This lush Caribbean Island offers a swashbuckling good time among beautiful beaches and gardens. I enjoyed Wallilabou Bay (Pirates of the Caribbean filming location), turquoise beaches, botanical gardens and the precipitous Rock Fort on top of a volcanic sea stack island. So, here is my guide on the top Saint Vincent and Grenadines attractions near Kingston.
Being a Pirates of the Caribbean fan, I enjoyed Wallilabou Bay, the main location for filming this 5-movie series. It’s free and open for visitors anytime along the clear, black sand beach. There are still buildings, props and canons scattered throughout the site.
I wandered and found “Ye ole Cemetery,” skeletons, canons and guillotines. All is near the turquoise waters, where it’s easy to imagine the mirage of the Black Pearl ship drifting by. I savored fresh, sweet papaya juice at the restaurant to Wallilabou Anchorage Hotel. There’s spectacular snorkeling nearby at a natural stone arch to the bay’s entrance.
Buccament Bay and Villa Beaches
Saint Vincent and Grenadines Attractions
I rejuvenated at 2 beaches in Saint Vincent. Near Wallilabou Bay is the Buccament Bay, where I enjoyed a couple hours at its black volcanic sand beach. The water was nice, and I relaxed with an umbrella and chair for $10, inhaling the fresh sea air. This beach is small, yet, it has a couple restaurants and bars. After 2 hours, we were ready to move on.
Next, we went to Villa Beach, just a 10-minute drive from the cruise terminal. After eating our late afternoon meal at the Villa Beach, my friend and I wandered on the walkway along the beach. A young, local man named Jamal approached us, asking if we wanted to go on a boat ride to Rock Fort for $10. We knew nothing about Rock Fort and thought he meant the private Young Island in our view. So, we decided to say yes and take a chance on having an unplanned good time.
Fort Duvernette or Rock Fort
Crawling off the dock onto this little motor boat, we head toward Young Island. However, as we speed alongside its northwest shores, I see the sea stack or basalt volcanic plug, alone, outside the northwest corner of Young Island. Finally, I realize this is our unplanned destination. We enjoy the spontaneity and realization that we were living in the moment with no expectations.
Onward, Jamal takes us to the sea stack for us to climb to the top and see Fort Duvernette, aka, Rock Fort. We see blue herons, cactus and crystal clear aquamarine waters alongside Young Island. Ten minutes later and arriving at the sea stack, we learn about it by experiencing it in the here and now.
We climb the steep 255 steps almost 200 feet to the top of this pinnacle. The views are spectacular looking down on Young Island, with its turquoise waters and Saint Vincent in the distance. I find a hermit crab slogging along with its awkward shell on its back.
360-degree Panoramic View from Fort
Getting to the top we find the colonial British fort remains, with a battery of canons and breathtaking 360-degree view of the ocean, Young Island and Saint Vincent. The coral reef of Young Island surrounds the shores with vibrant green-blue waters, darkening into a deep blue. Also, we find a picnic table for a lunch break.
We are the only 2 people on the entire sea stack island, feeling an eerie and isolated sense of adventure. Because the sun was soon to set, we only stay for about 10 minutes, before we scurry down the 255 steep, stone steps to our boat, back to the main island, Saint Vincent. We ended the day by watching the beautiful sunset on Villa Beach with some drinks.
Kingstown Botanic Garden
On top a steep hill, the Kingstown Botanic Garden overlooks the city and sea, is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the western hemisphere. In 1763 this British garden was established to provide medicinal plants for the military and improve the quality of life.
The Royal Society cultivated and transported the commercial plants from the Caribbean to Kew Gardens in England. Walking through the gardens, there are many endemic and introduced plants. For example, there is the breadfruit tree brought by Captain Bligh after he won the Mutiny on the Bounty. In addition, the is an aviary complex to maintain a breeding program for the endangered Saint Vincent Amazon Parrot.
Enjoy Saint Vincent and Grenadines!
Overall, I loved every swashbuckling minute on Saint Vincent. However, I never saw any of the Grenadines, the chain of 32 islands north. For me, Saint Vincent is a good place to start and get a baseline perspective on these exotic islands. I hope to visit again and explore the pristine Grenadines with beautiful coral reefs and beaches.
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