peaks. Cash only, hours are island-casual (busiest on weekends and cruise-ship days, sometimes shut on quiet weekdays), so do not plan dinner around it.
- Momzell's Beach Bar, Josiah's Baybar · $ budget
Burgers, fish sandwiches and bar snacks on the sand — The second shack on the beach, right next to Naomi's, for burgers, sandwiches and beers between sessions; on good days it rents chairs, boogie boards and kayaks. Cash only and the most seasonal of the two; if it is closed, Naomi's is twenty steps away.
- Trellis Bay Market Bar & Grill, Beef Islandrestaurant · $ mid-range
Jerk chicken, BBQ ribs, coco-bread breakfast sandwiches and the full-moon buffet — Family-run since 1990, three minutes' walk from the airport and 15 minutes from Josiah's: a beachside grill open from 6 am for breakfast through dinner (late on Fridays and Saturdays) with a mini-market attached. It hosts the BVI's monthly Full Moon Party. The reliable everyday meal on this end of the island.
- Loose Mongoose, Trellis Bayrestaurant · $ mid-range
Caribbean-fusion dinners, weekend brunch and sunset cocktails from the upstairs bar — Rebuilt six times bigger after Irma and reopened in 2020, the Mongoose is Trellis Bay's sit-down option: a beach-level restaurant and bar, an open-top bar upstairs, a coffee shop and boutique, and a dinghy dock full of charter crews. Lunch through dinner daily, brunch on weekends; service can be slow when a flotilla is in.
- Turtle Restaurant and Bar, Lambert Beach Resortrestaurant · $$ high-end
Fresh fish and resort dinners on the edge of Lambert Bay beach — The resort's beachfront restaurant is open to non-guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner, ten minutes from Josiah's, and is the nearest white-tablecloth meal to the wave. Book for dinner in season; closed with the resort during the late-summer break.
- The Dove, Road Townrestaurant · $$ high-end
Tasting plates and a serious wine and cocktail list in an old Road Town house — Road Town's special-occasion dinner, 25 minutes from the bay in a wooden townhouse on Main Street; worth the drive once a trip. Closes for a few weeks in August and September.
- Capriccio di Mare, Road Towncafe · $ mid-range
Espresso, pastries and pizza by the slice — The Italian café on Waterfront Drive opposite the ferry dock: the coffee stop after the morning ferry or before a Road Town grocery run, with pasta and pizza at lunch and dinner. Takes a short break in August.
Cooking for yourself
- Trellis Bay Market mini-market, Beef Islandminimart
The nearest shop to Josiah's Bay, 15 minutes east by the airport: a small market attached to the bar and grill with water, ice, beer, snacks, bread, eggs and basics for a villa breakfast. Fine for top-ups, not for a week's shop.
- RiteWay East End, Blackburn Highwaysupermarket
The RiteWay chain's East End branch on the main road through Fat Hogs Bay, about 10–15 minutes from the bay on the way to Road Town: produce, meat, dairy, drinks and household basics at island prices. The practical weekly shop if you are self-catering at Josiah's.
- RiteWay Pasea Estate, Road Townsupermarket
The biggest supermarket on Tortola, 25 minutes away on the Road Town side, with a deli, bakery, full produce and meat counters, wine and spirits. Worth one big stock-up on the way in from the Road Town ferry; most food is imported, so budget US-plus.
- OneMart Superstore, Road Townsupermarket
Road Town's other full-size supermarket, locally owned since 1986, a few minutes from the ferry: good for bulk and household items, fresh produce and a bakery, with a First Caribbean ATM at the store.
Where do you rent or fix a board?
- Surf School BVI, Josiah's Baylessons · board rental · Lessons from about $60 per person for 1–2 hours; board rental by the hour or day, price on request
Tortola's surf school since 2012, run from a shack on the sand at Josiah's Bay by Steve Howes, a former surf lifeguard, with Jamaican pro Icah Wilmot among the instructors. Beginner and improver lessons for small groups (ages 10 and up, rash vest and an hour of free board time after the lesson included), family and group rates, week-long camps and a rental rack of longboards, shortboards and bodyboards plus kayaks and snorkel gear. Book by WhatsApp (+1 284 343 0002) in the December–March peak. Note the website is surfschoolbvi.vg; the old .com address now belongs to a different school in Cane Garden Bay.
