Virgin Gorda Is A Hidden Gem
Written: Jun 06 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Absolutely beautiful, clean, safe & great weather
Cons: Difficult to access
The Bottom Line: It's one of the few places where you can get peace of mind.
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| monilark's Full Review: Virgin Gorda |
After seventeen hours of travel, my husband, 11 month old daughter and I arrived on Virgin Gorda. Needless to say, we were exhausted and in need of a shower, nap and a good meal!
Yes, you read correctly, I said SEVENTEEN HOURS. My husband and I awoke at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning and arrived at A Biggersplash, the villa on Virgin Gorda where we stayed, around 7:30 p.m. that evening. What took so long, you ask? Well, we traveled nonstop from Dallas, Texas to San Juan, Puerto Rico, then took another (64 passenger (so it wasn't too bad at all)) plane from San Juan to St. Thomas and then took a taxi from the airport in St. Thomas to the ferry docks in St. Thomas, and from there took a two hour ferry from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda (stopping in Tortola to go through customs).
It is a long trip, but well worth it. In fact, my understanding is that it is a deliberate decision on the part of tourism officials to keep Virgin Gorda somewhat remote and protected from excess tourism. Indeed, when you arrive on Virgin Gorda, you feel part of an elite sector - one of the few who know about a "well-kept secret".
Virgin Gorda is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is located just east of its larger, more well-known and well-traveled neighbor, the island of Tortola. Virgin Gorda has a lush landscape, with a wild and eclectic combination of plant life, giving the island a very tropical feeling. I've been to Jamaica many times but have never felt so embraced by an "island feeling" as I did while staying on Virgin Gorda.
The beauty of staying on Virgin Gorda is that the main attraction of the island *is* its beauty. There isn't much to do on the island - except spend a lot of time on the gorgeous white sand beaches, climb and explore the incredible rock formations, snorkel, scuba dive and engage in whatever other water sport suits your fancy. Okay, so there *is* a lot to do on the island. But Tammy and Tim Tourist, be forewarned - there is no McDonald's on the island, there is no Hyatt Regency, there aren't even any golf courses on the island - so if that is your thing, this may not be the place for you.
We stayed on the part of the island called The Baths, which is conveniently located near the ferry dock. The main tourist (and local, for that matter) attraction is a restaurant called The Top of the Baths. The Top of the Baths is a beautiful open-air restaurant located at the "entrance" to the Baths beach. On many evenings there is live music, which creates a romantic and/or festive atmosphere, depending on your perspective! The menu includes lots of local fare, including, of course, many seafood dishes. My husband had the red snapper on two occasions and loved it. I had a chicken dish which was very fresh and tasty. Beware, the prices are not cheap! We paid $50 the first night for our two entrees!
I highly recommend our villa, called A Biggersplash, which was conveniently located right down the road (about a 5 minute walk) from the Top of the Baths. It had three bedrooms with full baths (two of those three have outdoor showers), plus a one bedroom apartment that has its own kitchen and outdoor patio. It had a beautiful pool, plus an outdoor loft sitting area, from which you had a breathtaking view of the entire area. For the Tammy Tourist in all of us, it also had cable tv, plus a DVD player, VCR and a wonderful built-in stereo system.
The area was extremely quiet, with nothing but the sound of roosters crowing to break the night's silence. Roosters are like dogs on Virgin Gorda; there are a ton of them that roam wild, and when one starts crowing, they all start crowing. OK, I'll admit that one morning I confessed to my husband that I was trying to figure out how I could get my hands on a manual called, 'How to Shoot A Rooster In The Pitch Black From 100 Yards Away'. Just KIDDING!
For those seeking a quiet, beautiful getaway, Virgin Gorda should be on the top of your list. By the way, for our next trip, we will fly directly from San Juan to Tortola, and then take just a 30 minute ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda. Still a long trip, but we insiders who know about this hidden gem don't mind.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
monilark
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Location: Plano, TX
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 6 members
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