The uniquely beautiful, multi-island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is undoubtedly one of the most amazing Caribbean getaways that is not as commercial as most others, but offers the visitor an uncommon and stress-free vacation with plenty of variety. Many might think to know this place from the movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ but St. Vincent and the Grenadines are much more than this. A necklace of 32 enticing islands and cays (with only nine being inhabited) located in the Windward Islands at the lower end of the Caribbean chain, St. Vincent and the Grenadines attract thousands, if not millions of travelers from around the world annually with their stunning natural beauty, great land and water adventures and rich history and culture.
St. Vincent is the chief island of the chain and the main population center that has often been overshadowed by its smaller sister islands, including the more famous Bequia, Mustique and Canouan; however, with the recent growth of luxurious resorts, it’s finally getting on the tourist map of the Caribbean. The island is mountainous and well forested, dominated by the volcano Mount Soufriere, rising to 4,048 feet, which last erupted in 1979. St Vincent is also home to the country’s capital, Kingstown – a lovely city, characterized by numerous colonial buildings lining the cobblestone streets, as well as several interesting churches, the national museum and gardens. What make Kingstown popular are also its many tan and black sand beaches, where tourists will find peace, tranquility and full relaxation. For more adventurous the town offers great hiking in the Vermont Nature Trails.
Of the many islands and cays that make up the Grenadines, of great interest are Mustique, Palm Island and Union Island, which are haunts of the rich and famous, offering high-end resorts and hotels, fine beaches, as well as superb yachting and diving experiences. The islands also offer great sailing and inter-island travel mainly by ferry, which will be a great one-of-a-kind experience you will not soon forget.
Famous recreational sites in St. Vincent and the Grenadines include: Richmond beach – a black sand, crescent-shaped beach that is an ideal spot for land-based trips; Black Point Recreational Site – a popular picnic spot with barbeque pits, gazebos, bath and toilet facilities; Trinity Falls – a 40-foot waterfall said to be the most beautiful in St. Vincent, set in a deep canyon and descending in three cascades into two circular pools with the second used for swimming; Owia Salt Pond – an amazing Caribbean natural wonder made up of a huge bathing pool enclosed by rocks and ridges, which is an ideal venue for picnics, swimming and snorkeling; as well as Fort Charlotte, a 19th-century fortification built on Berkshire Hill 600 feet above sea level, from where visitors can enjoy splendid view of the city of Kingstown and the Grenadines.
The islands are blessed with pleasant, tropical climate, and temperatures ranging from 26 to 21 degrees Celsius. The world is amazing, and it’s right here, in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
