The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a British overseas territory, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S. Virgin Islands. Technically the name of the Territory is simply the “Virgin Islands”, but in practice since 1917 they have been almost universally referred to as the “British Virgin Islands” to distinguish the islands from the American Territory.

Tortola and Virgin Gorda are the two largest of the islands, and they both have a friendly atmosphere., the islands are hilly rising rapidly from the sea.

The … Continue Reading

St Thomas is called the Rock City because it is one big mountain. Its main town is Charlotte Amalie, the coastline is made up of private beach resorts. St Thomas is the most populated of the three US Virgin islands.

The Dutch West India Company established a post on Saint Thomas in 1657. The Danish conquered the island in 1666, and by 1672 had established control over the entire island through the Danish West India and Guinea Company.

In 1917 St. Thomas was purchased along with Saint John and Saint Croix)by the United States for $25 million, as part … Continue Reading

The Pico Duarte mountains streach from Haita into Dominican Republic. They are the highest mountains in the caribean and Pico Duarte is the tallest.

The trail to the summit is full of rainforests, palms, banana and banyan trees.

There is a well-maintained system of trails leading up to the summit, with trailheads at several locations. The easiest access is from the town of La Ciénega, near Jarabacoa. The trail is 14.4 miles to the summit, with a total elevation change of 1,977 metres. Tourist-friendly travel agencies in the town of Jarabacoa can help arrange trips from this trailhead, using mules in … Continue Reading

The Pitch Lake, Trinidad, is a lake of natural asphalt located at La Brea in the southwest. It has fascinated explorers, scientists and the common folk since its discovery by Sir Walter Raleigh in the year 1595. Raleigh himself found immediate use for the asphalt to caulk his ship. Since then, there have been numerous research investigations into the use and chemical composition of this material. Above all, there have been countless theories, postulations and conclusions as to the size, source and origin of the asphalt. The lake covers about 40 ha and is reported to be 75 m deep. … Continue Reading

Vinales valley has a traditional rural charm. In 1999, the Viñales Valley was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape, both for its natural beauty and for the Vernacular architecture and traditions.

Tobacco and other crops are cultivated on the bottom of the valley, mostly by traditional agriculture techniques. Many caves dot the surrounding hillfaces (Cueva del Indio, Cueva de José Miguel).

Viñales is a major tourist destination offering mainly hiking and rock climbing. The local climbing scene has started to take off in the last few years with many new routes being discovered resulting in an increase in … Continue Reading

Pico Turquino is the highest peak in Cuba and is the highest point in the Pico Turquino National Park. During the late 1950s, Fidel Castro and members of his 26th of July Movement used the area as a base during the Cuban Revolution.

The name is believe to be a corruption of turqoise peak, named so for the blue hues taken by the heights in certain views. It was first mentioned on a map drawn by Gerardo Kramer in the late 1700s.

Christopher Columbus landed on Pillory Beach in 1492, the beach runs along the Western Shore of the island of Grand Turk, the admin capital of Turks and Caicos.

When Jamaica was granted independence from Britain in August 1962, the Turks and Caicos Islands became a crown colony. From 1965, the governor of the Bahamas was also governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and oversaw affairs for the islands. When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973, the Turks and Caicos received their own governor.

One of the Worlds top dive locations the “Grand Canyon of the Caribean” is 1,000 ft offshore.

The Exuma Cays in the Bahamas, are a popular spot for yachting, sailing, diving, and coral reef and cave exploring. Many of the unnamed beaches and coves of the islands, including extensive offshore reef areas, are included in the protected Exuma National Land and Sea Park of the Bahamas National Trust.

Thunderball Grotto, located just a few hundred yards off Staniel Cay, is one location where the James Bond film Thunderball was filmed. Sandy Cay, just a short boat ride from Little Exuma was the location used for filming the Pirates of the Caribbean beach scenes and one Shell commercial.

The … Continue Reading

The island of Mustique is privately owned and is a playground for the rich and famous. Mustique was once owned by Lord Glenconner who gave a ten acre plot to HRH Princess Margaret as a wedding present.

The history of the island of Mustique, and of the Grenadines in general, dates back to the 15th century when Spanish sailors first sighted this more or less linear group of small rocky islands and named them ‘Los Pájaros’ or ‘the birds’, because they resembled a small flock of birds scattered across the sea in flight.

During the seventeenth century the islands were … Continue Reading

Mounte Pelee if an active volcano on the island of Martinique. Its amongst the Worlds most active volcanos having erupted 30 times in the last 5,000 years.

The residents of Martinique lived in their tropical paradise for 200 years until on May 8, 1902, on the Ascension Day, a volcanic eruption destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, about 4 miles south of the peak.