The baths main entrance is located on the southern end of virgin gorda. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Some rolled to a stop near the water while others piled high. Includes a free 17 x 27 inch color waterproof planning chart, with aerial photos of some of the anchorages. Having said that, for cruisers a cruise ship passenger with a longer port time 10 hrs can enjoy the baths without the. Parking is available at the top of the baths restaurant.
When you first arrive at the baths at virgin gorda, you are located about 300 meters above sea level. Legend has it that these secluded coves were used as a private bathing area for the slaves during this period. The baths, devils bay virgin gorda, bvi spanish town. The baths weather dependent please be advised you must be able to swim into the baths due to a roped off snorkeling area. The british territory consists of 4 larger islands tortola, anegada, virgin gorda, and jost van dyke and 32 smaller islands and islets, of which. It is about a 45 minute ride and i recommend getting the package that includes taxi service to the baths. A history of the virgin islands of the united states. Devils bay the baths national park, vg vacation rentals. If you are not a capable swimmer, please check out our other destinations it takes approximately 2 hours to sail to virgin gorda and is the only stop for the day so you get to enjoy the time at the baths.
The baths virgin gorda british virgin islands vacation. A concise history of the british virgin islands claims, the earliest records referring to the presence of slaves in the british virgin islands begin in 1665 when 67 slaves were removed to bermuda. The baths to devils bay trail virgin gorda, british. Mar 31, 2018 farm girl does jost van dyke and the baths. But, there was a serious possibility that we would not be able to visit the baths. The easiest way to get here is to dock at the yacht harbour and taxi in. Experience baths national park, bvi hachette book group. Pictures of the baths virgin gorda, jost van dyke, and sandy cay, british virgin islands bvi fine art prints landscapetravel photography by adam romanowicz thousands of stunning images from around the globe. Formed tens of millions of years ago when volcanic lava cooled into huge chunks of granite, the baths are a landscape of buildingsize boulders, clear saltwater grottoes, and powderwhite beaches.
The bvis today coming back strong and just as beautiful as ever. The baths are without a doubt one of the signature attractions of the bvi and are located along the southwest end of virgin gorda facing the sir francis drake channel. Fast forward from 1750 and the story of treasure island, to 1894. This book tells about the vicissitudes of the british virgin islands from their discovery to the days when. A trip to devils bay national park and the baths is a visit not to be missed when in the british virgin islands.
While it is true that the spanish word for turtledove is tortola, during a oneday seminar, the history and historical sites of the british virgin islands, dr michael kent, history professor at h. The baths are an area of unique geologic formations and one of the bvis major tourist destinations. Would never recommend anyone not on a cruise go to the baths while a cruise ship excursion is there. After arriving at the car park or dropoffpickup area you will have to make a 15 minute walk through dry scrub vegatation and granite boulders to either the baths or devils bay. Virgin gordas baths national park is one of the most famous sights in the virgin islands. The baths is an area of unique geologic formations and one of the bvi s major tourist. Alternatively, take a direct ferry from saint thomas to virgin gorda. However, it is fascinating and the sand is like sugar and the water simply beautiful. Virgin gorda is one of four main islands that make up the british virgin islands bvi, but it has an identity all its own.
Just north of the baths, spring bay is reached by a separate road and includes a lovely white sand beach. How to explore the baths at virgin gorda cruiseable. The british virgin islands are considered the sailing capital of the world. The baths may be difficult to get to by land, climbing up and down paths in order to finally arrive. The site is also accessible through water trails reached via devils bay. The mass importation of slave labour occurred in the mid1750s when sugar production began in the bvi. British virgin islands, british overseas territory in the eastern caribbean sea. But to make it easy for those on just a one or twoweek vacation. One of the most important aspects of the history of the british virgin islands is slavery. This collection of huge volcanic boulders semi submerged in crystal clear waters has been one of the islands most popular snorkeling and exploring destinations for nearly three decades. The baths the welcome guide to the british virgin islands. Cruise ship passengers going to the baths have 2 options ferry to spanishtown and taxi to the top, or take a boat and swim in.
If you want to visit the baths at virgin gorda, the best approach is to look for a cruise going to tortola, british virgin islands although ferries are also available to virgin gorda from the popular cruise port of st. The baths british virgin islands attractions lonely planet. After your day down at the baths, you may want to stop in for a bite to eat or a drink, or. Arriving at the baths the path down to the baths at virgin gorda. The baths are essentially a magnificent structure of boulders that sit on the beach in beautiful formations with serene cave like pools. The bvi suffered immense damage as a result of backtoback hurricanes in 2017 hurricanes irma and maria.
