If you dream of escaping to a Caribbean paradise where choosing which beach to relax on is the most taxing thing you will need to do each day, be sure to include a stop at St Vincent on your Caribbean cruise itinerary. On the other hand, if you are a more adventurous traveller and want to try your hand at water sports or get up close and personal with some weird and wonderful marine life, St Vincent can offer any number of action-packed adventures.
- St Vincent and the Grenadinesstebul / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
The island itself is the mainland of the Caribbean region known as St Vincent and the Grenadines, with some 32 smaller islands – the Grenadines – to be found nearby. The islandds landscape is nothing if not dramatic – the seething form of La Soufriire volcano gives an imposing, Jurassic-Park style feel to the place, while the pristine white sand beaches, framed by swaying coconut palms and visited by chattering monkeys, are as picturesque and relaxing as anyone could hope for. Film fans take note – many of the scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean were shot here.
Snorkelers and divers flock to this part of the Caribbean, where the opportunity to dive in the coral-rich Tobago Bays is a major part of the attraction. Anyone lucky enough to be making a cruise stopover at this stunning location should plan their time wisely in order to see all that the location has to offer – here we have cherry picked some of the best sights, tours and attractions.
St Vincent Highlights Tour
A cruise stopover at St Vincent means that you will need to pack a lot into a short time frame, so Islands Highlights tours are a good option. Experienced tour guides can whisk you to top tourist spots such as Fort Charlotte – a former British Garrison built in the early 19th Century that offers superb views over the Northern Grenadines and Kingstown, the capital of St Vincent. From here, tours will take you to the famous Botanical Gardens, which have been wowing visitors since 1765. More lush vegetation and tropical flora and fauna are on the menu at Mesopotamia Valley, the next port of call on most highlights tours. Again, the views are superb and visitors will be awe-struck by the sheer number of colourful fruits and vegetables that shoot up from the rich earth here.
Visit the Pirates of the Caribbean Film Set – and Spot Some Magnificent Wildlife Make like Captain Jack Sparrow himself and take an organised boat trip out to sea, sailing along St Vincentts wild and rugged West Coast to the setting for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Along the way you will see colourful bird life and stunning beaches and as you head further out to sea it is possible to spot something even more exciting than Johnny Depp himself – whales and dolphins at play in their natural habitat.
Play at the Black Beaches
No trip to St Vincent is complete without relaxing on the beautiful white beaches of nearby islands such as Bequia, but visitors should also be sure to check out the islands famous Black Beaches. A port of call on many boat trips here, the beaches are dark due to the mineral-rich volcanic sand, which is said to have healing properties.
