The ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda glides past the Dog Islands and within twenty minutes you’re staring at the boulder pile that is The Baths. That crossing — forty minutes on a good day — is the hinge of this itinerary. According to the BVI Tourist Board, The Baths draws over 200,000 visitors annually, and the route between the two islands is the most-travelled ferry corridor in the British Virgin Islands. This article lays out a four-day, family-paced island-hopping plan from Tortola to Virgin Gorda, with a side trip to Anegada for anyone who can stretch an extra day. It works for first-time visitors and return travellers who want the logistics ironed out without the burnout.
200,000+ annual visitors make The Baths the BVI’s most-visited natural attraction, yet the ferry crossing takes under an hour.
This itinerary is built for a family who wants to see the BVI’s two main islands without rushing, with a clear three-night stop on Virgin Gorda. It’s not a budget trip — expect ferry fares and taxi tours to add up — but the pacing avoids the “back on the boat in 45 minutes” frustration that many cruise-day excursions create.
First-time BVI visitors
Families with school-age kids
Slow travellers (not cruise-day trippers)
| Day | Where | What | Time Needed | Key Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tortola (Road Town & Cane Garden Bay) | Arrive via St. Thomas ferry, afternoon beach time, dinner at Quito’s Gazebo | Full day | Book the 2pm Speedy’s ferry from St. Thomas — it lines up with most arrivals |
| Day 2 | Tortola → Virgin Gorda | Morning ferry, afternoon at The Baths (enter via Spring Bay), sunset at Devil’s Bay | Full day + ferry | Ferry + taxi combo to The Baths runs ~$32 round trip for a family of 4 — don’t rent a car just for this |
| Day 3 | Virgin Gorda (North Sound) | Leverick Bay marina, snorkel at Saba Rock, lunch at the Bitter End Yacht Club | Full day | Book a water taxi from Spanish Town to North Sound — $25 per person each way, kids half price |
| Day 4 | Virgin Gorda → Anegada (optional) | Ferry to Anegada, snorkel Horseshoe Reef, lobster lunch at Setting Point, afternoon ferry back | Full day | Only one ferry daily — check the schedule at the Spanish Town terminal the day before |
Day 1: Tortola — Arrival and Cane Garden Bay
Most visitors fly into St. Thomas and take a ferry to Tortola’s Road Town terminal. Speedy’s Ferries runs the route from Charlotte Amalie to Tortola twice daily, and the crossing takes about 45 minutes. Once you clear customs, you’re a five-minute walk from the main taxi stand. Drop your bags at a guesthouse near Cane Garden Bay — that strip of beach on Tortola’s north coast gives you the best blend of calm swimming and evening food options without Road Town’s noise.
Spend the afternoon in the water. The bay is sheltered most of the year, and the sand slopes gently — ideal for Lily and Ethan to swim without constant supervision. $3 entrance fee for the beach, but no charge if you buy lunch at one of the beachfront bars.
Quito Rymer’s restaurant sits right on the sand. The conch fritters and grilled lobster are the standouts. Arrive by 6:30pm to grab a table on the deck — the place fills up with yachties by 7:30pm. Cash only, so hit the ATM in Road Town before you taxi over.
If your flight arrives after 3pm, skip the beach and grab dinner at Myett’s Garden & Grille — they have a kids’ menu and live music on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Day 2: Tortola to Virgin Gorda — The Baths
The morning ferry from Tortola’s Road Town terminal to Virgin Gorda’s Spanish Town runs every two hours starting at 7:30am. The crossing takes 30–40 minutes. Buy your tickets at the terminal — Road Town Fast Ferries and Speedy’s both run the route, and the fare is roughly $20 per adult, $10 per child each way. Book the 9am ferry to arrive at Spanish Town by 9:45am and beat the midday heat at The Baths.
Most people enter The Baths from the main parking lot, but the path gets crowded fast. Instead, take a taxi ($7 per person) to Spring Bay, the beach just north of the main Baths. Walk south along the shoreline through the boulders and you’ll reach the main pool area with half the crowd. Time on site: 2–3 hours if you want to swim and explore the caves.
