The British Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean Sea, an area of the Atlantic Ocean. Virgin Gorda is the third-largest island in the chain, and legend has it that the name originates with Christopher Columbus himself, supposedly because from the horizon the island resembles a fat woman lying on her side.
The island of Virgin Gorda covers about eight square miles. The main settlement is located in the southwestern region and is named Spanish Town. One reason why tourists come to stay in Virgin Gorda vacation rentals is the unusual geologic formation called "The Baths. Situated at the southern end of the island, this natural feature reveals the island's volcanic past. The Baths mainly consists of enormous boulders of granite that are piled up on the beach in such a way that they appear to be grottoes opening up onto the sea.
Another tourist attraction is the old copper mine located on the island. Now a National Park, the copper mine is where Cornish miners once labored to extract the metal from the island.
Virgin Gorda is noted for its beautiful beaches, which features large expanses of tropical blue water. Transportation to the island mainly consists of flights through Virgin Gorda Airport or ferry transport from Beef Island, Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas, or Road Town Tortola. Currently the only flights that land at Virgin Gorda Airport are private charters, but hope remains high that regular air service to the island will resume soon.