Cruise Diva Goes Ashore in the Caribbean
Sights to see & things to do
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Long a favorite of yachters, only the smallest cruise ships call on Virgin Gorda. Until the early 1960’s when Laurence S. Rockefeller established Little Dix Bay Hotel, Virgin Gorda was a fairly isolated agricultural community. Other hotels have since followed, but privacy still reigns here on the beaches and out of the way resorts.
Diversions
There is no pier suitable for large cruise ships, but it’s possible to tender ashore, either from a ship at anchor or tenders or ferries from Road Town on Tortola. The main reason to visit Virgin Gorda is The Baths, where immense boulders form grottoes in the sea. However, it is possible to take a ship’s tour or taxi around the island to peer from a distance at the haunts of the rich and famous. The best reason for booking a ship’s tour is that it affords early departure from the ship and a seat on the first boat ferrying passengers ashore.
Shopping
Small souvenirs and tee shirts are about the extent of the goods available on Virgin Gorda.
Beaches
The pools around The Baths are excellent for swimming and snorkeling. Facilities are rudimentary but there is a snack shop and snorkel equipment is available for rental. Nearby is Spring Bay, another desirable spot to snorkel and swim. From Spring Bay a rough path leads to Trunk Bay’s wide sandy beach. A trail from The Baths leads to Devil’s Bay National Park where a 15-minute trek through boulders and coastal vegetation ends at a secluded coral beach.
Fodor's Caribbean Ports of Call 2013 is all you need to plan your days ashore, PLUS a cruise primer section and cruise line profiles by Cruise Diva, Linda Coffman
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