The Island of Fat Virgin
Columbus was thinking, we suppose, of Santa Ursula and her 11,000 virgins, when he named this archipelago; what is not so clear, is why he called this granite island, Fat Virgin. There are many theories: the most accepted is that if you look the island (16 km. long) from some distance, it looks like a fat woman laying down, Spanish Town, the main city, was the capital until 1741, it is a town plenty of parks and gardens, and if you are looking for souvenirs, you’ll find them at the shops around the new brand sporting spot, south of the ferry station.

You can take a cab to The Baths, that is part of the Devil’s Bay National Park. Here, due to curious geological phenomenon, salt, wind and heat have eroded the granite, thus forming natural pools and caves that can be visited thanks to a road of bridges and stairs.

The likeness between the southeast granite coast of the island, and that of Cornwalles in Britain, where copper mining was a flourishing industry back in the XIX century, led the British to believe that copper could be found here also. And they were not far from true, as from Cornwalles, many miners arrived to explore, during thirty years, the Copper Mine, not far from Spanish Town. There still can be seen the old mine chimney, the stone buildings ruins, rest of the foundry ovens and the mine proper.

Sailing North
The attention given to the south coast, leaves the north unnoticed; but in fact, here is where the best beaches of them all, can be found.

Only five minutes from Spanish Town is the beach of Little Dix Bay, the place Laurence Rockefeller chose to built, in 1964, the first hotel of the British Virgin Islands, focused on family tourism. Due to this, the islands began to be known throughout the world.

At the narrowest point of the island, only 300 m. separate the east coast waters from the magnificent Savannah harbor. In working days, beaches are almost empty, so you can enjoy them fully. The road goes north to Gorda Peak, a 417 m high mountain, forming part of a national park. From a look out, you can watch splendid landscapes. From here on, the road goes down to Pusser’s hotel in Leverick Bay. In front of the hotel, painted with joyful colors, arrives the boat from the North Sound Express that sails through the waters separating the island of Tortola from the Bitter End Yacht Club in John O’Point, a trip of around 45 min., though it changes according to the ocean tide. This is a paradise for sailing lovers and, the beach and resources available for the practice of water sports are really impressive. Maybe you will prefer to take lodging in one of their many yachts, instead of a discreet country house. Bitter End is also famous for its excellent food. A native, Angus Bowen, is a chef that jointly with Earl Williams, the Biras Creek Hotel and Alson Pont chef from the island of Peter, won the golden medal in a prestigious tournament of Caribbean food staged in Puerto Rico.

Close to this coast, is the island of Prickley Pear, with a long beach in Vixen Point, and a smaller one with bar and a sea sports center. No ferry takes you to this island, so an own boat is needed.