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Things to know & do in St. Vincent in the Caribbean Islands of Grenada

Ocean side.

Enjoy the panoramic sea view from 17th century Fort Charlotte in Kingstown, then visit the tropical plants in St Vincent Botanical Gardens. Go for a dip in Salt Pond and look over to St Lucia's green peaks. Film fans flock to the black sands of Wallilabou Bay, set of Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean.

Sight Seeing

Gaze up at the stained-glass window at St George's Anglican Cathedral, originally commissioned for London's St Paul's Cathedral. See the mix of Moorish, Roman and Georgian styles of St Mary's Catholic Cathedral. On the Vermont Nature Trails visit St Vincent Parrot Reserve, home of endangered species, then dip in the cooling rock pool at the Falls of Beleine.

St Vincent is a nature enthusiast's dream with nature trails, tropical forest, a botanical garden and an active volcano, La Soufrière, which last erupted in 1979. There are two spectacular waterfalls on St Vincent, the Falls of Baleine and Trinity Falls, beneath which visitors can swim in invigorating pools. The Grenadines also offer pristine reefs for scuba diving and snorkeling, especially around the Tobago Cays, where spiny lobsters, tropical fish, octopuses and even the odd dolphin can be found.

Best cultural attraction

St Vincent, was first inhabited by Ciboney Indians several thousand years ago and subsequently settled by Arawaks, Caribs and Europeans. Fort Charlotte, built by the British Army in 1806 as the island's chief defense against the French and Caribs, is currently being renovated, but the original cannons are still on display. The Cathedral of the Assumption in the capital, Kingstown, with its black bricks made from volcanic sand and Moorish and Romanesque influences, is another reminder of the islands' colorful history.

Outdoors Escapes

On St Vincent, follow the hiking trail through banana plantations and rainforest to La Soufriere crater, the volcano's summit. Swim in the waist-deep water below the plunging Wallilabou Falls. Walk along the white sand beaches of Petit St Vincent, a private island and ultimate Caribbean hideaway.

Physical outdoors

Find your sea legs and hire a sailing boat from a Port Elizabeth beach on Bequia. Try windsurfing off the shore from Lower Bay. Snorkelers head to Horseshoe Reef on the Tobago Cays to see parrotfish and eels. The crystal clear waters and coral reefs surrounding Petit St Vincent are perfect for diving.

Food

Fans of Caribbean cuisine will be in heaven here. Feast on popular callaloo (a spinach-like green), pumpkin soup, salt fish and souse (spicy broth with vegetables and meat). Taste Vincentian favorite bul jol (roast salt fish and breadfruit with tomatoes) and the endless selection of fresh seafood, from conch and shrimps to lobster.

Beer of St. Vincent.

Nightlife

Dance to reggae or soca (contemporary calypso) rhythms on the beaches of Port Elizabeth on Bequia and chill out to jazz over a cocktail in Kingstown. Hit the floor and boogie to Jamaican dancehall tunes with the local crowd at Union Island's Eagle's Nest.

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