Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Boat -- Speedy's Fantasy (tel. 284/495-5240) operates a ferry service between Road Town, on Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. Monday through Saturday, at least four ferries a day leave from Road Town; three ferries make the trip on Sunday. The cost is $15 one-way or $20 round-trip. There is also service from St. Thomas to Virgin Gorda three times a week (on Tues, Thurs, and Sat), costing $35 one-way or $60 round-trip.

You'll also find that the more luxurious resorts have their own boats to take you from the airport on Beef Island to Virgin Gorda.

Getting Around

By Bus -- Independently operated open-sided safari buses run along the main road. Holding up to 22 passengers, these buses charge upward of $3 to $4 per person to transport a passenger, say, from the Valley to the Baths.

By Car -- If you'd like to rent a car, try one of the local firms, including Mahogany Rentals, the Valley, Spanish Town (tel. 284/495-5469), across from the yacht harbor. This company has the least expensive rentals on the island, beginning at around $55 daily for a Suzuki Sidekick. Road conditions on Virgin Gorda range from good to extremely poor. Remember: Drive on the left.

An aerial view of the island shows what looks like three bulky masses connected by two very narrow isthmuses. The most northeasterly of these three masses (which contains two of the most interesting hotels) is not even accessible by road at all, requiring ferryboat transit from the more accessible parts of the island.

One possibility for exploring Virgin Gorda by car is to drive from the southwest to the northeast along the island's rocky and meandering spine. This route will take you to the Baths (in the extreme southeast), Spanish Harbour (near the middle), and eventually, after skirting the mountainous edges of Gorda Peak, to the most northwesterly tip of the island's road system, near North Sound. Here, a mini-armada of infrequently scheduled ferryboats departs and arrives from Biras Creek and the Bitter End Yacht Club.