A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME: The Complete Guide to Real-Life Vacation Islands from the Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy (Johnny Depp not included)

Admit it. You'd like to be a pirate. OK, maybe it wouldn't be so fun to live with rats on a rickety wooden ship, waking to rough seas with a rum-induced hangover and no shower for months at a time. But the idea of corsets and swords, treasure and heroes, and the beautiful backdrop of a pre-tourist Caribbean has never been as dreamy as it's become with the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Tortuga. Port Royal. Singapore. Isla Cruces. These are some of the pirate island gathering places romanticized in the Disney film series. Are they real? Can you go there? Is the pirate's life really possible on a 21st century vacation?

Well, sort-of. Now that the last of the trilogy is in theaters, here's a full fiction vs. reality breakdown of the films' pirate islands, and the real-life locales where you can seek your own treasures while saying, "Arrrr," to your heart's content.

PORT ROYAL
-WHICH MOVIES?: All 3

-THE MOVIE VERSION: The port town where Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Will (Orlando Bloom) hail from, and where the paths of all our main characters first cross.

-FACT OR FICTION?: Fact. A real-life pirate center known as the "Sodom of the New World" in the 17th century, two-thirds of the city sank underwater after an earthquake hit in 1692. What's left now is a quaint (or "rundown," however you want to look at it) fishing town in Jamaica, full of ghosts, colonial architecture, a low crime rate, and big-time development plans to make Port Royal the next big tourist destination for cruise ships and travelers.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: St. Vincent & Grenadines. St. Vincent's Wallilabou Bay doubled as Port Royal in all three films, as well as some of Tortuga in the 1st. In fact, British St. Vincent & Grenadines was the only Caribbean locale used in the original movie, with other outdoor scenes shot around the white-sand Grenadines and on Petit Tabac in the Tobago Cays marine park--an area renowned as some of the best sailing in the Caribbean.

TORTUGA
-WHICH MOVIES?: #1&2

-THE MOVIE VERSION: The riotous island where the film's characters always come looking for dubious characters/crew or illicit information.

-FACT OR FICTION?: Fact. A former key Caribbean island variously ruled by the French, English, Spanish, and Dutch throughout the 17th century, the French governor tried importing 1650 prostitutes in 1645 to calm the unruly pirate population of the island…didn't work. Now the most isolated part of Haiti, this mountainous, sandy island full of rocks and hearty trees seems to have been left in that century, with no electricity or running water for its locals. Widely (and falsely) reported to have been completely wiped off the map by 2004's Hurricane Jeanne, traveling to this island is a true pirate's adventure.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Although some back alley scenes were shot in the aforementioned Wallilabou Bay on St. Vincent, the rest of the exteriors were done on a modified "Europe Street" on the Universal Studios backlot in Universal City, CA. One of the few Hollywood studios that offers tours of their lot, in addition to movie theme park rides, legendary Universal Studios is essentially all that makes up "Universal City"--a dry, hillside area in between Burbank and Hollywood.

ISLA DE MUERTA
-WHICH MOVIES?: #1

-THE MOVIE VERSION: The secret pirate booty hiding spot where our main characters battle over resolving the curse of the Chest of Cortez.

-FACT OR FICTION?: Fiction.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Since all we really see of the island is a cave, producers chose to create a controllable cave interior on Stage 2 of the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, CA. Just down the road from Universal Studios, Disney does not allow tours of their studio, but makes up for their headquarters' secrecy by offering us more Disney theme parks, hotels, cruises, and merchandise than we can consume in a lifetime.

PELEGOSTO ISLAND
-WHICH MOVIES?: #2

-THE MOVIE VERSION: The island where Jack (Johnny Depp) finds safety from the Kraken sea monster, only to be captured by a cannibal tribe, as well as where voodoo practitioner Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) lives upriver. Supposedly located just south of Tortuga.

-FACT OR FICTION?: Fiction.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Dominica. The home of native Caribs since the 14th century, this independent West Indian republic was volleyed between the French and British for two centuries, and is now led by the world's youngest head of state. With misty blue-green peaks covered with lush rainforest and natural hot springs, Dominica is called the "Switzerland of the Caribbean" by ecotourists who come for a slice of undeveloped natural beauty. Unlike many of her neighbors, the island has little crime or extremes between wealth and poverty, despite having just modest tourism and only 71,000 natives.

