Canouan

Halfway down the Grenadines chain, this tiny boot-shape island—3½ miles (5½ km) long and 1¼ miles (2 km) wide—has only about 1,200 residents. But don't let its historically slow pace and quiet ways fool you. Canouan (pronounced can-o-wan), which is the Carib word for "turtle," has a modern airport with an extended runway suitable for small to midsize jets. The island boasts one of the region's largest and most exquisite resorts, with a championship golf course and a world-class spa. It also claims four of the most pristine white-sand beaches in the Caribbean, and it's a busy port for yacht charters and diving expeditions to the Tobago Cays. Mt. Royal, the highest point on the island at 900 feet, offers panoramic 360-degree views of St. Vincent, all the Grenadines, and even St. Lucia on a clear day.