St Vincent & The Grenadines

Why St Vincent and The Grenadines are special
The Grenadines (as the country is often called) is the Caribbean's finest and most famous sailing and yachting area. It has many secluded coves with beaches and coral reefs beckoning you to lay anchor for sunbathing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, and over-nighting.

Must visits
The Grenadines chain has 32 islands and cays. The most significant are:

• St Vincent
  This is the largest island and has less appeal than the smaller ones. The capital city Kingstown resides. The island has some resorts, but most visitors use St Vincent as a gateway to the smaller, slower-paced islands.
• Young
  Situated just off St Vincent Island. Has a well-regarded private resort.
• Mustique
  Ritzy. This is where the rich, famous, and powerful hole up.
• Canouan
  The luxury Raffles Resort is here.
• Bequia
  Great beaches. Has a wide choice of accommodations.
• Tobago Cays
  Popular with vacationers seeking modest-priced accommodations and a variety of good-vibe places to eat and drink.

Union Island and Palm Island are popular, but they don't make my must-visit list. Their traditional Grenadines character is compromised because of their nearness to Grenada. Daytrip visitors from Grenada overly influence the look and feel.

St Vincent and The Grenadines tips & insights
Sail up or down the Grenadines?
Sail down (southward), not up (northward). If you sail up, you will be spending substantial time and effort tacking instead of running with the wind.

Many coves
Your yacht could be the only one in a cove. Ditto when you island hop to your next Grenadines destination.

No yacht?
You can easily charter one, with or without a crew. Or, you can take a ferry to some of the islands.

Nightlife
Don't come to the Grenadines if nightlife is a priority. It hardly exists.

Language
The official Grenadine language is English, though French and Patois are also common.

Island statistics
The combined land area is 390 square kilometers (150 square miles). There are 120,000 residents.

Location Map