ISLA CRUCES
-WHICH MOVIES?: #2

-THE MOVIE VERSION: A deserted island dotted with the stone ruins of former European colonization, where our main characters find Davy Jones' beating heart buried in a chest. Supposedly located very close to Pelegosto.

-FACT OR FICTION?: Fiction.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Hampstead Beach and Vielle Casse in Dominica and southernmost Sandy Cay (e.g. uninhabited White Cay) in Exuma, Bahamas. Considered the more high-end part of the Bahamas, the 700 islands that make up "The Exumas" are renowned for deserted white sand beaches and crystal-clear aquamarine waters. Life remains much as it was decades ago on these unspoiled "Out Islands." Johnny Depp loved the Exuma Islands so much, he bought one.

SINGAPORE
-WHICH MOVIES?: #3

-THE MOVIE VERSION: Where our heroes journey to steal a navigational chart to the World's End from Chinese pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat).
-FACT OR FICTION?: Fact. And Fiction. Today, Singapore is a modern commercial mecca in Southeast Asia, full of clean concrete streets and glistening high-rises. Historically, there's little to no recorded evidence of pirate-era Singapore, so the Singapore seen in the third film is an entirely fictional amalgamation of what other Chinese and Southeast Asian cities were like centuries ago.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Stage 12 on the Universal Studios' lot in Universal City, CA. (See Tortuga above.)

SHIPWRECK ISLAND
-WHICH MOVIES?: #3

-THE MOVIE VERSION: An "island" made entirely of shipwrecks, not land, where the "Brethren of the Coast" meet to discuss releasing sea goddess Calypso to fight the East India Trading Company.

-FACT OR FICTION? Fiction.

-THE REAL-LIFE SHOOTING LOCATION: Stage 2 on the Disney lot in Burbank, CA. Yep, the same stage that held Isla de Muerta's treasure cave from film #1 and Tia Dalma's bayou shack in #2 & 3.

PORT ROYAL, JAMAICA:

• How to Get There: Fly American, Air Jamaica, or Air Canada to Kingston, then drive or ferry over from there.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: The Morgan's Harbour Hotel (www.morgansharbour.com) has the largest marina in the Kingston area; just don't catch your anchor on the "Sunken City" that's still underwater there.
• Where to Bunk Down: The newly refurbished Morgan's Harbour is also the only hotel in town.
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: Pick up a parrot for your shoulder AND a case of rum with a tour of the Sangster's Old Jamaican Liqueur factory. Tours are followed by rum tasting on a mountain where Jamaica's national bird lives. The name of the Factory? World's End (876-977-5941 or 929-3564). Could it be any more perfect?
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: At Kingston's aptly-named Asylum club, wenches drink free all night surrounded by fun-loving locals worthy of any pirate's oath.

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES:

• How to Get There: Catch a flight connection to St. Vincent via LIAT in Barbados or via Caribbean Star in Antigua.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: The waters of Barrouallie (www.barrwhalers.org) are one of the few legal whaling spots left on the planet, and the sight of whalers in brightly painted boats, still using harpoons, makes the horizon one of the most colorful in the area.
• Where to Bunk Down: The Wallilabou Anchorage Hotel (www.wallilabou.com) is the only hotel in the heart of faux-Port Royal.
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: The movies' sets, including the piers, were left behind in Wallilabou, and the town has schemes to turn them into a museum. Until then, you may wander freely and swashbuckle through to your heart's content.
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: The Devil's Table (www.friendshipbayhotel.com) on the colonial nightlife island of Bequia, is a hotel bar/restaurant designed to resemble a ship wrecked on a cliff; pull your boat right up to the "cocktail dock" for some immediate pillaging of the "barrels of rum" on hand.

