British Virgin Islands Alive!

Here is the best guide to these sparsely populated islands. Largely untouched by tourism, they have few high-rise hotels, no time-share condos, no casinos. What they do have is unparalleled beauty, with small picturesque hotels set on beachfronts, in ancient fortresses, in the ruins of sugar mills and on lush mountainsides. On the island of Virgin Gorda, there is Little Dix Bay Resort, built by Laurance Rockefeller; Peter Island Resort occupies another island in its entirety. Among the other islands are Tortola, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke and Beef. The sailing here cannot be beaten and boats gather in the pristine waters year-round. Diving enthusiasts can visit ghost ships, pinnacles and underwater caves.