Saba Rock is a small, privately owned island in the middle of the North Sound off Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. It’s a speck of an island that’s just over one acre large. Though it’s smaller in size, they’ve maximized the space and there are quite a lot of things to do on the island which continues to be a draw for boaters and people sailing around the BVI.
The island has been upgraded over time and is now an upscale property where you can spend the day lounging, drinking, doing water sports or simply taking in the view.
The island is circular with half of it having a sandy floor with rock edging and the other half being a sleek, wooden platform where you can find a sports shop, souvenir shop and of course, their iconic oceanfront restaurant.
The island was once owned by Bert Kilbride in the 70s who ran a scuba diving school and built the Pirate’s Pub–an oceanfront bar that boaters would pull up to. It has since changed ownership and was reimagined into the luxury property it is today after some hurricanes swept through.
How to Get to Saba Rock
There are a few ways to get to Saba Rock in the North Sound:
By Ferry: The easiest way to get to the island is by taking the ferry. It’s complimentary if you are either staying on the island or if you make reservations at the restaurant. The ferry will pick you up from either Gun Creek or Leverick Bay on the north side of Virgin Gorda. And the ferry ride is about 10-15 minutes.
By Boat: If you have your own boat or have rented a boat, you can get there on your own time. The coordinates are 8.5030° N, 64.3578° W
By Air: If you have the money, you can opt for taking a helicopter over to the island and landing on their on-site helicopter pad right next to the water.
While renting a dinghy certainly sounded fun, we decided to take the ferry over and made dinner reservations. The ferry is on a relative schedule and you can call ahead for pick up times.
We were staying on Virgin Gorda at the Leverick Bay Hotel so it was an easy pick up from the marina there. Just wait at the red phone booth at the dock and they’ll be there soon.
The ferry is covered and is a short ride over to the island. You can usually spot the island pretty easily as there can be a lot of boats around it. And when you arrive, look for the other red phone booth on Saba Rock.
Things To Do on Saba Rock
Though it’s a small island, there are several things to do on Saba Rock to fill your afternoon.
Swim and Snorkel
Firstly, there isn’t a beach at Saba Rock. There is a beach area that is edged by rocks, but there is a section by the helicopter pad where you can enter the water more easily. It slopes into the water and has a sandy bank so you can get your snorkeling gear on and can spare your feet from the rocks.
If you don’t want to get in the water, there are several hammocks along the shore where you can relax or a covered pavilion with beach chairs facing the water.
Tarpon Feeding
We had actually seen a couple tarpon earlier in the day and were surprised when later on, we saw a bunch more. Turns out that they actually do a daily tarpon feeding at 5:00pm near the docks. We didn’t notice the feeding, so we may have caught it just after. But it was pretty neat to see so many swimming in the turquoise water.
Water Sports
Near the docks is a water sport shop where you can sign up for lessons and rent gear for the afternoon. You can scuba dive, snorkel, kayak or paddle board, try out e-foiling or snuba. The North Sound is also a popular area for windsurfing and kiteboarding so you can also sign up for lessons or a half day course.
Nautical Museum + Artifacts
When Kilbride still owned the island, he documented over 130 wrecks near the island. Some of those artifacts, such as an anchor and canon, can be seen in a small aquarium near the docks.
There’s also a nautical ‘museum’ inside the souvenir shop. I put that in quotes because when you hear museum, you think of a fairly large, dedicated space. But this is more like a few nautical items within the souvenir shop that you can look at while you browse the shop.
Games
The upstairs bar and lounge area has a pool table and some board games. It has a great view and relaxed vibe–a perfect spot to enjoy some cocktails post snorkeling.
Spa
The spa on Saba Rock is a small room where guests can enjoy massages, facials, body wraps, etc and it can be blended with yoga and meditation too. I’m not sure if you have to be staying there to use the spa–I’d assume yes, but it’s always worth checking if it appeals to you.
Eat on Saba Rock
A highlight of visiting the island is definitely eating at their open air restaurant that sits right on the water. The views are unmatched and worth the day trip alone.
They’ve got different menus for lunch and dinner, all of which serve unique Caribbean flavors and seafood dishes. Prices were pretty comparable to other nice restaurants we had eaten at on Virgin Gorda and the food was pretty tasty. And the half frozen Bellinis were a great way to combat the heat.
There’s also a more casual bar upstairs that has the same view, just from the second floor. There’s a separate bar menu as well with some typical bar food items.
Stay on Saba Rock
If you want to stay on the island and relax for a few days, you can rent one of their nine rooms that overlooks the water on one side and opens up to a grassy lawn lined with palm trees. Rooms are fun and modern with nautical decor. Rates start around $550 and depending on the season can be around $1,150 per night. Check room rates here!
Taking the ferry back
When you’re ready to head back, make sure to check what times the ferry is heading out so you can time it right. We watched the sun go down during dinner and took a ferry back once the sun had disappeared. And since we were staying at Leverick Bay, we were able to walk back up to our rooms for the night.
Worth doing?
If you have the time, it’s a fun thing to do on Virgin Gorda and easy if you’re already staying near Leverick Bay. We initially were going to go over earlier in the day and hang out until dinner but I’m glad we went later in the afternoon. It’s a fun place to explore and take in the views but a couple hours is plenty of time!
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