The Best Things to Do on Virgin Gorda Island, BVI

Virgin Gorda is one of the islands that makes up the British Virgin Islands. It’s a famous destination due largely in part to the giant granite boulders that line the southern beaches. ‘The Baths‘ is undoubtedly Virgin Gorda’s most famous beach and the main reason why visitors choose to take a day trip here. The beaches are fantastic, but there are several other things to do on Virgin Gorda island if you choose to spend a few days here.

About Virgin Gorda Island

The Virgin Islands were named by Christopher Columbus who also named Virgin Gorda–the island’s shape reminded him of a ‘fat woman on her side’. While it’s the 3rd largest British Virgin Island, it’s still only 8.5 sq. miles. Though it’s not very big, the island has a mountainous interior and it can take some time to get from one end to the other.

The ferry and airport are both near the southern part of the island, in close proximity to The Baths and Devil’s Bay. The larger section of the island is mountainous and where you’ll find Gorda Peak National Park.

There are also some private villas along the way, secluded beaches and marinas on the North Sound. The skinny right side of the island has no road access, but there are some places to visit and stay over there–you’ll just need a boat to get there.

How to Get to Virgin Gorda

There are a few ways to get to Virgin Gorda island, but it will largely depend on where you’re coming from and how much you want to spend.

By Plane: There is a small airport on Virgin Gorda (VIJ) but most of the flights are coming, going or connecting from San Juan, Puerto Rico and cost around $900 for a ticket.

By Ferry: The best way to get to Virgin Gorda is by ferry, but even this can get a little complicated. Certain ferries leave on certain days and may not leave from one of the ports on a given day either.

There are very few direct ferries from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda and even less from St. John. The direct route didn’t match up to our departure day, so we had to take a ferry from St. Thomas to Tortola (the largest BVI), then to Virgin Gorda.

You will need your passport to travel to the British Virgin Islands and should make sure that all your flights and ferries match your passport. When you arrive in Tortola, you’ll go through customs and pay a $10 fee (on the way back, you’ll pay a $20 departure fee).

The ferry from St. Thomas to Road Town, Tortola is an hour long and the ferry from Road Town to Virgin Gorda is about 20-30 minutes.

Getting Around

Virgin Gorda island is pretty easy to navigate if you want to explore on your own. The only thing to note is that they do drive on the left side of the road. There’s also quite a lot of speed bumps all over the island.

Apparently they were deciding between sidewalks or speed bumps and just decided to put in speed bumps so cars will drive slower for pedestrians on the road. Apart from pedestrians walking along, you’ll need to keep an eye out for dips, pot holes, goats and chickens.

Taxis: If you’re only over for a day trip, you’ll likely stay on the southern end and can get around easily by taxi. It should be a minimal charge to and from the ferry. If you want to go the length of the island, it’s about $30 to Leverick Bay. And take note that taxis charge per person, not for the trip.

Car Rentals: We rented our car from Speedy’s which has an office just down the road from the ferry port. They picked us up in a taxi, the check-in was easy and they even gave us a free upgrade to a Jeep Wrangler!

Things to Do on Virgin Gorda Island

Visit “the Baths”: BVI’s famous beach

The Baths is the most visited beach on Virgin Gorda and for good reason. The beach has giant boulders on the sand that create small pools of water near the beach. The massive boulders have even created a tunnel system, referred to as ‘The Caves’.

Most visitors start their visit at the top of The Baths where the entrance is and take the 15-minute path towards the beach. From there, you can choose to go to Devil’s Bay, another beautiful beach and National Park, or continue on to the caves.

You’ll be climbing ladders, scuttling across boulders and wading through water to make it through the small tunnel leading to the Baths. You can also skip the caves and take a path around to the beach.

Go to a Viewpoint on the island

Once you leave the southern part of the island, you start to ascend into the mountains. The northern part has a loop road you can take to explore different areas and lots of great spots along the road with lookouts.

Some have just a shoulder to pull over on but some have dedicated viewpoints with viewing platforms. Check out Savannah Bay Overlook (a personal favorite), Mahoe Bay Overlook or Soldier’s Bay Lookout.

See the Copper Mine Ruins

Another national park on Virgin Gorda is the Copper Mine ruins. It’s on the opposite side of the island from The Baths located on the edge of the island. It’s a small area to explore and you’ll likely be the only one there, but it’s neat to walk around and see copper rocks in the area.

Explore surrounding beaches

The Baths isn’t the only beach to see on Virgin Gorda island. In fact, the island has many beautiful beaches and several that look very similar to The Baths. But since most people come over for a day trip, the island is pretty quiet and you can find yourself alone on many of the Virgin Gorda beaches. Beaches in the Virgin Islands are all public so you have quite a few to explore.

Most of the beaches are located along the north side of the island. If you’re staying on Virgin Gorda and have a rental car, it’s easy to explore some of the beaches that are more out of the way. You can expect sandy shores, crystal clear water and the famous giant boulders near the southern end. Check out Trunk Bay, Spring Bay or Savannah Bay.

Hike in Gorda Peak National Park

Towards the center of the island is where you’ll find Gorda Peak National Park. It spans across 254 acres and the highest peak is 1,370 feet. The hike takes you along a shaded path up to the peak and to a large boulder that you can climb for a view of the island. Though you can get this view at other parts of the island (and without hiking), it’s a nice trail to get some exercise.

See the Sugar Works Ruins

Just nearby Nail Bay is where you can find the Sugar Works Ruins from an old sugar plantation. You can walk around the garden to see three main structures from the sugar production process. These ruins are the most intact on the island and date back to the 18th century.

It’s a pretty spot and small to walk around. There’s also a restaurant just across the parking lot, Sugarcane, with a fantastic view and sandy floors.

Find the Virgin Gorda Sign

Much like many other places now, Virgin Gorda has some large block letters for a photo op that are painted with tropical murals. The Virgin Gorda letters are located just past Hog Heaven coming from N. Sound Road. It’s a quick stop for a photo and you have a great backdrop of the view.

Visit Leverick Bay

Leverick Bay is all the way on the north coast of Virgin Gorda, almost as far as road access allows. There’s a hotel and marina on Leverick Bay with two restaurants, an outdoor bar, small beach and a pirate ship for periodic entertainment at night. The marina at Leverick Bay is one place where you can catch a ferry or rent a boat to explore the North Sound.

Take a boat to explore North Sound

The North Sound is the area along the north coast of Virgin Gorda and around the other islands just off the coast: Moskito Island, Prickly Pear Island, Necker Island, Eustatia Island and Saba Rock. You might have heard of Necker Island before as it’s owned by Richard Branson. But he also owns Moskito Island as well. While some of those are private, there are other areas in the North Sound to check out.

Saba Rock

Saba Rock is another privately owned island that is open to visitors. It’s a small rock in the middle of the water with a luxury resort and restaurant built on it. Paneling on one side of the island sticks out over the water and makes it hard to know how big the island actually is.

It’s only accessible by boat, but you can get picked up by the ferry from Leverick Bay or Gun Creek if you plan on eating at the restaurant. It’s a fun place to go over for the afternoon and snorkel around the island. The restaurant is also a highlight as it has incredible views from the tables.

Prickly Pear Island

Prickly Pear Island was declared a national park in 1988 and is an uninhabited island, though it does have a beach bar and grill called the Sandbox! You can pull up here on your boat for lunch and relax on the beach or take some of the hiking trails around the island. There are beach chairs and umbrellas available and apparently the bar and grill is a hot spot for boaters.

Bitter End Yacht Club

You can find the Bitter End Yacht Club along the skinny section of Virgin Gorda across from the Prickly Pear Island. It’s a marina (as you can only access it by boat) and a luxury hotel with restaurants and bar areas. It’s a nice place to pull up on your boat for a drink or snacks.

Oil Nut Bay

Even further along the skinny section of Virgin Gorda is where you’ll find Oil Nut Bay. Similar to the Bitter End Yacht Club, Oil Nut Bay is a luxury resort, but probably a little more secluded and a little more luxurious. You can dock at the Marina Village for the restaurant and bar.

Where to Eat

• Mad Dog – Nearby The Baths, serves wraps, sandwiches and burgers.
• Top of the Baths – Restaurant, bar and pool at the top of The Baths.
• CocoMaya – Cute outdoor restaurant and bar near the sand with Asian Fusion food. Great vibes and sunset views.
• Hog Heaven – Open air BBQ restaurant & bar in the mountains with a view of the islands to the north.
• The Cove at Leverick Bay – Casual lunch spot near the pool/beach with delicious wraps, sandwiches and burgers.
• Sugar Cane – Beautiful restaurant with outdoor seating and a view of the islands.
• Saba Rock – Seafood restaurant on Saba Rock, accessible by boat only.

How Expensive is Virgin Gorda island?

Costs above for a car rental and hotel would obviously be split if you travel with someone, but that’s what our totals ended up being to give you an idea.

This is also on the LOW end. While we did eat at some of the nicer places, we stayed at one of the most affordable options on the island. And there aren’t many options.

Where to Stay

The main area is Spanish Town which is by the ferry and The Baths. However, there aren’t many places to stay on the island in general, so it’s a little hard to just choose your area and find a place. It’s more like, find your place and that’s your area. (IF your budget conscious of course.)

One of the most affordable options was located all the way on the north coast, quite literally as far away from The Baths as possible via road. While it was a drive to get places, it didn’t bother us and we got to see a lot of the northern part of the island.

There are a few villas/apartments available for rent, but not many hotels. The luxury resort near the ferry is called Rosewood Little Dix Bay. Though one night costs more than our entire 5 nights at Leverick Bay.

Things to Know

• In the Virgin Islands (British AND US), driving is on the left side of the road. The driver’s side of the car is the same but you’ll have to get used to driving on the other side.
• The currency used in the British Virgin Islands is the dollar $.
• Outlets are the same as in the US (Type A and Type B).
• Bring some bug spray! For some reason, I got an immense amount of mosquito bites on this island. Like 75 just on my legs. Other people in my group didn’t seem to have that problem, but if you’re someone who usually gets them, be prepared.
• Cell phone service was pretty weak. I thought I would be able to have service but found out the day before that I wouldn’t. So I was running on wifi only and SURVIVING off my downloaded map from maps.me. Highly, highly recommend downloading the BVI map so you can use it offline.

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