DK Travel : Virgin Islands : Virgin Gorda & the Outer Islands

Virgin Gorda & the Outer Islands : Overview & Top 10

Thickly forested Virgin Gorda punctuates the string of volcanic islands that make up the USVI and BVI. Named the “Fat Virgin” by Christopher Columbus, the 8.5-sq mile (22-sq km) island with 3,000 inhabitants is the most populous of the 60 or so outer islands. Anegada sits 15 miles (24 km) to its east, a flat atoll fringed by a spectacular reef and home to only 173 hearty souls. Jost Van Dyke, to the west of Tortola, has 200 folks on its 3 sq miles (8 sq km). Many other islands are occupied by exclusive hotels and private homes. The rest are unpopulated, waiting for sailors to drop anchor at their harbors. Except for Virgin Gorda, access is difficult. But if you want some peace on a truly tropical idyll, it’s well worth the effort.

For more on the BVI outer islands (seeSailing in the British Virgin Islands) The Wreck of the Rhone was used to film the 1976 movie, The Deep, starring Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte