USVI-On-Line

If you take the ferry to V/G for the day do have time to travel to the baths and get back in time to catch the ferry back to St. John ?

We did it ourselves by taking the inter-island ferry from Cruz Bay, St. John to Virgin Gorda. The ferry runs on Thursdays and Sundays and leaves at 8:30am. The cost is $90.00 a person. The ferry leaves Virgin Gorda at 3:00pm for Cruz Bay, St. John. We took a open air taxi from Customs to the entrance to the Baths and made arrangements to be picked up in time to get back to customs for the ferry ride back. There is a restaurant called Top of the Baths you can eat at and on the beach below, there is a snack shack that serves cheeseburgers, hot dogs and sandwiches as well as alcoholic beverages. You can walk the trail through the Baths at your own pace and when you come out you exit onto another beautiful beach.

gibber161: Thanks a lot for reminding me of that direct ferry service. When we visited the Baths many years ago, we did so as part of a multi-day BVI visit, with a stay on Tortola, and a subsequent ferry from Road Town to Virgin Gorda and back. As villa owners, we field regular inquiries from upcoming guests about visits to the Baths, among other BVI destinations. For a number of guests, a private motorboat charter is too pricey, and attempts to coordinate charter pooling in advance can be frustrating. I am working on a document that summarizes BVI travel options for our guests, and this ability to visit the Baths in one day, using existing ferries, is really helpful. Thanks!

All the best,

Kevin

What's the length of the ride?

How much time should you allow to check out at customs to catch the ferry back to St. John ?

jsauls1 wrote:How much time should you allow to check out at customs to catch the ferry back to St. John ?

No time at all...you clear customs on St. John (1st point of entry into US).

Fisheye wrote:What's the length of the ride?

About 3 hrs, maybe a little more as they take on more passengers at West End on Tortola.

Okay, memories a little fuzzy on the time it takes to get to Virgin Gorda, but even with a quick stop in Tortola, I believe we got to Virgin Gorda within 2 hours. Customs closes at 4:30pm or 5:00pm in Cruz Bay, St. John. The ferry leaves Virgin Gorda at 3:00pm with no stops on the way back, so that is a minimum of 1 1/2 hour ride with no more than a 2 hour ride. Sometimes the dock at customs is very busy and there is a line of boats waiting to dock or check in.

Coconuts wrote:gibber161: Thanks a lot for reminding me of that direct ferry service. When we visited the Baths many years ago, we did so as part of a multi-day BVI visit, with a stay on Tortola, and a subsequent ferry from Road Town to Virgin Gorda and back. As villa owners, we field regular inquiries from upcoming guests about visits to the Baths, among other BVI destinations. For a number of guests, a private motorboat charter is too pricey, and attempts to coordinate charter pooling in advance can be frustrating. I am working on a document that summarizes BVI travel options for our guests, and this ability to visit the Baths in one day, using existing ferries, is really helpful. Thanks!

All the best,

Kevin

Kevin, we always use the inter-island ferries when visiting the BVIs. What we like most about the ferries is the ability to pick a destination for the day, whether it be Jost, Tortola, or Virgin Gorda, the ability to control our cost, knowing the amount of time we will spend at our destination and the option to pick the day we want to visit said island.

What will happen if you are unable to clear customs back on St John if the ferry is late ?

Customs will always wait for the ferry to arrive - they know exactly what time they will be arriving and they have priority over boats in the bay waiting to check in.

Pia