The Baths are the most distinctive landscape in the British Virgin Islands and one of the great natural sights of the Caribbean. The beach itself is short and gentle, but its character comes from the granite boulders — some as big as houses — strewn along the shore and tumbling into the shallows. Where the boulders meet they form a complex of grottoes, sea-filled passages and natural pools, with names like Cathedral Hall, where the light shafts down through gaps in the rocks onto pools of glass-clear water.
The full visit takes about two hours. From the entrance kiosk a path leads down through the woods to the main beach. From there a marked trail picks its way through the boulders — climbing ladders, squeezing through gaps, wading through knee-deep pools — to the more secluded Devil's Bay, another sandy beach about 20 minutes' walk south. The route is well-marked but not for anyone with serious mobility issues; it involves continuous climbing, scrambling and getting wet to the knees.
The site is a national park and charges a small entry fee. Arrive before 10am to beat the cruise-ship excursion buses from Tortola, which can fill the rocks with people by mid-morning. There is a small café and restrooms at the trailhead. Bring swimwear, water shoes (the rocks are smooth but the corals can sting), and a dry bag for valuables.