Some naturalists have gone as far as to call the baths the eighth wonder of the world. A map drawn of the bvi in 1717 by captain john walton does not depict either jost van dyke or little jost van dyke. The baths and devils bay beach are a great experience but not worth the kind of effort. The british virgin islands consists of 4 larger islands and 32 smaller islands and islets. It was named by christopher columbus, who thought the islands profile looked like a fat woman laying on her side. Check with your crew for the best option and they will also be able to check if it is safe to swim in. Most visitors travel to the british virgin islands between september and november, but winter is still a great time to visit, too new years is a particularly popular holiday for many travelers. The baths are a sublime jumbled collection of skyhigh granite boulders by the sea they make virgin gorda one of the bvi s major tourist destinations the rocks are made of volcanic java from about 70million years ago and form a series of grottoes that fill with water and shafts of kaleidoscopic sunlight and look truly otherworldly. From volcanic boulders and old mine shafts to white sand beaches, the island has many stories to tell. The baths on virgin gorda in the british virgin islands. One of the coolest places on the british virgin islands.
The most wellknown attraction on the island, these giant boulders or batholiths, brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions, are scattered about forming a beautiful grotto and tranquil pools. The baths national park, virgin gorda, bvi british virgin islands this is one of the virgin islands most unique natural wonders and is at the top of every adventurers sightseeing list. The baths is a beach area on the island of virgin gorda among the british virgin islands in the caribbean. Offering fine art prints, rights managed editorial and commercial stock photography. John, jost van dyke, tortola, virgin gorda, anegada and. To get there, head west from spanish town along the signposted road. The recent editions have benefitted from added content and the 2014 edition includes quite a few colour illustrations. Although the english captured the bvi in 1672, it seems that jost van dyke was mostly ignored until the mid18th century. It was a perfect day, hiking through the baths at virgin gorda, snorkeling at norman island and drinking painkillers at the soggy dollar bar at jost van dyke. Lavity stoutt community college, relayed that the name of the largest british virgin island was given by. History the most famous site in the british virgin islands is the baths on virgin gorda, and visitors to the island rarely miss a visit to these magnificent boulders and the sheltered pools for which the baths are named. In 1563, before there had been any european settlement in the british virgin islands, sir john hawkins visited the islands with a cargo of slaves bound for hispaniola.
Virgin gorda s enchanting baths national park this cove was a place where nothing had changed since time began, a half circle of white sand, flanked by huge squarish smooth rocks, the rocks overlapping to form cool caves and the water turquoise blue above the furrows of the sandy bed. Jan 06, 2017 the history of the different islands names varies depending on your source. Once there, it is physically challenging also to go in and outside of the huge boulders. They have a flag system telling them the current conditions. The baths at virgin gorda was a great shore excursion option to satisfy both of us during our recent stop in tortola onboard norwegian escape. Save on booking hotels, resorts, holiday homes, apartments, villas, beach houses and more. We really enjoyed our day cruise to the bvi with breakaway. Filled with interesting facts and insights you get a very deep understanding of the importance these small islands played in european and american history as well as the character of the men and women who braved long see voyages, pirates, hard living conditions. The baths virgin gorda all you need to know before you go.
From here, you can get some great panoramic shots of the neighboring islands and boulders below from the top of the baths restaurant. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible yearround. It is part of an island chain collectively known as the virgin islands, which makes up the northeastern extremity of the greater antilles. Ive lived in the british virgin islands for over 20 years, and i can honestly say that after probably 5 dozen visits, i never tire of being here. Save the baths for that seperate bvi vacation like we did last year and make it part of an overall virgin gorda tortola etc. Book your tickets online for the baths, virgin gorda. An unusual geologic formation known as the baths located on the southern end of the island makes virgin gorda one of the bvis major tourist destinations. Baths and beyond the most world famous bvi tourist attraction, let us plan a trip which lets you hike around the oversized boulders, snorkel on the shallow rocks or possibly a long lunch at the top of the baths, we can can cruise to other locations around virgin gorda for the afternoon. The baths, devils bay virgin gorda, bvi, spanish town, british virgin islands. Virgin gorda bvi virgin islands traveller visitor guide.
