Baths--lots of questions

[dmen131]

Hi,

 

I've been to Tortola before, so this time we definitely want to go to Virgin Gorda. For those of you who have gone there:

 

Are the Baths the highlight of the island?

Is there anything else to do on Virgin Gorda?

Would you book the tour through the ship or go about it on your own?

If we have someone with us who does not swim, is it a waste for her to come with us to Virgin Gorda?

How strenuous is the typical cruise tour there? For example someone with us may be a few weeks pregnant. Is this something they should avoid? I've seen pictures of the Baths, but I really don't understand what visiting them entails.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[viennacruiser]

Hi,

 

I've been to Tortola before, so this time we definitely want to go to Virgin Gorda. For those of you who have gone there:

 

Are the Baths the highlight of the island? they are one of the highlights, but we did a 4x4 jeep trip once also and that was really nice

Is there anything else to do on Virgin Gorda?not sure ,we went to the baths via boat

Would you book the tour through the ship or go about it on your own? that depends on your comfort level, we always do things on our own

If we have someone with us who does not swim, is it a waste for her to come with us to Virgin Gorda? there is not much swimming in the baths, but unless you take a boat there you do not have to swim,

How strenuous is the typical cruise tour there? going thru the baths is a physical activity, there are tight spaces, ladders to go up and down and some places that you need to crawl thru For example someone with us may be a few weeks pregnant. that needs to be a personal choice it can be slippery in places, Is this something they should avoid? I've seen pictures of the Baths, but I really don't understand what visiting them entails.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

hope this helps...

[SqueakyDust]

Here is my opinion;

 

1 . Yes, to my knowledge

2. We've only visited the Baths - but the ferry crossing was fun too as you see several islands and lovely clipper ships etc.

3. Definitely on our own. Cheaper and the ships tours use the same Ferry companys, to my knowledge.

4. No. Your non swimming friend will enjoy the trip through the rocks (providing she's able) and she can sunbathe on the beach.

5. It was a few years ago that we went and I think maybe the course over the rocks may have been made sightly easier. The previous poster mentioned ladders. I don't remember them last time, but I do remember trying to pull myself up a large rock via a rope and having to scramble across narrow rocks. If your friend doesn't want to do the rock trail there is a pathway down to the beach. Good shoes are needed.

The tour we took entailed;

Catching a ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda. It took aprox 45 mins. Then we got onto a bus for a shortish journey to the Baths. We walked down to the entrance, paid our fee and then proceeded to the Baths (rocks). These are huge rocks that would look good on an original Star Trek programme. They look like they're made of polystyrene!

We walked through a trail with in the rocks which meant we'd to walk/climb/crawl up, over and under the said rocks. Sometimes we walked through water. I'm not good with heights and was a little scared at times, but I so wanted to do it. Now I am a lot fatter and worry I won't 'fit' - I'm hoping someone else who is big can clarify this to me.

After the trail we came out to a beach, surround by rocks. The water was a gorgeous colour and in we went. It dips quite quickly to being deep and there are rocks so water shoes are probably a good idea. There were heaps of colourful fish and loads of little sail boats just further out. There was a bit of a tide.

We walked back through the 'easy' trail which was just like a ramble. The ground is uneven and can be slippy (not wet slippy, but sandy/loose rocks slippy) but it was no bother to us. At the end of the trail there was a gazebo to sit in to wait for the bus back to the ferry. I think there is a restaurant up there too.

You need a good few hours to do this tour and I highly recommend it.

We are taking our children there in December.

 

I hope this is of help to you.

[dmen131]

Thank you both so much! I appreciate the information. I read other people's reviews of the Baths, but no one really addressed my specific concerns. I think we'll try it in November!

[CaribbeanBound]

Virgin Gorda can't be beat!

 

7:00am - 3:00pm. 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. 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. The 5-minute walk down to The Baths was rocky and uneven. At the bottom, single-use-only lockers can be rented for $2.50 each. They are large enough to hold a beach bag or backpack. The Baths are an incredibly fun experience. Here is a detailed map of The Baths at Virgin Gorda. 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 fish, the coral formations were interesting. The water was nice and clear. We would have liked to stay another couple of hours, and look forward to another visit. Highly recommended!

 

Complete details: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/easterncaribbean.html

[OCruisers]

There's a thread on the Caribbean Other Board with a site that has a wonderful map and LOTS of information on The Baths:

 

The Baths of Virgin Gorda (with Map & Info) ... Click Here

 

Hope this will help a bit! Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)