Things to see and do Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

It is one of the most important and popular sites in St. Vincent. It is one of the oldest botanical gardens. It is also an important conservation site (especially for the St. Vincent parrot).

This beautiful garden covers 8 hectares and is located 10 minutes drive from the capital Kingstown. It was created in 1765 by General Robert Melville who was at the time governor of the Windward Islands. The botanical garden was founded for the conservation of rare and wild plants as well as for the importation of other species growing in the same climate. The first curator was a horticulturist, Dr. Young, also a surgeon in the British forces. St. Vincent was then invaded by the French from 1770 to 1783 but Dr. Young remained and took care of the gardens. He worked in collaboration with General De Bouillé, commander in chief of the French forces in Martinique and also a horticulturalist. These two green-thumbed men exchanged plants with each other for the botanical gardens of St Vincent and Martinique respectively.

Among the wide variety of tropical trees and shrubs, you will find breadfruit trees, an original variety imported by Captain Bligh, but also baobabs, flamboyants, cane trees, banyans, campêches, pirayas, frangipanis, avocado trees, mango trees but also plants such as orchids

Remarkable Georgian-style architecture dating from the 1800s, St George Anglican Cathedral stands in the heart of Kingstown. According to architects Buisseret and Clarke, the central nave and ^1st floors of the tower date from 1820. The stained glass windows were commissioned by Queen Victoria to honor the arrival of her first grandson, the Duke of Clarence. 3 stained-glass windows, designed by artist Kempe, are installed on the west side, with a larger window shining to the south.

Accessible from Young Island, the small Fort Duvernette, also known as "Fort Rock", was built around 1800 on a massive rock over 60 m high to protect the village of Calliaqua, an important anchorage for ships calling at the time, where sugar was loaded for English ports.

Two English military garrisons lived in the fort, one forming a first protective rampart 15 m from the summit, and the other at the summit itself. Fort Duvernette still possesses a complete battery of armaments from that period.

The famous Whale Falls are a major attraction. They are located to the north-west of Saint-Vincent. Impossible to reach by car, access to the site is generally by sea, to the delight of visitors. Here, blue and emerald merge into one. The waterfalls are located in the middle of a nature reserve: a magnificent cascade of clear water cascades down the slope, purifying the rock and calming its ardour in the hollow of a large pool where lovers, family and friends can bathe.

La Soufrière in St. Vincent and Mount Saint Helens in the United States share the honor of being volcanoes that are studied very closely by researchers from all over the world, because they both have the same characteristics in their eruption mode.

From Kingstown, driving north along the Atlantic coast, it is only an hour's drive to the starting point of your next climb.

Professionals often say it: the crater of the Soufrière of Saint Vincent, which recently shook the Caribbean, is one of the most beautiful in the world. Generally considered as a medium to difficult route, it takes an average of 4 hours and 50 minutes to cover it. It can be reached all year round and the experience is worthwhile in any season. As you climb, you can see the vegetation change; the rainforest gradually gives way to ferns and low shrubs. Once up there, the mountain reveals some of its secrets: its crater with perfect lines, its imperial dome, its sulfurous vapors, its trails, its lake and its tropical forest. And above all, a breathtaking view. Along the way, you can see the villages of Villa, Calliaqua, Biabou, Argyle or Georgetown. It is generally windy and cooler than by the sea, so bring a light jacket. By following the trail on the west side, you can reach the Chateaubelair area.

Overlooking the sea, with its cannons pointing landward, it is one of the many testimonies to the island's history and rich heritage. Built of stone, Fort Charlotte was begun by the French in 1786 and completed by the English in 1806. Located five minutes from the capital, it stands at the entrance to Kingstown Bay on the crest of a sheer cliff, more than 600 feet above sea level (approx. 196 metres). In the heart of the fort, the works of Lindsay Prescott, once an officer in the English navy, allow today's visitors to appreciate several paintings evocative of the period, set against the backdrop of the history of the Black Caribs. Curiously, the fort's cannons are aimed at the land, not the sea... According to some, the greatest concern of the garrisons of yesteryear was the unexpected attacks of the Carib Indians, rather than the methodical assaults of enemy vessels pounding the sea, helm to starboard, on the opposite side of the fortress. Today, Fort Charlotte houses a small bay monitoring and weather control station. A vestige of the island and a must-see on any visitor's itinerary, it could soon be welcoming artists and traditional craftspeople from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to its walls. The idea is very appealing and will undoubtedly offer visitors a new vision of the island through art and history. A very pleasant visit!

Engraved rocks, heritage of the past... There, right in the rock, a part of the past is still readable, sculpted by the hand of the man in the ^8th century. This remarkable site near the water was probably the refuge of the first peoples. Leave the town of Kingstown from the northwest; it is a 30 to 45 minute drive to Layou, a pretty fishing village. The easy access to the Graved Rocks is only 5 minutes from the main road.

Nature on trails, enchanted nature... These emerald trails start at the top of the Buccament Valley, located north of the capital Kingstown along the Caribbean coast, halfway between Campden Park and Layou, and lead you to Buccament Valley. To get there, two well-known and well-marked trails provide a safe pace. They lead through the rainforest and offer unique flora and fauna. You may even spot the Amazona Guildingii and the Whistling Warbler, two varieties of parrot unique to Saint-Vincent.

The Ministry of Tourism of St. Vincent is committed to promoting St. Vincent and the Grenadines and advancing sustainable development. From the rainforest of St. Vincent to the idyllic beaches, coral reefs and turquoise lagoons of the Grenadines, this organization will inform you about sailing spots, scuba diving, must-see sites, not to mention what makes the reputation of the site: cruises and charters.

A must when sailing in the Caribbean. This protected reserve of five uninhabited islands is a true paradise on earth with multicolored fish, transparent and warm waters and white sandy beaches. This small group of islands, the "Cayes", small islands composed of sand and coral, is moored in shallow water (2 to 4 m), with incredible shades of blue. It is here that the most beautiful coral reef of the Antilles is located. A true paradise on earth and one of the most beautiful anchorages in the Caribbean.

It is in this gigantic park that the Black Point Tunnel, known as the Jasper Tunnel, is located. A real curiosity which reveals the size of the efforts deployed by man at the time to dig a survival tunnel in the rock. Built around 1815, this tunnel of 109 m long is the work of Colonel Thomas Browne thanks to the work of black slaves and Indians.

Stroll along this tunnel, witness of a charged history. This place was also used for the filming of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, the curse of the Black Pearl.

Located 40 minutes by car from the capital Kingstown, on the leeward coast of St. Vincent, this magnificent park is the ideal place to come and spend a day of discovery in the midst of untamed nature. A moment of serenity guaranteed! Wallilabou Heritage park runs along the Wallilabou River. You have the possibility to picnic on the spot, to eat or to swim under beautiful small waterfalls. For the curious and the movie lovers, the site of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is just next door.