The sheltered cove behind The Baths has calm water and good snorkelling around the rocks at the north end. The path from the Baths to Devil’s Bay involves a short scramble over boulders — not suitable for very young children or anyone with mobility issues. BVI Tourism notes that the terrain can be challenging, so skip it if you’re visiting with a toddler or a stroller.
A 2-hour taxi tour of the island costs around $150 and covers the Baths, Gorda Peak lookout, and the Copper Mine ruins. If you’re short on time, skip the Copper Mine — the interpretive signs are interesting, but the site is a 15-minute walk from the road and the ruins are mostly rubble.
The Baths parking lot fills by 10:30am on days when cruise ships are in Tortola. Check the Speedy’s Ferries schedule for cruise-related crowd density — if a ship is docked, go to Spring Bay instead.
Day 3: Virgin Gorda — North Sound and Saba Rock
Virgin Gorda’s North Sound is a different world from the boulder-strewn south coast — a protected bay dotted with small islands, resorts, and floating bars. A water taxi from Spanish Town to North Sound costs about $25 per person each way, and kids under 12 typically ride for half price. The trip takes 20 minutes and passes through the channel between Mosquito Island and Prickly Pear.
Leverick Bay is the main hub for boat charters, dive shops, and a small grocery store. Grab a coffee at the marina cafe and watch the yachts come in. If you’re considering a day sail, shared charters start at $135 per person (ages 12+) on a catamaran — book a day ahead at the marina office.
A tiny island with a bar, restaurant, and snorkel beach. The water taxi can drop you directly at the dock. The snorkelling off the north shore is decent — coral heads and a few turtles. Lunch runs $15–25 per person. Saba Rock’s website lists the daily menu and ferry schedule.
The resort’s beach is open to the public if you arrive by water taxi. The pool bar and the pizza oven are kid-friendly, and the shallow swimming area right off the beach is protected by a breakwater. If you’re staying overnight, book a room at the Bitter End — it’s the only full-service resort in North Sound.
Michael and I took the 8:30am water taxi and had Saba Rock almost to ourselves until 10:30am, when the first day-sail crowd arrived. The lobster roll at the Saba Rock bar is worth the early start.
Day 4 (Optional): Anegada Day Trip
Anegada is the flat, coral-and-limestone outlier of the BVI — the only island without volcanic peaks. The ferry from Spanish Town to Anegada runs once daily, usually departing at 8am and returning at 4pm. The crossing takes about 90 minutes and can be choppy in trade-wind season (December to March). If you skip Anegada, use Day 4 as a slow morning on Virgin Gorda — revisit Spring Bay for a quieter beach day or hike Gorda Peak (30-minute walk from the road, 1,370-foot summit with panoramic views).
The reef wraps around the south and east sides of the island. Several operators run snorkel trips from the ferry dock — expect to pay around $40 per person for a 2-hour outing. The reef is shallow enough for kids to see without diving, but current can be strong on the windward side.
Anegada is famous for its spiny lobster, and the restaurants at Setting Point serve it grilled, curried, or in a sandwich. A whole lobster runs $25–35. The dining area overlooks a salt pond where flamingos sometimes feed — bring binoculars if you have them. Tip: call ahead to confirm the ferry schedule the day before, as it can change with weather.
Anegada’s ferry is cancelled roughly 1 in 5 days during winter due to wind. If you’re on a tight schedule, don’t leave it to the last day of your trip — build in a buffer day or treat Anegada as a bonus, not a must-do.
Practical Section: Transport, Costs, and Booking Windows
The BVI’s ferry network is reliable but not frequent — missing a connection can cost you a half-day. Here’s what you need to know about getting between islands and what it costs.
Ferry schedules and fares
Speedy’s Ferries and Road Town Fast Ferries both run the Tortola–Virgin Gorda route every 2 hours from 7:30am to 6pm. The fare is around $20/adult and $10/child each way. The Virgin Gorda–Anegada ferry runs once daily and costs $35/adult, $18/child. No online booking is available for the Anegada route — you must buy tickets at the Spanish Town ferry terminal in person, ideally the day before.
