British Virgin Island More than marina beauty
 

If you thought all the British Virgin Islands had going for themselves is a strategic location from sea level since they seem to rise dramatically from drowned mountain chain that once comprised this historical holiday destination, think again. This Marina town lined with bars and restaurants filled to the brim with sailors and those that love the sea-faring life, be they boatmen, those hiring boat charters on a holiday or even simply groups of students making it to the affectionately termed BVI for a vacation that is laid-back but affordable and safe, is a sleepy but slowly developing Caribbean hotspot.

Known basically as a boater's paradise, it is very different from the US Virgin Islands that flank it on one side because these islands are quite the sleepy hollow equivalent of the former – that is, until recently, when global publications started using the pristine locales and rich abundant natural beauty as the classic backdrop for their creative photo, movie and video shoots besides calendar opportunities because of the picture postcard beauty of the British Virgin Islands.

It has many bays and secret beach coves that offer hours of private beach-combing fun for singles, couples, families and even business groups with common interests and a love for the invigorating smell of the sea-mist and waves. Lying to the east of Puerto Rico in the middle of the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea, the Tortola stretches for 21.5 square miles, the Virgin Gorda measures another 8.5 square miles while the Jost Van Dyke spans 3.5 square miles to make up the essential landscape of the BVI. With a quaint name to its capital (its called Road Town) and English being the main language, most tourists find the British Virgin Islands an affordable Caribbean holiday option with its balmy sub-tropical climate with pleasant trade winds making up for any of the hurricane threats one can easily avoid by not planning any trips during June to October (when the threats mainly exist).

Vacation activities

As far as holiday activities on the British Virgin Islands are concerned, water sports do rule the top choices with sailing being the most popular among tourists of all ages, followed by snorkeling and diving.

There are 40 islands on the BVI, with many diving reefs and shipwrecks making for activities of interest for varied tourist groups that love underwater sports or just some historical culture soaking when on holiday in the Caribbean. In the latter category, culture buffs can head for Tortola, in Road Town for a slow and enlightening view of the city’s various museums and stores or even enjoy leisure pleasures of climbing slowly to 1,780-foot high Sage Mountain for clicking some of the most picturesque scenes of a sea or town view from atop this high mountain in a mainly sea-town.

Those with a love for history cannot go back from the British Virgin Islands before visiting one of the oldest copper mines here; this one’s called Virgin Gorda's old copper mine.

There’s no dearth of nightlife on British Virgin Islands since the early 1990’s at least, with many Full Moon parties being celebrated here since the past two decades with great responses from tourists who love those hosted at the Trellis Bay and regular events similarly named at Bomba's Shack on Tortola, the best of outdoor celebrations in BVI integrating thumping music, outdoor dancing and exotic island cuisine.

Of course, the best disco in town is called ‘The Bat Cave’ and is located in Road Town but other places also host great dance and music jam sessions on the weekends where top choices are reggae, steel-drum music, fungi (the BVI’s scratch band style) and calypso, the world renowned Caribbean flavor to fast music.

Loads of beach combing, sunbathing, swimming or wading besides lazy afternoon picnic lunches and even sand-burying oneself in childish, carefree fun can be experienced when other intrepid vacationers head for offshore snorkeling at The Baths. Or else, there’s interestingly named places like Smugglers Cove, Apple Bay, Long Bay Beach and Cane Garden Bay, besides beach bars at Jost Van Dyke just waiting to be explored, depending on your holiday spirit! (Pun unintended).

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