Gorgeous anchorages make Virgin Gorda a paradise for serious sailors and super yacht glitterati, especially for a New Year’s yacht charter. Luxury restaurants and hotels also offer the ultimate in après-sea.
Where it all began
American businessman Laurance Rockefeller was first to see the potential of Virgin Gorda for yachting in the early 1960s. Then the Caribbean island offered eight square miles of undeveloped natural beauty and sheltered bays. He bought a piece of real estate, built the Little Dix Bay resort and sparked the island’s growth into a yachting mecca. That status was confirmed in 2011 by the arrival of the high-end resort and residences at neighbouring Oil Nut Bay and in 2012 by the luxurious Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS).
The scene stealers
In the late 1970s, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson bought the tiny satellite island of Necker next door to Virgin Gorda, then nearby Mosquito Island in 2007, ensuring a constant stream of celebrity guests. Keen sailor Morgan Freeman also cruises here and Senses, Larry Page’s 59-metre yacht, is often spotted in the area – the Google co-founder owns nearby Eustatia island.