Taxi tours and costs
A 2-hour taxi tour of Virgin Gorda that covers The Baths, Gorda Peak, and the Copper Mine ruins costs roughly $150 for a group of up to 4. The taxi driver acts as a de facto guide and will wait at each stop. If you’re only going to The Baths, a taxi from Spanish Town to the Baths is $7 per person each way. The round-trip taxi plus ferry combo for a family of 4 runs about $32 — much cheaper than renting a car for the day.
Where to stay
On Tortola, guesthouses near Cane Garden Bay offer the best beach access for families. On Virgin Gorda, Spanish Town has budget-friendly options within walking distance of the ferry, while Leverick Bay and the Bitter End area are pricier but closer to the North Sound. If you’re still weighing which side of the island to sleep on, this interactive map of the BVI’s hotels and rentals makes it easier to compare proximity to the ferry versus the beach.
- Ferry tickets for the Anegada route can’t be booked online — buy them in person the day before.
- The Baths entrance via Spring Bay costs the same as the main entrance but avoids the worst of the crowds.
- A taxi tour of Virgin Gorda ($150 for 2 hours) is more flexible than renting a car, and the drivers know the island’s roads.
Before You Go: BVI Island Hopping Questions Answered
Do I need a passport to go from Tortola to Virgin Gorda?
No — Tortola and Virgin Gorda are both in the British Virgin Islands, so no border crossing is involved. You’ll need a passport to enter the BVI from St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands), but once you’re in, inter-island travel is domestic.
Can I visit The Baths with a toddler?
It’s not ideal. The main passage through the boulders requires crawling through a narrow opening, and the rocks are slippery. Stick to Spring Bay beach, which is flat and has easy access to the water, and skip the caves. Lily and Ethan were 7 and 9 when we visited — they handled the scramble fine, but I wouldn’t take a child under 5.
What’s the worst part of the itinerary?
The ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda can be bumpy in winter (December–March). If anyone in your group gets seasick, take a motion-sickness pill an hour before departure. The afternoon crossing is usually calmer than the morning.
How much cash should I bring?
Most restaurants and taxis in the BVI are cash-only. ATMs exist in Road Town and Spanish Town but can run out of cash on weekends. Bring enough US dollars to cover ferries, meals, and taxis for the first two days — roughly $400 for a family of four.
Is the Anegada day trip worth it for a short visit?
Only if you can spare a full day and don’t mind the 90-minute ferry ride. The lobster lunch and the reef snorkelling are unique, but the island is flat and sparse — if you’re only in the BVI for 4 days, skip it and spend the extra time on Virgin Gorda’s beaches.
The Shape of the Journey
Forty minutes on a ferry, a few taxi rides, three nights on Virgin Gorda — that’s the whole stretch. The islands don’t reward rushing. The best part of the itinerary wasn’t the boulders or the lobster; it was the pace, the way the days opened up into long afternoons with nothing scheduled. If you want to read more about how to slow down and see the quieter corners of the BVI, locals share their favourite spots in this guide — the ones that don’t show up on the ferry schedule.
References
Nomadic Matt. “British Virgin Islands Travel Guide.” Nomadic Matt, 2024. ↗
Take Your Backpack. “How to Visit Virgin Gorda.” Take Your Backpack, 2024. ↗
Culture Trip. “How to Spend 7 Days Island Hopping Around the British Virgin Islands.” Culture Trip, 2024. ↗
When I Wander. “How to Visit Tortola and the Baths of Virgin Gorda.” When I Wander, 2024. ↗
If you’re planning a family trip to the BVI, this roundup of BVI activities for all ages covers the kid-friendly options beyond The Baths, from the pirate-themed snorkel trails at Norman Island to the calm swimming at Savannah Bay. For photographers, a dedicated guide to shooting The Baths at golden hour will help you get the light right. And if you’re considering a yacht charter instead of the ferry, this sailing itinerary adds a whole different rhythm to the same islands.
Explore Places to Stay in BVI
Feel free to zoom in and out of the map to explore the area and find the best place to stay for your trip.