Here, we give you an overview of the dramatic Baths and how to access them, and offer insight into the other Virgin Gorda destinations you’ll want to include on your itinerary. Come see why the BVI are heralded worldwide for their beauty and friendliness.
Start with The Baths
Undoubtedly one of the top sightseeing attractions in the British Virgin Islands, the beautiful Baths are a splendid place to spend a day. Huge granite boulders are naturally arranged to create grottos and saltwater pools, perfect for a refreshing dip. Here’s what to expect:
Most major cruise lines will offer a shore excursion to The Baths. However, if you’d prefer to visit a bit more independently, you can hop on a ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda. It takes about 30-45 minutes depending on the conditions. Once you arrive in Virgin Gorda, hop in a taxi from the ferry docks to the Top of the Baths.
From the Top of the Baths, take one of the two pathways headed down to the shoreline. The main path, which descends 1,000 feet to the white-sand beach, passes by a cool boulder with a skull-face imprint on it – definitely a photo op. You may also choose to take the path to Devil’s Bay (which will actually take you past The Baths and to a great spelunking spot). Pause: What’s spelunking? It’s the exploration of caves and, if you’re up for it, it’s a fantastic way to get the most from your Baths experience.
But let’s stick to the main beach for a moment. Once you’re there, you’ll see a number of colossal boulders in all shapes that have naturally created several colorful coves, grottoes and sweater pools, perfect for swimming. If you’re hanging out here for the day, set up a spot on the beach and enjoy this wonder of Mother Nature, sculpted by eons of wind and wave erosion. If you’re planning a longer adventure, store your personal belongings in a rentable locker at the beach and head to Devil’s Bay by following the path south of the main beach.
As you make your way along the path to Devil’s Bay, you’ll have to crouch low, crawl in spots and wade a bit through sea pools and around the massive granite boulders. Upon reaching the first cave, you’ll enter through a narrow opening, then make your way via ropes, ladders and stairs (you’re spelunking!). The water level will vary depending on the tide, sometimes coming up to knee height. Explore the nooks and crannies, caverns and sea pools to your heart’s content – look for the iconic Whale’s Head and Lion’s Head boulders.
After about 45 minutes, you’ll reach Devil’s Bay, where your spelunking efforts can be rewarded with a snorkel, swim or float in the pristine water. Later, you can spelunk your way back to the main beach or take the direct path back up to where you arrived.
The Baths can get admittedly crowded, as popular and striking as they are. If you’d like to get away from the tourist throngs and still revel in natural beauty, head to Spring Bay, north of the Baths and its own national park. Similar gigantic boulders are strewn along the white sands and there’s a turquoise salt pool known as the Crawl, a wonderful spot for snorkeling with rainbow-hued marine life.
What Else to See in Virgin Gorda
While The Baths often steal the show, there is plenty else to see in Virgin Gorda. Check out the Copper Mine (it is said that copper was discovered here) and see the ruins of an abandoned 19th-century copper factory. This historical hotspot is on the cliffs of the southeastern tip of Virgin Gorda. The factory ruins dominate Mine Hill, an exposed promontory strewn with granite rock outcroppings, quartz, feldspars, tin copper and clay minerals. You can see the chimney, parts of the rusted boiler, the engine room, two walls and cistern. The factory was established in 1838 and provided employment to a team of 140 islanders who were overseen by engineers and experienced miners from Cornwall, England. The factory was abandoned in the 1860s, but in its short heyday, it was responsible for thousands of tons of ore that were sent back to the British isles.
Take time to visit the BVI’s second-largest town, Spanish Town, to get a sense for the island lifestyle. Set in The Valley, the southern half of the island, Spanish Town is sleepy, yet always festive and hospitable. It’s a place where you’ll see as many roosters and goats as islander and yachties. If your trip is in March, you’ll be lucky enough to coincide with the Fisherman’s Jamboree, a festival of food and fishing celebrating the island’s main (non-tourism) industry.
On the site of a former Spanish fortress, Little Fort National Park, south of Yacht Harbour, is a 36-acre nature sanctuary with fantastic hiking opportunities. The hiking takes some effort, as you’ll pass through rugged terrain and dense vegetation, but it’s worth it to visit the crumbling fort ruins hidden away in the thick tropical forest. It’s possible to make out the remains of the Powder House, surrounded by three thick stone walls, overgrown with vines and tree roots that threaten – you’ll feel like you’ve discovered a lost world.
Easier to get to and offering more actual ruins that Little Fort National Park, Nail Bay Sugar Mill Ruins are north of Spanish Town in the center of the island. You’ll drive in on a mountainside track to find the sugar mill remains, surrounded by banana and palm trees. Check out the old overseer’s cottages, the horse mill and the main mill building.