Main attractions to visit in Virgin Gorda

Going for a vacation soon? How about going someplace a little different from the usual tourist haunts? How about trying out Virgin Gorda? Virgin Gorda is the second most populous with a population of around 4000 people and is the third largest among the British Virgin Islands. It was so large that Christopher Columbus named the island ‘The Fat Virgin’ because the island looked like a fat woman lying on her side. Sounds like a nice place but where to stay you ask? There are short term rentals in Virgin Gorda where you can relax for your entire trip.

It should be noted that the main residential, as well as the commercial area, is called the Spanish Town which is located on the southwestern part of the island.

So now that you are considering going here, how about we tell you about some main attractions in there:

The Baths: These unusual geological formations formed on the southern end of the island make it one of the major destinations of Virgin Gorda. At the baths, you will be able to see large granite (igneous rock not volcanic) boulders on the beaches which exist due to the island’s majorly volcanic origins. The huge surroundings were a result of the molten rock seeping into the existing volcanic rock layers. Since it didn’t reach the surface so it cooled down slowly and formed the gardener crystalline granite later. Of course, the further cracking and shrinkage formed the blocks seen today as the sifter volcanic rocks above were eroded away. A little pro tip: these massive boulders are also found at Broken and Fallen Jerusalem and they form scenic grottoes which are open to the sea.

Buck’s Market: This place is where you will get to taste authentic foods which are the staples of Virgin Gorda. Yachtsmen stop here for staples but along with staples on one end of the spectrum, you will be able to put together a gourmet lunch if you favour picnicking on the beach with your family and friends.

Grandma’s Kitchen: This market is kind of magical since it appears only on Saturdays and provides an eclectic mix where you will find jewelry and sarong designers put up their materials accompanied by a DJ who will spice up the morning mood of the market.

Margo’s Jewelry Boutique: As stated above, Gordo’s main area, the Spanish Town is the place where the commercial populace resides but here this boutique is unique from all.

The Artistic Gallery: It is located near the yacht harbor in Spanish Town and as the name states, the shop offers up the treasures of the seashells and starfish to coins found in shipwrecks from the old days. Here you can satisfy your heart which yearns for the lores and trinkets of the days gone by.

North sound: This historic harbour lies at the Northeast end of the island connecting the reef systems which kept the island calm and bordered by four islands. Here resides the main area for water-sports with over 3,000 acres of protected waters. As with tourism, there are also resorts and villages present here along one mile of the coastline called the Bitter End Yacht Club. If you are a yacht fanatic then you will know that over 200 mega-yachts have anchored up in here harbor but what you won’t know is that the signatures of Johnstone, Brigitte Bardot, and Norman Rockwell are still in the hotel guest book of Bitter Yacht from 1969.

Coppermine Ruins: The most famous ruins of the place, the Coppermine ruins are located on the islands South Western tip and it played an important role in the history of this place. So what happened you ask? Well, the early settlers belonging from Cornwall, England set up a copper mining industry that peaked and flourished during the 1800s and as a result as many as 130 Cornish laborers and their families moved in here. The ruins of those houses can still be seen here. Along with that the operations center containing the mine shafts, powerhouse, cisterns, engine house as well as chimneys are still visible and scattered across the slopes even though the mines closed way back in 1862. The area is now a national park and restoration efforts have begun with assistance from experts from Cromwell, England. The work has started with the engine house to stabilize the ruins. Sounds spooky as well as exciting? That’s exactly what it is.

The place is a usual haunt for people who are looking for some sea sporting adventures since they can go for sailing in the ocean but people who love history and want to be transported back into a world of the past also find solace herein. So, if you want to visit a place that caters to the extrovert adventurers as well as to the introvert ruin seekers this is the place to visit. But even if you are none of the above, the place still welcomes you with its bonanza of food and nature’s own bounty of attractions. Maybe it’s finally time to book that plane and hop in there to experience this gorgeous place.