St Vincent is the largest island in the nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines and is home to the country’s capital, Kingstown. Most visitors simply use St Vincent as the stopping off point on their way to one of the more popular holiday islands like Bequia or Mustique. In this article, I will talk about the best things to do in St Vincent and give you reasons to stay for day or two, or even longer.
To find out about how to get to St Vincent and the Grenadines, the best time of year to go, and what to expect when you get there, click here to read my full travel guide.
READ MY ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES TRAVEL GUIDE
In this article
Explore Kingstown
One of the best things to do in St Vincent and the Grenadines is undoubtedly to spend some time in Kingstown. It is the capital, chief port, and main commercial centre of the country. With a population of just 17,000, it is more of a town than a city. It is very walkable – perfect for exploring on foot. This is a great way not just to see the sights, but also to meet the local people who are invariably friendly and helpful.
The town was founded by French settlers in 1722. It wasn’t long before the British took over, but you can still see evidence of both influences as you wander through the streets.
See the Sights
Whilst there are few major sights in Kingstown, it does have some architectural delights. It is known as ‘the city of arches’. This feature can be seen along many of the covered walkways and in the shapes of the doors and windows of municipal and commercial buildings.
Take the time to visit the dramatic-looking St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral originally built in 1823 although the present building dates only from the 1930s. Its striking architecture is like nothing else in Kingstown. It’s an unusual combination of styles, taking influences from Moorish, Romanesque, Byzantine, Venetian, and Flemish types.
St George’s Anglican Cathedral and Kingstown Methodist Church are also worth a look.
Botanic Gardens
Just half a mile north of the town centre, you’ll find the oldest botanic gardens in the western hemisphere. They were created in 1765 by General Robert Melville to grow spices and medicinal plants. Now, the 20-acre, peaceful sanctuary is filled with fragrant flowering plants, towering trees, and an aviary housing endangered parrots. Among the specimens is a breadfruit tree from the original plant brought to the country by Captain Bligh (of the Bounty fame) on HMS Providence from Tahiti in 1793.
Stop for Refreshments
For me, the two best watering holes in Kingstown are the Cobblestone Inn and Basil’s Bar. The former is a hotel, but non-residents are welcome to visit the rooftop restaurant for a meal or just a drink. The colonial-style interior and friendly service offer a welcome respite from the heat and clamour of the busy streets outside. Similarly, Basil’s Bar, located on the ground floor of the Cobblestone Inn, is a haven of air-conditioned tranquillity. It’s a great place to stop for a cocktail. If you’re looking for breakfast, I can heartily recommend Basil’s Eggs – a perfectly poached egg, melted cheese, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, served in a sesame bun.
Cruise Berth
Cruise ships regularly stop in St Vincent during high season (November to April). On days when there is a ship in port, Kingstown changes beyond recognition as up to 6000 people descend on the town. Makeshift stalls are hurriedly erected along the route from the dock into town, selling everything from cold drinks and snacks to imported tourist tat. Locals make the most of this captive audience of shoppers, but you get the feeling that the whole town breathes a collective sigh of relief when the tourists return to their ship in the evening!
Visit Fort Charlotte
Fort Charlotte is located on a ridge 600 feet above the sea and affords magnificent views over Kingstown and down the Grenadines. This still-imposing fortification was completed in 1806 during the reign of George III and named after his wife, Queen Charlotte. We were intrigued to learn that it wasn’t built to defend the island from attack, but rather to fight against the islanders and the French occupiers who were already on St Vincent when the British arrived. Hence, all of the cannons point towards the island’s interior.
The fort was in use as a women’s prison until as recently as 1990. I pictured inmates looking at the incredible views through the thick metal bars of their cell’s windows.
Nowadays, Fort Charlotte is used as a coastguard station to monitor shipping coming in and out of Kingstown.
Take a Drive Around the Island
Hire a taxi or take a tour to see more of St Vincent. There is no road that goes around the entire island so you leave Kingstown on the Leeward Highway (recently renamed Nelson Mandela Highway) and head north until you reach the end of the road. Then, you have to retrace your route and pick up the Windward Highway to explore the other side of the island.
