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The British Virgin Islands are often referred to as one of Nature’s Little Secrets, and are comprised of over 50 stunning islands and cays. Situated sixty miles east of Puerto Rico, only 16 of the 50 islands are actually inhabited. Below we have compiled a list of the most popular British Virgin Islands, to vacation, live and invest in. No matter which island you choose, you are sure to find the perfect real estate to suit the needs of you and your family.

• Tortola - This is the largest island of the BVI and is the yachting capital of the Caribbean. The island has a fantastic relaxed and laid-back atmosphere and is blessed with stunning white sand beaches just perfect for swimming and snorkelling.
• Great Camanoe - This island is mainly residential. It offers great snorkelling and diving. If you are looking for a property, so that you can buy your very own little piece of paradise, this is a great island to explore.
• Jost Van Dyke - This island is named after a Dutch pirate and is famous for its incredibly laid-back lifestyle, stunning white sand beaches and local entertainment. Cars, electricity and phones have only recently been introduced to this island in the last decade. This is an island that has retained the magical charm of days gone by and is a delight to visit.
• Anegada - As the only coral island in the BVI, Anegada offers some of the best beaches and most spectacular reefs and wrecks in the entire Caribbean. The deserted mile-long beaches on this island are perfect to relax at the end of the day with a cocktail watching the beautiful sunsets.
• Virgin Gorda - Slightly less developed and with a slower pace of life than Tortola, Virgin Gorda is like three islands in one. The southern third is flat with sparse vegetation, the middle is mountainous with Gorda Peak and the north has many beautiful beaches with clear water which are great for enjoying water-sports.

The first settlers on the British Virgin Islands were the Arawaks from South America, they inhabited the island from around 100BC until the 15^th century when the brutal Caribs arrived. The Caribs were a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea was named.

The very first European to discover the British Virgin Islands was Christopher Columbus in 1493, and it was him who named the islands after Saint Ursula. The Spanish went on to claim the islands in the 16^th century, however never actually settled on them. In the following years the English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Danish all jostled for control of the islands as it became a notorious haunt for pirates. In 1648 the Dutch had settled on the islands permanently until the English captured all of the islands in 1680.

The British established the sugar cane industry, and drafted in many African slaves to work on the plantations, leading to the prosperity of the islands economy until the 1800’s. A combination of the abolition of slavery, a series of devastating hurricanes, and the growth on sugar beet crops in Europe and the US dramatically reduced sugar cane production leading to an economic decline. The British Virgin Islands were named a part of the British Leeward Islands in the early 1900’s and went onto gain separate colony status in 1960 becoming autonomous in 1967.

Since the 1960’s the islands have drifted away from their traditional agricultural economy towards tourism and financial services, and have now become one of the wealthiest areas in the Caribbean.

The British Virgin Islands are a beautiful area of the Caribbean with tropical weather, stunning scenery, friendly welcoming locals and of course wonderful Real Estate for both Vacation and permanent homes. Whether you are just passing through, taking a vacation here or are searching for that perfect BVI Real Estate, you are guaranteed to enjoy your time on these stunning islands.