More than being home to the capital of the British Virgin Islands, Tortola is the central entertainment to enjoy the Caribbean. The island serves as a popular base for chartered sailboats, diving bait to the pristine reefs and attract surfers from around the world for the perfect wave traveling to the northern coast.

It’s a good thing this boat does not have a board. I just dropped a metal basket from our percolator into 30 feet of the clear Caribbean Sea. Only heroic dive freely by other crew members saved me from thrown into the sea by the lack of caffeine grumps.

But who cares? After more than 20 years of talking about the best vacation ever – sailed through the British Virgin Islands with friends – we are finally back.

The scene here is reported to have suffered the travel of their own popularity since our first trip in the mid 80s. Glanced around the now dozens of boats moored in the Gulf, a popular port in the island of Norman, I can not argue. This is more crowded.

Why not? British territory about 60 miles east of Puerto Rico, including Sir Francis Drake Channel, a quiet, sheltered strait between Tortola, BVI most inhabitants of the island, and several small islands in the south. Add the light, wind calm, safe anchorages and dozens of islands and cays sights to explore. Plus, the islands are only a few hours apart from each other, even in a slow sailboat. It all adds up to an irresistible destination.

Year so far not good Caribbean resort, but that did not stop the opening of hotels in the region. Here is a Travel Agent’s vote for your clients to the Islands, some are open, someone else on the horizon, reflagged or rebuilt from scratch.

Sandals Great Exuma
Unique sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, is a 18-hole Greg Norman-designed golf

Sandal Emerald Bay, Great Exuma
www.sandals.com
Great Exuma, Bahamas
Opening January 22, 2010.

Who should pitch to: As with all Sandals Resorts, Sandals Emerald Bay is intended for two people falling in love-if they were celebrating their wedding with the signature “Weddingmoon”; enjoying their honeymoon; renew their promise, or just go for a romantic vacation.

Best Rooms: All 190 suites are impressive, but go with Beachfront Villas because of space they offer. But if not the character in your priorities, each room will do. Each room overlooks the ocean beach and all served by butlers trained by the Sandals Resorts company through an exclusive partnership with the Guild of Professional English Butler.

1. Travel off-season. Mid-April until mid-December is the Caribbean low season, when the first berth in the whole region the tariffs 30 percent or more, hissing offers savings to those who do not need the threat of a snowstorm to inspire an island stopover.

The best deals, however, was found at hotels which shaved 50 percent off high season.

In Anguilla, 27-room sitting in my hotel one of the best beaches in the Caribbean and produce prices starting from $ 315. But the hotel posts summer rates starting from $ 180, through December 19 (I-anguilla.com).

That is to say, this winter – like the last one – not the norm, and usually expensive resorts have started rolling out the transaction, a sure sign that advance bookings for the peak season are lagging.

Elite Island Resorts, which operates the hotel at the price points varying in Antigua, Tortola, St. Lucia and Palm Island in the Grenadines, offering on-the-board 20 percent discount to stay in January, 10 percent in February, and 30 percent in March. Seven night minimum required, and rooms must be booked by February 1 (eliteislandresorts.com/2010).

2. Transactions in the sky. Amanda Hoffman of Expedia recommends looking for a plane ticket on Tuesday night. “Most airlines post their agreement on Tuesday morning and the evening on other airlines have the opportunity to match them,” he said.