Virgin Gorda

Virgin Gorda is an island in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, noted for its distinctive coastal granite formations and beach coves. It is one of the main inhabited islands in the territory and a popular stop in regional yachting itineraries.

The island’s best-known attraction is a shoreline area of rounded granite boulders that form pools, arches and small caves popular with swimmers and snorkelers. Beaches and sheltered bays provide anchored moorings for day visitors and access for short coastal walks.

Other draws include small settlements and harbors that serve as bases for diving, boating and day trips to nearby islets. The island’s sheltered anchorages and short coastal trails make it a common overnight stop for private yachts and charter boats.

European visitors began settling parts of the British Virgin Islands in the 17th and 18th centuries; Virgin Gorda developed as a small, maritime community through the colonial era. Economic activity historically centered on small-scale agriculture, salt raking and later on tourism as marine transport and leisure yachting grew.

Virgin Gorda sits in the northeast Caribbean, east of Tortola and northwest of Anegada within the British Virgin Islands. The island is reached by ferry or small aircraft connections from Tortola and other nearby islands, and by boat from the wider Virgin Islands chain.

• Getting there: Best reached by ferry or private boat from Tortola or by air to nearby Beef Island and then a short ferry, with limited parking and narrow roads inland.
• Activities: Snorkeling and short hikes around the boulder formations are the primary activities; many of the shoreline features are best visited at lower tide for easier access.

What to See #

• The Baths: A cluster of coastal attractions on the island's southern shore formed by large, rounded granite boulders that create tidal pools, grottoes and short sea caves; water access and short rock scrambles are required to reach many of the features.