Travelers wishing to escape to a laid-back tropical paradise should look no further than the British Virgin Islands. Although the archipelago is made up of about 50 islands and cays, many are uninhabited.

A British settlement, the islands now run their own affairs, but do operate on the British legal system. The most popular of the British Virgin Islands include Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and the smaller Anegada.

The British Virgin Islands are surrounded by the blue-green Caribbean Sea, along with small bays and cays that were once used as pirate havens. The natural flora of the British Virgin Islands, which include colorful tropical flowers, as well as banana, mango and palm trees, are well-

preserved by the National Parks Trust. Along with great snorkeling and diving sites, beautiful white-sand beaches and protected land, each island offers its own unique feel.

Tortola, which means “turtle dove” in Spanish, is rugged, mountainous land, with Sage Mountain as the highest peak of the Virgin Islands at 1,780 feet. The Virgin Gorda is home to The Baths, the island’s most popular site where visitors can snorkel in pools and grottoes naturally formed by giant boulders. On Anegada, you can tour an 1100-acre bird sanctuary or enjoy Loblolly Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches throughout the Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Virgin Islands lie nearby, with the island of St. Thomas just 20-minutes away by boat. But the British Virgin Islands are much more laid-back and have all the ingredients needed to transport visitors into an isolated paradise. The British Virgin Islands are the place to go to escape from high-rise buildings, cable TV overload, and the hustle and bustle of city life.

British Virgin Islands Travel Guides
 Frommer's British Virgin Islands
 Lonely Planet British Virgin Islands
 Let's Go British Virgin Islands
 Fodors British Virgin Islands