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On Virgin Gorda, the hallmarks of a British Virgin Islands vacation—scenery, relaxation and the sea—become even more pronounced. You won't find a lot of activities on Virgin Gorda, but if you enjoy superb snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing and small-scale exclusive resorts, you'll be quite pleased. Because there's only one tiny town—Spanish Town—visitors spend most of their time unwinding at a resort or beach or enjoying the sea.

Although it's a small island, Virgin Gorda's landscape is diverse, with the south rather flat (though partially covered with granite boulders) and the north mountainous (one peak reaches more than 1,300 ft/400 m). Four islands lie very close to its north: Drake's Island (also called Mosquito Island), Prickly Pear Island, Necker Island and Eustatia Island. A group of islands called the Dogs lies to its west.

The granite boulders in the south attract many visitors to Virgin Gorda. An area called The Baths is a must-see and one of the most photographed areas of the British Virgin Islands.

Must See or Do

Sights—Endless views of the Caribbean from Coppermine Point; the boulder-strewn beach and amazing views at The Baths; the colonial ruins of Little Fort National Park.

Memorable Meals—Lunch and the exclusive beach club experience at Oil Nut Bay; CocoMaya for Asian-Latin fusion; delicious ribs and a bird's-eye-view at Hog Heaven.

Walks—Hiking the lush trails to the top of Gorda Peak National Park.

Geography

History

Archaeological evidence suggests that Virgin Gorda's first residents were tribes of Ciboney, Arawak and Carib people. In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited the cluster of islands, which he dubbed Las Virgenes. Later, notorious pirates such as Bluebeard and Captain Kidd saw Virgin Gorda as a land of plenty in that its many hidden coves and shallow waters made a perfect headquarters from which to ravage ships bound for Europe from the New World.

The island's population didn't begin to grow until the British took control in the late 1700s and established a thriving sugar industry. The abolition of slavery in 1838 severely bruised the plantation economy and sent most of the island's European settlers packing. It was not until the 1960s, when Laurence Rockefeller established a resort on Little Dix Bay, that the sleepy island's economy saw a rebirth in tourism. Much to the delight of its residents and visitors, it has remained a quiet and unspoiled destination that has not fallen victim to overdevelopment.

Potpourri

Virgin Gorda is the ideal habitat for rare amphibians, including three species of tree frogs and the world's smallest lizard, the Virgin Gorda gecko.

Virgin Gorda means fat virgin in Spanish and received its name from the profile Columbus' sailors saw in 1493 when they spotted the island.

Copper was extracted by Carib people in Virgin Gorda for trade. In the 1500s, Spaniards from Puerto Rico mined for gold but only found copper.

Google cofounder Larry Page wed Lucy Southworth on Necker Island in 2007 and rented all of Virgin Gorda for their wedding guests.

Location

As your ship pulls toward Virgin Gorda, try to see the island the way Christopher Columbus did: He thought it looked like the reclining figure of a plump woman. (At least that's the way the story goes—it's possible he'd been at sea too long.)

Some cruise ships anchor off the only town, Spanish Town, and tender passengers to the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. Spanish Town is very small, but it does have several restaurants and shops. Tourist information and internet access is available at the north end of the Yacht Harbour complex.

Some cruise ships anchor in the northern part of the island, in North Sound (also called Gorda Sound), and tender passengers in smaller craft to nearby resorts or to other islands. Roads don't extend from the rest of Virgin Gorda to all North Sound areas. With the exception of Leverick Bay, many area resorts are accessible only by boat.

Shore Excursions

Among the offerings are a tour of The Baths, the famous beach where giant boulders are strewn about on the sand; a boat trip to Prickly Pear Island, a virtually uninhabited island in the North Sound; a safari bus tour of the island; or a nature tour of Necker Island.

Check with your travel agent for additional information.