SIX18 TRAVEL

The British Virgin Islands, or BVI for short, are some of the most-exclusive and least-developed islands of the Caribbean, but this only adds to their appeal. The resorts, villas, restaurants and other tourist attractions in this paradise are known to emphasize spare luxury over sprawling expansion, and they attract travelers with deep pockets and a love for sailing and seclusion. Many travelers who visit come by ferry boat from another Caribbean isle, especially as some find opulent exile too hard to enjoy for longer than a day or two. And some say it's better to split your time between here, the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands and Anguilla to the east.

Others find more than enough to keep them exclusively anchored by these 50-plus islands and cays, which sadly were hit hard by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Travelers will still be able to find evidence of the hurricane's handiwork, though BVI has done a valiant job of rebuilding. On Tortola, you'll find mountainous cliffs and chalk white beaches, characterized by changing tides and calm easterly winds. A brief sail away, sleepy Jost Van Dyke offers delicious Caribbean food and drink, one of the region's best New Year's Eve parties, as well as a few outdoor excursions like diving and fishing. On Virgin Gorda, you'll find The Baths, perhaps the most picturesque shore in the British Virgin Islands, and with good reason: It offers unique grottoes amidst gigantic granite boulders (just be mindful of the daytripping crowds). For supreme seclusion, try Anegada; its slow pace, flat terrain and sparkling sand lies almost overlooked in Caribbean Sea.