7 days exploring St Vincent and the Grenadines on a luxury yacht

St Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles is comprised of the large St Vincent island and a chain of over 30 smaller islands stretching down to Grenada.

St Vincent itself is home to lush rainforests and La Soufriere, an active volcano that can be hiked. But it is the smaller islands that make this area such a pleasure to discover either on a private yacht or as part of a luxury yacht charter in the Caribbean.

Coral reefs, idyllic bays and some of the best beaches in the Caribbean comprise this tropical paradise. From the charm of the tiny island of Bequia to the exclusivity of the celebrity-ridden island of Mustique, this area offers something for everyone.

Day 1: Admiralty Bay, Bequia

Join your yacht at Young Island, just off St Vincent’s southern coast, and then set sail for the lush, green isle of Bequia, anchoring in picturesque Admiralty Bay. Wander ashore to stroll along the quaint waterfront of Port Elizabeth with its cafés and shops, and visit the impressive model boat workshops, where these miniature vessels are handmade by the local craftsmen.

Finish your day with drinks at the legendary Frangipani, an iconic yachtie watering hole, and return to the yacht to dine on fresh fish that the Vincentian fisherman may have caught that day, before enjoying a slice of Frangi's famous lime pie.

Spend the morning on one of Bequia’s golden beaches or dive the Devil’s Table, loaded with fish and coral it is considered to be one of the best scuba dives in the Caribbean. Alternatively take an excursion to Hope Bay on the Atlantic coast, beginning with an hour-long walk down to the shore from the end of the drivable track.

Your chef will pack a picnic lunch as there are no restaurants nearby. For those in the know this is a great place to bodysurf, but Hope Bay is such a well-kept secret that you are unlikely to see another soul. Back on board, take a late afternoon cruise to Union Island, a mini-Tahiti topped by the 1,100ft Mount Taboi, anchoring overnight off the long sand beach in Chatham Bay.

A quick passage over to the magical Tobago Cays National Maritime Park deposits you among thousands of marine creatures and pristine corals where visibility to 12 metres is not unusual. The four uninhabited islands that make up the Tobago Cays are surrounded by a pristine Horseshoe Reef, and you can spend the whole day snorkelling and floating atop transparent waves, pausing to lunch on board.

The dive boats depart in the afternoon, leaving you to enjoy shelling the beaches in perfect solitude. Enjoy a banquet of champagne and barbecued lobster (caught outside the park) on the beach, topped off with passion fruit sorbets.

Return to civilized pleasures on Canouan Island and play a round of golf at the Jim Fazio-designed Grenadines Estate Golf Club course. Set on dramatic sloping hills of it is considered to be one of the best golf courses in the Caribbean with stunning sea views. Or pamper yourself at The Pink Sands Club, where you can watch marine life through the glass floors of the over-water palapas while having a relaxing massage.

Then set sail for palm-lined Saltwhistle Bay on the northern tip of Mayreau, and make your way ashore to dine off stone tables in the resort’s renowned tropical garden restaurant, with perhaps an after-dinner stroll along its pristine beaches. A longer walk to the crest of the hill beside the Catholic church will give you panoramic view of Tobago Cays, Canouan and Union Island.

An early departure delivers you quickly to the tiny private island of Mustique — a favourite Caribbean destination for celebrities. Banana pancakes at Basil’s Bar, on stilts in Britannia Bay, will kick off your Mustique experience nicely – to be followed by a scenic horseback ride. Meander through the hills keeping your eye out for Mustique’s 50 indigenous species of birds, including the Mangrove Cuckoo and Tropical Kingbird, and gallop in the surf on white beaches.

Finish your ride at the Cotton House for lunch at the Beach Café on the water. Visit the spa for a bit of aromatherapy or an organic ila treatment. An evening swim or snorkel at Lagoon Bay (just south of your mooring at Britannia Bay) is a must, followed by sundowners and dinner onboard in tranquil Britannia Bay. Those included can swing by Basil’s for an evening libation.

Spend the morning in the surf at Mustique’s Macaroni Bay and then cruise to Petit Nevis, a private island off Bequia’s southern shore, for a last lunch in splendid isolation. Returning to Young Island, take the tender to High Tide Bar & Grill on the mainland for a seafood feast.

Anchor in Petit Byahaut cove on the lee-side of St Vincent, and then head ashore early to explore the island. Rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle and head north through banana plantations and villages to the Bamboo Forest. The more energetic may wish to make the spectacular but vigorous two-hour climb to the summit of the sleeping La Soufrière volcano, or hike to Trinity Falls, a group of three cascades.

Those looking for a shorter adventure could opt to catch a glimpse of the brilliantly coloured St Vincent parrot from the Vermont Nature Trail – a lovely hiking and bird-watching area within the 10,870-acre St Vincent Parrot Reserve. Then return to the yacht for champagne or rum cocktail and farewells before heading home.