Day Trip to The Baths and Devil's Bay in Virgin Gorda, BVI

During my 50th birthday trip to St. John, USVI, we took a day trip over to The Baths and Devil's Bay in Virgin Gorda, BVI. I had been dreaming of seeing this natural wonder for years! We opted for a private boat charter with Palm Tree Charters.

The cost of our charter was $1500 USD plus fuel, customs fees of about $80/person, and a 20% tip is the norm. It was about an hour ride over to the harbor in Virgin Gorda.

Image 1: Rock pool ; Image 2: Cool photo op from inside The Baths

Image 1: Rock formation with pool ; Image 2: Entrance sign to Devil's Bay

Since we were visiting from a US island, our captain took our passports and did all the paperwork with customs while we hopped in a taxi for our visit to the National Park. It was about a 10-minute ride in an open air taxi. We paid around $20 each way. The park is open to visitors daily from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (weather permitting). The cost is $3 USD for adults and $2 USD for children and must be paid in cash! The tickets cannot be purchased in advance online. After you've paid your admission fee, you are free to start your hiking adventure down to The Baths! It was a very easy hike! No steep climbs and the path was smooth and wide. It took about 15 minutes to reach The Baths. There are large boulders leaning against each other forming secret caves, rock pools, and plenty of Instagram worthy photo ops! Some of the pathways were quite narrow. But, the most challenging part was having to go backward down a wooden ladder to reach the Cathedral Room. We had to wait in line about 15 minutes to reach the ladder because only one person can go down at a time. The Cathedral Room is the most photographed location in the Caribbean! Fun fact, Tyra Banks' first Sports Illustrated photo shoot was in this very spot! We spent about an hour total exploring the rock formations before heading over to Devil's Bay. It was a short walk around the corner from the entrance to The Baths. And, WOW is it gorgeous!! We swam for a little while to cool off. Then we headed back up the hiking path towards the exit. Near the exit, there is a small beach bar where you can get a fruity cocktail and snacks. There were restrooms, a place to rinse your feet, and a few small souvenir vendors set up to purchase a t-shirt, etc. (The bar and vendors did take credit cards)! We then took the short taxi ride back to the harbor where our Captain was waiting on us. We went over to the Bitter End Yacht Club for some lunch, and then headed back to St. John. We had to check back in with the customs office in St. John when we arrived. If you're considering a trip to the USVI's or BVI's, it's worth a trip over to Virgin Gorda to experience this stunning natural wonder! I highly recommend it!

Insider tips: you will need to wear a swimsuit as you WILL get wet. I also recommend wearing some sort of water or hiking sandal such as Keen's, Teva's, or Chacos. The rocks can hurt your feet and it can get slippery in there! And, I highly recommend a dry bag for your cell phones & towels. You will need your hands free to hang on to the ropes and handrails, so you don't want to risk dropping your phone!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to the British Virgin Islands. In need of further inspiration? Check out Joslyn Weaver’s guide, Caribbean Getaway to Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands.