Official Language:
French Patois
Secondary Language:
English
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Currency:
EC Dollar
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Population:
Approximately 121,000 people call St Vincent home
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for St Vincent: The temperature on Vincent rarely changes. The climate is warm year-round. The average temperature runs from 74-88°F/23-31°C. Rainfall is common during the summer months from January to April and rains the most from June to October, July being the wettest month, with an average of 26 days of rain.The interior of the country gets over 150 inches of rain per year while down on the coast the amount is only half of that. April is the driest month with only an average six days of rain. January to April are the best months to visit St Vincent.
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St Vincent is part of the Windward Islands. Located south of St Lucia, St Vincent is like all of the Windwards, it is volcanic and mountainous with wonderful vegetation and black sand beaches. Kingstown is the capital of St Vincent with only 12 small blocks and a variety of shops as well as a busy dock area. St Vincent is one of the few islands where one can enjoy good West Indian cuisine. St Vincent is well known to wintering yachties, politicians and famous rock stars! The island is refreshingly rugged with coral reefs and clear blue waters that are ideal for diving, snorkeling and boating.
Spanish explorers first sighted St Vincent, and at the time the island was thickly settled with Carib Indians who had driven off the earlier Arawak settlers. The heavy Carib resistance kept European colonists at bay far longer than most other Caribbean islands. The African slaves became the first permanent non-Carib settlers in 1675. They had made it to shore from a sinking Dutch ship. The European crew did not survive, however the Africans were absorbed into Carib society. Their descendants became known as Black Caribs. The Caribs were hostile to all Europeans. The Caribs allowed the French to establish the first European settlement on the island during the early 1700s. After relinquishing control of St Vincent to the British under the Treaty of Paris, the French instigated a riot of Black and Yellow Caribs against the English settlers. Many Brits were killed and their plantations burned. In retaliation, the British troops landed on St Vincent and removed over 5000 Caribs to Roatan, an island located off of the coast of Honduras. .With native opposition gone, the plantation owners enjoyed stability followed by success until 1812, when the major eruption of La Soufrière destroyed most of the coffee and cocoa trees. This all happening around the same time that the abolitionist movement was growing in Britain. In 1834 slavery was abolished and plantation owners werer forced to free more than 18,000 slaves. A hurricane in 1898 and yet another eruption of La Soufrière in 1902 destroyed what was remaining of the plantation economy. In 1969 St Vincent became a self-governing state in association with the UK. In 1979 St Vincent & the Grenadines acquired full independence as a member of the Commonwealth.
Cruise passengers will find sunbathing and sand castle building the big attraction on St Vincent. The island offesr first-rate diving and snorkeling. The waters are home to beautiful coral reefs. Divers will find colorful sponges, soft corals, elkhorn coral, and black corals, as well as a few sunken wrecks. The beaches on St. Vincent are public, and many of the best ones are close to resorts where you can easily find a cool spot to enjoy a drink or lunch. Most of the resorts are in the south, where the beaches have golden-yellow sand. The only real white-sand beach on St. Vincent is Young Island, which is private. Many of the beaches in the north have sands of a lava-ash color.
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Attractions |
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St Mary's Cathedral of the Assumption:
An eclectic mix of Romanesque arches and columns. Other notable churches include the Georgian-style St George's Cathedral and the Kingstown Methodist Church.
Bequia:
A delightful and very green island is only an hour's sail south of St Vincent. It is the largest of the Grenadines. Here you can view the paraphernalia of Bequia's whaling past at Anthneal's Private Petite Museum.
Owia Bay:
Located in the northeastern corner of St Vincent, a fun place with good tidepools and a popular swimming hole.
Beaches:
Villa Beach:
Just a 10-minute drive from Kingstown. Swimming is safe here, and there are numerous simple cafes and watersports available.
Indian Bay Beach:
Attracts lots of locals on the weekends. The sand here is slightly golden in color, yet can be rocky. The reef-protected tranquil waters are ideal for both swimming and snorkeling. You'll find both bars and restaurants here.
Questelle's Bay Beach:
Located on the leeward, tranquil Caribbean side of the island. This black-sand beach is next to Camden Park. Big breakers roll in from the Atlantic at this beach so don't plan to go swimming in these rough waters. A beautiful sight for a beach picnic instead.
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More Information |
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Web: http://www.svgtourism.com/
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