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A little about Virgin Gorda

Natural beauty is in abundance on the third largest of the British Virgin Islands. Discover the indigenous plant-lined trails, nature sanctuaries and natural wonders of our protected national parks. Visit the geographic wonder of the baths and snorkel through its grottoes. Relax on our beaches and enjoy the beauty that makes us home to sailors and visitors from around the world.

The history of Virgin Gorda

The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the fanciful name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula. He is also reported to have personally named Virgin Gorda (the Fat Virgin), which he thought to be the largest island in the group. The British Virgin Islands came under British control in 1672, at the outbreak of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, and have remained so ever since. The circumstances of the British taking control however are somewhat uncertain. The Dutch averred that in 1672 Willem Hunthum put Tortola under the protection of Colonel Sir William Stapleton, the English Governor-General of the Leeward Islands. Stapleton himself reported that he had captured the Territory shortly after the outbreak of war.

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