Sleepy St Vincent cruise port is definitely one of the quieter of the Caribbean’s many ports, and yet the islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines definitely pack a punch. Whether you’re after a casual beach day, an action-packed adventure, or want to discover more of the culture of St Vincent and its old pirate-welcoming days, there are plenty of options for a day docked at Kingstown, St Vincent’s capital city.
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A very brief introduction to St Vincent and the Grenadines
St Vincent and the Grenadines is actually made up of the largest island- St Vincent- and a grand total of 32 smaller islands- the Grenadines. Although the islands have been plagued over the centuries with natural disasters, from hurricanes and tropical cyclones to frequent volcanic eruptions, there’s no denying their rugged tropical beauty.
Like most of the islands in the Caribbean, the original residents were Amerindian tribes, and the island now known as St Vincent was actually known- once upon a time-by its Kalinago name of Youloumain. Then, of course, the Europeans entered the area. We all know how that story goes, but I’ll fill you in on a few of the details.
Christopher Columbus, in all his infinite wisdom, renamed the island ‘St Vincent’ after St Vincent of Saragossa, and the ‘Grenadines’ was a name later chosen in honour of the Spanish city of Granada. The Kalinago people put up a good fight against the various European nations trying to stake their claim on the island, but eventually the French stuck, settling in the new town of Barrouallie in the early 1700s. They imported African slaves to work on their brand spanking new plantations, and although there was a power struggle between Britain and France over the years that followed, the importing of slaves, and exporting of products like tobacco, sugar, coffee and cocoa never slowed.
Over the years, descendants of the indigenous Kalinago, and African slaves who had escaped slavery, formed the Garifuna people; and the Garifuna were a fearsome bunch who strongly objected the Brits sticking their noses in where they weren’t wanted. The First Carib War blew up between Britain and the Garifuna from 1769-1773, and the Second Carib War took place (again with the Garifuna and the British) in 1795. In 1796 the Garifuna surrendered, and over 5000 of them were deported to the Honduran island of Roatan.
St Vincent and the Grenadines remained a Crown Colony of the British Empire, right up until it finally gained independence in 1979- although the nation is still part of the British Commonwealth, with King Charles its official king.
Where is St Vincent cruise port?
St Vincent cruise port is located in the teeny-tiny capital city of Kingstown, and while on one side of the ship you’ll be met with rough cliffside and jungle vines towering over cerulean sea, on the other is the view of the colourful city. Kingstown is not like the glitzier cruise ports of the Caribbean like Aruba or Barbados, and personally, that’s why I appreciated it so much. It’s also a very easy to walk into the city. Just exit the port gates and turn left.
The port itself has space for two ships (or one gigantic ship, like the one I was on), although occasionally ships will park offshore and tender their passengers onto land via the tender boats.
Just outside of port security, but still within St Vincent port itself, there’s a rustic, colourful terminal area where passengers and locals hang out. Souvenir shops sell local crafts (and Barbie dolls in traditional Caribbean outfits), and there are also a couple of really popular restaurants and coffee shops here with fairly decent wifi.
Head to Carib-Beans Coffee House for speciality coffee as well as some really delicious cakes and lunch options. The interior is also beautiful. Or sit outside in the main courtyard, if you can handle the heat. Ramona’s Cuisine, right next to the entrance, is a great spot to try some Caribbean dishes too.
There are always plenty of taxi drivers waiting outside the terminal, as well as water taxi drivers ready to whisk you away to a beach.
The closest beach to St Vincent cruise port: Villa Beach
The closest beach to St Vincent cruise port is Villa Beach, a sandy strip about ten minutes away by road (depending on traffic), so the best way to get here is either by taxi directly from the port, or on a local bus.
Villa Beach is a great little spot, and part of its charm is that although there are beach bungalows, hotels and restaurants here, it’s not an overdeveloped, glitzy place just for tourists. Later in the afternoon plenty of locals come to enjoy the sea as well, and children backflip off of the wooden jetty from where boats head across to Young Island.
Alternatively, check out Young Island
Young Island is just across the water from Villa Beach. This little island which was once the home of an Arawak chief, is now the home of a resort, complete with bungalows and a beachfront bar and restaurant. In fact, the cast and crew of Pirates of the Caribbean stayed during filming- but the island is open for anybody to come and visit. The snorkelling here is fantastic (although watch out for sea urchins in the shallows).
To get from St Vincent cruise port to Young Island, take a water taxi from outside the port to the jetty near Villa Beach, then a second little ferryboat across to the island.
The boat we took whenever we visited was honestly the sketchiest-looking vessel I’ve ever stepped foot in (more like a hollowed-out avocado with a few rusty holes in it), but that was all part of the adventure, quite frankly. Arrange a pick-up time with the driver and pray that he comes back for you. Because, I’ll be honest, the first time we ventured to Young Island, we could see the driver asleep in his avocado-boat next to the mainland while we stood on the jetty waiting for him, trying desperately to wave him over. We ended up catching a boat back with some of the hotel employees, and we were very grateful indeed that they showed up when they did. Have I sold this experience to you yet!?
Whether you’re getting a boat or a taxi, only cash is accepted: either the Eastern Caribbean Dollar or USD.
Further afield: best excursions from Kingstown
There are plenty of really great excursions from St Vincent cruise port. If you’re a dab hand at bartering, it might be worth hedging your bets on a taxi driver who can take you onwards and upwards into the island’s volcanic hills; otherwise, pre-book an excursion to save time (and guarantee how much you’ll pay.)
There’s no shortage of waterfalls in the Caribbean (we all know I love a waterfall hike), and the island of St Vincent is no exception. After a short hike, cross a bamboo bridge over the river which leads to Dark View Falls- two stunning waterfalls which cascade one into the next. It’s a pretty spot, and swimming in the falls is possible too. Book an excursion from the cruise port to Dark View Falls.
There are plenty of Pirates of the Caribbean filming locations dotted across the Caribbean islands (you can even swim through Jack Sparrow’s gorge in Dominica), and in St Vincent and the Grenadines there’s an entire abandoned movie set to be found. Wallilabou Bay was used to depict Port Royal in the first three movies in the series, and the remains of the fictional town is still there for any who care to visit. The set is over twenty years old now and has suffered a bit of weathering during various hurricane seasons, but it’s a must-visit for fans of the franchise. (And there’s a non-abandoned restaurant and bar there too, don’t panic.)
This is an incredibly popular tour which includes visits to Dark View Falls, Wallilabou Bay, the first European settlement on the island, and several other stunning natural spots. It’s a great way of packing a lot into the day whilst learning about the history and culture of St Vincent from a local guide.
If you need something a bit more active, consider hiring glass-bottomed kayaks. The marine life in St Vincent is incredible, so being able to see everything underwater as you paddle is downright marvellous. Obviously, snorkelling is very much recommended, too. Check prices for kayak hire with a guide, here.
The beauty of St Vincent cruise port is undoubtedly its local vibe, and although parts of the city are actually fairly industrial looking, the nature that surrounds it is absolutely stunning. This is one of the Caribbean islands that I’ve spent the least time in over the years, and I’d love the chance to explore it some more; St Vincent and the Grenadines is definitely the kind of place where there’s more to it than meets the eye.