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National Post

This Caribbean paradise is perfect for island hopping with a private resort back in action

Article content Article content It's on the southwestern tip of the island, near the Baths National Park, a popular swath of coastline with granite boulders, caves and tidal pools. It's a bucket-list site and I'm grateful to see it, after the cruise ship crowds have come and gone. Article content I take the short trail from Devil's Bay to the Baths, squeezing between rock faces, climbing up little ladders and wading through water encased by massive boulders that glow where the sun's rays grace the time-sculpted granite that was pushed up from the sea floor millions of years ago. The maze of a trail ends on a white, sandy beach. Article content The surrounding area on Virgin Gorda offers stunning panoramic views and I make a few stops at lookout points for Soldier Bay, Mahoe Bay and Savannah Bay — just a few of the breathtaking vistas — before taking a boat back to the northeastern tip of the island. Article content Article content The North Sound has some stellar places for cocktails and dining. Every sunset is a masterpiece and the star-filled evenings make me want to linger … Ikigai, which opened in May 2024, at the Biras Resort is particularly noteworthy. Article content The restaurant's name is the Japanese term for a passion that gives value and joy to life. And Chef Gustavo Kitayama's 12-course Caribbean-Japanese omakase menu does just that. Article content Carefully curated with local ingredients from the Biras farm and the Caribbean — a mouthwatering parade of dishes are created and served at the bar, which seats 12. Branzino tartar, with green apple, celery, truffle oil and hazelnuts; mahi mahi foam with tobiko and a seaweed cracker; and sous-vide grilled black cod with teriyaki sauce and fried leek are among my favourites. Article content Article content The only thing that makes leaving Virgin Gorda bearable is taking two boat rides through the archipelago — one quite exhilarating, with me catching air at the bow, and the other more leisurely. Both, equally scenic passing Mosquito, Beef and Cooper islands among others, are en route to the private Peter Island and its eponymous Peter Island Resort, which reopened late last year. Article content The exclusive resort has about 50 new and upgraded premium accommodations steps from the palm tree-lined stretch of Deadman's Beach and two luxury villas nestled on hillsides with incredible views of the ocean and surrounding islands. In addition, there are five sandy, secluded beaches, two swimming pools and a yacht club that can accommodate super yachts of up to 200 feet. All of this is on a picturesque, tropical island, along with facilities like a fitness centre, a conference centre and a spa. Article content I do a sunrise walk up the windy, dirt road — passing beautifully scented frangipani flowers, sage and tamarind trees — to a lookout about 100 metres above the sea. The views are spectacular here and at the nearby Falcon's Nest Villa, where I watch the sunset. I can see Tortola, the Sir Francis Drake Channel just south of it, Cooper Island, Ginger Island and others dotted around the vast azure waters. Article content Article content I can also see Norman Island, perhaps the most notorious place in the BVI. It was apparently the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Piracy in the area dates back several centuries when pirates such as Captain William Kidd and Blackbeard were said to have made it their base. Article content The resort's Drake Steakhouse is named for the aforementioned Sir Francis Drake — a privateer and the first Englishman to sail around the world from 1577 to 1580. At the restaurant, chef Frank Sham serves up delicious fare from a Caribbean take on French toast with tamarind syrup in the morning to wagyu steak in the evening. Article content Certainly, touring the island, walking its white, sandy beaches and playing in the water works up an appetite. It also prepares me for one final indulgence — which begins with a refreshing ginger lemonade at the spa. Article content Article content