The 60-plus cays and isles of the British Virgin Islands—most of them uninhabited—inspire castaway fantasies; charter a boat in Tortola, sail it yourself to Sandy Cay, and you can fulfill them for an afternoon. Once part of Laurance S. Rockefeller’s private domain, the undeveloped island, roughly three miles west of Tortola, is a nesting site for endangered leatherback turtles and has recently been declared a national park. A hiking trail tunnels through the jungle interior, topping out at the north-facing cliffs that rise above the churning surf. But most day-tripping Robinson Crusoes row dinghies ashore simply to sink into the soft sand.

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Sandy Cay, British Virgin Islands

The 60-plus cays and isles of the British Virgin Islands—most of them uninhabited—inspire castaway fantasies; charter a boat in Tortola, sail it yourself to Sandy Cay, and you can fulfill them for an afternoon. Once part of Laurance S. Rockefeller’s private domain, the undeveloped island, roughly three miles west of Tortola, is a nesting site for endangered leatherback turtles and has recently been declared a national park. A hiking trail tunnels through the jungle interior, topping out at the north-facing cliffs that rise above the churning surf. But most day-tripping Robinson Crusoes row dinghies ashore simply to sink into the soft sand.

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