14 Best Sights in British Virgin Islands

Great Harbour has an authentic Caribbean feel that's not just for tourists. Small bars and restaurants line the sandy strip of beach that serves as the community's main street. While the island's main settlement may not have the unspoiled natural beauty of some popular beaches, it holds a quaint charm. There are a few areas suited to swimming, with calm, shallow water perfect for children; however, the attraction here is more about the beach scene than the actual beach. Ali Baba and SeaCrest Inn have rooms on the bay. Bring your bug spray for sand flies in the early evenings. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: walking; swimming.

On the south shore of Jost Van Dyke and the "next bay over" from Great Harbour, this long stretch of picturesque white sand is especially popular with boaters who come ashore for a libation at one of the many beach bars that offer refuge from the sun. Despite the sometimes rowdy bar scene, the beach is large enough to find a quiet spot, particularly late in the day when most of the day-trippers disappear and the beach becomes serene. There are a few small hotels with rooms just behind the beach or a short walk uphill. Swimmers and snorkelers should be cautious of boat traffic in the anchorage. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.

A beautiful, palm-fringed beach, Smuggler's Cove is down a pothole-filled dirt road. After bouncing your way down (a four-wheel-drive rental is highly recommended), you'll feel as if you've found a hidden piece of the island. You probably won't be alone on weekends, though, when the beach attracts snorkelers and sunbathers. There's a fine view of Jost Van Dyke. The popular Nigel's Boom Boom Beach Bar has grilled food and the requisite Painkillers; the extremely informal Patricia's beach bar is next door. Follow Long Bay Road past Long Bay Beach Club, keeping to the roads nearest the water until you reach the beach. It's about a mile past the resort. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Along with nearby Little Apple Bay and Capoon's Bay, this is your spot if you want to surf—although the white, sandy beach itself is narrow. Sebastian's, a casual hotel, caters to those searching for the perfect wave. Otherwise, there's nothing else in the way of amenities. Good waves are never a sure thing, but you're more apt to find them in January and February. If you're swimming and the waves are up, take care not to get dashed on the rocks. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing; swimming.

The vanished indigenous residents of Anegada left their mark on the low-lying island by creating piles of thousands of conch shells that remain visible today. More modern fisherman also have created large piles of pink, sun-bleached conch shells in the shallow emerald waters off the island’s southeast tip, creating an artificial island that can be visited (in combination with snorkeling and a look at Anegada’s resident flamingos, which tend to congregate in nearby waters) on a tour with Kelly’s Land and Sea Tours.

Named for the cow bones that once washed ashore, this stretch of soft white sand on the island's northwest coast has a casual beach bar and restaurant. Cow Wreck Beach Resort is located directly on the beach, and small crowds congregate near the bar, but there's also plenty of room for those looking for solitude. Look for the palm-thatched benches that provide some shade on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; walking.

You can easily reach these quaintly named islands by boat, which you can rent in either Tortola or Virgin Gorda; they're also a popular destination for dive and snorkeling charter boats. Fallen Jerusalem and the Dogs are part of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands, and their seductive beaches and unparalleled snorkeling display the BVI at their hedonistic best. Fallen Jerusalem has two small beaches for a Robinson Crusoe experience. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; snorkeling.

Home to a Wyndham resort, Lambert Beach is a palm-lined, wide, sandy beach with parking along its steep downhill access road. The road to the resort is gated, but the beach is free to all. The main attraction here is peace and quiet, but there is a bar and restaurant at the hotel. Turn at the sign for the Wyndham Lambert resort. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming.

A curve of shore on Anegada's northern coast, this bay is home to the best snorkeling on the island. This is a place for solitude, but with a dash of convenience thrown in. Loblolly has a popular beachfront restaurant, Big Bamboo, showers, a gift shop, and snorkel rentals. The cottages at Big Bamboo are steps from the beach. Some palm-thatched shelters on the beach offer shade. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; walking.

This beach is a stunning, mile-long stretch of white sand; have your camera ready to snap the breathtaking approach. The entire beach is open to the public and is often used by people staying in villas in the Long Bay/Belmont area and at the Long Bay Beach Resort. The water isn't as calm here as at Cane Garden or Brewers Bay, but it's still swimmable. If you're coming from the southern part of the island, turn left at Zion Hill Road, then travel about half a mile. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming.

If this beach wasn't located right next to the airport, it probably would show up on lists of the Caribbean's most beautiful strands. Long Bay on Beef Island has superlative scenery: the beach stretches seemingly forever, and you can catch a glimpse of Little Camanoe and Great Camanoe islands. Just keep your eyes out to sea and not on the runway behind you. If you walk around the bend to the right, you can see little Marina Cay and Scrub Island. Swim out to wherever you see a dark patch for some nice snorkeling. Turn left shortly after crossing the bridge to Beef Island. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

At the island's north tip, the three beaches on Nail Bay are ideal for snorkeling. Mountain Trunk Bay is perfect for beginners, and Nail Bay and Long Bay beaches have coral caverns just offshore. The Sugarcane Restaurant at the nearby Nail Bay Sports Club serves lunch and dinner. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

A powder white-sand beach on Anegada's western shore, Pomato Point has the best sunset views. There is no easily accessible reef, but the water is calm (making it a good choice for children) and the views of Tortola and Jost Van Dyke are beautiful. Sid's Pomato Point Restaurant is on the beach, and nearby Setting Point offers several other restaurant options, along with lodging. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; walking.

Just offshore, the little islet known as Sandy Cay is a gleaming sliver of white sand with marvelous snorkeling and an inland nature trail. Previously part of the private estate of the late philanthropist and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller, the Cay is now a protected area. You can hire any boatman on Jost Van Dyke to take you out; just be sure to agree on a price and a time to be picked up again. Jost Van Dyke Scuba also runs snorkel trips to the island. As this is a national park, visitors are asked to "take only photos and leave only footprints." Nevertheless, it's become an increasingly popular location for weddings, which require approval from the BVI National Parks Trust. Experienced boaters can rent a boat or dinghy to go here, but be aware that winter swells can make beach landings treacherous. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.