Currency:

United States Dollar (USD)

When to go:

February and March are the driest months

Known for:

No passport required to the USVI, SCUBA diving, fishing

Languages:

English (official), Spanish

The Virgin Islands archipelago is a series of islands in close proximity between the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea, divided between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Virgin Islands are made up of three main islands - Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas, which are home to approximately 110,000 people. Despite the country's association with the United States, driving is on the left. The economy is based on tourism, with more than 2.7 million visitors a year, including numerous cruise ships. The plentiful opportunities to shop, drink and eat reflect the casual, on vacation, attitude of the islands.

The British Virgin Islands have four main islands – Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. Tortola is the largest island, although it is only 12 miles long and 3 miles wide. It is home to 9/10 of the areas' population of 22,000 people. Boats move freely between the USVI and the BVI. Seafood is the meal of choice, although varied cuisine does exist, especially around the capital, Road Town.

The official tourism websites for the USVI and the BVI are found at www.USVITourism.vi and www.BVITourism.com