TORTUGA, HAITI:

• How to Get There: 11 airlines, including American, fly to Port-au-Prince (from Miami or NY in U.S.). Ferries head to the island daily from refugee gateway Port-de-Paix and Saint Louis Du Nord.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: Pointe Saline on the western tip is considered the best beach on the island.
• Where to Bunk Down: There are no hotels on the Île de la Tortue (as the Haitians call Tortuga), so ask at the Catholic Church Mission about space with them or rooms to rent with locals.
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: The clang of swordfights of yesteryear still echo amongst the numerous fortress ruins along the coastline, the largest being Fort de la Roche in Basse-Terre.
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: It's Haiti. The whole country's rowdy.

BURBANK/UNIVERSAL CITY, CA:

• How to Get There: If flying internationally, fly into LAX; otherwise, Burbank Airport is much closer and easier to maneuver.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: If you really want to eye the spoils of LA's wealthy buggers, head up the coast to Malibu.
• Where to Bunk Down: Universal City is part of Burbank, which is on the valley side of Los Angeles. Stay just "over the hill" from the valley at Hollywood's historic Roosevelt Hotel (www.theroosevelthotel.com).
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: Special effects stunts and water-dousing abound at the Universal Studios Theme Park (www.universalstudioshollywood.com) in Burbank.
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: Ride the original 1967 Pirates of the Caribbean theme park ride at Disneyland (disneyland.disney.go.com) in Anaheim, CA.

DOMINICA:

• How to Get There: No direct flights; easiest way from the U.S. is via San Juan on American Eagle.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: Anchor in the northern fishing village of Anse-de-Mai for fresh lobster.
• Where to Bunk Down: The Pirates cast stayed across-island at the Fort Young Hotel (www.fortyounghotel.com), built around the stone walls of an actual 1720 fort.
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: They're not cannibals (although the word "cannibal" originated from the word "Carib"), but the only surviving native Caribbeans left will still welcome you to their Carib Indian Territory (www.kalinagobaranaaute.com).
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: The Creole-costumed staff of La Robe Creole (www.larobecreole.com) serve traditional delicacies such as Creole octopus and Dominican callaloo (cream of coconut) soup on the second floor of a seaside colonial house.

EXUMA, THE BAHAMAS:

• How to Get There: American Eagle flies to Exuma from Miami three times a day.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: Infamous pirate Captain Kidd's favorite cove, now named Kidd's Cove, is in Exuma's Elizabeth Harbour.
• Where to Bunk Down: The Regatta Point (www.regattapointbahamas.com) is an affordable suites-only hotel surrounded by crystal-clear water on three sides.
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: It's got pirates! (Ok, they're fake.) It's got a pirate ship! (OK, it's a replica.) Still, the Pirates of Nassau Museum (www.pirates-of-nassau.com) in the Bahamas' capital city does its best to bring the golden age of piracy to life via wax figures and dioramas. If the experience leaves you shell-shocked, the Pirate Pub is next door, with rum at the ready.
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: Every weekend, uber-friendly locals gather on the beach just outside of George Town to serve variations of conch, fried seafood, and frosty beverages at the open-stall Fish Fry.

SINGAPORE:

• How to Get There: United, Northwest, or Singapore Airlines from the U.S.
• Where to Moor Your Ship: The high seas south of Sentosa Island--which not so long ago was forebodingly called the "Island of Death from Behind"--are still a hotbed of modern-day pirate activity, so if you're really looking for some nebulous mateys, these are your waters.
• Where to Bunk Down: If you can afford it, there's only one place to stay in Singapore: the legendary Raffles Hotel (http://singapore-raffles.raffles.com), a colonial-style hotel built in 1887 that writer Somerset Maugham called "the legendary symbol for all the fables of the Exotic East."
• Where to Practice Your Swashbuckling: Like with Jack's compass, the Kuan Yin Thong Hood Cho Temple on Waterloo St. is said to grant whatever you wish for.
• The Rowdy Pirate Lifestyle: Any good pirate worth their salt loves to sing after a few slugs of rum; rent a karaoke box from box chain Party World and sing the night away. Because when the World's End is nigh, provided you've survived your pirate island adventures (and trilogy-viewing) in one piece, all that's left to do…is party.