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  1. British Virgin Islands
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  3. > Beaches
  4. > Josiah's Bay Beach

Josiah's Bay Beach - Tortola

To_Josiahs_Bay_View Josiah's Bay Beach - Tortola
Of all the beaches in the British Virgin Islands, Josiah's Bay is a surfing paradise! As soon as a north swell begins to roll, surfers suit up and head out to the break.

Swimming can be hit and miss for those who are not strong swimmers as the bay is exposed to ground swells from the north ... mostly in the winter months. It very much depends upon wind and wave conditions. I've been here when you'd think this was heaven on earth, and I've seen people get themselves in trouble on days when the waves are wild and wooly.

There can be a fierce rip current here at times ... but sometimes, the entire bay looks like a sheet of glass with barely a ripple in the water. This is not a place to test your swimming skills or take your eyes off your children when the waves are up.

On a day like the one in the photo below, it's a marvelous place for swimmers of all ages and abilities. The best part is that this beach is almost never crowded. You'll often find you have the beach all to yourselves. Sometimes, you may have to share it with five or 6 others.

There's very little shade to be had on the beach, so grab yourselves one of the palapas the government has kindly provided ... or bring a suitable sports umbrella with you for use anywhere during your yacht charter vacation.

To_Josiahs_Bay_Surfing Surfing at Josiah's Bay Beach
To_Josiahs_Bay_Beach_1 Calm Day at Josiah's Bay Beach


Access is easy by road, but this is not really a suitable anchorage. Having said that, I have seen catamarans in here from time to time and in fact, you can see one in the photo of the surfers above. He's anchored well past the break on the west side of the bay in about 20' to 25' of water.

South of the beach is a large and very interesting salt pond that adventurous types may want to explore. Be careful that you aren't trespassing though and be sure to dress appropriately. You'll need good runners or reef shoes and plan on getting wet and mucky. You can always rinse off in the sea.

To_Josiahs_Bay_Salt_Pond Josiah's Bay Salt Pond
To_Josiahs_Bay_Beach Momzell's Beach Bar


In the picture above, you can see a corner of a building. That's Momzell's Beach Bar and there's another snack bar just beside it. I think the name is Naomi's Little Secret ... not entirely sure.

Sometimes (on nice days) Shadow Dawson has his horses here and for a modest fee, visitors are welcome to go horseback riding.

To_Josiahs_Bay_Beach_Shadows_Horse Shadow's Horse on Josiah's Bay Beach
To_Josiahs_Bay_Surfing_1 Josiah's Bay Surfing


Josiah's Bay Beach Overview

Bottom Type: Mostly sand with a sprinkling of coral near shore.
Swimming: Excellent, but for strong swimmers only when the waves are up.
Safe For Children: Not always. Check weather & sea conditions first.
Rip Current: Yes, frequently! If caught, swim parallel to the beach until clear. Make sure you know where the rip currents are before entering the water.
Snorkelling: Pretty good on a calm day.
Scuba Diving: No dive shops.
Water Toys: No.
Beach Chairs: A few for rent from the bar.
Water Conditions: Medium to large wave action in the winter months.
Bars & Restaurants: 2 on the beach or try the Tamarind Club up the road for lunch!
Entertainment: No.
Washroom: Yes.
Provisioning: No.
Hotels & Villas: Tamarind Club Hotel and a few villas.
Area Description: Farming Community. Sparsely residential. Very Quiet.
Access: By land only. Not a suitable anchorage, though I've seen it done.