The commercial center of Virgin Gorda, Spanish Town likely gets its name from a corruption of the English word "penniston", a blue woollen textile used to make slave clothing on the island. Too small to be an actual town, Spanish Town is a settlement with most of the island's administrative buildings and businesses stretching along Lee Road which skirts the harbor.
Most of the development in Spanish Town took place in the 1960s, and development stretched from the center of the harbor outwards. The area of the Valley surrounds Spanish Town, however it is impossible to identify where Spanish Town ends and the Valley begins. The settlement and surrounding areas offer various natural attractions along with low-key nightlife and interesting shopping and dining.
Today a national park and protected area, Copper Mine National Park features ruins of a mine worked by Cornish miners between 1838 and 1867. The impressive ruins of the boiler house, chimney, cistern and mine shaft house are found at Virgin Gorda's most rugged coastline and hillside.
Devil's Bay was a gift to the British Virgin Islands from the Rockefellers in the 1960's and was then designated as a national park. It is comprised of 20ac/8ha of land on the southernmost tip of Virgin Gorda featuring large granite boulders on the coast and a secluded crescent-shaped beach. The powdery white-sand beach offers great snorkelling opportunities. Further down the shore is a smaller, more private beach amid many large boulders.
Only the crumbling walls remain of the Spanish stronghold at the Little Fort National Park. The main attraction here is a 36ac/15ha wildlife sanctuary, featuring silk cotton trees and wild orchids.
Savannah Bay is sheltered by a barrier reef that protects the beach from the northerly swells of the Atlantic Ocean. The beach features 1mi/1.6km of white sand and is quite secluded, making it a great place for solitary walks along the shore and various water activities.
A gift from the Rockefellers in the 1960's, Spring Bay was declared a national park in 1974. The recreation area encompasses a 5.5ac/2.3ha of sandy beach featuring scattered granite boulders. Fishing is not permitted, so there are many fish in the area providing good snorkelling opportunities. The enclosure of boulders creates a natural pool called The Crawl that was formerly used by fishermen to hold fish and turtles until they were ready to be used. Within the park are benches, picnic areas and swings.
Trunk Bay is a long white, sandy beach good for swimming and sunbathing. Located on Virgin Gorda's western shore, the beach is bordered by a palm grove and a private estate.
The Virgin Gorda Easter Festival is a carnival event held on the four days preceding Christian Lent. Spanish Town comes alive with calypso music, scratch bands, vendors and food fairs, as well as numerous parades.
Yacht Harbour is the commercial center of Virgin Gorda's Valley area. Within Yacht Harbour is a marina, shopping center, touring services, as well as bars and restaurants.
Address: Yacht Harbour, , Virgin Gorda , British Virgin Islands
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The Baths National Park, Spanish Town & The Valley
The Baths National Park, Spanish Town & The Valley
