LOVE ISLANDS
Where better to socially distance than St Vincent and the Grenadines, a chain of 32 Caribbean islands, many of them barely inhabited and with stunning hotels and inquisitive wildlife
But there’s nobody on it, where are all the people?’ a friend asked after I posted a photo of a pristine Caribbean beach on social media. This was what you’d call missing the point entirely.
One of the best reasons to visit St Vincent and the Grenadines, a chain of 32 islands situated to the west of Barbados, is to enjoy the splendour of private island resorts with secluded palm-fringed beaches.
Nine of the islands are inhabited — St Vincent, Bequia, Young Island, Mustique, Union Island, Petit St Vincent, Palm Island, Mayreau and Union Island. Some of them are tiny private resorts with no more than 60 guests at any one time.
So whether you want to follow in the sandy footsteps of the rich and famous, escape to a luxurious corporate bolthole, honeymoon in style or have a digital detox in natural surroundings, St Vincent and the Grenadines could be the Caribbean you’re looking for.
Above all, holidaying here is about total relaxation, hopping between islands and enjoying the sea. Social distancing is also natural, as there are so few people about.
A new airport on St Vincent means tourism to the islands will grow in the coming years, Our whistle-stop tour helped us discover which ones should be on your dream holiday list. MUSTIQUE
MUSTIQUE is probably the most famous of the nine inhabited isles. Prince William and Kate Middleton holidayed on this exoticsounding island in the summer of 2019, followed by Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds on an €18,000 sojourn last Christmas.
Lavish villas are one of the things that Mustique is best-known for, with Mick Jagger, Tommy Hilfiger and Bryan Adams among the celebrities who own properties there. Bojo and the royals enjoyed the surroundings of opulent villas complete with butler service and private chefs.
Glamorous Mustique became legendary for its parties in the 1960s and 1970s after British aristocrat Colin Tennant bought the island.
There’s also an Irish connection. One of its oldest villas, ‘Clonsilla’, is owned by Georgia Fanshaw, a member of the Guinness family. Today, villas sell for up to $20 million but Clonsilla can be rented weekly for between $20,000 and $33,500.
Mustique is a marine park so adventurous types will enjoy snorkelling, diving and sailing to nearby islands.
Social butterflies will gravitate towards Basil’s Bar at the Cotton House hotel, the only hotel on the island and a focal point for sunset drinks and parties.
An intimate plantation-style hotel, it offers a range of different accommodation types from divinely simple cottages to larger duplexes. While away the afternoon in a hammock by the water or take your lead from the island’s resident turtles and move very slowly. Either way, you won’t want to leave this secluded haven. CANOUAN
CANOUAN island offers up a major Irish connection. Billionaire Dermot Desmond — who so recently and eloquently opined on how to solve Ireland’s housing crisis — has left his sandy footprints all over this sparsely populated island.
He was an investor in the opulent Pink Sands hotel, now the Mandarin Oriental, before leaving that partnership to develop a brand new marina at Glossy Bay.
The 120-berth Sandy Lane Yacht Club and Residences (SLYCR) is named after Sandy Lane hotel on Barbados and offers luxe accommodation, stylish restaurants and a grocery store for sailors looking to spend a few nights on dry land and stock up on supplies.
And although it’s set amid the white sand and turquoise waters of the southern Grenadines, there’s a distinct homage to Ireland. Eagle-eyed guests might spot Desmond’s Celtic Bhoy yacht moored at the marina as they make their way to Shenanigans beachside bar and restaurant or to Scruffy’s, a waterside shack bar constructed from two 40-foot containers that’s named after legendary Dublin pub Scruffy Murphy’s.
Desmond hired a member of one of Ireland’s tourism family dynasties to manage the marina. Joseph Scott-Lennon is the son of Killiney Castle hotel boss Eithne and retired Abbey Tavern owner James. On rare days off from managing the marina, you’ll find Joseph kite-surfing on nearby Union Island and soaking up the best of island life.
If you one day come into serious money, book a suite at the Mandarin Oriental. If you notice that pink is a focal colour throughout this stunning property, staff will tell you this is because Dermot Desmond’s favourite colour was dotted throughout when he invested heavily in what was then the Pink Sands.
A vast complex with 26 suites and six oceanside villas, it’s said that billionaires go here to get away from millionaires. The setting is a lottery dream for most of us, with room-only rates starting at $1,400 per night.
Guests are checked in from the comfort of their own suite by an assigned butler. Suite functions are controlled by iPad and a fullsize ‘TV wall’ opens or closes depending on whether guests want to watch TV or enjoy jawdropping ocean views. Dressing rooms, private terraces and classically stylish living rooms complete a lavish suite scene.
From the Mandarin Oriental,
play a round of golf on a littleplayed course or take a golf buggy to Mount Royal for sunset views and champagne.
Time your visit for regatta season, a focal point of island nightlife in the Grenadines. UNION ISLAND
FROM Canouan, follow Joseph Scott-Lennon’s lead and explore nearby Union Island. Described by tourism bosses as unsophisticated, it’s the antidote to Canouan’s corporate vibes. It’s also a hub for holidaymakers flying on to Petit St Vincent and Palm Island, sailors stocking up and adventure-seeking guests.