- Island Surf & Sail, Soper's Hole (West End)board rental · wax · leashes · fins · ding repair · board sales · ~$25/day or $160/week shortboards; ~$28/day or $185/week longboards (wax, leash, bag and soft rack included)
The BVI's only real surf shop is at the far end of the island, about an hour's drive from Josiah's, but weekly rentals are delivered free island-wide, so you can have a proper 5'8" to 10'0" board dropped at your villa. Also the place for wax, fins, leashes and a ding repair; call ahead.
- Naomi's and Momzell's beach bars, Josiah's Bayboard rental · Boogie boards and the odd surfboard, price on the day
On busy days the two beach bars rent chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards and sometimes a soft-top. Fine for a splash on a small day; for anything you would call surfing, use the surf school's rack.
What do you do when it's flat?
- Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay Marketnightlife · free entry; BBQ buffet about $30 per person, drinks extra
The BVI's monthly full-moon tradition is 15 minutes from Josiah's, on the beach by the airport: a West Indian barbecue from about 7 pm, live fungi bands and DJs, mocko jumbie stilt dancers and, around 9 pm, the lighting of Aragorn Dick-Read's steel fireball sculptures on the sand and in the water. Dates follow the moon (the BVI Tourist Board calendar lists them, with 26 October 2026 the next); confirm with the market and book a taxi back.
- The Baths, Virgin Gorda (Speedy's ferry from Beef Island or Road Town)day trip · $20 one way / $30 round trip ferry, or about $50 per adult for the ferry-plus-taxi Baths package; $3 park entry
The BVI's signature flat-day trip: a 30-minute Speedy's crossing to Spanish Town, a taxi to The Baths National Park and a scramble through the granite boulders, caves and tide pools to Devil's Bay. Speedy's sells a daily ferry-and-taxi package from Road Town and from Beef Island, which is handiest from Josiah's; bring water shoes.
- Brewers Bay snorkelwater · free; snorkel gear and chairs for rent at the beach bar
Twenty-five minutes west along the north shore, Brewers Bay is Tortola's best shore snorkel: a calm, reef-protected cove with tarpon, rays, turtles and parrotfish along the western reef, and Nicole's Beach Bar for burgers, plantains and gear rental. The road in is a chain of steep hairpins; go on a day Josiah's is flat or blown out.
- Sage Mountain National Park hikenature · $3–5 park entry
The highest point in the Virgin Islands (1,716 ft) is 35 minutes from the bay up Ridge Road: 14 shaded rainforest trails that loop to a summit with views over Jost Van Dyke and the swell lines. The Mahogany Forest and Joseph R. O'Neal trails reach the top; a cool two-hour walk when the sea is flat.
- Lambert Bay beach daynature · free beach; lunch at the resort $–$$
Ten minutes east, Lambert Bay is a long, usually calm white-sand beach in front of the Wyndham resort, with the pool bar and Turtle restaurant open to visitors. The swim-and-read beach for the non-surfers in the group, or for a surfer's rest day when Josiah's is rippy.
- Apple Bay and Cane Garden Bay run (big-swell day)day trip · free; drinks and dinner $
When a solid north swell closes out the Josiah's sandbars, drive 40 minutes west along the north shore: Apple Bay's reef peak handles double overhead, and Cane Garden Bay next door has a calm beach, the Callwood rum distillery and live music at Rhythm & Sands and Myett's for the evening.
What should you know before you go?
Cash & ATMs
The BVI uses the US dollar, so no exchange is needed. There is no ATM at Josiah's Bay and both beach bars are cash only, so arrive with $20s and $10s. The nearest machines are the Banco Popular ATM at EIS airport (15 minutes) and a First Caribbean/CIBC ATM in East End below Thelma's, with the full set of banks (FirstBank, Banco Popular, Scotiabank, Republic Bank, CIBC) at Wickham's Cay in Road Town and ATMs at RiteWay Pasea and OneMart. Hotels, the resort and the Trellis Bay restaurants take cards; taxis, the surf school and the beach bars prefer cash.
Medical
The government's East End clinic (Iris Penn Clinic) and Long Look clinic (Rosalin Penn Clinic) are walk-in community health clinics 10–15 minutes from the bay, open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays (Long Look only Wednesday to Friday), for cuts, infections and minor injuries. The territory's hospital is Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital in Road Town, about 25 minutes away, with an emergency department and ambulances; dial 999 or 911. Care is adequate but limited, and anything serious means evacuation to Puerto Rico or the US mainland, so carry travel insurance that covers it. The usual Josiah's injuries are a board to the face in the shorebreak and sunburn; there is no reef to cut you. Tap water on Tortola is desalinated at the hotels and rain-cistern at most villas; ask your host, and most visitors drink bottled.
