The Baths is the most visited attraction in the British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a chain of 50 or so islands bobbing blissfully in the Caribbean.

Less developed than the neighbouring US Virgin Islands, the BVI are an idyllic vacation destination. Covering an area of 59 square miles, the islands are blessed with lush mountains and palm-fringed white sand beaches lapped by warm, turquoise sea.

Of the 16 inhabited islands, most tourists make a beeline for the largest and most populated island of Tortola. Situated merely a mile from St John in the US Virgin Islands, it bustles with hotels, restaurants, shops and beaches galore. Cruise ships frequently dock just outside its capital, Road Town. Tortola's many beaches and sheltered harbours are ideal for diving, fishing and yachting.

The second-largest island, Virgin Gorda, is a far more relaxed affair, home to boutique resorts and hotels, fabulous beaches and BVI's most visited attraction - the Baths - a series of seaside boulders that fill with warm seawater.

Of the other islands, Jost Van Dyke fits the bill for a laid-back getaway while Anegada has exquisite beaches flanked by coral reefs with excellent visibility for snorkelling.

Smaller islands such as Cooper, Necker, Norman and Peter offer more privacy, but if you're looking for a beach all to yourself, hire a boat and head to one of many deserted island.

Survival guide

The British Virgin Islands enjoy a perfect Caribbean climate along with trade winds that stave off humidity. The temperature hovers in the high 20s (Celsius) in the summer and the mid-20s in the winter. The rainy season is between September and November.

As the BVI are an overseas British territory, English is the main language. The currency is the US dollar.

A frequent ferry service links the US Virgin Islands with the British Virgin Islands.

The island can be reached by air from San Juan in Puerto Rico or from St Thomas or St Croix on the US Virgin Islands. Beef Island airport in Tortola is the BVI's main international gateway.