Professional kite-surfer Jeremie Tronet — who grew up on Martinique — travelled the world competing before deciding to settle on Union Island. He chose it because it’s small, authentic and has a real community.
Now, active holidaymakers can drop into his JT pro centre kiteboarding school and learn to kite surf. All levels are catered for, from beginner to expert with group or private lessons available (from $99).
If you’re on Union Island at the right time, you can enjoy full moon kitesurfing parties on the beach, complete with LED displays. ST VINCENT
UNION Island may be the start or finish point of your SVG holiday but equally, you could start your trip on St Vincent, a lush hilly island with Kingstown as its bustling historic capital. There’s plenty to do here, from discovering the island’s history of British rule to hiking into volcanic craters and swimming beneath waterfalls.
Many visitors who want to explore St Vincent currently opt to stay on Young Island, which is just a couple of minutes’ boat ride away. BEQUIA
FROM St Vincent, a natural stopping-off point is Bequia which offers a real taste of the Caribbean and is great for sailing, weddings and eco tourism.
The Swedish-owned Bequia Beach Hotel is an oasis of palm tree-lined beaches with beautiful suites just steps from the sea. It’s worth remembering that SVG’s beaches can be on the Atlantic or Caribbean side so the water can be livelier than expected.
From the hotel, it’s a short golf buggy ride to downtown where colourful cafes and street traders remind you that you’re in the Caribbean. The island hosts a carnival each year and also has a museum dedicated to its boating and whaling history.
Of course, sailing is central to any holiday in St Vincent & the Grenadines. If you don’t sail yourself, there are many other ways to enjoy life on the water.
Charter a private catamaran to take you to your next island or at the other extreme, take a small water taxi for day visits to some of the islands. PETIT ST VINCENT
HIRING a private charter via Wind & Sea to reach idyllic Petit St Vincent costs around $1,800. This tiny private island is home to a dive school owned by Jean Michel Cousteau, son of the legendary Jacques Cousteau.
Petit St Vincent feels wonderfully natural and safe although the policy of having no keys to cottages might take a bit of getting used to for some guests. Some cottages feel wonderfully secluded, facing directly on to the ocean and just steps from a beachside morning yoga session.
Everything on PSV is about keeping things simple. Guests use a flag system outside their cottage to let staff know if they want service and there’s a clever outdoor gym. It couldn’t be any more different to the Mandarin Oriental on Canouan.
Think barefoot relaxation and Balinese massages at the hill-top spa. The only wifi is at reception so visitors can enjoy a digital detox. The island also feels great for families with turtles and sheep wandering around.
There are plans to install private swimming pools in some of the cottages and if you’re planning a wedding, you can ‘buy out’ the island.
Rates are better at the end of the tourist season (during our summer). GRENADINES
FROM PSV, make the final stop of your trip on Palm Island Resort & Spa, near the southern tip of the Grenadines. Nature has generously provided this tiny isle with beautiful surroundings but it also has a unique selling point. It’s adult-only, with no children under the age of 16 during winter and no under-12s during summer.
You can cycle or walk around the island in around half an hour — just watch out for iguanas wandering around. There are five beaches and with no more than 80 people on the island at any time, you’ll feel as if you have its secluded hammocks and picnic spots to yourself. Social distancing indeed.
Stay at one of the newly renovated beachside rooms — just ten metres from the water, they’re delightful oases of brightness and colour with exterior day beds and great views of the water.
If you insist on social media posts, the spa is dream holiday material, with views to die for.
One must-do from Palm Island is a boat trip to Tobago Cays. Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightley filmed a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean on one of the tiny islands but you’ll be far more interested in experiencing what every snorkelling fan wants to do here — swimming with sea turtles.
You can either get dropped off on an island and swim out to observe the turtles in their natural habitat or ask your boat man to stop where they feed and jump straight in. This is bound to be a highlight of any SVG holiday.
TRAVEL FACTS
GETTING THERE: Catherine Murphy travelled to SVG courtesy of the SVG Tourist Board (discoversvg.
com). Irish holidaymakers have to travel a little bit further to reach SVG but it’s worth it when you get there. Fly Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick to Barbados then onwards to St Vincent with Liat Air (flight takes around 45 minutes). You can fly from Canouan to Mustique via private charter with Mustique Air. Departing SVG to Barbados incurs a $40 departure tax which must be paid in cash in ECB (Eastern Caribbean dollars) or US dollars.
Irish tour operators Caribtours and Hayes & Jarvis both feature a number of SVG islands. If you plan on island-hopping, it’s worth using a tour operator or travel agent’s expertise to plan your island transfers.
WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK: SVG likes its national symbols including the parrot (national bird) and Soufriere tree (national tree). Its national dish is fried jack fish and roasted breadfruit. So named because of its texture, breadfruit was historically used to feed the poor because it was cheap and plentiful but remains a firm favourite on the islands today. Conch (seafood) is also popular as are tuna and mahi-mahi which feature strongly on menus. Popular fruit juices include mango and papaya with lime.
WHERE TO STAY: For information on individual resorts, visit bequiabeachhotel.com, palmislandresortgrenadines.com, youngisland.com, mustique-island.com and petitstvincent.com