Water safety
The hazard here is the current, not the bottom. Josiah's Bay is a sand-bottom beach break with no reef or urchins, but it is known for strong rip currents whenever the swell is head high or more, and in a winter north swell the rips and the undertow are powerful enough that the beach is for strong swimmers only. Learn the rips before you paddle out, use them to get out and never to come in, and if caught, stay on the board and paddle sideways along the beach until it lets go. The BVI government stations a lifeguard at Josiah's Bay, one of only a couple of guarded beaches in the territory, but coverage is not every day and should not be counted on. Keep non-surfing swimmers and children on the inside on small days and out of the water on big ones. The shorebreak can dump on a big day. Water is clean and warm all year (roughly 79–84°F), with occasional sargassum and jellyfish in summer and fall.
British Virgin Islands basics: money, entry, phones, water
Currency
US dollar (USD) — The BVI's official currency is the US dollar itself (a British Overseas Territory that never adopted the pound), so there is no exchange rate to think about — mid-2026 and always
Entry (US passport)
Up to 1 month (immigration stamps 30 days / one month on arrival); extendable to 6 months at the Immigration Department in Road Town — The BVI is British territory, not part of the USA, so you need a passport even though you may have flown in through St. Thomas on a domestic ticket. A US passport book works everywhere; the State Department says a passport card is accepted for the sea crossing between the USVI and BVI, but a book is the safe choice if you might fly home from Tortola. Bring proof of a return or onward ticket, have at least one blank page for the stamp, and complete the free online Embarkation/Disembarkation (ED) card at bviedcard.gov.vg before you reach the immigration desk — up to 72 hours ahead, or on your phone at the terminal.
Language
English (official), Virgin Islands Creole English (everyday speech). Excellent — English is the official language and the only one you'll need, from immigration at West End to the surf shop and the bar at Apple Bay. Locals speak a Virgin Islands Creole among themselves but standard English with visitors.
Plugs
A, B · 110V / 60Hz — US-style flat-pin outlets. US and Canadian gear works as-is; UK and EU travelers need a plug adapter and dual-voltage devices.
Tipping
US-style. Most restaurants and many hotels add a 10–15% service charge automatically, so read the bill — if it's there, nothing more is expected; if it isn't, 15–20% is normal. A couple of dollars per bag for porters, $3–5 a day for housekeeping, round up taxis, and a few dollars cash for a surf guide or boat captain. Accommodation also carries a mandatory 10% Hotel Accommodation Tax (hotels, villas, and Airbnb alike), which is a tax, not a tip.
Phone / data
Digicel BVI, Flow BVI, CCT (Caribbean Cellular Telephone), Travel eSIMs (Airalo, Nomad, Holafly, etc.). Tortola is small and the populated south side (Road Town, East End, West End) and the north-shore bays all have usable LTE from Digicel, Flow and CCT — enough for surf alerts and forecasts at Apple Bay and Cane Garden Bay, with dead patches on the steep ridge roads between them. Two roaming traps for US phones: the USVI counts as domestic for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, but the BVI does NOT — it's international roaming, so turn on a day pass or a local/travel eSIM before you step off the ferry. And at the West End your phone can latch onto USVI towers across the channel; picking the network manually (USVI tower when you want domestic rates, BVI carrier when you want local data) avoids surprise charges. Hotels and villas have Wi-Fi, though it's often slow — download offline maps for the switchback roads.
Tap water
Mostly cistern and desalinated water, and it varies by building. Public supply in Road Town is desalinated and treated to a safe standard, and hotels and resorts usually run their own filtration, but many villas, guesthouses and apartments draw from rainwater cisterns that aren't treated — so ask your host whether the tap is treated or filtered, and if in doubt drink bottled or filtered water, especially after heavy rain. Bottled water is sold everywhere but costs more than you're used to.
Emergency
999 for police, fire and ambulance (911 also connects from landlines and most phones). Marine rescue: VISAR on 767 or VHF channel 16. Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital (formerly Peebles Hospital), Road Town: (284) 852-7500. There is no US embassy in the BVI — the US Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados covers it, and US citizens can get passport help on St. Thomas.
Other passports: entry rules differ — check the official source before booking.
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Frequently asked questions about Josiah's Bay
Is Josiah's Bay good for beginners?
