Posted: Nov 18, 2018

Updated: Oct 10, 2024

St Vincent and the Grenadines has been on my mind (as a travel destination for a long time).Though I could have picked any other Caribbean island to feed my spirit of adventure regionally, St Vincent was at the top of my list for several reasons. Firstly, there were the relaxing selfies at the beach that my friends – who had recently visited the island – unapologetically shared on their social media timeline.

Next to that, the non curated pictures of culinary delights that my sister would share with me more often than requested, made me feel like St Vincent was the place for a certified foodie like me. And that new “glow” that she had, from having lived there for only a few months, made me wonder: “what is it about St Vincent and the Grenadines that makes her life feel so much more better”?

I had to try it for myself. I was excited to spend a holiday weekend in Vincy (as the locals call it). Out of all the Caribbean island where I have traveled to, here are the reasons why St Vincent is on top of my list for a Caribbean holiday getaway.

But first…

Where is St Vincent and the Grenadines?

Officially known as “St Vincent and the Grenadines”, St Vincent is a Caribbean island located in the Lesser Antilles. The neighboring islands are Saint Lucia and Barbados, and this means you can easily travel to and fro, with direct flights, between those islands.

Here is how St Vincent and the Grenadines stands in the world:

And here is how St Vincent and the Grenadines stands in the Caribbean region:

The island is divided into Mainland (St Vincent proper), and the Grenadines islands (which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent Island to Grenada). In other words, in only one trip, you get to visit an island and multiple other smaller islands! How cool is that? And that is only one of the many perks of heading to Vincy for a long holiday weekend. Below are 4 more reasons why you should consider St Vincent and the Grenadines for your next long holiday.

1. You get to Enjoy a Regatta Weekend of Festivities

Vincentians throw crazy fun parties. For these reasons, people from the Caribbean region and International tourists travel to St Vincent and the Grenadines just for the holiday weekends. Traditionally, for long holiday weekends such as the Easter weekend, there is a series of events collectively known as Easter Regatta. The Easter Regatta features soca (renowned Caribbean musical genre), parties, theme-parties as well as boat cruises and sailing events.

One of the Grenadine island famous for sailing events is Bequia (reads “Bay-Kwai”). Similar events happen around the Carnival weekend (early July), the Independence weekend (late October) and the Christmas holidays. Vincy’s Social Calendar is fully packed with a load of entertaining activities.

My experience

For my first time in Bequia, I attended the AM Party organized by AMgine Entertainment. On Easter Monday morning, we arrived to Bequia after sailing for about an hour. As soon as we touched down, I felt rejuvenated by the fresh breeze of the wind brushing through the sea at the mountain top. Just like that, my smile was restored and I forgot all about my near sea-sickness experience.

The AM party was the ultimate entertainment experience. I absolutely loved the DJ’s songs selection, which, as a prelude, helped to build up the excitement for the main act that blew the crowd away: Kes the Band (trinidadian soca band). There were special touches that made this AM party more memorable. We received the three meals (breakfast, lunch and post-lunch meal), the area was very secure and the view (on the beach) was to die for.

At the end of it all, I felt really pleased that though we had been worn out of our energy (from dancing and jumping uncontrollably) throughout the entire day, we were able to get back home before sunset. This gave us enough time to rest because the next day was a working day (and for me, that was the day of my return flight home).

How Much Does it Cost? Party events of this kind happen from Friday to the following Monday, and the price varies according to the event. The range is usually between 50 XCD – 300 XCD (18 – 100 USD), but even the priciest event is absolutely worth every penny.

How to Get There?  From mainland St Vincent, a one hour ferry ride takes you to Bequia, for only 50 XCD (local currency, corresponds to approximately 18-20 USD, depending on the exchange rate).

2. Restaurants tend to be less crowded in mainland St Vincent during long holiday weekends

My experience

Hotel Alexandrina was certainly a great place to start my St Vincent Adventure. Though I was tired, my excitement to make the best out of the little time I had in Vincy was all the motivation I needed. We arrived at Hotel Alexandrina after a relatively short drive from Arnos Vale. The owner warmly welcomed us in the premises. As a tourist who has just arrived in a new country and has not had time to get a temporary internet access solution, I greatly appreciated the WiFi offered. Oh my, the things we take for granted.

Later on, laughter, “get-to-know” each other kind of conversations and fun stories over a wide variety of carefully mixed cocktails and delectable finger-foods, embellished the evening even more. The icing on the cake would have been to spend a night or two at the hotel after such a great evening. Probably next time!

