Smugglers Cove, The Hidden Heaven

We heard from various locals that Smuggler's Cove was the most beautiful beach on the island. In my opinion, they weren't kidding! The half-moon sweep of beach is total perfection, offering views to Jost Van Dyle and a large, shallow reef for snorkeling. There is a small beach bar that sells snacks and beverage and rents chairs and snorkel equipment. Adventurous visitors will find Smuggler's Cove well worth the effort! We had a BRILLIANT time, especially since we had the whole beach to ourselves for about 2 hours.

Quick Tips:

Try to go earlier in the morning. Those in-the-know show up well before lunch, when the smallish beach can begin to feel crowded!

Best Way To Get Around:

There are only two (rather precarious) roads to access the beach, making Smuggler's Cove quite off the beaten track. Make sure you have a solid car for this journey, because you will either be four-wheeling it up and down a STEEP dirt road near the Jolly Roger or along a 2-mile, very narrow dirt road from Long Bay Beach. We took the Long Bay route because, though a bit longer, it was seemingly safer, with breathtaking views from a ridge road. The bumpy road is narrow, but you can't really go more than a few miles per hour because of the holes.

I really just want to get the word out about a restaurant called Pisces to anyone who might be staying on the West End of Tortola or visiting Sopor's Hole. It is not necessarily a fish restaurant, as the name might suggest, but rather restaurant with a wonderful menu of West Indian and Creole dishes, burgers, and sandwiches, and a breakfast rumored to be the best on the island! We did not take breakfast here, but if dinner was a representation of the quality and flavor of the overall food, then breakfast must be a true delight! The owner, Omar, is a positively delightful transplant from Dominica. He made us feel welcomed and embraced us like one of the regulars.

Most come to Sopor's Hole to go to Pusser's (which has a great happy hour!), but Pisces is not to be overlooked. First of all, it is situated just a few doors down from Pussers, not on the marina side but across the street. The bright pink building has outdoor and indoor seating with a bar/TV. The ambience is totally relaxed, but linens and fun lighting lend a certain island elegance to the place.

We had the Creole shrimp and chicken roti, both of which tasted great, not to mention the complimentary dessert - a nice touch! One of the added bonuses is that patrons can have access to the Internet on a public computer for a few minutes; otherwise you can pay for the service.

We ate at a lot of places while we were in Tortola, but this was undoubtedly our best and most fun meal. Even if you are staying in Long Bay, it is worth a journey over the hill for Pisces' fine island cuisine. As both a travel writer and lover of food, I highly recommend seeking this place out!