Things to do in Virgin Gorda (BVI)

Virgin Gorda is BVI’s third-largest island (after Tortola and Anegada) and second-most populous. It is known for its pristine beaches, particularly The Baths, which are a must-see attraction. Virgin Gorda was by far my favorite place to visit in BVI, and below I will share some of my favorite activities that I enjoyed on the island.

Spring Bay

Getting There: Virgin Gorda is accessible by ferry from the main island of Tortola. The closest ferry leaves from Trellis Bay on Beef Island and is a short walk from the airport. If you arrive early, stop by the Trellis Bay Market and Grill for some good food and drinks. The ferry from Trellis Bay leaves as early as 6:30 a.m. and as late as 11:15 p.m. This worked out well for us since we had a late flight into Tortola. Ferry schedules are easily accessible online.

Dale making French toast with M&M Bakery’s amazing bread, in our wonderful AirBnb apartment.

Lodging: While many people choose to make a day trip out of Virgin Gorda, I would highly recommend staying for several days to really get to explore the island. Lodging was very difficult to find when we visited in March 2019 because the island was still recovering from Hurricane Irma, although it did make for less crowded beaches and attractions. Dale and I chose to rent an AirBnb because it was the cheapest option we could find. AirBnb is an online platform that allows you to search for sleeping accommodations all over the world that are hosted by people like you and me. You can choose anything from someone’s couch to your own private villa, and having a host allows you to become more immersed in the local culture (you often never see the host, but they are always available if you need them). Our AirBnb was a private apartment that contained a full kitchen (huge money saver since we could make our own food instead of eat out all the time), and our apartment was right next to the famous M&M Bakery which had delicious pastries and bread. If you’re interested in trying AirBnb, you can sign up with my link here, and you will get up to $55 off your first trip.

Getting around: We decided to wing it when we visited Virgin Gorda since it is such a small island and we figured it may be cheaper to use a taxi to get around. It didn’t take long to decide on getting a rental car which turned out to be much more convenient for our needs. We used L&S Jeep Rentals because they were the only ones who could accommodate us at the last minute, and we had a wonderful experience with them. I would highly recommend scheduling a rental car in advance because we had trouble just getting a taxi from the ferry terminal on our first night. Be aware that there are no addresses in Virgin Gorda, so it can be quite challenging finding places if you don’t have a map. Luckily, I prepared in advance for this and brought this map of my own which also came in handy when we visited the main island of Tortola.

Things to do: Below is a list of my favorite places in Virgin Gorda. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but it’s a good place to start! If you have a rental car, I would recommend driving around the entire island (it’s not very big) to explore the views and other local places.

One of our many beautiful views from our drive around the island (Savannah Bay).

The Baths

The Baths are the main attraction in Virgin Gorda, and rightfully so. This beach is lined with massive boulders that form a maze of pools, caves, tunnels, and arches. There is a small fee to explore The Baths ($3 for adults when we visited in March 2019), and once you pay your entrance fee, you follow a one-way path down to the entrance. Since Dale and I stayed overnight on the island, we were able to get to the park before the day-visitors and cruise ship tourists arrived, which amounted to a quiet and pleasant experience. Because we enjoyed it so much, we explored the pools multiple times, and it was certainly less enjoyable when it was crowded with people. Therefore, my #1 word of advice is to get there as early as possible!

Spring Bay

Spring Bay is a beautiful beach just east of The Baths, and it is much less crowded. There is no fee to explore the park, and it is a short walk to the beach from the parking lot. Spring Bay is lined with giant boulders, and there are excellent swimming opportunities whether you want to go snorkeling, relaxing in a calm natural pool, or jumping off one of the many large boulders. The beach also has picnic tables and swings for added enjoyment. I personally enjoyed Spring Bay better than The Baths because it wasn’t as crowded, and we went here on more than one occasion during our stay. This is a great place to play around with a GoPro, but be sure to attach it to a leash so you don’t lose it!

Gorda Peak

Gorda Peak is the highest point on Virgin Gorda at 1,370 feet. The hike to the top is accessible by one of two trails, one which takes about 20 minutes and the other which takes about an hour. Unfortunately, there are no views at the top because Hurricane Irma destroyed the fire tower that was at the summit. However, the hike is still a fun activity if you want a change in scenery from the beach life, and it’s also a great way to see the flora and fauna of the island. We saw lots of hermit crabs on our hike, and if you’re lucky, you may run into the world's smallest lizard, the endemic Virgin Gorda gecko (Sphaerodactylus rarthenopion). If you would like more details on hiking Gorda Peak, read my trip report here.

Copper Mine

The Copper Mine is a national park on the southeastern tip of the island, containing the ruins of an abandoned 19th-century copper mine. Parts of the original stack, engine house, and main building are all that remain. It is in a perilous state and sits in a position which is particularly exposed to hurricanes, so this attraction will not be around forever! The area is fun to explore and provides some great coastal views. While exploring, we saw some roaming goats which was quite amusing!