The St. Vincent - An Overview

Jewels of the Caribbean

Just 90 miles west of Barbados and nestling in the Caribbean is an enchanting paradise - St Vincent and the Grenadines, an archipelago of 32 unique tropical islands and Cays known as “The Jewels of the Caribbean”.

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Lying between St Lucia and Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines are a hidden gem amongst the more recognised Caribbean islands and they are virtually untouched by mass tourism, with many of the smaller islands of the Grenadines still unpopulated.

Maybe you already know of some of the smaller islands and Cays of the Grenadines: Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Union Island, Palm Island, Petit St. Vincent…

Unspoilt paradise

St Vincent is the essence of true Caribbean culture and its very lack of mass tourism and development adds to its charm and allure. The rugged northern landscapes, lush mountain peaks, tropical rain forests and secluded coves and beaches are just a taste of what you can expect on St Vincent.

Regarded as a sailors’ paradise, the turquoise waters that surround St Vincent and the Grenadines are considered some of the best cruising grounds in the world. The archipelago provides an ideal environment to cruise the crystal clear waters and sail with the gentle trade winds amongst some of the most spectacular marine life found in the Caribbean Sea.

A sailor's, diver's, snorkeller's paradise

Pirates of the Caribbean

St Vincent’s secluded coves and spectacular backdrops of mountains with tropical forests and cascading waterfalls ensure that St Vincent remains an authentic and unspoilt tropical haven. So much so, that St Vincent was chosen as the natural setting for the film “Pirates of the Caribbean” and its sequels.

Dotted along the west coast of the island, there are many fishing villages and tranquil sandy coves which are home to the island’s best dive sites. In contrast to the calm of the west coast, the east offers dramatic, rugged cliffs and rocky shores.

The north of the island is pretty much untouched and is where you’ll find La Soufriere Volcano and the Falls of Baleine. You can easily reach them by boat but for the more adventurous (and super fit) you can trek through the spectacular rainforests.

Farming and fishing

Farming and fishing has been the core of St Vincent’s economy for some time and now tourism is adding to the economy although it’s still very much on a small scale. It’s hard to find evidence of big business on St Vincent with most of the hotels, restaurants and shops being owned locally so there’s a very laid back and friendly feel to tourism on St Vincent.

Things to do and see and do

Visit the Botanic Garden founded in 1765, the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The garden contains one of the original breadfruit trees brought from Tahiti in 1793 by Captain Bligh after the famous Bounty mutiny.
Climb to the top of La Soufriere Volcano. Take the three mile hiking trail through bamboo groves, rain forest and across old lava flows, to the summit at 1200 meters. It can take around two and a half hours to reach this point so you'll need to allow a full day for the round trip.
Explore the Vermont Nature Trails which wind through lush rain forest with spectacular flora and cooling waterfalls - and look for the rare and colourful St Vincent parrot.
Visit Wallilabou Bay, situated just a few minutes away from Buccament Bay, which was used as the fictional location for Port Royal in the blockbuster Disney film “The Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl” and its sequel “Dead Man's Chest”.
See the canons at Fort Charlotte which sits at 183m (600ft) above St Vincent's capital, Kingstown.
Swim at Owia Salt Pond, a bathing pool enclosed by lava peaks and ridges.
Sail down to Tobago Cays, a group of five small uninhabited islands surrounded by a spectacular Horseshoe Reef that is a playground for turtles and is designated a National Marine Park.
Go diving or snorkelling off the beautiful coast of St Vincent or one of the many islands.
Take a trip to the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary on Bequia to view the endangered hawksbill turtle hatchlings.

Diving on colourful reefs

So, having had the briefest of tasters of this fantastic place, why not invest a few minutes now and find out a little more? We want you to be able to make an informed decision and so we’ve prepared plenty of material for you.