Yes. Josiah's Bay is the only sand-bottom beach break in the British Virgin Islands, with soft, slopey A-frame peaks that run knee high to head high most of the winter, a welcoming lineup and Surf School BVI running lessons and board rental from a shack on the sand. Surfline calls it 'a great place to learn'; the one thing to respect is the rip currents on bigger days.
When is the best time to surf Josiah's Bay, Tortola?
Late fall through early spring. North Atlantic groundswell from the west-northwest to north arrives roughly November through April, peaking December through March, with the east trade wind side-offshore in the mornings. Late summer and fall tropical systems add short bonus swells with stronger rips; May through July is mostly flat.
Which airport do you fly into for Josiah's Bay?
Most surfers fly to St. Thomas (STT), which has many US nonstops, take a 10-minute taxi to the Charlotte Amalie ferry dock, ride the hour-long ferry to Road Town on Tortola, clear BVI immigration and taxi 25 minutes to the bay, about 2 hours door to door. Tortola's own airport, EIS on Beef Island, is only 15 minutes from Josiah's Bay with American Airlines from Miami and regional hops from San Juan and St. Thomas, but fares are usually much higher.
How far is Josiah's Bay from the Tortola airport?
About 5 kilometres by road, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or rental car from Terrance B. Lettsome International (EIS) on Beef Island. The regulated shared-taxi fare is in the $8–20 per person band depending on how many ride, and Road Town is about 25 minutes the other way.
Are there rip currents at Josiah's Bay?
Yes, and they are the main hazard. Whenever the swell is head high or bigger, strong rips and an undertow run between the sandbars; watch the beach for the dark, choppy lanes between the peaks before you paddle out, and if you get caught stay on your board and paddle parallel to the shore until the pull eases. A government lifeguard is sometimes on duty at Josiah's but not every day.
Can you rent a surfboard at Josiah's Bay?
Yes. Surf School BVI rents longboards, shortboards and bodyboards from its shack on the beach at Josiah's Bay and runs 1–2 hour beginner and improver lessons from about $60 per person, booked by WhatsApp on +1 284 343 0002. For a week-long rental of a performance board, Island Surf & Sail in Soper's Hole delivers island-wide.
Where should I stay to surf Josiah's Bay?
Villas and cottages on the hillside above the bay are the closest beds and the best value for a group; NearDBeach Limin Bar Hostel is a basic budget option 300 metres up the road; Wyndham Lambert Beach Resort is the full-service choice ten minutes east; and Maria's by the Sea, Treasure Isle and Village Cay in Road Town suit a late ferry arrival, 25 minutes away. The old Tamarind Club by the bay closed after Hurricane Irma in 2018.
Do US citizens need a passport for Tortola?
Yes. The BVI is a British Overseas Territory, so you clear BVI immigration on arrival from St. Thomas or by air and need a valid passport (a US passport card works for sea arrivals only). Fill in the online entry form at bviedcard.gov.vg within 72 hours before you travel; there is a $10 environmental levy on arrival and a $20 departure tax when you leave.
Is Josiah's Bay a good wave for experienced surfers?
It is a backup rather than the reason to come. Surfline rates it 3 out of 10: consistent for Tortola but slopey and often weak, best in the knee-high to head-high range. On the rare mornings when a long-period north swell lines up with a good sandbar, low tide and the east trades it throws short beach-break barrels; when it is bigger, experienced surfers drive 40 minutes west to the reef at Apple Bay.
