|
The island of St Vincent is an authentic and beautifully unspoilt tropical paradise. Blessed with rich, fertile soil the island is cloaked
in lush, tropical rainforest where banana and coconut palms grow and is also home to the colourful St Vincent parrot. Crystal clear rivers
and streams tumble down from the majestic mountainous peaks in the north of the island, forming spectacular waterfalls such as the Falls of Baleine
which drop to a huge, rock-lined pool formed by the Falls. Trinity Falls descends in three cascades into a circular pool, then drops another ten feet
into a second pool perfect for swimming. Dark View Falls in the forest-clad Richmond Valley on the North West of the island, is actually two separate
falls in step formation, an uncommon feature for one site, with elevations of up to 229 feet.
At the far north of the island is the Natural Salt Pond at Owia Bay, consisting of a huge bathing pool enclosed by lava peaks and ridges.
The pounding waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash into this barrier and then gently cascade into the pool.
Secluded coves and fishing villages dot the coastline and diving sites abound in the turquoise waters surrounding these volcanic islands.
The diving ranges from the gentle, even lazy, to the exhilarating. The deserted cays, rocks, sand bars and lagoons are teeming with sea-life
and alive with colour. St. Vincent & The Grenadines is one of those all too rare, virtually undiscovered dive destinations and boasts an
almost infinite selection of wall diving sites complete with pristine corals. SVG was awarded the 2006 "BEST DIVING ISLAND OF THE YEAR"
from Caribbean World.
Abundant reef-life, normally found at 80-ft in most dive destinations around the world, flourishes in shallow-water reefs along the coast at
depths of only 25-ft, with an extraordinary variety of tropical reef fish such as angelfish, sergeant majors and peacock flounder,
making it perfect for snorkelling.
The Sailing in St Vincent and The Grenadines is some of the best in the Caribbean and the world. In 2005, for the second consecutive year,
it was awarded the 2005 "BEST SAILING & YACHTING ISLAND OF THE YEAR" from Caribbean World. While at sea you may see dolphins and whales,
six types of dolphin are found in Vincentian waters, including spinner, spotted, Fraser and bottlenose. Orcas and pilot whales can also be observed.
St Vincent is an ex-British colony. Colonized in 1719 and fought over by France & UK for most of the 18th century until Britain claimed the island
for England in 1783, it remained a British colony until internal autonomy was granted in 1969. It gained full independence in 1979 and maintains
ties to the British Monarch represented in Barbados by the Governor General.
St Vincent is home to the oldest Botanical Gardens in the Western Hemisphere which were founded in 1762 as a commercial breeding ground for plants brought
from other parts of the world. (St Vincent was Captain Bligh's original destination when the mutiny on HMS Bounty delayed his first scheduled
arrival. He eventually completed a second voyage and a descendant of one of his original breadfruit trees thrives in today's garden).
Wallilabou Bay on the west coast of St Vincent was the principle Caribbean location for Disney's 2003 hit movie 'Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse
of the Black Pearl', and sequels 'Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean - At Worlds End'. The bay was transformed
into the 17th century town "Port Royal" - the set and props are still in situ and can be visited.
The average yearly temperature is 27° C (81° F). The coolest months are between November and February. During the rainy season, May through October,
rain is frequent in the mountains of St. Vincent with the annual average rainfall being 380 cm (150 inches) inland and 200 cm (80 inches) on the coast.
GDP is growing at an annual rate of approximately 4%. In the past, the country's economy was based on income from sugar and bananas, although tourism has since
superceded agriculture as St Vincent's biggest earner. Major trading partners are The Caribbean, UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Guyana
Economic growth has been restricted by a combination of events such as climatic problems and the need to remodel the financial services sector
to appease the OECD and FATF (Financial Action Task Force) which has become a high priority for the Government. Accordingly, an
ambitious programme of policy reforms designed to strengthen the public finances, achieve higher growth, lower unemployment and reduce poverty is underway.
Banking, trusts, insurance and mutual funds form the cornerstone of the finance industry, although the registration of International Business Companies has
also become a strong growth area for SVG. According to the International Financial Services Authority (IFSA), by the end of April 2004, some 357
new IBCs had registered in the country, compared to 194 during 2003, representing growth of 84%. In total there are around 6,300 registered IBCs.
The International Airport to be built at Argyle (proposed completion by 2011) will improve accessibility to the island and bring
further economic growth from increased tourism and exports.
The currency of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$). Notes are issued in denominations of $100, 50, 20,10, 5
and 2. Coins are issued in denominations of $1 and 25,10, 5 and 1 cents. The exchange rate is tied to the US dollar at a rate of $2.68.
The main language of St Vincent is English, with most nationals also speaking French patois.
The capital city of St Vincent, Kingstown, is located in the south-western part of the island, nestled along Kingstown Bay and surrounded by
a ring of green hills and ridges. Nicknamed the "City of Arches", Kingstown is full of old world charm, with cobblestone sidewalks, old
brick buildings and, like many Caribbean capitals, much of the colour and bustle of the island can be found in the market square. The city
consists of twelve small blocks that are easy to walk and perfect for browsing. Shops and stores range from simple to sophisticated,
selling everything from local crafts to gold and silver jewellery.
Football and cricket are played throughout the island, and St Vincent's Arnos Vale Sports Complex was host to a four-match Warm-up series
involving Australia, Bermuda, England and Zimbabwe prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
St Vincent and the Grenadines has a state of the art fibre optic digital telephone system. Internet, Boatphone, Cellular service, telex,
telegraph and facsimile access are also available. The international area code is 1-784 followed by the local seven-digit number.
Phonecards are available through outlets islandwide as are Phonecard booths. International Direct Dialing (IDD) service is available
to most destinations in the world and International calls can be made using your credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, AT & T and Bell are accepted) by
dialling the operator. Cable & Wireless, AT&T and Digicel have a digital and GSM mobile network.
St. Vincent and The Grenadines has a reliable supply of electricity. Electricity is generally 220/240 volt, 50 cycle, except for
Petit St. Vincent which has 110 volt, 60 cycle. Most hotels have 110 volt shaver outlets. The standard electrical plug has 3
rectangular pins so remember to pack an adaptor.
|