Find your perfect vacation rental in the baths virgin gorda british virgin islands, with. This guide covers the virgin islands including all the u. Enjoy and unforgettable fullday adventure to the baths of virgin gorda where you will explore and relax in the world famous baths. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. The baths the ground, eventually smoothed by years of surf, sand and wind and repositioned by subsequent fault line movement to form sheltered sea pools. The baths and jost van dyke tour virgin gorda expedia. Virgin gordas enchanting baths national park this cove was a place where nothing had changed since time began, a half circle of white sand, flanked by huge squarish smooth rocks, the rocks overlapping to form cool caves and the water turquoise blue above the furrows of the sandy bed. On a stretch of coastline that runs for about a mile, its almost as if the hand of a giant sprinkled boulders randomly onto a white sand beach. The bvi are known as one of the worlds greatest sailing destinations, and charter sailboats are a very popular way to visit less accessible islands. The first time i visited virgin gorda, i did all your typical tourist type things, so of course, i visited the baths.
This collection of skyhigh boulders marks a national park and the bvis most popular attraction. One of the experienced crew members will take you on a. Discover the baths of virgin gorda cruz bay watersports. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Lunch from top of the baths restaurant is also included in your trip before departing virgin gorda for a refreshing snorkel stop at the treasure caves of norman island. See more ideas about history, british virgin islands and island. The beaches of st thomas and st john are just as nice or nicer. The baths are a unique series of giant boulders stacked on top of each over the waters edge that you can walk through and under. The area makes for unique swimming and snorkeling, but the coolest part is. Bvi vacation the baths and devils bay, national parks. We were scheduled to meet for our shore excursion at 7 am when we would be escorted to a ferry for the short ride to the baths at virgin gorda in the british virgin isles. One of virgin gordas most striking attractions, the baths, was granted the official title of a bvi national park in 1990. Choose from more than 83 properties, ideal house rentals for families, groups and couples.
Cruise ships do not dock directly at the virgin gorda. This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the history of the caribbean, the age of empire and the days of piracy. See more ideas about the baths virgin gorda, virgin gorda and british west indies. Navigating through the maze of vaulted rocks and grottoes is a delight, and the beaches at the baths and neighboring devils bay are among the bvi s best. Otherwise, read the cruise guide for detailed mooring instructions. When we arrived at the parking lot at the top of the baths, we realized the cruisers on our group of buses were the first visitors to the beach. An indispensable guide for anyone visiting tortola, virgin gorda, jost van dyke, anegada, cooper, guana, and all other bvi destinations acheson, pamela, myers, richard b. The baths virgin gorda all you need to know before you. Nov 01, 2006 the best of the british virgin islands. At the baths in the bvis, one month after irma british.
The baths are essentially a magnificent structure of boulders that sit on the beach in beautiful formations with. Although volcanism accounts for much of the virgin islands, the baths was formed by granite that eroded into piles of boulders on the beach. A taxi immediately takes you to the baths after your arrival on virgin gorda. The island of jost van dyke is rich in history as well. The baths are huge boulders strewn about next to a perfect beach. Jul 11, 20 this is a beautiful place when its not too crowded. Rent a whole home for your next weekend or holiday. The baths national park the british virgin islands. The baths get its name from the african slaves who first inhabited the bvi during the rum trading era of the 1700s. Jul 06, 2017 the baths on virgin gorda can be reached by short taxi ride from spanish town marina or a swim in from the dinghy moorings just outside the swim area near the shore. Jan 03, 2018 one of the coolest places on the british virgin islands. Creque found more than a few doubloons in one of the.
You can climb on the boulders, snorkel in the crystal clear waters around. That is what was on our minds when the alarm went off at 5 am on the fifth day of our recent norwegian escape cruise. They are also a regular stopover on the british virgin islands charter boat circuit. The rocks volcaniclava leftovers from some 70 million years ago form a series of grottoes that flood with seawater. Part adventure hike, part photo tour, and part beach break, exploring this natural wonder is truly a unique experience. To visit every anchorage in the infinitely varied british virgin islands would entail a yearlong holiday. Granite forms from the slow cooling of magma at depth nowhere close to surface volcanoes.
Top of the baths is on a hill overlooking the scenic views of the sir francis drake channel. Our marching orders were to be back to the meeting point by 10. At the baths, in spite of evidence of the islands largely volcanic origins, huge granite boulders lie in piles on the beach, forming scenic grottoes that are open to the sea. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock, thus not volcanic. Virgin gorda meaning the fat virgin is the second most populated island in the british virgin islands. Prior to entering the park, youll pay a small entrance fee at the kiosk shown below. Uc fan and hurricane irma survivor, steve simonsen. And no wonder, sailing the bvi with its sheltered waters and closely knit islands is a pleasure.