Virgin Gorda

Virgin Gorda splits into two distinct experiences: the famous boulder-strewn beaches of The Baths on the south end, and the protected sailing waters of North Sound at the top. See The Baths once, preferably early before the day crowds arrive. Then point the bow north. North Sound is where the week gets interesting, with Saba Rock, Bitter End, and lunch with one of the best views in the BVI up at Hog Heaven.

Virgin Gorda is two islands in one, and most first-timers only see half of it. The south end is defined by The Baths, a National Park protected stretch of enormous granite boulders at the southwest tip of the island where the sea pushes in between the rocks and light comes through in shafts. It is genuinely worth seeing. Arrive early, before the cruise ship tenders and day-trip boats arrive, and walk the trail through to Devil's Bay. Then move on. The Baths reward one good visit more than they reward a second.

Coco Maya

Coco Maya sits in Spanish Town, a short walk from The Baths, and it's one of the best restaurants in the entire BVI, not just on Virgin Gorda. Beachfront dining between granite boulders, an Asian and Latin fusion menu built for sharing, and a scene that picks up after dark with a DJ some nights. Reserve ahead. This one fills up.

North Sound

The north end of Virgin Gorda is a different world. North Sound, also called Gorda Sound, is a large protected bay ringed by islands and reefs with multiple marinas, anchorages, and more places to eat and drink than you can cover in a single stop. Most bareboat companies route you through here and it is easy to understand why. The water is calm, the sailing is short, and the options are good.

Saba Rock sits astride the channel between Bitter End and Prickly Pear Island, a tiny one-acre island that was completely rebuilt and reopened in October 2021 after Hurricane Irma destroyed the original. Two bars, a restaurant, a rooftop deck for sunset, and a tradition of feeding the large tarpon from the dock at 5pm. Reserve well in advance if you are coming for sunset and dinner, especially in peak season. It is the kind of stop that ends up being the one people talk about most.

Bitter End Yacht Club sits at the eastern end of North Sound and has been a BVI institution for more than fifty years, the kind of place where the same families come back year after year and the staff remember everyone's names. Hurricane Irma leveled it in 2017 and Bitter End has come back, carefully rebuilt with the original spirit intact. The mooring field, the watersports operation, the dining options, and the staff are all reasons to give Bitter End a full afternoon and an overnight if you can. The Reef Sampler beach bar is a great stop any time of day: the bar itself is a 1970s Bitter End workboat that was raised from the North Sound seabed after Irma sank it, refit, and put back into service as the bar. Order a Lemon Crash. It is not on the menu, the bartenders know it, and it is the right drink in your hand whether you are stopping by mid-afternoon or staying through sunset. While you are in the Sound, keep an eye out for the Rum Runner, a small boat that circles the anchorage between 1pm and 7pm on VHF 72 delivering frozen rum drinks to your boat for fifteen dollars. Two dogs named Drake and Sandy come with the boat. You have to do it. Leverick Bay also has Chef's Pantry if you need to restock mid-week.

Hog Heaven

Hog Heaven sits above North Sound on the ridge of the island and is a short taxi ride from Leverick Bay or Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. The view from the top is one of the best in the Virgin Islands, looking out over the Sound with Prickly Pear, Mosquito Island, and Necker in the distance. Come for lunch. The fish tacos and the cold beer while that view unfolds in front of you is the kind of afternoon you planned the whole trip around without knowing it.