Saba Rock, BVI

People often ask me, “What is the number one thing I should do when I come to Virgin Gorda?” This is always a tough question for me, as I must admit, I have so many ‘number one’ things to recommend. Saba Rock is not only one of them here in Virgin Gorda, but it’s also at the top of my ‘Must See in all the BVI’ list.

Saba Rock is located in the picturesque North Sound of Virgin Gorda. It neighbors Google mogul Larry Page’s Eustatia island, as well as Sir Richard Branson’s Necker and Mosquito islands. It is also conveniently located across from the Bitter End Yacht Club and Biras Creek resorts.

The North Sound is considered the prime yachting destination in the BVI. Here luxury yachts come to enjoy the protected waters, an array of water sports activities, and access to a range of islands and high-end resorts. The protected waters and anchorages, combined with the close proximity of luxury properties in the area, make it a perfect location to anchor and relax for boaters. You’re practically guaranteed to see many beautiful boats in the area as you sip your drink on Saba Rock.

Just under one acre in size, Saba Rock features a restaurant & bar, an 8-room boutique hotel, a small beach with hammocks, a relaxation deck, and a full service marina. It also offers overnight slips and moorings to accommodate your boat.

Most people come to Saba Rock on a dinghy and dock it right in front of the restaurant. If you are staying at one of the neighboring resorts, Saba Rock offers a free water taxi service throughout the North Sound.

According to this article, Saba Rock was formerly owned and occupied by Bert Kilbride, a marine archaeologist who for many years served as Her Majesty’s “Receiver of Wrecks” in the territory. The Receiver of Wrecks is an official who administers law dealing with wreck and salvage in some countries having a British administrative heritage.
Bert Kilbride lived in the BVI between 1964 and 2005. During this time, he founded a company to take tourists out to the reefs and wrecks of the British Virgin Islands. With him, Saba Rock became a place for hard drinking treasure divers as well as an offbeat tourist attraction for the fancy yacht crowd.
Saba Rock subsequently was sold to the McManus family from Hawaii, its current owner.

Saba Rock is a place where you can stay, eat, drink, relax  – and do it in style. As you step foot onto the island, you are welcomed by the friendly staff and comfortable couches for you to lounge on.

Their menu offers several options from classic “bar food” dishes to healthy salads, appetizers, and entrees. Do not worry if you are a vegetarian or gluten intolerant – they have you covered.
The lounge and dinner menu offers a variety of fresh dishes such as crispy lettuce wraps with shrimp and quinoa, roasted red pepper hummus, seafood pasta, and mussels steamed in white wine and garlic.

If like me, you love a good burger with a cold Caribbean Beer, you will not be disappointed. The lounge menu offers 8 different burger options for both beef and chicken lovers. If you are a vegetarian (or even a vegan),  not to worry – you will easily find a sandwich on the menu that suits your taste buds as well. 

I mean REALLY, how good do they look?

Daily happy hour goes from 4 – 6pm. Happy hour on Saba Rock means two things: (1) $3 Painkillers, Rum Punch, and Carib Beer. (2) Fish feeding.

Everyday at 5pm, Lance, one of the resort’s managers, feeds the tarpon off the front dock, who swim right up and take food from his hand. This is an especially fun experience for guests (and kids!) as Lance invites everyone to join him in feeding the fish. It is fun to see the tarpon race over and jump up to grab the food.
If you came all the way here, be sure you do not miss the fish feeding.

My favorite place on Saba Rock is the small beach next to the restaurant. This is a place where you can lay in a hammock, read your book or watch kite surfers cruise in the ocean as you sip your drink.
Oh, I also have to mention, these hammocks can accommodate two people at the same time.
If you know what I mean…

If you are not a hammock-kind-of-person, you can relax on the over-the-water deck behind the restaurant. The relaxation deck has a couple of massive couches to spoil yourself in.
Either way, the view from both places is simply stunning.

On a last note, if you are into boats,  you are in the right place. I was lucky to see some of the most beautiful boats I have ever seen in my life around Saba Rock. As we cruised along them, on our way to and from Saba Rock, I could not help but admire how beautiful they are.

I guess at this point, you know where to find me if I am not in my kitchen. Most likely, I’ll be laying in one of the hammocks on Saba Rock, reading my book and sipping on a cold Caribbean beer.

When are you coming? 🙂

Disclaimer: Points that are mentioned in this post about Saba Rock are my personal favorites. The pictures are taken by me and should not be used without my permission.
The recaps are my own views and opinions. I am not paid by the owner of Saba Rock to write this blog post on foolproofliving.com.

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