3. You can freely reconnect with nature without having to worry about the tourist crowds

Heavily touristic spots have one common trend: there is always a mortifying queue to get a ticket for those tourist attractions (think: Vatican Museums in Rome). During the warm months, Caribbean islands like St Vincent and the Grenadines are popular tourist destinations, and if you’re trying to maximize on your sightseeing time, you might not be in the mood for waiting in line. Fortunately you might not have to if you are visiting during a long holiday weekend. Most people tend to travel to the Grenadines where the “action” is, and as a result, traditional tourist sites are less crowded.

My experience

The next day after my arrival, my sister, knowing how fond of nature and gardens I am, took me to the St Vincent Botanical Garden. The first and most striking feature was how well kept it was. Every tree, plant and flower was growing in a specifically defined arena. As we walked deeper in the garden, I felt naturally attracted to the water lily ponds. It was like they were calling my name: I had to get closer.

Sitting on the edge, I leaned forward, in a “Narcissus” kind of way. Luckily for me, I did not fall in the pond. Unluckily for my shades, they did. My attempts to recapture them with a wooden tree stick that was hanging around close by were in vain: the blue-tinted shades were long gone. Well, at least they made history.

How Much Does it Cost? 5 XCD (local currency), approximately 2 USD.

How To Get There? On a Saturday, hop on a bus from Kingstown, heading to the Botanical Garden. The ride is about 5 – 10 minutes long based on the traffic, and the bus fare is less than 5 XCD (local currency)

4. You can take advantage of a once in a lifetime adventure at “Young Island” Resort

My experience

It was Easter Sunday, and my sister was about to have a memorable birthday. She had long told me about this beautiful island called “Young Island”. She insisted on taking me there on my trip to St Vincent and the Grenadines. The day before, she made reservations for the Easter lunch special. From the sound of her voice, I could tell she was just as excited about the adventure ahead. But little did she know, there was a surprise for her.

One of her very good friends (Latoya De Roche John) made detailed arrangements to secure a private cabin just for us. Latoya really saved the day for us. From handling all the logistics to making sure all the details were perfect, our treatment at Young Island Resort was stellar. It was the perfect spot to relax and ponder on how wonderful life in the Caribbean is. And if you ever get to visit St Vincent or are looking to have a special event on the island, I’d recommend (without any reservations), Jo Che Moments. It’s not surprising that her company won the award of the best event planner in St Vincent (2018).

On the D-Day, we took a short, 5-min ride to the berth where we were supposed to board for Young Island. A courtesy call to the resort’s reception was all it took for them to kindly send a boat in our direction. As I carefully hopped in the ride, I could tell the captain had made me out: “She must be a first-timer. Why is she smiling with all her cheeks”? He was probably thinking to himself. But nothing could wipe away that enthusiastic smile from my face, which magnified when I saw that we were getting closer to the island shore.

There we were, and Young Island was even more beautiful than I had imagined. The island cottages were laid out in a way that the majority had a direct view to the sea. As we made our way through the cottages, we indulged in the distraction created by the appealing scent of refined Caribbean cuisine. It was a reminder that food was supposed to be the first order of business.

After checking in, our stewardess escorted us to the buffet. It was time for us to join the dance. When faced with the impressively stocked buffet, having to decide which dish to start with felt like torture. I folded: I wanted everything, and I was going to make rounds. (if at this moment you think I’m a foodie, you’re right. I am, and not even trying to deny it. Food is bae.) The stewed chicken, beef and pork meals were absolutely delectable, but the cinnamon bread stole my palate.

I don’t know what it was, that was in that cinnamon bread, that made it so d*** good. Up to this day, I am yet to figure it out. Was it the refined coat of buttered cinnamon sugar on top of the yummy bun? Maybe. Or the light scoops of table butter that I excitedly added inside? Perhaps. Whatever it was, it made me want to Google “recipe for cinnamon bread”, after every bite. It took a lot of mental effort to avoid going back to the buffet table for the third time. I had to remind myself that self-control was on my list of new goals for the year.

How much does it cost? You can find out more information on how to get there and perhaps snatch a deal on the Young Island Resort website.

If you’re looking for a change of season or a unique destination for a long weekend vacation, pick St Vincent and the Grenadines. Pack your bags, book that flight, and go on the adventure! Every step of the way would be worth your while.