Travel Guide to St Vincent & The Grenadines

St Vincent & The Grenadines: Why go

Slightly off the beaten track, St Vincent and the Grenadines are some of the Caribbean's most beautiful yet unspoilt islands. The surrounding waters offer terrific sailing and snorkelling, with pristine coral reefs and plentiful rainbow-coloured fish.

St Vincent itself is picturesque, mountainous and incredibly fertile, with lush rainforest, coconut groves, banana plantations and fields of arrowroot. Trailing to the south are 32 smaller islands and cays which make up the Grenadines, reached only by boat or (in some cases) by light aircraft.

The largest of these, Bequia, was discovered by yachties some time ago but has remained low-key and friendly, with white sandy beaches, a couple of good hotels and a buzzing music festival. By contrast, Mustique remains an exclusive private island, the haunt of rock stars and aristocrats.