All of this information and more is available in our Bellamare insider’s guide, which we provide for guests at the house. You can also email us after you book for an e-version of the guide to look over before you go.
Water
- Diving One of the many reasons people come to Virgin Gorda is the world class diving. Whether you are a novice or an experienced diver you can be at one of many beautiful dive sites within 30 minutes of leaving Spanishtown harbor. We never tire of diving the various coral gardens and canyons located in the nearby surrounding islands. For those of you who enjoy wreck diving there are several worth noting, the Coral Gardens, Wreck Alley off Cooper Island, the Chikuzan and the famous HMS Rhone.Dive BVI http://www.divebvi.com/ located on Virgin Gorda is an excellent dive shop that can provide for all your needs whether you rent their Scubapro equipment or bring your own. They have an high quality staff and work hard to provide you an enjoyable diving experience, tailoring the diving to each guest’s abilities.
- Snorkeling When we first came in the late 80’s, we stayed several hundred yards down the beach from Bellamare where, we were told, the snorkeling at Mahoe Bay was excellent. We were not misled. There are, however, many other excellent locations around the island to enjoy snorkeling: Long Bay, near Mountain Point; Savannah Bay, next to Mahoe Bay; Spring Bay, on the way to the Baths; the famous Baths and Devils Bay, right next to the Baths. If you don’t have your own equipment, you can rent whatever you need at Dive BVI in Spanishtown.
- Kayaking & Paddleboarding Either kayaking or paddleboarding in Mahoe Bay is very easy for beginners. Since the bay is protected by a reef there isn’t much wave or swell action, so paddling around isn’t very strenuous and you are always within reach of shore.
Land
- Hiking Hiking on Virgin Gorda usually means Gorda Peak, although there are lots of other beautiful walks along the road above Mahoe and Long Bay. Gorda Peak is the highest point on Virgin Gorda at 1,370 feet. Gorda Peak is located on the northwestern ridge of the island, south of North Sound and is one of the last remaining examples of Caribbean dry forest in the region, which makes it a high priority for conservation internationally.
- Biras Creek Trail Biras Creek’s trails offer spectacular views of the Biras Creek Resort and beyond, the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and the North Sound. The several trails (Rock Terrace, Mangrove, Orchid and Alvin’s Height) offer hikers the opportunity to see a wide variety of the island’s diverse plants, cacti, brightly-colored wildflowers and thick mangrove forest—and wild life, iguanas, stunning birds and the pigmy geckoes.
- Coppermine National Park. The ruins of a 19th century copper mine stand on a spectacular promontory overlooking the channel. The site, restored in the late 1990s, is now part of the BVI National Parks Trust. Traces of copper can be seen in the rocks and cliffs around the site and the engine house offer a unique perspective on Virgin Gorda’s history. New Visitor Center above the Coppermine is now open and offers a spectacular view of the site as well as the island.