An archipelago spanning more than 50 outposts, the British Virgin Islands occupy the northeast corner of the Caribbean, 60 miles east of Puerto Rico. Tortola is the seat of government as well as being the most populated. It's a good base for daytrips to the smaller BVIs and is easily reached from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, seen on the horizon.  

One of the Caribbean's most idyllic settings, Tortola's Cane Garden Bay is sublime for swimming, strolling, and beach bars—but it's most romantic when cruise ships aren't in port.  

The population density drops dramatically as couples head beyond Tortola, and Virgin Gorda is just a 30-minute ride on ferries that run throughout the day. Virgin Gorda has ribbons of white sand tucked into numerous coves, including Little Dix Bay, home to a classic resort built by Laurance Rockefeller.  

The Baths on Virgin Gorda is one of the Caribbean's most photographed swimming lagoons. A path leads through a jumble of water-lapped giant boulders to a heavenly bay.  

Guana Island is one of the BVI's 'private island resorts,' an intimate inn with just 15 rooms. The resort is closely linked to its natural setting, on an island blessed with seven beaches and a network of trails—a perfect hideaway for couples in search of low-key luxury and escape.  

Three-square-mile Jost Van Dyke has just 300 residents and a few tiny inns on a superb beach. This quirky outpost also boasts more than 20 bars and has become a must-anchor on the sailing circuit for barefoot parties that run from noon till midnight, lead by the scene at Foxy's.  

White Bay on Jost Van Dyke is another of the BVI's superb beaches, a half-mile cove of gleaming white sand and tranquil water. The Soggy Dollar Bar—named after the typical method of payment—is home to the Painkiller, a soothing concoction that swiftly removes any remaining edge off any city-dwellers lucky enough to sail in.  

The BVI's are also one of the Caribbean's top snorkeling destinations, and a favored site by many is The Indians. This collection of crags jutting out of the sea, shaped like an Indian bonnet, offers colorful walls and coral heads teaming with fish—a popular day trip for Tortola visitors.  

The least-known but largest island in the BVI chain is Anegada, a pancake-flat outpost ringed by mile after mile of gleaming, reef-protected beaches. A lobster lunch at Big Bamboo's or another of the several informal restaurants here is a must.  

Tortola remains the hub of the British Virgin Islands, offering a good combination of small, modestly priced inns, an array of day trip options, and the chain's best air access.