British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands poke their jungle-clad heads above the swells where the North Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.

Blown over by the perpetual trade winds, these crown territories have long been a mecca for the chino-wearing, well-to-do sailor, raising a flapping sail and weaving designer yachts amidst the empty coves and crevices that line the moneyed tax haven of the VI archipelago.

However, in recent decades the spot has also entered the mainstream more and more, with intrepid types focusing on the endangered hawksbill colonies off Ginger Island, the blooming colours of the coral gardens, and awesome SCUBA spots, like the sunk RMS Rhone.

There’s surfing opportunities on Apple Bay, while the whitecaps all around Anegada isle offer windsurfers some long and challenging rides.

And when it’s time to relax, be sure to hit the glimmering crystalline waters of the so-called Baths, hidden between black volcanic boulders on the edge of Virgin Gorda.