Sources for this guide
- surfline.comsecondary source · Spot character (beach break, sand bottom, A-frame peaks, slopey and often weak, 'a great place to learn', beach-break barrels when sand/tide
- strikemission.appeditorial · Sandy A-frames, ideal N swell with NW–NNE window, 10–14 s period, SE offshore, all tides, 'strong rips – dangerous currents', lightly crowde
- surfschoolbvi.vgofficial · Surf School BVI at Josiah's Bay: beginner/improver lessons from $60, Learn2Surf package from $160, rentals (longboards, shortboards, bodyboa
- thebviinsider.comeditorial · March 2025 confirmation of Surf School BVI's beach shack at Josiah's Bay, founder background, lesson formats, surfschoolbvi.vg as the websit
- surfschoolbvi.comofficial · Shows the .com domain now serves Waves Surf Academy, Cane Garden Bay (2026 copyright) — separate school, flagged in dataIssues
- tripadvisor.comeditorial · Beach reviews through 2025–2026: Naomi's Little Secrets and Momzell's beach bars, $5 chairs, surf school on the beach, 'surf and undertow is
- bvivacation.comeditorial · Beach description, undertow warning, public restrooms, beach bars, 50-foot walk from parking, no lifeguards (older listing)
- bvivacation.comsecondary source · Regulated taxi fare table (2010): EIS→Josiah's Bay $20/$10/$8, Road Town→Josiah's Bay $25/$13/$8, EIS→Road Town $27/$14/$12, bag rules
- bvinews.comsecondary source · 20 Feb 2025: only two lifeguards in the territory, one at Smuggler's Cove and one at Josiah's Bay; two more to be trained by Nov 2025
- virginislandsnewsonline.comsecondary source · 17 Feb 2025 government plan for lifeguards at Josiah's Bay and other frequented beaches for the 2025/26 season
- lambertbeach.comofficial · Wyndham Tortola BVI Lambert Beach Resort: room types, beach, pool, gym and spa, restaurant and bar, East End location, 2026 copyright
- bvitraveller.comeditorial · 38 rooms in villa-style buildings, Turtle Restaurant and Bar open to the public, largest freshwater pool in the BVI
- yachtwarriors.comeditorial · Hurricane-season closure patterns: Lambert Beach Resort from Aug 31, The Dove Aug 4–Sep 12, Capriccio di Mare Aug 5–19, Myett's weekends onl
- tripadvisor.comeditorial · NearDBeach Limin Bar Hostel at Josiah's Bay: private fan rooms with shared baths, studio and one-bedroom, 300 m from the beach, owner's taxi
- airbnb.comsecondary source · Josiah's Bay villa and cottage pool (The Green House, Lime Leaf Cottage and others)
- mariasbythesea.comofficial · Maria's by the Sea: Road Town harbour location, eight room categories, restaurant and bar, contact
- travelweekly.comsecondary source · Treasure Isle Hotel: 65 rooms in two buildings, room types, $180–280 rates, pool, meeting space
- bvitraveller.comeditorial · Tamarind Club closed August 2018 after Irma
- trellisbaymarket.comofficial · Trellis Bay Market Bar & Grill: family-run since 1990, three-minute walk from the airport, mini-market, Full Moon Party with $30 buffet, pho
- tripadvisor.comeditorial · 2026 hours: Mon–Thu 6 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 6 am–midnight, Sun 8 am–9 pm
- bvinews.comsecondary source · Loose Mongoose reopened July 2020 six times larger: restaurant, upstairs bar, coffee shop, boutique, fuel dock
- tripadvisor.comeditorial · Loose Mongoose operating in 2026 (reviews through September 2026), hours, weekend brunch, slow-service caveat
- bvitourism.comofficial · BVI Tourist Board calendar: Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay Market 26 Oct 2026, Restaurant Week Oct 20–24 2026
- speedysbvi.comofficial · Speedy's Baths package $50 adult / $40 child from Road Town or Beef Island, daily, $3 park fee extra
- viferries.comsecondary source · Road Town–Spanish Town ferry $20/$30, 30-minute crossing, six daily departures, schedule valid Oct 23–29 2026
- virginislandsnewsonline.comsecondary source · National Parks Trust entrance fee rise to $5 adult / $3 child from 1 Nov 2026
- bvihsa.vgofficial · East End (Iris Penn) and Long Look (Rosalin Penn) clinic hours; Dr. D. Orlando Smith Hospital in Road Town
- emeraldpropertiesbvi.comeditorial · ATM locations: Banco Popular at EIS, First Caribbean below Thelma's in East End, RiteWay Pasea, OneMart, Wickham's Cay banks
- virgincharteryachts.comeditorial · RiteWay branches (Pasea Estate, East End on Blackburn Highway), OneMart Road Town stock and bulk shopping
- airlinegeeks.comeditorial · Silver Airways ceased operations 11 June 2025
- viferries.comsecondary source · STT–Tortola ferry operators, routes, fare set, $10 levy / $10 port fee / $20 departure tax (reused from the Apple Bay guide)
- travel.gc.caofficial · Passport requirement, arrival levy and departure tax, drive on the left, 30-day licence exemption then temporary permit, emergency 999/911,
- bviedcard.gov.vgofficial · BVI online entry form, 72 hours before arrival
- bviwatertoys.comofficial · Island Surf & Sail rental prices, quiver, free weekly island-wide delivery, ding repair
Guide researched and verified 2026-10-23. Details change; confirm bookings and entry requirements before travel.