BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Hoist the sails and gather way. Grip the wheel in your hands and cut a feather through aquamarine waters to a quiet Caribbean cove. Drop anchor and motor a small launch to an empty beach for a gourmet picnic on the white sand.

Sound like a boating fantasy? It is, but in the British Virgin Islands, it is also reality. Year around, old salts and would-be skippers come from around the world to sail these calm waters and take advantage of a group of 50 islands that call themselves "Nature's Little Secrets." These Virgins are loved for their quiet getaways, empty beaches, and a romantic maritime atmosphere.

More than any other Caribbean destination, you'll find that the British Virgin Islands (or just "the BVI" if you want to sound like a real salt) is a great destination for those who want to divide their vacation with a stay on land and on the sea. The island of Tortola is the home of the largest charter yacht company in the world, and many properties offer packages combining resort rooms with a few days on a crewed or bareboat yacht. You can set sail for paradise from just about any point in the BVI.

Tortola will probably be your first taste of these islands. It's the most active destination in this island chain, but don't expect big resorts, duty-free shopping or cruise ship traffic. Here traffic comes from a goat in the middle of the road or from boaters coming ashore for a full moon party at a side-of-the-road joint called Bomba's Shack. These are, as the tourist office likes to say, the Virgin Islands that are still virgin.

Tortola is a semi-arid, hilly island that's home to two primary communities: West End and the capital, Road Town. With such no-nonsense names, you'd expect no-nonsense places, and that's exactly what these towns are. You won't need a road map to locate West End, a community that's visited by yachtsmen who come in to provision their vessels and to enjoy the local flavor at Soper's Hole, a marina splashed in shades of pink, sea green, and turquoise. This pastel shopping center offers Caribbean arts, crafts, and also one of the most picturesque photo spots in the islands where waterfront buildings are as colorful as Easter eggs.

Another popular provisioning area is Road Town, named because most roads converge here. Government offices and banks line the streets of this capital city, along with a few shops and restaurants of special interest to travelers. In either town you can catch a water taxi to other islands in the chain.

Tortola is the largest of this chain of about 50 scattered islands and cays, many of which are uninhabited. The other prime destination is Virgin Gorda, home to both resorts and marinas. Separated from Tortola by the Sir Francis Drake Channel, Virgin Gorda is an even quieter version of Tortola. Equally hilly, most activity and lodging here is clustered around the Spanish Town region and marina area.

The other islands are even less visited. Jost (pronounced Yost, rhymes with roast) Van Dyke was named for a Dutch pirate, and today the tiny island is a getaway for those seeing true tranquillity, beautiful snorkeling waters, and a sometimes rollicking atmosphere. Peter Island is almost totally owned by a single resort operated by the Amway Corporation. If you've read the tabloids you may have heard of Necker Island, a hideaway of the rich and famous like Princess Di and Oprah. And there's Anegada, a quiet destination that rises barely 27 feet over sea level. Between these islands, tiny landforms dot the horizon. Look for Dead Chest, a tiny islet of bare rock where legend has it that Blackbeard marooned his men to fight over a single bottle of rum. (Remember "Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"? Now you know where that got started.)

All the islands in the BVI are semi-arid, sprinkled with cacti and succulents, but dotted with tropical blooms. A drive around Tortola reveals numerous coconut palms and flowering hibiscus, mixed with tall organ and squat barrel cacti. Tortola and the other islands receive only about 16 inches of rain a year.

Tortola is the largest island with only 21 square miles. Don't let distance fool you, however. Because of steep hills, a car trip around or across the island is a slow undertaking.

The British Virgin Islands are different from their American cousins. Life is quieter here and more attuned to the sea. Days aren't spent shopping, but sometimes, as the locals say, just limin' or hanging out and doing nothing at all. Nights are even quieter, beneath the stars that guided explorers here over 500 years ago. And when morning comes, if you've stayed at one of the small inns for which the BVI is known, your alarm clock may well be the rooster next door.

For some couples, this is true paradise. This was one of our first Caribbean destinations, and it remains one of our favorites.