On both coasts, you will pass colourful settlements of pastel-painted well-maintained houses. It looks very different from other Caribbean islands, especially Tobago where we have spent the most amount of time. There you will see many people still living in dilapidated shacks. Here, you see no such thing. You get the impression that the island is relatively wealthy. Our guide explained to us that this is not the case but that Vincentians pride themselves on having a nice home and will sacrifice other things to get one. Private car ownership is quite rare in St Vincent, for example.
Make sure you stop at Buccomet Bay. This beautiful beach is also the place where local fishermen are still allowed to catch whales (on a strict quota basis). They butcher the animals when they land them and dry the whale meat on bamboo racks on the beach. The whale parts are used in local medicines.
Nip Over to Young Island for Sunday Lunch
Young Island is a tiny islet off St Vincent. It is a private resort, but non-residents can catch one of the frequent boats to go over to enjoy a drink or a meal. The resort offers a barbecue night every Saturday and a buffet lunch each Sunday. Booking is required.
This is where Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom stayed while they were filming Pirates of the Caribbean. If you’re lucky, a chatty waitress will entertain you with stories of the actors while serving the resort’s famous cinnamon and coconut bread with flavoured butter.
Imagine Yourself in Pirates of the Caribbean
You can’t visit St Vincent without going to Wallilabou Bay which was transformed into Port Royal by Disney for the first and second Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The bay itself is very picturesque, but the memorabilia left behind by the film crew, and the locals cashing in on the connection, make for quite a tacky experience. Still, it’s good for a few photos – just don’t lean too hard on the buildings – they’re all made of fibreglass!
Visit the Wallilabou Heritage Park
Located close to the bay of the same name, this heritage park is worth the US$1 entrance fee. Spend an hour or two enjoying the shade provided by the giant bamboo, listening to the waterfall cascading into the natural pool, and admiring the vibrant blooms.
Go Diving or Snorkelling
St Vincent is known as the ‘Critter Capital of the Caribbean’, thanks to the abundance of marine life flourishing in its coral reefs. You will see seahorses, frogfish, parrotfish, turtles, and so much more while snorkelling and diving in the clear waters around the island.
Enjoy the Sunset
There are several places to sit and sip a rum punch as the sun goes down. I recommend Blue Lagoon Marina where there are a few choices of bars and restaurants. Our favourite is Flowt’s Beach Bar where, bizarrely, they serve the drinks in jam jars! It’s fun to watch the yachting brigade coming and going, though.
Another favourite place is the Driftwood Bar and Restaurant. The setting is perfect and the rum punch is delicious!
Hike to La Soufrière Volcano
This active volcano (it last erupted in 1979) is the highest point in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The hike up to it, through lush forests, offers a great opportunity for bird watching. You might even spot the national bird, the St Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii). There are an estimated 500 of these birds living in the forest and the best times to see them are dawn and dusk. Other endemic species you might see (or at least, hear) are the Whistling Warbler, the Antillean Crested Hummingbird, the Purple Throated Carib, the Brown Trembler, and the Rufous Throated Solitaire.
Take a Trip to Another Island
There are regular ferry services between St Vincent and other of the Grenadines including Bequia, Union Island, Mayreau, and Canouan. Click here for details.
It’s also possible to charter a boat to take you to Tobago Cays for a day of snorkelling and swimming in beautiful surroundings.
Take a Tour
Whilst it’s perfectly possible to explore St Vincent and the Grenadines independently, why not join a tour and let someone else sort out the logistics? It’s a great idea, especially if time is limited. Whenever we visit a new destination, we book a tour with a local guide. There’s no better way to get under the skin of a place! We use Viator when we want to uncover interesting things to do in a new country. They’re easy to use and book with, and we’ve had some amazing experiences with them.
Check out these options (we did the first one and can highly recommend it!):
Further Reading
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