Saint Vincent

Introduction

Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the country Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains. Its largest volcano and the country's highest peak, La Soufrière, is active, having last erupted in 1979.

The territory was disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, before being ceded to the British in 1763 and again in 1783. It gained independence on October 27, 1979. Approximately 100,000 people live on the island. Kingstown (population 25,418) is the chief town. The rest of the population is dispersed along the coastal strip, which includes the other five main towns of Layou, Barrouallie, Chateaubelair, Georgetown, and Calliaqua.

Geography

The island of Saint Vincent is 29 kilometres long and 18 kilometres wide and is located 160 kilometres west of Barbados. On the island of Saint Vincent, there is a 1,234-metre active volcano, La Soufriere, that erupted violently in 1812 and 1902. The most recent eruption was on April 13, 1979, falling on Good Friday. The island is very mountainous and well-forested. Saint Vincent island belongs to the Lesser Antilles chain.

Cities

• Kingstown is the capital.

Sights and Activities

Fort Charlotte

Fort Charlotte is located on the main island of Saint Vincent and is situated on a 201-metre high ridge north of the capital Kingstown. From here, there are panoramic views of Kingstown and the Grenadines to the south. You can walk through the old officers' quarters, whose walls are lined with paintings depicting Black Carib history. The rest of this 18th-century fort mainly is off-limits and one part is even used as a women's prison.

Other sights and activities

• Botanic Gardens - the oldest in the West Indies.
• Beaches - Indian Bay Beach.
• La Soufriere Volcano - it is possible to go to the top, but it is not an easy afternoon walk.

Events and Festivals

Vincy Mas

This is a typical Caribbean festival filled with parades and pageants, and dancing and music at street parties. It is held over two weeks at the end of June, and the beginning of July annually, and is St Vincent’s most well-known festival.

National Dance Festival

Many performances are held during the month of September to showcase traditional and other dance styles. Shows are put on by schools, community groups and professional dance companies. You can expect to see modern, traditional, creative folk and ballroom dances.

Independence Day

This is held on October 27 every year to celebrate the formation of St Vincent and the Grenadines as a sovereign nation in 1979. Many people are proud of this and use the public holiday to celebrate in public at community events.

Nine Days Festival

As the name may suggest, this festival is held over nine mornings, in the run-up to Christmas Day. It reflects an indigenous culture mixed with Christianity, and is unique to St Vincent and the Grenadines. You will be reminded exactly of where you are as you are woken to the uplifting sounds of traditional steel pan music played at pre-dawn street concerts. Later in the day fêtes and fairs are held in towns and villages around the islands.

Weather

Saint Vincent has a hot and humid tropical climate with average daytime temperatures between 28 °C and 30 °C and average nights around 23 °C. Most rain falls between June and October with a chance of hurricanes from August onwards. Therefore, the drier (and slightly cooler) December to April period is the best time to visit weatherwise. Unfortunately prices rise sharply during this period and the months of November and May still have good weather. So budgetwise these latter months may be a good option as well.

Getting There

By Plane

Mustique Airways and SVG Air are the two national airlines flying to and from Argyle International Airport. They both operate both scheduled and charter service to most islands in the eastern Caribbean, like Antigua, Barbados, Martinique, Grenada and Saint Lucia. They both have flights between the main island Saint Vincent and the smaller islands of the Grenadines. Mustique Airways flies between Saint Vincent and Mustique while SVG Air flies between Saint Vincent and the islands of Mustique, Canouan, Bequia, Mayreau, Petit Saint Vincent, Palm Island and Union Island. Most of them are scheduled flights, although the smaller islands like are mainly served by charter flights.

By Boat

There is an Inter Island ferry between several of the main islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Four ferries operates between the islands of Saint Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island. The exact schedule can be found on this page.
Admiralty Transport (phone 784 458 3348) and Bequia Express (phone 784 458 3472) have 4 boats togethere, travelling between the island of Bequia and Kingstown on Saint Vincent. There are 7 sailings on weekdays, 5 on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays.

Getting Around

By Car

Renting a car is good option on Saint Vincent with several international (Avis) agencies and local onces offering a raneg of cars.

By Bus

Buses are a good way to get around the island of Saint Vincent and it is also a fun way to get around and meet the locals.

Drink

In Kingstown, the water is safe to drink, but be a bit careful at some other locations. The water quality can vary depending upon the season of the year and how the water (often rain water) is collected. Bitter Lemon is a popular soda. Hairoun is a popular locally produced beer. Adventurous drinkers will want to try Black Wine.

Sleep

Many tourists arrive in the Grenadines, stay at a resort, and never get the opportunity to interact with the citizens. If you want to get a taste of the true culture, consider a guest house or apartment in Kingstown. Fort View Guest House in Edinboro is a good choice. It is within walking distance of downtown Kingstown.

External Links