Practical Information How to Get Here Outdoor Adventures

Kingstown Botanical Gardens Fort Charlotte

Leeward Coast Falls of Baleine Trinity Falls Windward Coast

Volcano Interior

St. Vincent is largest of the 32 islands in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Formerly British, it has been independent since 1979. As expected, English is the major language spoken here.

St. Vincent is located in the eastern Caribbean chain, the southern part. It is 100 miles west of Barbados and 24 miles south of St. Lucia. A well known spot for sailing, it is little known for the exotic SCUBA diving opportunities it offers.

Volcanic in origin, St. Vincent is topped by a tall volcano, which makes a great day hike for visitors. The terrain is mountainous, jagged peaks covered with dense rainforest. Some parts are so steep that even the lush vegetation cannot take hold. In some places, cliffs drop off into the sea, making vertical walls for divers underneath.

St. Vincent island is an eco-travelers paradise with wild parrots, rainforests, a volcano, waterfalls, streams and deserted black sand beaches to explore.

Under the Caribbean Sea, a myriad of exotic creatures such as seahorses, frogfish, batfish, sponge crabs, broadband eels, viper moray eels, the red-banded lobster and others live that the expert underwater photographers come here to photograph.

Practical Information for St. Vincent Travel

St. Vincent Air Flights

Air flights to St. Vincent are via connections from San Juan, Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St. Lucia or Trinidad. Visitors from the U.S. and Europe can reach these five gateway islands on major airlines such as American, Air Canada, British Airways, Air France, and BWIA.

Connecting flights to St. Vincent on LIAT, BWIA, Caribbean Star, Baker Airlines or Mustique Airways from these gateways take about 30-45 min.

Visitors from the UK can take a 7.5 hr. flight from London to Barbados, then a 30 min. flight to St. Vincent.

Visitors from Florida can connect through San Juan, Antigua or Barbados.

St. Vincent Visa & Passport Requirements

Visitors from the U.S., Canada and the U.K. need only a birth certificate, voter's registration, and a photo ID or a passport. From other countries a valid passport and perhaps a visa are required. Upon departure there is a departure tax of $30 EC (Eastern Caribbean), that's about $12 US ($1US is approximately $2.60EC).

St. Vincent Communications & Electricity

Good telephone, fax, boatphone and Internet service is available in St. Vincent. Electricity is 220/240 volt, 50 cycle and is reliable. The standard electrical plug has 3 rectangular pins. We are in the Atlantic Standard Time zone, which means that from November through March we are one hour ahead of EST and the same as EST from April through October.

St. Vincent Weather & Climate

Any time of the year is good to visit. The coolest months are November - February, but the temperature varies all year between 70°F/21°C and 88°F/31°C. The rainy season is between June and November when we get some rain almost every day and overcast skys frequently. Diving is always possible with the exception of 2-3 days per year when the winds are very stong.

Transportation in St. Vincent

Transportation is available via taxi, local bus (a van with many seats) or rental cars. Driving is on the left and a drivers license must be obtained to rent a vehicle.

Adventures in St. Vincent

Around Kingstown

Kingstown is the capitol and main town on St. Vincent. A visit to the Kingstown Market on an early Friday or Saturday morning is essential. The market is full of people from all over the island who bring their vegetables, fruits, spices and meats to sell. Load up on spices, but beware! The fresh spices will be stronger than the old, dried bottled and canned spices you have at home. The market is a great place for photos.

Kingstown has a lot of interesting architecture including St. George's Anglican Cathedral, built in the early 1800's and St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral built in 1823. Even the streets in town have retained an old Caribbean look.

Fort Charlotte

sits high on a peninsula just outside town and comes complete with cannons and a small museum which describes the history of the Black Caribs. Go early in the morning for the best panoramic views of Kingstown Bay and the Leeward coast.

The Botanical Gardens

, built in 1763, are the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Located just a good walk from the center of town, they host a large variety of tropical plants from all over the world. Knowledgeable guides will make this a worthwhile trip as they identify and describe local uses for each plant. The small zoo there houses a few specimens of the endangered St. Vincent parrot.

Up the Leeward Coast

Buccament Valley and Vermont Nature Trails

Not far north of Kingstown, on the west coast near the town of Vermont, the Buccament Valley and Vermont Nature Trails are well worth a hike.

The trails pass through a cultivated area with callaloo and breadfruit trees into a tropical rainforest which is home to the St. Vincent Parrot. It is best to go in the afternoon to see the parrots. Pick up a guide in Vermont to make the trip more interesting.

Villages & Scenery

There are several picturesque villages along the coast. Wallilabou is on a pretty bay and has a good restaurant. Barrouallie is a pilot whaling village and the whaling station can be visited. The old skills of what was once a thriving industry, are dying out.

Cumberland Bay is a beautiful bay and great for photos.

St. Vincent's Waterfalls

At the far northwest end of the island and accessible only by boat the Falls of Baleine make a great day trip when combined with diving, snorkeling and lunch.

The 60 foot falls are located in a narrow valley and plunge into a cool pool. Visitors get a kick out of climbing up under the falls, diving into the pool and swimming in the cool water.

(Trinity Falls Photo on left)

 Now that the Falls of Baleine have paved pathways and are visited by a considerable number of tourists, those wishing to have a more natural experience should visit Trinity Falls.

These beautiful falls are accessible by driving to the end of the road, then taking a 4-wheel drive vehicle up a small track, and finally walking to the falls. The trip can take most of a day, but it is worth the effort.

On the Windward Side

A drive up the windward (eastern) side passes along black windswept beaches such as Argyle Beach, through acres of coconut and banana plantations, past cliffs and headlands where the Atlantic's waves create a magnificent view of crashing waves and violent surf. The water is strewn with large jagged rocks.

The picturesque church at Biabou sits on one of the headlands. Very early morning is the best time for photos.

The road passes through Georgetown, the second largest town on St. Vincent and the starting point for a hike up La Soufriere. It continues past the Rabacca Dry River to Orange Hill Estate, one of the largest coconut plantations in the world.

Combine an early morning drive up the windwardside with a hike up La Soufriere the 4000 foot volcano that last erupted in 1979. Views of the smoldering cauldron and surrounding islands from the volcano that covers 1/3 of the island are awe inspiring.

The Interior of St. Vincent

	Mesopotamia Valley, St Vincent

Much of the interior of St. Vincent is unreachable by car, but the southern end of the island is a maze of small roads that twist and turn through the rugged steep mountains and the lush, green Mesopotamia Valley where many of the islands crops are grown.

Almost vertical gardens line the slopes. The views are breathtaking. If you drive yourself, be prepared to get lost and have to ask directions to find the way home. Look for the section of road that parallels the roaring Yambo River as it runs toward Peruvian Vale.

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