This Caribbean Island Chain Has Black-sand Seashores and an All-inclusive Resort With Overwater Bungalows

In a nook of the Caribbean, hidden removed from the cruise ship crowds, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has lengthy been difficult to succeed in—except you will have a personal jet, that’s. Studded with ultra-exclusive resorts and luxurious personal villas, islands within the Grenadines like Bequia, Mustique, and Canouan are stated to be the place billionaires go to get away from the millionaires. However what of St. Vincent, the biggest of the nation’s 33 islands and cays?

“St. Vincent is called an eco-lover’s dream vacation spot,” says Jamila Soso-Vincent, former public relations supervisor at Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which debuted in 2024. Coastal cliffs and crags are punctuated by black-sand seashores, and wealthy rain forest hides a towering volcanic cone. Learn on for our information to planning an epic trip in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Finest Accommodations & Resorts

Sandals St. Vincent and the Grenadines

It is no exaggeration to say that Sandals St. Vincent and the Grenadines offers discerning vacationers a cause to stay round on St. Vincent relatively than head straight to the Grenadines. Overwater bungalows suspended over turquoise waters are enviable, however even the entry-level rooms and suites impress with personal balconies and patios. The encircling mountains and a wonderful golden-sand seaside make this an idyllic spot for these seeking to keep put or a handy launch pad for these excited to discover the island.

Mandarin Oriental, Canouan

Nestled on probably the most unique island within the Grenadines, the Mandarin Oriental, Canouan is the definition of an island paradise. This premier property boasts 26 palatial suites, in addition to a handful of exquisitely appointed villas tucked right into a verdant hillside to maximise ocean views. An intimate, guest-only spa options 10 oceanfront remedy villas and two overwater spa bungalows accessible solely by boat.

Petit St. Vincent

Petit St. Vincent (briefly closed for hurricane reconstruction) is nothing just like the basic all-inclusive expertise you could be picturing. This personal island property options simply 22 one- and two-bedroom cottages and villas surrounded by sandy shoals and crystal-clear waters. An intimate spa, a dive heart, and beautiful eating spherical out a memorable expertise in what has been referred to as certainly one of probably the most lovely locations within the Caribbean.

Palm Island Resort & Spa

It’s a journey to get right here, however that’s a part of the enchantment of Palm Island Resort & Spa (additionally at the moment closed for post-hurricane repairs). Pristine sands studded with, you guessed it, coconut palms cover only a handful of rooms, suites, and villas throughout a stunning 135-acre personal island. Two eating places and a laundry record of facilities and actions imply there can be no island fever right here, although the resort provides loads of alternatives for excursions, simply in case.

Soho Seaside Home Canouan

Soho Seaside Home Canouan is the primary Caribbean outpost of the gathering of high-profile, members-only Soho Home golf equipment that dot the globe, however in Canouan, visitors can benefit from the unique really feel with out being a member. Every of the property’s 40 rooms contains a personal balcony or patio, making it straightforward to slide onto the white sands or unwind with uninterrupted ocean views.

Finest Issues to Do

Summit La Soufrière.

Take the La Soufrière Cross Nation Path to the crest of St. Vincent’s towering energetic volcano for views that may take your breath away. Guides are required for this three- to four-hour out-and-back journey, thought of reasonably strenuous however supremely rewarding. Or, for a better various, “take a stroll by means of the Vermont Nature Path for lush vegetation and a glimpse of our nationwide parrot flying overhead,” recommends Soso-Vincent.

Snorkel in Tobago Cays Marine Park.

Often known as the “Jewel within the Crown” of the Grenadines, Tobago Cays Marine Park encircles a cluster of 5 picture-perfect islands surrounding a transparent lagoon. Sea turtles nest on these uninhabited islets rimmed with seashores, whereas vibrant reefs make it a snorkeler’s paradise and one of the crucial in style day-trip locations from St. Vincent.

Swim underneath Darkish View Falls.

Bathe beneath a two-tiered waterfall hidden in a vacation spot so deep inside the rain forest that many locals declare it was solely rediscovered a couple of a long time in the past. Tucked away close to the island’s western coast, it is now accessible by way of a brief stroll from a distant roadside, although that does not detract from this magical website.

Go to black-sand seashores.

St. Vincent has a handful of golden-sand shores, however this volcanic island is greatest recognized for its much more beautiful black-sand seashores. On the island’s western coast, tranquil Wallilabou Bay provides dramatic sands and accessible snorkeling spots, whereas Mount Wynne has two twin black-sand beachfronts that again as much as the island’s oldest coconut plantation.

Go island-hopping.

