Photo Credit: David Kirsch

The British Overseas Territories have it all, beautiful beaches, mysterious and majestic land formations waiting to be explored, historic destinations, forests, and manmade recreational attractions. Simply pick your island or territory and start enjoying all the activities on offer.

Outdoor pursuits are popular in most destinations. You can get to know Montserrat’s natural beauty by trekking or hiking its lush tropical forests with varied terrains and routes of varying difficulty levels. The Mastic Trail is a favorite hiking spot in the Cayman Islands where you can walk through an ancient forest and mangrove swamps. The Falkland Islands and the British Virgin Islands offer excellent trekking and climbing opportunities, as well.

Little Cayman’s Booby Pond is a great place for bird watching where you can see red-footed boobies in large colonies. You can also go to the Parrot Reserve in Cayman Brac to see the endangered parrot.

If you are into exploring caves then you will enjoy the Cayman Island’s Cayman Brac. You can also head to Gibraltar’s Siege Tunnels and The Rock. Gibraltar has some of the world’s best dolphin watching tours, with Dolphin Safari being one of the leading operators. Be sure not to miss the bottlenose, striped and wild common dolphins which are all local residents. You may also meet them up-close and get a chance to touch them from your boat.

Swimming off Bermuda’s stunning pink sand beaches is another highlight. John Smith’s Bay Beach in Hamilton Parish is always a crowd pleaser. Lifeguards patrol the area during the summer and mobile food concessions are available. You can also try snorkeling in the rocky areas of Horseshoe Bay Bay (Southampton Parish) or in Snorkel Park (Royal Naval Dockyard), where water sports are especially popular with cruise ship passengers who do not want to leave the area.

Many of the British Overseas Territories are islands surrounded by pristine oceans teeming with colorful fish, coral reefs and sunken treasures or artifacts waiting to be discovered or explored. Montserrat is a great destination for scuba diving, which can be enjoyed with the help of companies like Scuba Montserrat.

A good selection of marine parks can be found in Anguilla, including Prickly Pear, Shoal Bay Harbour Reef System, and Seal Island Reef System. If you do not wish to dive or can't swim, you can join Atlantis Submarines for underwater tours around the reefs of the Cayman Islands. If you are feeling adventurous, go wreck diving in the Falklands with South Atlantic Marine Services, Ltd. or see the RMS Rhone wreck in Rhone Marine Park in the British Virgin Islands.

Those who want to sunbathe have plenty of options on one of the beaches. Bermuda has some of the best in the British Overseas Territories, but the ones in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are also not to be missed.

Golfing is another popular activity in Bermuda. There are several driving ranges and courses across the territory. St. George Golf Course, Riddell’s Bay Golf and Country Club, and Bermuda Golf Academy and Driving Range are some of the places to consider playing a few rounds. There are golf courses in Anguilla too, including the 18-hole, 7,063-yard course designed by Greg Norman that overlooks St. Martin.

Renting a bicycle is possible with the help of Wheels Cycles (Astwood) Ltd. or Elbow Beach Cycles in Bermuda. Cycling is a great and scenic way to get around. If you are in Bermuda or Grand Cayman, you can also try light-tackle fishing. You can rent boat in Montserrat to try your hand at catching tuna, wahoo or marlin.

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