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British Virgin Islands Hotels European Plan
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Introduction to British Virgin Islands
With its small bays and hidden coves,
once havens for pirates, the British Virgin Islands are among the
world's loveliest cruising areas. The islands mainly attract those
who like to sail, although landlubbers will delight in the beaches.
Despite predictions that mass tourism will invade, the islands are
still an escapist's paradise. The smaller islands have colorful
names, such as Fallen Jerusalem and Ginger. Norman Island is said to
have been the prototype for Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure
Island. On Deadman Bay, Blackbeard reputedly marooned 15 pirates and
a bottle of rum, giving rise to the well-known ditty.
Even though they lie right near each other and are
part of the same archipelago, the British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin
Islands are as different as Julia Roberts and Dame Judi Dench. U.S. islands like
St. Thomas are deep into mega-resort tourism, but it's still a bit sleepy in the
B.V.I., where the pace is much slower and laid-back, and the people seem more
welcoming and friendlier. Even the capital, Tortola, seems to exist in a bit of
a time capsule.
Most of the resorts on Virgin Gorda are so isolated
from each other that you'll feel your hotel has the island to itself. For those
who want to be truly remote, there is a scattering of minor hotels on a handful
of the smaller islands. Peter Island has the poshest lodgings, and there are
modest inns on Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Some places are so small that you
basically get to know all the locals after about a week. With no casinos, no
nightlife, no splashy entertainment, and often no TV, what does one do at night?
Jost Van Dyke has only 150 souls but six bars. Question answered.
The Notorious Pirate: Sir Francis Drake--Sir Francis
Drake (1543-96) was an English navigator and explorer who was famous for leading
his country's defense against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He was also one of the
most notorious pirates in the Caribbean. Arriving in the West Indies as the
young captain of The Judith, this favorite of Queen Elizabeth I brought the
swashbuckling attitudes of the Elizabethan age to the Virgin Islands. A channel
through the Virgin Islands now bears his name. In 1580, Drake became the first
Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. He died aboard his ship off Panama on
January 27, 1596, and was buried at sea.
Additional Information about travel to British Virgin Islands
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