Savannah Bay

Savannah Bay runs for a long stretch on the northwestern side of Virgin Gorda, a crescent of pale sand with a reef offshore that keeps the water inside flat and shallow, and it has almost nothing built on it. There is no bar, no chairs and no facilities of any kind, which is precisely why people who know the island go there. The snorkelling over the inshore reef is good and the beach is often empty. The bay faces northwest, which shelters it from the prevailing trade wind, and that combined with the reef is why the water stays as flat as it does.

What you actually see

• The long crescent - a stretch of pale sand with almost no development.
• The protecting reef - the coral offshore that keeps the water flat.
• The shallow water - calm swimming a long way out.
• The emptiness - a beach that is frequently deserted.

When to go

December to May is the dry season. It is quiet even in high season. Hurricane season runs June to November.

Honest expectations

There are no facilities whatever and everything must be carried. There is very little shade. The access road and parking are informal.

Nearby

Spanish Town is south, and Gorda Peak is inland.