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St Vincent and Grenadines

Known by the Caribs as Hairoun ('Land of the Blessed'), St Vincent is the central island of the nation known as St Vincent and the Grenadines. The group consists of more than 30 islands and cays spread out like broken chain links between St Vincent and southward to Grenada. Still largely untouched by tourism, most hotels are small and stress individualized service. On St Vincent, the Botanic Garden founded in 1765 claims to be the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The garden contains a real prize, one of the original breadfruit trees brought from Tahiti in 1793 by Captain Bligh after the famous Bounty mutiny. St Vincent proudly bears the nickname 'The Breadfruit Isle'. South of St Vincent, the Grenadines resemble the South Pacific with its string of uninhabited islands surrounded by crystal clear water and white sand beaches.

Who goes there: 

The island chain appeals to those who like to be off the beaten track and experience a less homogenized Caribbean. Honeymooners find the small hotels particularly attractive. On St Vincent, hikers and eco-tourists will be amazed at the number of beautiful waterfalls, such as the Falls of Baleine at the northern end. The island is still so heavily forested no road has yet been built that encircles it. The Grenadines have long been regarded a sailors' paradise but divers and snorkellers are discovering its largely pristine reefs.

Where in the world: 

Part of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean Sea, St Vincent's closest neighbours are Grenada (120km/75 miles) to the south, St Lucia (40km/24 miles) to the north and Barbados (160km/100 miles) to the east. After St Vincent, the major islands are Young Island, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, Palm Island, and Petit St Vincent. The distance from E T Joshua Airport to Kingstown is about 3km (2 miles).

When to go: 

The island experiences a tropical climate year round, with an average annual temperature of 25°C (77°F). The hottest months are May to September when the temperature reaches highs of around 33°C (91°F). The dry season is from December to June and the rainy season is July to November, with August being the wettest month of the year.

Beach: 

Due to the island's volcanic origin, most of St Vincent beaches are black sand with two notable exceptions at Villa and Indian Bay, where many hotels are located. For classic white sand beaches, choose the Grenadines such as Union Island, Canouan, Mustique and Bequia.

Beyond the beach: 

St Vincent contains the most interesting attractions of the islands. Besides exploring the Botanic Garden (located off the Leeward Highway in Kingstown) and viewing its strain of Captain Bligh's breadfruit, hike up 1,234m (4,048ft) La Soufriere, an active volcano that last erupted in 1979. North of Kingstown, the Vermont Nature Trails venture through a lush rain forest where you might glimpse the rare and colorful St Vincent parrot. The Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary (Park Beach, Bequia) offers the chance to view endangered hawksbill turtle hatchlings close-up. The young turtles are raised until three to five years old when they're too large for most predators and then released.

Family fun: 

Fort Charlotte, which sits at 183m (600ft) above St Vincent's Kingstown, has some of its few remaining cannons facing inland because the British were as worried about the fierce Carib Indians as foreign invaders. Spend a day picnicking and swimming at Owia Salt Pond, a bathing pool enclosed by lava peaks and ridges but protected from the pounding Atlantic surf.

Retail therapy: 

St Vincent's Kingstown covers only 12 blocks, making it possible to window shop the entire city in half a day. However, the several large department stores are aimed more at the needs of locals than visitors. Your best bets for souvenirs are the duty free shops and boutiques at the Cruise Ship Complex (Grenadines Wharf), a shopping area designed for cruise passengers and visiting yachtsmen. Boutiques in the tourist hotels at Villa are another option. For hand-made souvenirs and local spices, don't overlook the colourful local Kingstown market (Hillsoboro Street, beside the Cenotaph). Outside of town in the village of Wallilabou on the leeward coast, the Wallilabou Craft Centre offers more locally-made items including woven hats, baskets, handbags and children's toys.

Night on the town: 

With its relatively low number of tourists, the best place for evening entertainment is at one of the resorts, unless you have the experience to night dive and view the reefs when the colourful creatures are most active.

Eating out: 

Most St Vincent cuisine emphasises seafood, although you can also find restaurants offering French, Creole, pizza and curry specialities. Haute cuisine is best found at Grenadine resorts favoured by the rich and famous. On St Vincent, the restaurants are concentrated both in Kingstown and the Villa Beach area.

Getting there and around: 

Taxis fares are government regulated but the taxis are unmetered, so check the fares in the free brochure available at the airport. Fares are based on the $ symbol, the Eastern European Currency (ECC) dollars that's far below par with the US$ dollar. Rental cars require an EC$50 temporary driving licence. Buses travel between the major towns and villages, departing the main terminal at the New Kingstown Fish Market (a block south of the main Kingstown market on Hillsboro Street). Minibuses serve the hotel areas of Indian Bay and Villa, stopping on request instead of at designated bus stops. So speak up when you want to get off!

Exploring further: 

There are so many islands to see, depending on your time and budget. Charter a sailboat to leisurely explore the Grenadines or fly to one of the islands with its own small airport. Three well known islands (St Lucia, Barbados and Grenada) are also an easy flight away for day or overnight trips.

Splashing out: 

Hop the 10-minute flight to the romantic island of Mustique (pronounced Mus-TEEK) to watch for the green flash at legendary Basil's Bar at Britannia Bay (www.basilsmustique.com). For many years this thatched pub on stilts sitting over the water was the island's only watering hole and attracted the cream of Mustique's rich and famous vacationers like Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret. The best time to visit Basil's, located 29km (18 miles) south of St Vincent, is Wednesday for the weekly beach barbecue and Jump Up (dance) or on Sundays for karaoke.

Flying in: 

Kingstown, ET Joshua Airport (SVD)

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