St Vincent and the Grenadines in a Day -Caribbean Cruise| Lili of the World

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor. Today I will take you to one not so popular island in the Caribbean- St Vincent and the Grenadines. This island formation was one of the 12 islands we visited during a two-week cruise across the Lesser Antilles in the beginning of 2020 (yes, back then when travelling was smooth and easy).

Kingstown cruise ship port

The article about St Vincent and the Grenadines is part of the series of posts about the islands we visited. We try to give you tips on what to see and do “in a day”. The other islands we visited were:

In order to read our recommendations for each island, just follow the links. We also shared our overall experience and tips when going on a cruise for the first time.

Tuk-tuk St Vincent — *Tuk-tuk, St Vincent*

Intro words

I must say two things about St Vincent. For us this was the laziest day out of the two-week cruise. I assume no one expects that we will be heavily exploring for 14 days without having a small break. Yes, the island and the neighboring ones have so much to offer, unfortunately not much to be seen in a day. Initially we wanted to go to the neighboring island of Bequia (you can read more about it below), but as the transport timetable was not convenient, we opted for another beach on St Vincent.

The second important thing is that this was the 80th country we visited. We wanted to have some time to reflect on it and not to rush through main attractions.

*Beach celebration- we reached a milestone (80 countries visited so far)*

With regards to the above laid, you will find below a bit of research that we made for this island and some beautiful pictures from the lovely beach we visited.

St Vincent

Just the name St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) evokes visions of exotic, idyllic island life. Imagine an island chain in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, uncluttered by tourist exploitation, with white-sand beaches on deserted islands, sky-blue water gently lapping the shores and barely a soul around.

People of St Vincent

The Grenadines are known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and Bequia has more than its fair share.

Bequia

Bequia is a charming island, just nine miles south of St Vincent, the northernmost island of the Grenadines. Although the largest of the Grenadine islands, Bequia only measures 18 sq km (7 sq miles) and is largely undiscovered.

Bequia’s pristine waters boast excellent diving opportunities. Most sites are on the western side, with over 30 sites in total, most easily accessible within a short boat ride. Sites range from shallow dives over colorful reefs to drift dives, cave dives, dramatic wall dives and wreck dives. People recommend exploring Friendship Beach, Princess Margaret Beach, Lower Bay and Industry Bay. There are ferries from the cruise ship port which can take you to Bequia. Unfortunately, their timing was not convenient for our daily stay, so it was not an option for us.

Sail to Tobago Cays

St Vincent and the Grenadines has a strong seafaring history and no visit here is complete without a sailing trip to the Tobago Cays. These five tiny, uninhabited islands, accessible only by boat, boast some of the best sailing and snorkeling in the Caribbean due to the spectacular horseshoe reef that creates a calm lagoon with unbelievably blue water.

The colorful landscape of St Vincent

There is ample time for snorkeling and swimming on a full day tour and if you’re lucky, you may also spot dolphins, whales, turtles and flying fish that frequent the waters here.

Buccament Resort

Our choice for spending the day was visiting the beach of an abandoned resort called Buccament Resort. The local authorities closed the resort at the end of December 2016 due to financial difficulties. On one hand, the current state offers great possibilities for external visitors to come to this lovely beach and also to many beach vendors who have occupied the area. On the other hand, the whole place is a bit creepy (it was such during the day, I do not want to even imagine what it is during the night). There is nothing else around besides the abandoned villas of the resort.

The abandoned Buccament resort

The beach is located around 40 minutes drive away from Kingstown. We arranged a taxi which would drive us to the beach and come to pick us up in the afternoon. The ride was really great and the whole island looked extremely interesting. Colorful houses, vivid greenery and lively people- this is how I can describe it with a couple of words. The video below also gives you a feeling about the life at St Vincent.

Buccament beach

We were actually the first to arrive on the beach, thus having a rich choice of where to sit. As mentioned earlier, the beach is not very long. It is also one of the stops of the daily tours which agencies offer when you arrive at the port. So, do not be surprised that in the afternoon it gets pretty crowded.

Buccament resort bridge — *The bridge which serves as an entrance to the beach*

Do not forget to take your snorkeling gear as the site offers great possibility for such activities right from the shore. We have already seen quite a lot of things in the Caribbean, but this one was not to be underestimated. Besides snorkeling, you can also have a short boat tour to a neighboring cave. No need to say we skipped this one as well.

*Buccament beach is still quite empty before the cruise ship tours arrive for their usual stop*

With regards to food and drinks you have the possibility to either buy from the beach stands or sit in the cafe in the beginning of the beach. The cafe also offers a free wi-fi connection, so it is a good option for taking a break from the sunbathing.

The latest news I read about this resort is that the government signed a deal about it mid of 2020. This means that there might be some changes in the status of this paradise place in the next few months.

Rum St Vincent — *Enjoy a coconut cocktail at the beach is one of the best things to do*

I know this was not a typical lilioftheworld.com post, but I just wanted to tease you a bit. Maybe also teasing myself as well, putting St Vincent and the Grenadines on the list for a longer visit.

I hope you enjoyed traveling with us. Do not miss our other Caribbean stories.