Top Things to Do in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Pack your bags for a getaway to the island paradise of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Pack your bags for a getaway to the island paradise of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | © Dream Yacht Charter
Lexi Fisher

For secluded white sand beaches, uninhabited islands and sailing into shallow turquoise bays, nowhere fits the bill better than Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. With over 30 tropical islands to explore, some no more than a shallow spit of sand, this archipelago is a Caribbean dream. But don’t be fooled, there is so much more to see and do beyond the beach.

Go sailing

Natural Feature

Cushioned seating on the desk of a catamaran sailing in bright blue waters, with other boats nearby
© Dream Yacht Charter

Without a doubt, the best way to see the majesty of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is from a yacht. Spend eight days aboard a sailing catamaran with Culture Trip where you’ll have the chance to snorkel with turtles at Mayreau, sip cocktails at sunset and swim in a tropical waterfall. Raise the anchor and let the captain and crew do the work, while you sunbathe on deck.

Snorkel through the Bat Cave on Saint Vincent

Natural Feature

A woman in a black-and-white striped swimsuit snorkelling underwater in clear waters
© Yusuke Murata / Getty Images

Rocky cliffs plunge into the ocean, creating sheer drama above and below the water on the leeward side of Saint Vincent. Just south of Buccament Bay is an unassuming fissure in the shallow water along the shoreline, which opens up into a narrow passageway through the point. As you swim through, hundreds of bats click and chirp with the sounds of echolocation above your head. Light filters through the opening of the narrow 9m-long (30ft) tunnel, where the seabed drops off onto a vibrant reef.

Stroll the Bequia Boardwalk

Architectural Landmark

A pier jutting out into turquoise green water from a sandy beach with palm trees on Bequia island
© BlueOrangeStudio / Alamy Stock Photo

One of the main yachting destinations in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Bequia, where the Belmont Boardwalk and Princess Margaret Trail connect the bustling waterfront restaurants of Admiralty Bay to the sweeping white sand beaches of Lower Bay. A low rocky wall supports the palm-lined harbourside trail; admire the bright pinks of bougainvillea flowers that spill over the top of the bordering stone. Skirting the headland, the walls fade away, leaving a walkway that barely sits above the shallow blue waters of the sandy bay.

Rub elbows with rock stars at Basil’s Bar on Mustique

Bar, Caribbean

Basils Bar on Mustique at sunset, which has thatched roofs and is next to a sandy beach
© dale curtis / Alamy Stock Photo

The island of Mustique, awash with the luxurious holiday homes of royalty and celebrities, respects the privacy of its residents. Public access is mostly limited to the main village in Britannia Bay, where you’ll find chic boutiques, a decadent bakery and one of Mick Jagger’s favorite hangouts, Basil’s Bar. Palm thatched roofs sit stilted over the bay where waves lap at the sandy shoreline – the perfect place for a sunset cocktail and spotting A-listers.

Snorkel with sea turtles in the Tobago Cays

Natural Feature

A man snorkelling underwater next to a turtle in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
© Nature Picture Library / Alamy Stock Photo

A series of five small uninhabited islands make up the shallow Tobago Cays, one of the most picturesque yachting destinations in the Grenadines. The whole atoll is a marine protected area and is surrounded by a shallow barrier reef of sea fans and finger corals. Sea turtles flock to the calm interior of the bay, where they munch on seagrass, unperturbed by curious snorkellers.

Savour fresh lobster on Petit Bateau

Natural Feature

Freshly grilled spiny lobster tails on a white plate, served with a salad and white rice
© Elena Philippe / Alamy Stock Photo

Is there anything better than watching the sun set over the Caribbean Sea with a plate full of freshly caught lobster hot off the grill, sand between your toes and palm trees rustling in the cool trade winds overhead? We think you know the answer. Local fishermen in the Tobago Cays set up their grills and picnic tables on the west side of Petit Bateau for a dining experience you won’t forget in a hurry.

Hike the Pinnacle on Union Island

Natural Feature

Motorboats in Clifton Harbour on Union Island, on a sandy beach with palm trees and clear blue water
© robertharding / Alamy Stock Photo

Precipitous views are hard to come by when sailing in the Grenadines, but the one from atop the Pinnacle on Union Island more than makes up for it. A three-hour return trip, the hike up is mostly a straightforward walk, until the final ascent when the elevation increases dramatically. Some scrambling, sturdy shoes and a good dose of fearlessness is required to make it to the summit for the 360-degree view of the island, it’s surrounding turquoise waters and the Tobago Cays beyond.

Sip rum punch on Happy Island

Bar, Caribbean

Two glasses of rum punch with lime slices and straws
© Marcia Chambers / Alamy Stock Photo

Happy Island, just on the outskirts of Clifton Harbour on Union Island, is a bar and island of its own. Perched precariously upon an enormous pile of discarded conch shells, it appears to be almost growing out of the shallow reef. Jolly bartenders serve free-flowing cocktails while, on busy days, local kitesurfers put on an impressive show, jumping over the length of the island and plucking drinks from the hands of onlookers mid-air.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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