Scrub Island (British Virgin Islands) facts for kids
Scrub Island seen from the northeast
|
|
 Scrub Island
Location in British Virgin Islands
Scrub Island
Location in Caribbean
The location of Scrub Island within the British Virgin Islands
|
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 18°28′04″N 64°30′45″W / 18.46778°N 64.51250°W |
| Archipelago | Virgin Islands |
| Administration | |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| British Overseas Territory | British Virgin Islands |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| ISO code | VG |
Scrub Island is a beautiful island in the British Virgin Islands, located in the Caribbean Sea. It's part of a group of islands called the Lesser Antilles, which are mostly young islands formed by volcanoes or coral. Today, Scrub Island is famous for being home to the Scrub Island Resort, Marina, and Spa.
Contents
Discovering Scrub Island's Location
Scrub Island is found in the sparkling Caribbean Sea. It's about 119 kilometers (74 miles) east of Puerto Rico. It's also around 45 kilometers (28 miles) northeast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. If you're coming from nearby Trellis Bay, it's just a short 2.6 kilometers (1.66 miles) north.
How Big is Scrub Island?
Scrub Island was created by ancient volcanic activity. It stretches about 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) long. The island covers a total area of about 0.93 square kilometers (230 acres). This includes two main parts: Big Scrub, which is about 69 hectares (170 acres), and Little Scrub, which is about 24 hectares (60 acres). The island is quite hilly! Its highest eastern peak reaches 133 meters (438 feet) high. The highest western peak is 95 meters (313 feet) tall.
Scrub Island's Past: A Journey Through Time
People first arrived on Scrub Island about 5,000 years ago. These early inhabitants paddled their way up from South America. Back then, it's thought that Scrub Island was connected to nearby Great Camanoe and Marina Cay Island. This is because the sea level was much lower than it is today.
Early Inhabitants and Discoveries
Around 200 BC, the Arawak people left traces of their pottery on Scrub Island. Before them, the Ciboney people had settled in nearby St. Thomas around 300 BC.
The first European to discover the British Virgin Islands was Christopher Columbus. He found these small islands, including Scrub Island, on November 2, 1493, during his second voyage. For many years after his discovery, the islands remained mostly untouched.
Pirates and European Control
Later, privateers, pirates, and buccaneers used Scrub Island as a secret hideout. There's even proof that pirates buried treasures here! In the early 1600s, the Dutch became interested in the copper mines found on the island. However, because of their interest in piracy and an attack by the Spanish, their plans didn't work out. In 1672, the British took control of the island.
Today, Scrub Island is home to the Scrub Island Resort, Marina, and Spa. This resort was the first major development in the British Virgin Islands in over 15 years when it opened. The resort faced some financial challenges in 2013 but successfully recovered and reopened in November 2015.
Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina
The Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina is a fancy private island resort that opened in 2010. It was a big new project for the British Virgin Islands. The resort has 52 rooms and suites, plus villas with two, three, or four bedrooms. It also features the Ixora Spa, several restaurants, three private beaches, and a marina with 55 boat slips. The whole resort was designed by a company called OBM International USA.
Scrub Island has three beautiful beaches that gently slope into the Caribbean Sea. You can find quiet coves, nature trails, and amazing views all around the island. There are almost no cars on the island. Resort shuttles are the main way to get around.
Places to Stay
The Scrub Island Resort offers different types of places to stay. You can choose from 26 guest rooms or 26 suites with one or two bedrooms. There are also hillside villas available for larger groups or families.
Fun on the Water and the Marina
The resort's marina has 55 slips where boats can dock. Some of these slips can even hold very large yachts up to 52 meters (170 feet) long!
The shallow waters around Scrub Island are perfect for snorkeling and diving. There are also many nearby coves, bays, reefs, and inlets to explore underwater.
Dining Options
The Resort has a variety of restaurants where guests can enjoy delicious meals.
Traveling to Scrub Island
The easiest way to get to Scrub Island from far away is to fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico. From San Juan, you can take another flight with airlines like Cape Air or Air Sunshine to Beef Island/Tortola (airport code: EIS). Once you're in Tortola, Scrub Island is just a seven-minute boat ride away on the resort's private launch.
Other travel options include flying into St. Thomas and taking a 45-minute ferry to Tortola. You can also fly into St. Martin, which offers good connecting flights. For those who prefer, Scrub Island also has two heliports for helicopter arrivals.
Images for kids
-
In Spanish: Isla Scrub (Islas Vírgenes Británicas) para niños
