Best of St Lucia, Grenada or Grenadines

[Oliviamay]

Hi Olivia! Thanks! Pink Sands Resort or Palm Island for 2 adult divers, sailors, hikers in the beginning of December?

Presuming that the focus of your stay is diving I would say Palm Island because currently the dive shop based on Canouan (Pink Sands) is closed. I would contact Pink Sands to ask if they will have an on-site dive shop opened for December. If not, Palm Island is logistically a better choice. Google image a map of the area to see the layout of the islands in relation to one another.

The other private island option you may want to consider is Petit St Vincent which has the Jean-Michel Cousteau Caribbean Dive centre on island.

There is an excellent online magazine, 'Ins and Outs of St Vincent and the Grenadines' where you can compare the features of each island, www.insandoutsofsvg.com
You could also request a paper copy from one of the overseas offices of St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority in London, New York and Toronto.
The 2017 edition has a couple of pages devoted to Palm Island and Canouan.

Hope that helps!

 

[insomniac]

I can confirm that Petit. St. Vincent is heaven on earth, it doesn't really get much better than what they offer. My first visit to the island was a few years ago, and I wasn't a diver. But I will be returning in late November, and can report back how the diving goes if anyone is interested.

 

[Snoweman]

I can confirm that Petit. St. Vincent is heaven on earth, it doesn't really get much better than what they offer. My first visit to the island was a few years ago, and I wasn't a diver. But I will be returning in late November, and can report back how the diving goes if anyone is interested.

How was the diving??

 

[insomniac]

Diving was pretty good Caribbean diving, we dove some healthy reefs and a nice wreck. But they handle mostly discover scuba, so they don't get to the best sites every day. Diving was so expensive we only went on four dives, which was $800 for 2 people. All the dives are guided, and if they have different experience levels they send multiple guides. Honestly, that type of diving isn't my favorite as I like to do my own thing, but they found some tiny nudibranchs and other little critters that I would have otherwise missed.

 

[drrich2]

Any impression on how most of the other divers got to the island? Cruise ship, flying in for hotels, etc...? I had the impression St. Vincent was one of those 'off the beaten path but with good diving' destinations, and I'd assumed it probably called to more seasoned divers who'd already been to the mainstream destinations (e.g.: Cozumel, Bonaire, Roatan, Belize) and wanted something new or 'different' in the Caribbean. The kind of people I suspect hit Grenada, Carriacou, St. Eustatia, etc...

But now you tell me they handle mostly discover scuba students? I'm just curious to know more about the local dive scene there, and topside for that matter.

Richard.

 

[Damselfish]

Any impression on how most of the other divers got to the island? Cruise ship, flying in for hotels, etc...? I had the impression St. Vincent was one of those 'off the beaten path but with good diving' destinations, and I'd assumed it probably called to more seasoned divers who'd already been to the mainstream destinations...

St. Vincent and Petit St. Vincent are different islands about 50 miles apart - in "St Vincent and the Grenadines", Petit is one of the Grenadines. It's a tiny one resort island served by tiny planes. Even more off the beaten path than St Vincent proper. (And expensive, like 1-2k per night.)

 

[Oliviamay]

Any impression on how most of the other divers got to the island? Cruise ship, flying in for hotels, etc...? I had the impression St. Vincent was one of those 'off the beaten path but with good diving' destinations, and I'd assumed it probably called to more seasoned divers who'd already been to the mainstream destinations (e.g.: Cozumel, Bonaire, Roatan, Belize) and wanted something new or 'different' in the Caribbean. The kind of people I suspect hit Grenada, Carriacou, St. Eustatia, etc...

But now you tell me they handle mostly discover scuba students? I'm just curious to know more about the local dive scene there, and topside for that matter.

Richard.

Hi Richard,
I think you may be confusing Petit St Vincent with the mainland island of St Vincent. Petit St Vincent is a 115 acre island resort with a total of 22 rooms/cottages available. It's only accessible by boat and most people would reach it by flying to St Lucia, Grenada or Barbados and then taking the regional airline, SVG Air to Union Island. From there you take a speedboat to the island. All in all pretty fantasy vacation stuff! I guess the 'mostly discover scuba' is because on such a small island going diving is something to do when you've read all the books you brought or have had enough of sun bathing!

The mainland of St Vincent is approx. 150 sq. miles and has four dive shops: Dive St Vincent, Serenity Dive, Indigo Dive and Richmond Vale Academy. You're right about seasoned divers visiting this area, we do tend to have divers who have been to all the well known islands and are looking for something different. The biggest drawback is that it isn't cheap, or quick, to get here but now St Vincent has a new airport we hope that the airlift improves.The diving is very good, and there are numerous reviews online.

 

[drrich2]

I think you may be confusing Petit St Vincent with the mainland island of St Vincent.

Thanks, guys. Yes, I didn't know there were 2 different islands with such similar names in the region.

(And expensive, like 1-2k per night.)

Bwah-hah-hah!!! And at that price, it might as well be on the moon, far as I'm concerned!

That said, I'm glad to see these options available. The forum sees the occasional post looking for luxury options, a major anniversary or honeymoon, etc...

Richard.

 

[Damselfish]

Bwah-hah-hah!!! And at that price, it might as well be on the moon, far as I'm concerned!

Well that's AI for 2 anyway. In low season you can get a deal for $5500/week - under $800/night! Cheaper than most liveaboards...if only that included diving.

 

[tursiops]

We spent a week diving on Bequia in September, it is a petit island just south of St Vincent (trying to confuse Richard...).
Very enjoyable; used Bequia Dive Adventures, stayed at the Village Apartments.