British Virgin Islands / Things to do

Some of the places to see and parks to visit in the BVI include:

The JR O’Neal Botanical Gardens, Tortola -  Definitely worth a visit if you are walking around town – a calm and very attractive respite from the (relative) hustle and bustle of Road Town. The botanical gardens display indigenous BVI and Caribbean flora, divided into sections either side of a central alley of royal palms. There are areas devoted to orchids, cacti and local herbs, with collections of heliconia and anthuriums and 62 species of palms.

Sage Mountain National Park, Tortola - A forest area at Tortola and the BVI’s highest point, on the mountainous ridge, 1716 feet. Dry forest and some greener lusher growth. Trails run through the park, past mahoganies, enormous elephant ears, white cedars, kapok trees, ferns and philodendrons that quiver on the breeze.

The Baths National Park, Virgin Gorda - The Baths are a jumble of extraordinary rocks fronting onto lovely sand that simply don’t belong in this area. They make up a spectacular (and all too visited) series of beaches in the southern tip of the island (and the islands to the south of here). The Protected Area also includes Devil's Bay, which can be reached from the Baths by a series of ladders scaling the boulders and just to the north of the Baths, Spring Bay, which is reached by a separate road and includes a lovely white sand beach.

Gorda Peak, Virgin Gorda - At 1,359 feet, the Peak is Virgin Gorda's highest point. The forest features many indigenous plants including some not found anywhere else. An observation tower at the top offers spectacular views of some of the surrounding islands, including Anegada.

The Wreck of the Rhone Marine Park - A 310 foot Royal Mail Ship, the RMS Rhone, sank off Salt Island in 1867, the victim of a devastating hurricane. Its remains are now home to a variety of corals, fish and other marine life. The RMS Rhone, which was used as the underwater location for the movie, The Deep, has become one of the region's most popular dive spots. See Scuba Diving

Parks - The BVI has several bird sanctuaries accessible only by boat. These can be found on West Dog, Great Tobago, Little Tobago and Diamond Cay. Two other BVI parks well worth visiting are Prickly Pear Island, a sandy isle located in the North Sound off Virgin Gorda and Cam Bay on Great Camanoe, which has a secluded beach and a quiet anchorage. Two additional parks are Dead Chest located off Peter Island and Fallen Jerusalem, an island near the western tip near Virgin Gorda.

For even more ideas on things to do in Barbados, see our separate sections on Birdwatching, Flowers & Gardens, Nature and Historical Sites for more details.