Sara8374

Any advice on where to go? We prefer to just relax on the beach- for part of the day- and maybe walk around for other part of day- no major excursions. Any nice beaches for the day that you recommend?

tpatricco

Tobago Cays are beautiful & all that's there is beach. Great snorkling too. Mayreau is interesting but not as pretty a beach. We did a bar crawl there that was nuts! Look for Robert Righteous! Haven't been to beaches on STV, but falls of Baleine (sp) are not to be missed if you can get someone to take you there.

curiousx

Good advice on Tobago and Mayreau although I happen to think that Saltwhistle Bay is one of the prettiest beaches I have ever seen !

St. Vincent is not really known for its beaches although there are some hidden gems. The most well known and accessible beach area is called "Villa" just north of the airport - you could hang out at one of the small hotels (Beachcomber for example) or take the little ferry across to Young Island and spend gazillions on drinks and very good. The beaches here are very small, however.

I agree that going to the Falls of Baleine is an excellent excursion - Fantasea and Hazeco are both reputable outfits that will take you there with stops also at the set from Pirates of the Caribbean and a bit of snorkelling.

If spectacular scenery is your thing, then consider a land tour through the Mesopotamia Valley up to Montreal Gardens - a beautiful horticultural experience combining formal English Garden, breathtaking mountain views, and tropical rainforest. Dani and Norris at [email protected] provide personal tours at reasonable rates, and include a great lunch, soft drinks and beer as well.

RAB

St. Vincent also has a well-known botanical garden near town that is worth a visit. You will be expected to pay a guide. There is a medical museum next to it that is fascinating in a bizarre way.

curiousx

The Botanical Gardens are the oldest in the western hemisphere, but a fairly good (and hot) hike from the dock area.

If you do walk there, hire one of the licensed guides inside the main gates - the ones outside are 'pretends'.

Dani and Norris, whom I mentioned previously, can give you a nice half day tour including the Botanical Gardens and a visit to interesting Fort Charlotte. You will recognize the parapets from Pirates of the Caribbean (which I think probably used a model as the real thing would have been to dangerous).

As well, any taxi driver at the dock area can do this tour for you - some are better than others. I particularly like Phyllis Peters (goes by the name of Phyllis Taxi - I can get her coordinates if you are interested).

I personally like Kingstown but some tourists find it intimidating - lots of hustle and bustle and street life. If it gets too much, dive into the Cobblestone Hotel or the Heron for a drink !