British Virgin Islands or Guadeloupe?

These are two excellent beach destinations, and the difference lies in character. In the British Virgin Islands the water is clear and sheltered inside the island chain, and many of the best stops are reached by boat: the granite pools of The Baths, White Bay on Jost Van Dyke and the empty reef-fringed shores of Anegada.

Guadeloupe splits in two. Grande-Terre's south coast has white sand and shallow lagoons you can drive to, while Basse-Terre has darker, wilder beaches such as Grande Anse. Sargassum can reach the east- and south-facing shores, so a base that lets you switch coasts helps.

Guadeloupe is the place to come hungry. Its Creole cooking runs from salt-cod accras to colombo curries, lolos serve simple meals on the beach, and the markets of Pointe-à-Pitre and the agricultural rum distilleries of Marie-Galante add a lot. French bakeries fill the gaps.

The British Virgin Islands have a few memorable moments, such as lobster grilled on Anegada's beaches and a painkiller at a Jost Van Dyke bar. Most produce is imported, though, and the choice thins out quickly once you leave Road Town.

Guadeloupe has much more to see. The Mémorial ACTe in Pointe-à-Pitre is a serious visit in its own right, and forts, Hindu temples, rock carvings at Trois-Rivières and Marie-Galante's windmills add an interesting layer to a beach trip.

In the British Virgin Islands, the Old Government House Museum, the rum distillery at Cane Garden Bay and the Copper Mine engine house on Virgin Gorda take an afternoon at most.

Neither is a party destination, but the evenings feel different. In the British Virgin Islands you take a dinghy between anchorage bars at Jost Van Dyke and Norman Island, and the big nights are the full-moon parties at Trellis Bay. There are no clubs, and sailors go to bed early.

Guadeloupe has a handful of late clubs playing zouk around Le Gosier and waterfronts in Sainte-Anne and Saint-François, though going out means driving. Carnival season, from January to Ash Wednesday, is when the whole island stays up.

Guadeloupe has the more varied outdoors. On Basse-Terre there's protected rainforest, the climb up La Soufrière at 1,467m, the Carbet falls and the Route de la Traversée under giant trees. Below the water, the Cousteau Reserve offers turtles and coral close to shore, and you can kayak the mangroves of the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin.

The British Virgin Islands are about sailing and diving. The wreck of the RMS Rhone and the reefs of Anegada are the highlights. On land there are only low hills such as Sage Mountain, and walkers will run out of trails within a few days.

Guadeloupe gives far better days out. A ferry reaches Terre-de-Haut in Les Saintes, with painted houses on a beautiful bay. Marie-Galante, with its rum and ox carts, is worth a night, and a longer crossing reaches Dominica.

From Tortola, the ferries go to small settlements such as Spanish Town and Great Harbour. The most substantial outing, to Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas, crosses into the US Virgin Islands and needs a passport.

Guadeloupe makes things easier with children. The knee-deep lagoons at Sainte-Anne are ideal, and there's an aquarium at Le Gosier, a zoo at Parc des Mamelles and the Deshaies botanical garden for days off the sand. French healthcare also helps.

The British Virgin Islands offer calm, warm bays and a charter that older children will remember. However, nothing is built for children, and steep roads and boat transfers take some managing.

Both take effort, in different ways. The British Virgin Islands are best seen from a charter yacht, or by settling at one resort, because Tortola's roads are steep and narrow, you drive on the left, and Anegada needs a longer ferry or a flight.

Guadeloupe is a car island. The roads are good and French-style, but expect slow traffic around Pointe-à-Pitre and the bridges between the two wings. The ferries to the outer islands are simple, and a scooter is enough once you arrive.

Guadeloupe is a little better for shopping. The spice market in Pointe-à-Pitre sells vanilla, punches and madras cloth, and you can buy rum straight from the distilleries. In the British Virgin Islands, Road Town's Main Street and the marina shops hold little beyond swimwear, sailing gear and rum, which is why serious shoppers cross to St Thomas.

Neither is cheap, but Guadeloupe is easier on the wallet. Villas, apartments and guesthouses with kitchens suit families and groups, and roadside bokit vans and markets cost little, though you should budget for a hire car.

The British Virgin Islands are priced for a well-off market, from resorts and villas to taxis. The classic yacht charter is a large outlay even when shared.

Guadeloupe has the richer musical life. You can hear gwoka drumming at léwòz evenings and zouk everywhere, the carnival groups parade for weeks, and L'Artchipel in Basse-Terre stages theatre and dance. In the British Virgin Islands, live music means fungi scratch bands at beach bars plus the Emancipation Festival in Road Town.

Both are good places to do very little, but the pleasures differ. Guadeloupe's volcano warms natural springs, such as the Bains Jaunes in the forest and the shoreline pools near Bouillante, and small guesthouses in Deshaies or on Les Saintes keep the pace slow.

The British Virgin Islands have no hot springs. Instead you get open-air resort spas, yoga on decks above the sea and the deep quiet of Virgin Gorda's North Sound and the private islands.