Deep green, volcanic ridges, a beautiful coastline, warm, friendly people and great gardens and waterfalls help make St. Vincent a top Caribbean destination that’s just a bit off the beaten track.
I recently spent several days traipsing about the island of St. Vincent and briefly visiting the island of Bequia. I’ll deal with Bequia later, but for now here’s a look at the lovely and lush island of St. Vincent itself. It’s a real stunner, with a gorgeous coastline and lots more to offer.
The beach at the Beachcomber Hotel south of Kingstown is a pretty spot with fantastic sunsets.
Beachcombers Hotel features colourful buildings and lush landscaping. The rooms are modest but reasonably priced and the on-site restaurant offers very good food and terrific seaside vistas.
It’s not unusual to see birds perched on top of cows in St. Vincent. They apparently eat various insects attracted to the cows. Sometimes, however, the cow gets more than it bargained for.
Fishing for tiny fish called Tri Tri is a popular activity with locals in St. Vincent. The tiny fish are cleaned and baked into cakes with various spices. Super fun to watch.
Neighborhood bars are a large part of the charm of St. Vincent. They can be found all over the island, with colourful names like “First Lady” and “Mama’s Place.”
Young Island Resort is a family friendly, upscale place to stay on a private island just south of Kingstown. The food is superb; especially the seafood and the soups. Try the tomato and corn chowder if you can.
Folks in St. Vincent are hoping their new airport, slated to open next year some time, will bring direct flights from Toronto and other Canadian cities. Right now, most folks have to connect through St. Lucia or Barbados.
A trip to the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens is a big treat. Amongst the plants you’ll find are giant Cannonball trees. I was told they bloom all year long but that individual blossoms only last a single day. Cool.
The botanical gardens in St. Vincent also has a program to help boost the endangered St. Vincent parrot, a colourful and endearingly attractive bird.
Dark View Falls is a gorgeous spot in the northwest corner of St. Vincent, a couple hours drive north of Kingstown. The drive itself is sensational, but you’d be wise to hire a local driver and let them handle the narrow, up and down (and then some) roads.
Also north of Kingstown on the west coast of St. Vincent you’ll find the beach at Wallilabou, where they filmed a good deal of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. A fun spot to check out.
