With its mountainous landscape, Tortola rises sharply from a seemingly incandescent turquoise sea to form a high, narrow ridge with numerous sand -fringed bays.
The northern shore, facing the Atlantic, is draped in near jungle-like lushness; the Caribbean shore to the south is drier but still verdant. Bright red and yellow hibiscus blossom everywhere.
Steep, twisting roads crisscross the mountains yielding spectacular views of several neighboring isles, including the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands.