Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you're over for a day trip, the best way to see the island is to call
Andy Flax
at
the Fischer's Cove Beach Hotel. He runs the
Virgin Gorda Tours Association
(
&
284/495-5252;
www.virgingordatours.com), which will give you a tour of the
island from $55 to $220 for one or two persons, adding $15 to $30 per person more
depending on the group size. You can be picked up at the ferry dock if you give
24-hour notice.
FUN IN THE SURF & SAND
HITTING THE BEACH
The best beaches are at the
Baths
, where giant
boulders form a series of tranquil pools and grottoes flooded with seawater. Nearby
snorkeling is excellent, and you can rent gear on the beach. Scientists think the boul-
ders were brought to the surface eons ago by volcanic activity. The Baths and sur-
rounding areas are part of a proposed system of parks and protected areas in the B.V.I.
The protected area encompasses 273 hectares (675 acres) of land, including sites at
Little Fort, Spring Bay, and Devil's Bay on the east coast.
Devil's Bay National Park
can be reached by a trail from the Baths. A 15-minute
walk through boulders and dry coastal vegetation ends on a secluded coral-sand
beach.
Neighboring the Baths is
Spring Bay,
one of the best of the island's beaches, with
white sand, clear water, and good snorkeling.
Trunk Bay
is a wide, sandy beach
reachable by boat or along a rough path from Spring Bay.
Savannah Bay
is a sandy beach north of the yacht harbor, and
Mahoe Bay,
at
the Mango Bay Resort, has a gently curving beach with neon-blue water.
DIVING
Kilbrides Sunchaser Scuba
is located at the Bitter End Yacht Club at
North Sound (
&
800/932-4286
in the U.S., or 284/495-9638; www.sunchaser
scuba.com). Kilbrides offers the best diving in the British Virgin Islands, at 15 to 20
dive sites, including the wreck of the ill-fated HMS
Rhone.
Prices range from $100
to $110 for a two-tank dive on one of the coral reefs. A one-tank dive in the afternoon
costs $75. Equipment, except wet suits, is supplied at no charge. Hours are 7:45am
to 5:30pm daily.
HIKING
Consider a trek up the stairs and hiking paths that crisscross Virgin Gor-
da's largest stretch of undeveloped land, the
Gorda Peak National Park.
To reach
the best departure point for your uphill trek, drive north of the Valley on the only road
leading to North Sound for about 15 minutes of very hilly driving (using a four-wheel-
drive vehicle is a very good idea). Stop at the base of the stairway leading steeply
uphill. There's a sign pointing to the Gorda Peak National Park.
It will take between 25 and 40 minutes to reach the summit of Gorda Peak, the
highest point on the island, where views out over the scattered islets of the Virgin
Islands archipelago await you. There's a tower at the summit, which you can climb
for even better views. Admire the flora and the fauna (birds, lizards, and nonvenom-
ous snakes) en route. Because the vegetation you'll encounter is not particularly lush,
wear protection against the sun. Bring a picnic—tables are scattered along the hiking
trails.
Shopping
There isn't much here. Your best bet is the
Virgin Gorda Craft Shop
at Yacht Har-
bour (
&
284/495-5137
), which has some good arts and crafts, especially straw
items. Some of the more upscale hotels have boutiques, notably the Bitter End Yacht
Club's
Reeftique
(
&
284/494-2745
), with its selection of sports clothing, including
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