Located among the south-eastern Windward Islands, the country includes Mustique; Canouan; Bequia; the private islands of Young Island; Palm Island and Petit St Vincet; Union Island; Mayreau and the Tobago Cays Marine Park.
There are a range of locally owned hotels and businesses with a focus on sustainability and responsible development. With easy Caribbean island-hopping , St Vincent & The Grenadines (SVG) focusses on the four offerings of
- diving and snorkelling
- soft adventures
- yachting and sailing, and
- weddings and honeymoons
Diving and snorkelling
Four of the five islands also lie within a horseshoe-shaped reef, ensuring excellent reef diving and snorkelling excursions.
A highlight is the abundance of green turtles, with sightings almost guaranteed thanks to conservation efforts.
The island of Bequia, famed for its colourful buildings, green hills and white beaches, is dotted with more than 20 dive sites along its shores.
Rougher seas mean the north-east coast is for more experienced divers, while Admiralty Bay promises coral reefs as well as a wreck.
For family friendly fun, snorkelling from Princess Margaret Beach, Spring Bay and Crescent Shore is popular. Mustique offers some of the best diving in St Vincent and The Grenadines.
A coral reef restoration project and a coral nursery helps to protect the marine life, and while divers can head out to deeper waters, snorkellers can set off directly from the beaches
Turtles, eels, lobster and coral can be spotted easily, while Mustique is also home to four wrecks and black-tipped reef sharks.
- Mayreau Island has a vibrant reef, which comes close to shore in the north, and is home to coral gardens, turtles, sharks and stingrays.
- Mayreau Gardens can be reached by boat and offers drift diving as well as snorkelling to spot colourful sponges, sharks and hawksbill turtles.
- Canouan, in the southern Grenadines, offers some of the best shore snorkelling with long reefs fringing the coast and calm waters.
- Wallilabou Bay offers marine life that takes in moray eels, trumpetfish, damselfish and bluehead wrasse
It is also famed for its underwater landscape of steep cliffs and rock seabeds, providing a dramatic backdrop for snorkelling and diving, as well as colourful corals and sponges.
Hiking adventures
St Vincent and The Grenadines has a network of hiking trails that allows guests to immerse themselves in verdant nature and vibrant culture. From the easier trails that unfurl around St Vincent’s capital, Kingstown, to La Soufrière, a hike that climbs an active volcano.
Whale and dolphin watching
Visitors can spot pilot whales, with the best viewing from December to April. Dolphin sightings are frequent, with spinner, bottlenose and common dolphins seen all year.
Desert island castaway
Many hotels arrange cruise drops at deserted islets with Mopion and Punaise offering the best opportunity for a true experience of isolation.
Yachting and sailing
Weddings and honeymoons
It is easy to get married in St Vincent and The Grenadines, with speedy licences, limited paperwork and minimal fees A wedding here is for couples who want to embrace the natural from botanical gardens and white sand beaches and to private islands and boutique resorts.
* Charlotte Williams at charlotte@wearelotus.co.uks
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