Virgin Gorda

Situated off the coast of Virgin Gorda, Prickly Pear is part of the British Virgin Islands archipelago. This pristine and uninhabited island is partially covered in prickly pear cacti, which is how it got its name. It obtained national park status in the late 1980s and boasts calm, crystal-clear waters lined with stunning white-sand beaches that are extremely inviting for swimming and snorkelling among sea urchins, marine turtles, and multicoloured fish. In the island’s south, the four salt ponds overrun with mangrove are an ideal habitat for multiple species of birds such as coots, black-necked stilts, gulls, and white-cheeked pintails.