St. Vincent was one of the lesser-known isles in the Antilles until Captain Jack Sparrow (aka Johnny Depp) arrived, and the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie was filmed here. Laid-back Kingstown, the capital and home to the cruise ship terminal, blends Creole culture and colonial landmarks left over from the days when St. Vincent and the Grenadines was a far-off outpost of the British Empire.
The Scarlet Angel: This celebrated stained-glass window in St. George's Cathedral was commissioned for St. Paul's in London — but rejected by Queen Victoria because she thought all angels should be in white.
Falls of Baleine: Only reachable by small boat, this wispy white cascade plunges more than a hundred feet down a black volcanic cliff. The natural rock pool at the base begs you to take a dip.
La Soufriere Volcano: The two-hour trek to the rim of this very live volcano is a crowning achievement of any St. Vincent visit. By the way, it last erupted in 1979.
Botanic Gardens: Founded in 1765, this is the oldest botanical collection in the Western Hemisphere. Several of its breadfruit trees were famously brought to the island by Captain Bligh from the South Pacific after the Bounty mutiny in the late 1700s.
Nature Lovers: This largely wild island offers several challenging hikes, as well as isolated coves and beaches with little or no modern development.
Tropical Drink Aficionados: Sip the ginger cocktails at Cafe Soleil, the passion fruit rum punch at the Bush Bar, or the piña coladas on the floating Coconut Bar at Young Island Resort.
Early to Bed Is the Norm: Don't expect wild nightlife (or posh shopping). St. Vincent slumbers somewhere in the Caribbean past rather than in its razzle-dazzle present.
Land and Sea Are Musts: Roads don't cover the whole island. Many of St. Vincent's best sights can only be reached by boat — or on foot.
