DESTINATIONS BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS | CARIBBEAN
territory n
The bewitching Caribbean playground of the British Virgin Islands is back to full strength with resurgent resorts and fresh experiences, finds Nigel Tisdall
’
ature’s Little Secrets’, trumpet the vehicle licence plates in the BVIs – and as I look out from the panoramic Sunset Loop
viewpoint on Peter Island, I can only agree. Ahead of me stretches a chain of green and hilly isles lined up like sleeping lizards, with an unspoiled beauty that easily justifies their name. Only an hour’s flight west of Antigua, this compact
archipelago of 60 islands has been under British control since 1672 and has a prosperous and unhurried mood, with just 30,000 residents. Send clients here and they’ll immediately feel at home, with driving on the left and a Union Jack adorning the territorial flag. Although there are public holidays
to mark both the King’s birthday and the islands’ emancipation from slavery in 1834 – another throwback to its British links – the currency is the US dollar and most visitors are moneyed North Americans who jet in to relax on its quiet beaches or to island-hop by ferry, catamaran and superyacht. Winter 2024-25 was the first season when the
BVIs felt fully up to speed after the double whammy of hurricane Irma in 2017, followed by the pandemic. Rebuilding has taken time but initiatives including the addition of daily flights from Miami to Tortola with American Airlines (launched in 2023) and the reopening of flagship resorts has brought an exciting buzz to the islands. ²
travelweekly.co.uk 29 MAY 2025 25
PICTURE: Shutterstock/BlueOrange Studio
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