Virgin Gorda

The Baths sound like something out of an Indiana Jones movie: massive granite boulders, grottoes, secret passages, hidden saltwater pools illuminated by shafts of light. That helps explain why this stretch of beach at the southern tip of Virgin Gorda is the most memorable mooring in the Virgin Islands.

The British Virgin Islands, more laid-back than their U. S. Virgin Island neighbors, have long been the province of sailors, including Columbus, who was an early visitor. Today these are the most popular cruising waters in the Caribbean, thanks to steady winds, a perfect climate, and easy deep water navigation, with the day's destination in sight on the horizon.

Beach-blessed Virgin Gorda is, in many eyes, the jewel in the crown, a haven of quiet coves and safe anchorages for even novice bareboaters. The island's austere landscape may not fit your vision of a tropical hideaway, but after a day in the sun and sea, there is nothing quite like a snorkel among the boulders at The Baths, then a short climb up the bluff to a low-key bar for a piña colada, where you can watch the sails silhouetted against the sunset – and keep an eye out for the elusive green flash.