The Baths at Virgin Gorda - Wow!
Written: Jan 28 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The Baths at Virgin Gorda ranks as one of our all-time favorite beaches.
Cons: None for us.
The Bottom Line: The Baths at Virgin Gorda rank as one of our favorite all-time destinations due to the crystal clear water and fun adventure that awaits all who explore the caves.
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| redd.dawg's Full Review: Virgin Gorda |
We started our trek to Virgin Gorda from Tortola, where we had arrived via cruiseship. There is no need to prearrange any excursions here. Taxis line up at the pier to take you anywhere you want to go. Several passengers hopped into taxis and got the exact same tour that other passengers paid double for through the ship. Our sights were set on visiting Virgin Gorda. We got off the ship just after 8:00 am and walked 15 minutes to the red-roofed ferry terminal off to the left of the pier.
Speedy's and Smith's both offer service to Virgin Gorda. However, only Speedy's could get us back before our 3:00pm departure. So we caught the 9:00 am Speedy's Ferry over and the 12:30 pm ferry back. Cost was $25 per person roundtrip, including roundtrip Speedy's Taxi service from the Virgin Gorda docks to The Baths. (You will not want to attempt to walk to The Baths from the dock). We brought our mask and snorkel with us. Rentals are available at The Baths for $10 plus a $30 deposit. We sat upstairs in the open air seating atop the ferry. Cool winds and great views. 30-35 minute ride each way followed by a 10-minute taxi to The Baths.
There is a $3.00 (adults) and $2.00 (children) entrance fee to The Baths which are part of the BVU National Parks Trust. A restaurant appropriately named “Top of the Baths” is nearby and offers incredible views of the surrounding islands. A 5-minute walk (350 yards in length) down to The Baths was rocky and uneven.
At the bottom, single-use-only lockers can be rented for $2.50 each, via a token that can be purchased at the shop nearby. They are large enough to hold a beach bag or backpack. Tokens are also required if you wish to take a shower.
The Baths are an incredibly fun experience. The Baths were really fun to explore. Highly recommend water shoes, a water camera, and a swimsuit. A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters awaits visitors on the other side of the rock maze. While not the greatest snorkeling site for seeing a variety of fish, the coral formations were interesting. A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters awaits visitors on the other side of the rock maze. The water was nice and clear. Visibility was easily more than 50 feet! We would have liked to stay another couple of hours, and look forward to another visit. Highly recommended!
On our second trip to The Baths, we opted to pay an additional $10 ($35 total) for Speedy's “Sun and Fun” package which also included lunch and rum punch at The Bath & Turtle. After visiting The Baths for four hours, our taxi driver returned for us at 1:30pm, as agreed, to take us into town to eat.
The Bath and Turtle Bar and Grill, located in a small strip mall with a dive shop, bank, and a few other shops, has little atmosphere but they make it up with good food and friendly service. Our coupon indicated that we could spend up to $10/pp, but our waitress allowed $12/pp which covers most items on the menu. We enjoyed our rum punch with a lunch platter consisting of a Caribbean Jerk Chicken sandwich, coleslaw and potato salad.
We shopped a little after our leisurely lunch, then headed for the pier. The pier is a short 5-minute walk across a parking lot, past a small grocery store, and beyond an old partially-fenced park. Our ferry was already at the dock when we arrived at 3:00pm. We promptly boarded and departed on time at 3:30pm, arriving back in Road Town at 4:05pm. We had no problem getting back to the ship before the 4:45pm cutoff. Highly recommended!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
redd.dawg
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Member: Topher
Location: Charlotte, NC 28104
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Topher is webmaster of the educational site "Topher's Castle - A Great Site for Everyone!"
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