A necklace of 32 islands and cays, only nine of them inhabited, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the most popular destinations in the world for leisure sailors, Snorkelers and divers.

St. Vincent, “the mainland,” is almost 18 miles long and made imposing by its seething giant, La Soufrière volcano, which last erupted in 1979. Guides lead hikes that wind through the surrounding forest for a close-up view.

St. Vincent’s other natural attractions include the Falls of Baleine, spectacular cascades that are accessible only by boat, and the Mesopotamia region, with rows upon rows of banana trees. Fort Charlotte, a 19th century British battlement atop a bluff in the capital of Kingstown, features an impressive interpretive display about the Carib culture.

Downtown Kingstown is a bustling area, and visitors should see the Botanical Gardens, the oldest such gardens in the Caribbean (founded in 1763) featuring a breadfruit tree that was brought to the island by Capt. William Bligh after surviving the infamous mutiny aboard the Bounty.

Charming Port Of Call:
Lying just a few miles south of St. Vincent, Bequia is a charming, sleepy port of call. Shops feature the works of model shipbuilders. Among the attractions are the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary and a number of galleries and artisans’ shops. The whaling heritage runs strong on Bequia.

Islanders still bring in one or two whales a year using the traditional methods involving a sailboat and a hand-thrown harpoon, taking the whales to the nearby uninhabited island of Petit Nevis for butchering and rendering. Mustique, just a few miles away, is a hideaway for the rich and famous. Canuoan is a hub for charter sailors, and Union Island is a good place to book a day trip to the nearby Tobago Cays, justly famous for their well protected shallow waters.

AIRPORTS/FERRIES/GATEWAYS/FLYING TIMES:
Airports: Canouan Airport (Canouan). E.T. Joshua Airport (St. Vincent). J.F. Mitchell Airport (Bequia). Mustique Airport (Mustique). Union Island Airport (Union Island). Bequia, Mustique and Union Island can only accommodate small aircrafts. Gateways/Flying Times: Barbados/St. Vincent: 35 minutes. Grenada/St. Vincent: 30 minutes. London/Barbados: 8 hours, 20 minutes. Martinique/St. Vincent: 40 minutes. Miami/Barbados: 3.5 hours, New York/Barbados: 5 hours, New York/St. Lucia: 5 hours. Puerto Rico/Canouan: 2 Hours. St. Lucia/St. Vincent: 30 minutes. Toronto/Barbados: 6.5 hours. Trinidad/St. Vincent: 1 hour.

AIRPORT/GATEWAYS:

Canadian & US Gateways: TBA
Other Gateways: There are no direct flights to St Vincent from the UK, however connecting flights are available from Antigua, Barbados, Grenada or St Lucia. American Eagle, LIAT, SVG Air, Trans Island Air and Mustique Airways all provide a connecting service. Flight time to St. Vincent is approximately 35 minutes from Barbados; 30 minutes from Grenada; 45 minutes from Martinique; 20 minutes from St. Lucia; 2 hours 20 minutes from Puerto Rico.

CLIMATE:
Average temperatures range from Image courtesy of St. Vincent & the Grenadines Ministry of Tourism75-87 degrees F. Driest season is January to April. Rainy season is June to October.

DINING:
Restaurants available - Local. Fast food. Gourmet. Chinese. Italian and French. Dress code is generally casual.

LANGUAGE:
English.

NIGHTLIFE:
Entertainment available. Some hotels offer dining, dancing, steel band and Calypso music. A few clubs and discos offer West Indian entertainment. Casino.

SIGHTSEEING:
Botanic Gardens. Fort Charlotte. La Sourfriere Volcano. Carib Petroglyphs. Falls of Baleine. Dark View Falls. Trinity Falls. Wallilabou Falls. Montreal Gardens. Vermont Nature Trail. Owia Salt Pond. Black Point Tunnel. Tobago Cays. Grenadine Islands.

***** WEDDING REQUIREMENTS IN ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES *****

Non-Vincentians wishing to be married in St Vincent & the Grenadines must be residents here for at least one day before a marriage ceremony (civil or church) can take place. Parties must reside in the state for a minimum of one (1) day.

Marriage Requirements & Procedure For Obtaining a Governor General's Licence:
1. Licence costs EC$500.00  (US$185.00) and EC$20.00 (US$7.00) stamps for licence.
2. Licence is issued in one day.
3. Present original birth certificates or valid passports of both applicants.
4. If parties are non-nationals present valid passport(s), foreign birth certificates are not accepted.
5. If either parties were married before, please present both original and copy of death certificates or decree absolute where necessary.
6. Licence is valid for three months from date of issue.

Procedure For Obtaining Registrar's Certificate/Licence:
1. Licence costs EC $15.00 (US$5.52) stamps which can be purchased at the Registry.
2. Present original birth certificates or valid passports of both applicants.
3. If person(s) are non-nationals, present valid passports, foreign birth certificates are not accepted.
4. Notice is posted for seven (7) consecutive days on the notice board at Registry Court House.
5. If either parties were married before, please present original and copy of Decree Absolute or in the case of death of former spouse, present original and copy and death certificate.
6. Licence is valid for three months from date of issue.

Please Note: Wedding requirements above are for information purposes only and may be out of date as of this print. Only use this information on this page as a guideline, and for more current and up to date information, please contact the countries Consular Affairs, Embassy, or the countries Tourism Bureau.