More than 50 picture-book islands and cays make up the British Virgins Islands, clustered to the east of Antigua. Their main claim to fame is that they offer the finest protected sailing waters in the Caribbean (the local map names are a reminder that this was also once the haunt of the pirates and buccaneers of old), but with lush green conical hills that fringed by innumerable white-sand bays and coves they also offer the beach-lover and watersports enthusiast a paradise for seriously self-indulgent escapism. Virgin Gorda and Peter Island are two of the principal islands in the group, the setting of some of the Caribbean’s most exclusive luxury retreats - and offer a perfect recipe for ‘barefoot’ luxury!