We have done many sailing cruises in the BVIs and Abacos. Love them both. The Abacos has warmer water, much better beaches, shallow live reefs, plenty of islands to enjoy in many ways. An easy hop on a plane from Florida. They were settled during/after the revolutionary war by loyalists to the crown, so lots of interesting history. No Soggy Dollar, but Nippers on Great Ghana is rockin. BUT, you have to watch the shallows, be aware of the tides, and live without beautiful mountains and deep water. The BVIs are well known to everyone on this forum, so no details needed, except to point out that the trade winds in the BVIs are way better than the uneven winds in the Abacos. Bottom line: do them both and have a blast.