Seven years ago, my first visit to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) provided a blissfully guilt-free respite from our cold. This pristine cluster of about 60 islands is not only gorgeous but also blessed with the most equitable economy in the region. As a result, no matter where one goes, the people were thriving. Getting to know them was a pleasure. On my recent return, I was delighted by how little had changed. Mrs. Scatliffe still sings gospel songs periodically through the evening to the delight of diners in her cozy restaurant.

When slavery ended in the 1830s, plantation owners simply deeded the property among their liberated slaves. Thanks to tight immigration policies and a sparse population (only about 21,000 today), virtually everyone who lives there is a descendant landowner. The stable democratic government has limited foreign investment and restricted the size of any commercial developments. No hotel can be taller than a palm tree.

Even with some relaxation in the laws on foreign ownership and immigration, the vast majority of the land is owned by natives. There are no chain hotels or sprawling resorts, no franchise restaurants or stores. Wherever you stay or shop, you do business with a local entrepreneur. Even salesclerks, waiters, cab drivers and dockhands at the numerous marinas enjoy the security of being property owners. The islands actually boast negative unemployment, along with one of the highest literacy rates in the Americas.

So what does all this mean to the tourist? Wandering at night is relatively safe. In the capital city of Road Town on Tortola, virtually no stores have barred windows, tacitly signaling freedom from crime concerns. No one accosts visitors trying to sell them various goods or services, as is often the case elsewhere. The only times I saw clusters of men idling about, they were on road construction crews – just like home! English is the native language. Their currency is the US dollar, due to close ties with the adjacent US Virgin Islands, which contains much larger industry and population bases. The most "foreign" adjustment for U.S. visitors is having to drive on the left.

Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada are the islands of interest to most tourists. Some others, like Neckar and Peter Island, harbor small, exclusive hideaways. They cater to celebrities seeking complete privacy – from Hollywood stars to members of the British royal family. Since my previous visit, a few more luxury retreats have been built or expanded, like the elegant Little Dix Bay Resort and Spa on Virgin Gorda. Yet all development within the islands is still small-scale and low-rise. BVI’s largest hotel (Long Bay Beach Resort) has about 120 rooms, but they’re spread out in several small buildings, from beachfront cabanas to hillside clusters of cottages and rooms.

The vast majority of accommodations are locally-owned small hotels and rental cottages and villas, many of which can be booked and covering the full spectrum of price and amenities.

Small groups of friends or families traveling together will find a wide choice of villas that can be rented with or without staff to prepare their meals. Some of these properties also cater to small business meetings or retreats, as well.

Land-based lodging facilities are richly supplemented by aquatic accommodations. Many fleet operators like The Moorings offer a wide variety of sailing vessels for charters of all types. Qualified sailors can can rent their craft bareboat; others can opt for crewed vessels, sleeping up to eight passengers, with gourmet meals included.

A large percentage of tourists arrive by private or chartered sailboat, giving quaint beachfront bars a dominant presence in the local landscape. The owners are a colorful collection of characters, almost as much of an attraction as the white sand and bright blue waters. Foxy, of Foxy’s Bar on Jost Van Dyke, delights patrons with his clever original songs. Most owners and bartenders have been in place a long time, and readily regale customers with local folklore.

If you aren’t feeling quite so sociable, just enjoy the friendly rivalry among house-specialty rum drinks – Painkillers, Swifties, Smoothies, etc. All these libations include fresh fruit, so the benefit to your other organs can balance whatever you do to your liver. Or order them "virgin."

Few major cruise ships stop there, so the odds of finding yourself surrounded by a swarm of escapees from The Love Boat are refreshingly small. And if you know when they’re anchoring at Road Town, you can adjust your plans accordingly. So many islands, so little time!

If you fly in, there are plenty of intra-island ferries, or rental boats of all types for island-hopping. By law, all beaches are public, so you’re free to drop anchor and spread your towel on any of the innumerable white sandy stretches that catch your eye. You may well find that you’re the only ones there on any given day on any of dozens of pristine beaches punctuating the miles of shoreline. Many, like Virgin Gorda’s Savannah Beach, have no amenities to attract crowds, rewarding the well-prepared explorer who searches for serenity. But don’t get too cocky; all beaches are public, and nude basking is illegal.

Fresh seafood and exotic fruits are the dietary staples. Thanks to those restrictions on foreign investment, BVI is a haven from the fast-food chains cropping up on other islands. Who wants a ‘burger (although they’re not hard to find on most menus, if that’s what you’re craving) amid a cornucopia of shellfish? They do import chefs, however. The Sugar Mill Hotel’s Restaurant has ties to a sister property in napa Valley. The New England Culinary Institute has a branch school here, which not only provides new talent for the local restaurants, but offers some chances to taste the work of the students. Everybody wins on those deals.