Steadiness island adventures on St. Vincent with time spent basking in the great thing about the Grenadines. Guests can plan full-day crusing excursions from the capital metropolis of Kingstown, or take one of many frequent ferries to close by Bequia for a number of the nation’s nicest seashores. Because the Grenadines have emerged as a major crusing vacation spot, firms like Dream Yacht Worldwide now supply expertly curated multiday cruise itineraries spent combing the archipelago’s most beautiful spots.

Finest Eating places

Buccan

Vincentian fare is cooked over a flame at Buccan, one of many 12 eating places situated inside Sandals St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Harkening again to age-old native cooking methods, Buccan is singular on the island and throughout the area, its distinctive strategies elevating farm-fresh delicacies and daring Caribbean flavors.

Vee Jay’s Restaurant and Bar

It would not get extra native than Vee Jay’s Restaurant and Bar, a longtime hang-out in Kingstown recognized for its beneficiant parts of Vincentian favorites like roti and curry. A surge of locals hits this spot at lunchtime—a testomony to the meals that guests must also consider when planning their itinerary.

Wallibou Anchorage

Pair a seaside day or a go to to Darkish View Falls with a cease for lunch at Wallilabou Anchorage, a tiny lodge providing easy fare and scrumptious cocktails in view of catamarans parked within the bay. The eatery leans closely into its nautical pirate theme, however are you able to blame them? It was one of many filming places for Pirates of the Caribbean, in spite of everything.

The Sapodilla Room at Grenadine Home

Eating on the city-center Grenadine Home in Kingstown is informal through the day on a terrace providing ocean views. It takes on a high-quality eating really feel within the night inside The Sapodilla Room, which provides a menu of each continental and Caribbean delicacies.

Younger Island Resort Restaurant

Take a five-minute ferry trip from Villa Seaside to the tiny Younger Island, topped by a small resort with an important oceanfront eatery. Lunch is à la carte, however the four-course prix-fixe dinner provided all through the week and the full of life barbecue buffet on Saturday nights make the restaurant shine.

Areas to Go to

Kingstown

Guests are inclined to breeze by means of Kingstown, however do not be so fast to depend out the nation’s capital. Spend half a day getting acquainted with this colourful Caribbean metropolis, grabbing a recent snack on the Kingstown Produce Market earlier than marveling on the charming structure on Bay Avenue. Climb the hillside—or take a taxi—to the hilltop Fort Charlotte for a exceptional style of the island’s historical past with much more spectacular views.

Wallilabou

If Wallilabou seems to be acquainted, that’s as a result of it in all probability is. This spot on St. Vincent’s western coast featured prominently in a number of of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, its jagged, untouched shores evoking the Caribbean of previous like nowhere else can. Swimming on the black-sand seaside and beneath close by Darkish View Falls can be memorable, however simply wait till you hear tales from the locals about their brushes with celebrities through the filming course of.

Finest Time to Go to

Clear skies and calm seas dwell as much as each Caribbean vacationer’s dream on St. Vincent between December and April, making it one of the best time to go to the island. Could and June are a perfect shoulder season for vacationers in search of that Goldilocks mixture of decrease costs and nice climate earlier than the wet season kicks off in full pressure. Although hurricane season lasts from June by means of November, most storms happen between late August and mid-October.

Considering a crusing journey to the archipelago? “The very best crusing months are December to Could, with February to April being most well-liked,” says Loïc Bonnet, president of Dream Yacht Worldwide. “The ‘Christmas Winds’ in December and January are usually stronger and may sometimes attain 30 knots for a couple of days, which might be too sturdy for good crusing.”

Late June and early July are carnival season on St. Vincent, as Vincy Mas brings a packed calendar of occasions that includes island beats and colourful costumes to Kingstown. Whereas it is not the biggest or best-known carnival celebration within the Caribbean, it may be a singular and memorable cultural expertise for guests who resolve to make it part of their journey.

Find out how to Get There

Main airways like Air Canada, JetBlue, and American Airways function routes to St. Vincent’s Argyle Worldwide Airport (SVD). There are additionally connections by way of different Caribbean islands, like Puerto Rico and Barbados.

Vacationers planning on sticking round within the Grenadines ought to take into account flying into the smaller airports situated on Canouan, Mustique, Bequia, and Union Island. They’re accessible by way of industrial flights from St. Vincent and close by islands like Barbados, or by personal constitution. Tradewind Aviation, a frontrunner in private air journey within the area, provides direct flights into Canouan and Union Island.

Find out how to Get Round

The twisting mountain roads that crisscross St. Vincent really feel rather more treacherous while you’re behind the wheel, which means most guests keep on with taxi transport whereas exploring the island. These decided to get much more adventurous can hire a automobile from firms like Avis, situated on the airport. Be sure that to stay to the left aspect of the street, and bear in mind to carry a global driver’s license or get your license from residence permitted for native use in Kingstown earlier than you hit the street.