St Vincent and the Grenadines make up part of the Windward Islands and lie south of St Lucia, St Vincent. It is volcanic and mountainous with luxuriant vegetation and black sand beaches. The Grenadines are equally lush. Kingstown, capital of St Vincent, is a lively port and market town on the southern coast. The town contains 12 small blocks with a variety of shops and a busy dock area.

Bequia island lies 14km south of St Vincent and is the largest of the Grenadines. Admiralty Bay, the islands natural harbour, is a favourite anchoring spot for yachtsmen from all over the world.

Heading south, the next port of call is Mystique, a gem in the ocean taking up only 4 sq km. Verdant hills roll into soft white sand beaches and turquoise waters. St Vincent is one of the few islands where good West Indian cuisine can almost always be enjoyed. Specialities include red snapper, kingfish, and souse. Many evening events take place in hotels.

The Caribbean island of St Vincent puts on a spectacular show each year during carnival, is a typical West Indian week of celebrations. Originally a pre Lenten affair, it was shifted to late June so it would not clash with other major carnivals in the region.

A highlight is the Miss Carnival beauty show, billed as the number one Caribbean show of its type. Where revellers disguised as devils with paint and mud daubed on their bodies roam the streets in the pre dawn hours.

In addition, there are competitions to find the King and Queen of the Bands, a Junior Carnival, Steel Band and Calypso Competitions. All the fun is rounded off with a Mardi Gras parade of costumed bands on the last day. Its an amazing time to be on this relaxed, tropical island.

Kingstown is the centre for island nightlife, such as it is, though often thats limited to people hanging out in the streets, with car stereos usually providing the music. For official establishments, try The Attic, at Melville and Greenville, which has live music usually jazz most nights and is a decent and popular place to watch sports on the multi screen Tvs.

Eating options on the island are surprisingly limited, with again the most variety around Kingstown and Villa Beach. Prices tend to be lower in Kingstown than in Villa Beach, where you can expect to pay at least twice as much for food and drink than anywhere else on the island.

Due to its volcanic origins, the underwater topography of St Vincent is breath taking, and there are no shortages of dive operators on the island to help you explore it. Dive St Vincent, next to the Young Island jetty at Villa Beach, offers numerous dives, courses and packages, some of which include accommodation.