Frankly Frankiee

Visiting and living in the British Virgin Islands can be quite overwhelming. Instead of having to discover one island, you have over 50 islands and cays to take in to consideration. Now, one way to squeeze a fraction if not most of the islands into 30 minutes of your day, is by booking a helicopter tour operated by Antilles Helicopter Services. It may not be as intimate as taking a ferry or boat over to each island and spending the day to relax and explore, but lets be real here, who wouldn't want to take a helicopter ride over a place as beautiful as the British Virgin Islands? That's what I thought. Located on Beef Island (connected by a bridge to the eastern side of Tortola), is the Terrence B Lettsome Airport in which the helicopter company is based. On arrival you are greeted by the amazing pilot, David (at the time) at the check in desk inside the airport. He then escorts you through security, (if theres a long queue (line) he'll squeeze you in-front), goes over basic rules and then we head over to the helicopter.


Antilles Helicopter Services provides four tours and private air transfers which covers different areas of the BVI and even the USVI. We chose the Nature's Kaleidoscope tour which covers Virgin Gorda and its North sound islands. At the last minute we decided to do a "doors off" tour where they literally took the doors off the helicopter and there was no barrier in-between you and the outside world while you're hundreds of feet in the air... Nonetheless it was amazingly adrenaline pumping and I will definitely be doing it again!

The lovely Toia. (What I meant by "doors off") And we're off! After lift off, you are immediately presented with the Last Resort and Marina Cay, both small cays that hosts either a restaurant or a little hotel or both. Right after that you come in contact with Great and Little Camanoe and the lovely Scrub Island and its resort and spa.                                                                Scrub Island Resort and Spa Coming up next are "The Dogs". "The Dogs" are a small group of islands/islets (five of them are islands with one islet), which happens to be one of the BVI's most popular diving sites.  "The Dogs" Shoes: Me. haha.                                                  After passing "The Dogs", we started approaching the beautiful island of Virgin Gorda.  Quickly passing by the south side of Virgin Gorda, we started to enter the Northern side of the island and the islands of the North Sound. Moskito Island, one of the North Sound islands. Now what I love about this area of the British Virgin Islands, is the immensely blue pristine waters and the many reefs perfectly situated throughout the area.  If you looked closely in this area of the reef, there were many stingrays, turtles and sharks!! At this point I'm pretty sure the helicopter was on its side completely, and lets just remember that the helicopter's doors were off! Straight up ahead, we started to approach Necker Island, which is owned by Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group. I became enthralled with the vast shades and hues of blue that surrounded the area while the boat below trekked its way over the reef and towards the lush flora surrounded by white pearly sand. Necker Island. While doing a hard turn to the right (which was completely exhilarating), we arrived to the alluring, practically untouched, practically uninhabited landscapes of the North Sound, well thats how it seemed from where I was at the time!  Oil Nut Bay Resort in the distance.  Bitter End Yacht Club Bitter End Yacht Club, excuse the thumb! Now on our way back to the South side, we made a few beautiful stops on the way.  Flying over to the South side. Savannah Bay.  Hillside of Little Dix Bay. Or is this Savannah Bay? Colorful reefs submerged in calm exquisitely blue waters. Do not even get me started on the villas and homes. Prodigious, globally inspired structures, sprinkled and perched along the lush green fauna of the hillsides. Enormous Infiniti pools perfectly situated on cliffs that looked over the Caribbean sea.  Amazing Japanese inspired villa. Another immaculate villa. This one was by far my favorite! Last but definitely not least, is the ending to this lovely tour. Here is where we flew over the World renowned "The Baths", "an area of unique geologic formations and one of the BVI's major tourist destinations."Known for its huge boulders, from above they seemed to be sprinkled all over the shore line as if it replicated white and dark chocolate chips on a cupcake. Who really needs Bora Bora when you can come here? Boats dancing in the clear blue waters as they wait for their guests to come back to them after their excursion at The Baths.  I was so shocked, so baffled as I was flying over The Baths that I'm pretty sure my mouth was open and I was drooling all over myself! After seeing The Baths, it was time to head back to base. Although I was extremely depressed that the tour was over, I definitely will not forget it and it makes me appreciate where I live even more! I highly recommend Antilles Helicopter Services to anyone who's interested in helicopter tours around the BVI. They're well trained professionals, who take everything into consideration and makes sure that your tour runs as smoothy as possible. If these pictures didn't convince you to take this tour I don't know what will! XXXX, Frankiee.