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Destination: The Virgin IslandsSeparated by only a narrow channel of shimmering water patrolled by flotillas of pelicans and pleasure craft, the United States and British Virgin Island groups are nevertheless a world apart. It isn't just the obvious: a tale of two traditions and governments. Indeed, clearing customs is usually a formality (although it's taken very seriously), and the U.S. dollar is the official currency on both sides of the "border." Rather, it's the individual look and feel that set them apart, the atmosphere they determinedely cultivate -- and the differing breeds of visitors this attracts -- an atmosphere perhaps too glibly defined as American verve versus British reserve.
BeachesWith their warm, clear days, unspoiled sandy strands, and beautiful turquoise water, the Virgin Islands are a beach bum's paradise. Even if you're not a connoisseur, a day or two at the beach is central to a complete vacation here.
Your accommodation may border a beach or provide transportation to one nearby, but you have other options. You could spend one day at a lively, touristy beach that has plenty of water-sports facilities and is backed by a bar and another at an isolated cove that offers nothing but seclusion. Of course, these beaches are just jumping-off points to the underwater world.
In the USVI, public access to beach waters is guaranteed but land access to them isn't, effectively restricting some areas to resort guests. On St. Thomas, Magens Bay is among the prettiest (but also the liveliest) public beaches, and Hull Bay is the only place to surf. St. Croix's west-end beaches are popular, and the calm waters of Isaac Bay, on the more isolated east end, can give you a stretch all to yourself.
Nowhere in the BVI will you find crowds to match those at the most popular USVI beaches, but Cane Garden Bay on Tortola probably comes the closest. Apple Bay and Josiah's Bay, also on Tortola, are good for surfing, and Long Bay (West) is quieter.
Historic SitesColumbus, pirates, European colonizers, and plantation farmers and their slaves are among the people who have left their marks on these islands, all of which are benefiting the tourism industry, a relatively recent development.
In Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Fort Christian (1672), Blackbeard's Castle (1679), the Synagogue of Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim (1833), and the Danish Consulate (1830) are some noteworthy sites that give glimpses into the town's past. St. Croix's countryside is dotted with ruins of plantation great houses and sugar mills. St. John, too, has several plantations in varying degrees of decay.
Die-hard sightseers will find less to keep them busy in the British Virgin Islands. Numbering among historic sites, however, are Tortola's Mt. Healthy National Park, an old plantation site, and Copper Mine Point, the ruins of a 400-year-old mine on Virgin Gorda.
NightlifeAlthough you'll never be too far from a Jimmy Buffet tune, the nightlife establishments in the Virgin Islands do their share to provide something for everyone. Yachties congregate, not surprisingly, at the waterfront bars, where live guitar music may accompany the rum drinks. BVI watering holes, especially those on Jost Van Dyke, are most likely to be true beach bars. Steel-drum, calypso, and reggae music -- as well as broken-bottle dancing -- are common in shows at larger hotels. Musicians also often play impromptu in the street, and if you look around, you may come accross a piano bar or a jazz band.
WatersportsWhether you charter a boat or head out on a day-sail, traveling by boat is an efficient and relaxing way to see the islands. Wrecks and reefs make the islands as interesting underwater as above.
