Home to some of the most gorgeously flawless tropical island scenery on Earth, the US Virgin Islands claims top place on the podium for most visited destination in all of the Caribbean.
If you're looking for something off the beaten track, don't let all the tourist traffic put you off. The 60 or so islands and cays of the USVI - sprinkled in baby-blue waters just east of Puerto Rico and a good 1500km south of the US mother ship - offer an abundance of escape routes into pristine nature, tranquillity and laid-back Caribbean life.
It's said you haven't truly seen the US Virgin Islands until you've been to all three main islands, as diverse in appearance, atmosphere and attractions as they are.
St Croix is the most remote, lying around 60km to the south of St John and St Thomas, and connected to the latter by a fast ferry. Christiansted is one of its main towns, pretty in pastel with beautiful colonial Danish architecture clustered around the harbour, while rainforests, coral reefs and turtle nesting grounds feature among the natural attractions.
St Thomas is more developed, its port town of Charlotte Amalie thronged with restaurants, galleries and shops - and yet it boasts some of the best beaches gracing the planet on its northern and eastern coasts.
Accessible only by boat, neighbouring St John is the most unspoiled of the three. Two thirds of it is covered by the Virgin Islands National Park, a paradise of pale powdery beaches, lush mountains, forests, and rich wildlife.
Hiking, diving, snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, surfing and windsurfing are all popular pursuits on and around the islands and cays. And, once you've worn yourself out with all of that, you can indulge in the ancient Caribbean art of "limin" - just hanging out.
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