Virgin Gorda: My Baths Adventure

The tender ride from the ship to Spanish Town already had us grinning — water so clear we could see starfish on the bottom. We shared a safari taxi with six other excited cruisers up to The Baths and arrived just after opening (another pro move). The trail down is short but the second you step into the boulder field your jaw drops — house-sized granite spheres scattered like a giant's marbles, forming cathedral-like grottos with shafts of sunlight piercing turquoise pools.

We waded waist-deep through the caverns, climbing wooden ladders, ducking under boulders, sometimes swimming short stretches where the water fills the passages. The sound is incredible — waves echoing off stone like distant thunder. Emerged at Devil's Bay and honestly lost the ability to speak: pure white sand, water every shade of blue, and only a handful of early birds sharing it with us. Snorkeled around the boulders and saw huge tarpon (easily 4–5 ft) patrolling the shadows, blue tangs in swirling schools, and a spotted eagle ray (6-ft wingspan) that ghosted past so gracefully I forgot to breathe.

By noon more people arrived, but it never felt overcrowded — there's plenty of space if you explore.

Lunch was back at Top of the Baths restaurant — conch fritters and the strongest painkillers I've ever had (BVI recipe with nutmeg on top — dangerous). The view from the pool there is ridiculous; I could have stayed all day.

The pros: unlike anything else on Earth, and the snorkeling is world-class right there.

The cons: the trail can be slippery and requires moderate fitness — not stroller or wheelchair friendly.

Practical tips: Wear proper water shoes with grip — the rocks are slicker than they look. Go as early as humanly possible — we were in the water by 8:45 a.m. and had the place almost to ourselves for an hour. Bring a dry bag for your phone/camera.