By Bob Curley
CJ Contributor
St Vincent and the Grenadines isn’t your typical Caribbean vacation destination. The lush, volcanic island of St Vincent is by far the largest land mass in this archipelago nation, yet may be the least visited despite its innumerable waterfalls and hidden coves that provided the backdrop for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies more than a decade ago.
Of course it’s also become truly accessible thanks to the opening of its new Argyle International Airport, which now, for the first time ever, has facilitated nonstop flights from the United States and Canada to St Vincent.
St Vincent has just a handful of small resorts, but the island’s vibrant culture (it has one of the top Carnival celebrations, VincyMas, in the Caribbean) make it a great destination for those who value authenticity in their travels. If it’s luxury you’re looking for, set your sights (and sails) on the Grenadines, a string of destinations that includes Bequia with its rich history of boatbuilding, the playboy hideaway of Mustique, and private islands like Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent.
Palm Island, one of the top resorts in the Grenadines.
Palm Island We had a hard time taking a bad photo on Palm Island, especially on the private island’s broad sandy beach jutting into some of the most picture-perfect tropical waters you can imagine. Guests have five beaches to choose from in all, so it’s not hard to disappear for a few hours by paddling to a secluded spot and making it all your own for the day. A private launch puts nearby Union Island within easy reach, and there’s tennis, diving, spa services, and all-inclusive drinking and dining at Palm Island’s two restaurants, in your room, or on the beach.
Canouan The legendary Pink Sands Club on Canouan raised its profile when it was rebranded in 2018 as the Mandarin Oriental Canouan, but the resort retains its air of exclusivity by offering private jet transfers from Barbados and stays that include a string of seven hillside villas added to the room mix in 2018. The villas include the services of a private butler and chef, but guests at any of the resort’s villas and suites can enjoy the soft sands of Godahl Beach, spa, pool. and kids’ club.
Young Island Just offshore from St Vincent’s capital city of Georgetown, Young Island is an all-inclusive private island resort that’s just far enough away to feel secluded but close enough to the mainland for exploring St. Vincent, just two minutes away by water taxi. In addition to having its own private beach lined with shaded hammocks, Young Island is home to a collection of 29 guest cottages with traditional, bright Caribbean decor, a spa, dive and watersports center, hiking trails, tennis court, restaurant and bar, and a lagoon-style pool. Young Island isn’t quite on St Vincent … but it’s the best resort on St Vincent.
St Vincent The family owned Beachcombers Hotel is a colorful beachfront hotel with 48 rooms spread over six room types, from budget-friendly standard rooms to balcony rooms with ocean views and a selection of spacious suites. The hotel has a restaurant and pool just steps from Villa Beach on the island’s west coast. The nearby, 19-room Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina also is highly regarded, especially among boaters looking to unwind and explore for a few days on dry land.
The Bequia Beach Resort.
Bequia Visiting the turtle sanctuary and shopping for handmade model boats rank among the top activities on Bequia, so you know this is a pretty chill island. Bequia resorts are likewise pretty laid back, albeit with a nice veneer of luxury. The Liming resort is typical — it’s named for the Caribbean phrase for a stress-free good time, not the tart fruit — with its emphasis on quiet relaxation. Guests at this high-end bed&breakfast resort tend to flock to the nine villas with their private hot tubs and infinity pools, although junior suites with ocean views and a five-bedroom mansion house are other attractive options. This being Bequia, of course the resort also has a marina.
One of the challenges of visiting Bequia is getting there: it typically requires a couple of flights and a boat ride, but the Bequia Beach Resort has cut its travel time down considerably with direct VIP jet transfers from Barbados. The resort has villas, suites, and cottages fit both moderate and extravagant budgets, including the option of chartering its megayacht for a tour of the Tobago Cays, Canouan, and beyond.
The Cotton House.
Mustique Basil’s Bar still serves up cold drinks and hot dance tunes to celebrities and royals on Mustique, a private island with a collection of private villas and a relative handful of rooms at the Cotton House boutique hotel available to visitors. The hotel’s 17 villas, suites, and cottages share the grounds with a restaurant, a pool in the shadow of an old mill, tennis courts, spa, a beach cafe and ice cream shop, and a dive shop on the beach at Endeavor Bay. Expect to pay four figures per night for B&B and half-board rooms and the privilege of sharing the island with the rich, famous, and publicity-shy.
Petit St Vincent Raise a glass — and a flag — for Petit St Vincent, a.k.a. PSV, one of our favorite private island resorts in the Caribbean. The resort’s 22 stone and wood cottages are widely scattered over the 115-acre island, which is constantly roamed by staff keeping an eye out for the yellow flags raised by occupants in need of food, drink, or other amenities. Otherwise, keep the red flag up and you’ll be left alone to enjoy the splendid isolation unless you want to venture down to the main resort hub for dinner, beach, spa, a game of tennis, or a hike to the 275-foot summit of Marni Hill. Rates include food and activities, but not alcoholic drinks or spa treatments and tours.