Inspired by Bermuda’s unparalleled beauty, Beatles singer John Lennon famously wrote about 25 songs during a prolonged stay here in 1980. Lennon named Double Fantasy, his final album before he was murdered, after a freesia he found in the island’s Botanical Garden. Today, a sculpture named ‘Double Fantasy’ commemorating the singer can be found on the 36-acre site alongside flower-filled gardens, ponds, greenhouses and woodland.
This remote volcanic island in the middle of the South Pacific is one of the smallest and most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Pitcairn was colonised in 1790 when 12 mutinous sailors took over the HMS Bounty and set Captain Bligh and 18 members of his crew adrift before settling on the island. Today, Pitcairn is home to around 50 people, the majority are direct descendants of the Bounty mutineers and a group of Polynesians that accompanied them.
Pitcairn forms part of the Pitcairn Island Group alongside the islands of Henderson, Ducie and Oeno but is the only one that is inhabited. Sadly, with its limited access, Pitcairn’s small and ageing population is at risk of dying out and due to lack of employment, relies heavily on aid from the British government. Despite its remote setting, the island’s unspoiled natural beauty and tranquil scenery usually attract a small number of tourists each year.
Measuring just 16 miles long (26km), this tiny Caribbean island is the smallest of the British Overseas Territories and the oldest in the Caribbean. Anguilla was colonised by English settlers in 1650 who established its cotton then later its sugar plantations which were a major part of the island’s economy until the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1834, which banned slavery in Britain's colonies. Today, tourism is Anguilla’s main industry and despite being badly hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017, it continues to be a much-loved tourist hot spot.
With its picturesque palm-fringed sands and bold blue waters – Anguilla’s beaches are widely believed to be among the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Dotted with luxury villas overlooking the glittering water, Shoal Bay and Rendezvous Bay are home to some of the island’s most picturesque stretches of sand. With its incredible beaches, Anguilla is often ranked amongst the best islands in the world and one of the best in the Caribbean.
The island’s reefs are buzzing with marine life including tropical fish, turtles and stingrays while its shores are a favoured spot for resident and migrating birds. Its clear warm waters and tranquil coves make Anguilla a popular spot for snorkelling, kayaking and sailing. As boating is Anguilla’s national sport, the island typically hosts several yacht races throughout the year.
Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration
The small island of Gibraltar sits on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on Spain’s south coast. In 1713 it was ceded to the British during the War of the Spanish Succession under the Treaty of Utrecht. The territory is dominated by the imposing Rock of Gibraltar, a vast limestone headland that rears over the Mediterranean Sea. Towering roughly 1,400 feet (426m) high, a cable car takes visitors to the top of the rock and offers breathtaking views across Spain and North Africa.
Deep below the Rock of Gibraltar lies a network of underground tunnels steeped in history. The Great Siege network came first in the late 1700s, before the World War II tunnels changed the interior of the Rock forever. Intensive tunnelling amounted to 34 miles (52km) of underground protection for soldiers, equipment and weapons from air raids plus attacks from land and sea. Hidden fortresses had a series of complex tunnels and passages that were all named after streets of English towns so British troops wouldn't get lost. Since opening to the public in 2005, the tunnels have become one of Gibraltar's top attractions.
Known for being a tax haven, the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean has more registered businesses than inhabitants. Although the islands were first sighted by explorer Christopher Columbus in 1503 when his ship travelling to the New World was blown off course, its first recorded English inhabitants didn’t arrive until the 1650s. The settlers came from the disbanded army of Oliver Cromwell in Jamaica. Since then, with their tropical climate, picture-perfect beaches and abundance of wildlife, the islands have become a popular holiday destination.
Known as the largest British Overseas Territory, this vast patch of the Antarctic was first claimed as a British territory in 1908. Stretching for some 666,000 square miles (1.7m sq km) from the South Pole it is the most southerly of the UK’s Overseas Territories. Although 99% of the land is covered in a permanent ice sheet, the terrain here varies immensely from jagged, snow-clad mountains to expansive ice plains and dramatic glaciers.
No permanent population exists here but there are three manned research stations run by the British Antarctic Survey keeping track of the wildlife and environment. Tourists are usually allowed to visit the territory during the warmer summer months by expedition cruise. As well as its snowy sights, the wildlife is a major highlight, particularly the huge colonies of penguins and seals living there.
