Vital Statistics

Population: 18,000
Area: 59 sq. miles (153 sq. km)
Capital: Road Town on Tortola
Language: English
Religion: Mostly Methodist, Anglican and Catholic
Time Zone: GMT -4 hours
Currency: US dollars
Electricity: 110v
Weights & Measures: Metric/Imperial
International Dialling Code: 284

The Place

Once known as a pirates' den for colourful and notorious characters such as Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and Henry Morgan, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are now more like a "land that time forgot", just a few miles but a world away from the glitz of the US Virgin Islands.

On the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, out on a limb to the north, there are no high-rise developments, flashy hotels or casinos and most of the other 50-plus islands are uninhabited. For a long time, they managed to evade the whirlwind of change that enveloped most of the Lesser Antilles and are now capitalising on their simple treasures: a pleasant, gentle citizenry and long, unspoiled beaches of powdery white sand bordering clear blue seas.

This natural wealth forms the basis of the islands' economy and upmarket resorts have developed around marinas offering yacht and hotel accommodation combined - it's the yachties the Government wants to attract, along with those seeking somewhere quiet and beautiful to escape to. Despite the financial advantages that tourism (around 300,000 visitors a year) brings, the BVI takes active steps to protect and maintain the unspoiled environment.

Geography

Located 18º north of the equator and at the northwestern extreme of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, adjacent to the US Virgin Islands, the BVI are made up of over 50 islands, cays and rocks. The largest is Tortola, at 20 km long and 6 km wide, which has the highest elevation in the BVI, at 540 metres. Virgin Gorda also rises steeply from the sea with a volcanic peak of 410 metres. Though most of the islands in the group are volcanic, Anegada is a very flat coral and limestone atoll 30 miles northeast of Tortola, none of it more than a few metres above sea level and almost invisible to passengers arriving by sea. Most of the other 40 odd islets are uninhabited.

The mountain slopes are mainly covered in thick, subtropical forest, where hairy lianas (vines) hang from ancient mahogany trees. Mangrove swamps are to be found along the coast. Coconut, mango, papaya and breadfruit trees, along with the native mammee apple, are all to be found on the islands.

The islands are home to a number of birds, including the bananaquit egret, hawk, heron and hummingbird. Among the fauna are various reptiles, including the bo-peep frog and the rock iguana, which are only found here.

Climate

Temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year. The dry season is December to May, when the temperature ranges from 18-29ºC; in the June to November wet season it can be between 24-35ºC. Breezes generally keep the humidity to a maximum of 80 percent. Rainfall ranges from an annual 129 cm around the coasts to 381 cm in the interior rainforest. Although it is on the hurricane path, St Lucia has been luckier than other Caribbean islands and has escaped with far less devastation. The hurricane season runs from June to November but storms are most likely in September, so follow local advice if you are visiting during these months.

Highlights

Beaches

Many of the beaches can only be reached by sea but are well worth the effort, providing crystal-clear water for snorkelling.

Cane Garden Bay, west of Road Town, is the most accessible beach on Tortola and with the liveliest facilities but it can get rather busy. A more tranquil option, fringed with palm trees, is Smuggler's Cove in the west of Tortola, or Brewer's Bay in the northwest. On Virgin Gorda, The Baths are lovely. Other good options are North Sound, Little Dix Bay, Savannah Bay and the beach at Bitter End Yacht Club. Deadman's Bay on Peter Island is ranked as one of the world's most romantic beaches. Also worth a visit are White Bay on Jost Van Dyke and any of the beaches on the western half of the south coast of Anegada.

Sailing

Yachting is a very popular activity in these parts. These beautiful, protected waters provide a safe haven even for relatively inexperienced sailors. There are plenty of companies offering boats for hire, with or without crew, to go out around the islands, many of which are accessible only by water.

Diving

There is abundant marine life and visibility can be as much as 61 metres in these clear, tropical waters, which average 24ºC in winter and 30ºC in summer. There are more than 60 chartered dive sites, many of them within national parks, covering reefs, caves and wrecks. At around 18 km, Horseshoe Reef off the south coast of Anegada is the third-largest coral reef in the world, although many parts have been closed while a national park and moorings are established to counteract damage to the coral.

The Baths

The Baths, part of the Devil's Bay National Park on Virgin Gorda, are a group of naturally occurring saltwater pools with underwater tunnels and caves formed by huge granite boulders, some as big as houses. Ladders and bridges are around to help the climb over trickier parts. It can be great fun for swimming, snorkelling and diving but is such a favourite that it can become rather crowded.

Road Town

'Road' is an old nautical term for a safe place to drop anchor and the main town of the BVI buzzes with maritime character, although it never really gets too busy here. The brightly painted, West Indian-style wooden houses along the waterfront are being carefully restored and businesses of all kind flourish here and on Whickhams Cay. The Virgin Islands Folk Museum on Main Street shows, among other exhibits, life in the plantation and slavery eras. If you want to see tropical flora at close quarters, this lush, 1.6-hectare garden at the Botanic Gardens in Road Town has indigenous and exotic tropical plants.

Mount Sage National Park

Offering spectacular views of the islands on the way up, this area of tropical forest was spared from clearance for plantations. Lianas, moss and various orchids can be seen clinging to giant mahogany trees.

Bomba's Shack

If you want to experience Caribbean nightlife, Bomba's Shack in Apple Bay on Tortola is about as good as it gets in the BVI. The "full-moon parties" are known for being particularly lively affairs.

Soper's Hole

13km west of Road Town, colourful Soper's Hole oozes with Caribbean charm. It has a marina, yacht charter buildings and ferries to the US Virgin Islands and Jost Van Dyke. The Jolly Roger Inn is a great place to sample local cuisine.

Pirate haunts

As the Virgin Islands are steeped in pirate history, there are plenty of locations which stake a claim on these colourful characters. Dead Chest off Peter Island is said to be where Blackbeard left 15 sailors to die ("15 men on a dead man's chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"). Norman Island is supposed to be the location for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, prompting plenty of treasure hunters to dig around but to no avail so far.

Tourist Office website -  www.bvitourism.co.uk