Check out these breathtaking images from Wildlife Travel Photographer of the Year 2020
The string of idyllic islands is characterised by their secluded stretches of powdery white sand, warm waters, and tranquil scenery. The clear water, colourful coral reefs and spectacular shipwrecks make the islands popular for sailing and yacht clubs. Another highlight is Mount Sage National Park, the first national park of the British Virgin Islands, located on Tortola. Rising 1,716 feet (523m) high, the foreboding peak provides panoramic views across the territory and is the highest point of both the British and US Virgin Islands.
Nicknamed “the Pompeii of the Caribbean”, after a series of volcanic eruptions in the 1990s, Montserrat is one of the least visited islands in the Caribbean. For the first time in almost 400 years, its once-dormant Soufrière Hills volcano erupted in 1995, devastating two-thirds of the southern tip of the island. As a result, over half of the population has since moved to North America and the UK. Today, the smoking Soufrière Hills volcano is still very much active, closely monitored by the Montserrat Volcano Observatory which was built following the disaster.
Dubbed the “buried city”, Plymouth was once the island’s capital and main port before it was destroyed by the eruptions, blanketing it in a thick layer of ash. It is the only volcanic buried town in the Americas and was evacuated following the disaster. With its eerie ghost town feel, Plymouth is Montserrat's biggest attraction. As the city lies in the island’s Exclusion Zone, it can only be visited with a certified tour guide.
The majority of Plymouth was destroyed by the eruptions and nature has taken over the remaining buildings, covering the city ruins in vegetation. Visitors can see the rooftops and the top floors of the city’s tallest buildings including the police station, school and church. Toys, books and clothes lie in homes while typewriters and paperwork left abandoned in office buildings are an ominous symbol of the power of Mother Nature.
Considered one of the most picturesque destinations in the world, around 40 islands make up Turks and Caicos, a series of pearly white dots peppering the Atlantic Ocean. Providenciales is the most developed island and a major hub for tourism. With its miles and miles of soft white sand and sparkling blue waters, the island has won numerous “best beach” accolades.
Salt Cay, the second largest of the islands, is another highlight. Its name comes from the island’s history with sea salt production, which boomed for around 250 years until it died out due to the small scale of production in the mid-20th century. The ruins of the salt industry are still visible across the island including some of the salt salinas. Between January to April, Salt Cay is also known for its resident humpback whales that migrate from the northern Atlantic, so whale watching is inevitably popular.
Scattered between Africa and South America in the South Atlantic, these remote outposts are some of the most isolated islands on Earth. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, the island became a Dutch then a British possession under the English East India Company, then back to the British crown. Its strategic position made it an important port of call during the British Empire. St Helena was also used for exiled prisoners including some 6,000 Boers and French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Longwood House, where Napoleon died in 1821, is one of the island’s most famous sights.
Until St Helena’s international airport opened in October 2017, its only connection to the outside world was via one of the last working Royal Mail ships in the world which transported provisions and people to and from Cape Town in South Africa. Due to its isolated location and limited resources, the population of St Helena currently receives annual support from the British government.
With its rugged coastline, tropical climate and untouched scenery, St Helena is home to a plethora of incredible wildlife. Roughly 500 of the endemic species found in the UK and the British Overseas Territories can be found on the island, which is around 30% of the species overall. Its warm weather and clear water also make St Helena a hub for marine life. Whale sharks and Devil rays are common here while the eight shipwrecks that litter the waters have been transformed into beautiful underwater habitats.
Check out these dramatic photos of the world’s amazing shipwrecks
Roughly 400 miles (650km) off the southeast coast of South America, the Falkland Islands have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833. First claimed by Britain in 1765, the islands were alternatively claimed and settled by the British, French and Spanish up until 1811 when all the troops were withdrawn. Today, following the establishment of commercial fisheries, the Falkland Islands are a financially self-sufficient and almost entirely self-governing territory, although foreign affairs are handled by the British government.
With their isolated and unspoiled setting, the islands are also world-renowned for their wildlife, particularly their seabirds. One of the largest colonies of black-browned albatrosses in the world are said to nest there, alongside gentoo, magellanic and rockhopper penguins. Its marine life is just as varied, with species of whales, dolphins and seals spotted in the surrounding waters. It's no wonder the islands are hailed as one of the best places on Earth for wildlife watching.
Now check out the American islands that aren't in North America