Saint Vincent & The Grenadines • Where to go • When to go • What you should know • How to book
“Pax et Justitia” (Peace and Justice)
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located in the Caribbean Sea, specifically in the Lesser Antilles region. It is situated in the southern part of the Caribbean chain, to the west of Barbados and to the south of Saint Lucia. The country consists of the main island of St. Vincent and a group of smaller islands and cays known as the Grenadines (about 31 various isles many of which are uninhabited). Often referred to as SVG, a yacht charter in this area provides for a adventure with peaceful serenity, nature, and culture. With tranquil waters, beautiful landscapes, pristine sandy white beaches, untouched coves, lush jungles, abundant marine life, and secluded anchorages, here you can make your ‘deserted island’ yacht charter dreams come true.
What is a sailing vacation, yacht charter, etc..? Learn more here ›
We sailed the one-way route from St. Lucia to Grenada stopping at St. Vincent along the way. Another time we did Martinique to Bequia and again we stopped in St. Vincent. There is a good reason – dense rain forest – warm water – friendly people – lots of bays, beaches and anchorages. The one regret? As always, we did not spend long enough.
Grenada Bareboat charter requirements:
✔ Sailing Resume
✖ Certification
✖ License
Learn more at Yacht Charter Resources ›
Knowledge – Skills – Experience:
✔ Intermediate Plus
*Saint Vincent & The Grenadines yacht charter note: The prevailing typical 15 knot trade winds in the Windward Islands area are from the east and northeast. Thus, the west and south coasts of the various islands offer the best typical overnight shelter for cruising yachts. We have listed this location as Intermediate – Intermediate Plus because of the distances between other islands and navigation around reefs and shallow areas as well as the potential for trade winds to get high.
While St. Vincent and the Grenadines are considered a year-round charter destination, the best time is generally during the dry season which spans from December to May. This is also the peak tourist season in SVG. Another exciting time is Carnival Season which lasts from late June to Early July and includes parades, events, and lively cultural celebrations. Hurricane season is from June to November; while SVG is technically in the hurricane belt, it’s important to note that the likelihood of a direct hit is relatively low (and note that the Grenadines are where numerous liveaboards stay during hurricane season).
During the dry season in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), which usually spans from December to May, the climate is characterized by warm temperatures, low humidity, and minimal rainfall. The daytime temperatures range from around 77°F to 88°F with minimal rainfall and lots of sunny days. The northeast trade winds are prevalent during this season which makes the climate even more comfortable.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has a unique cultural identity shaped by its history, geography, and diverse population. The Garifuna, descendants of African and indigenous Carib people have a significant cultural presence in SVG with a culture characterized by vibrant music, dance, language, and spiritual practices. Like many Caribbean nations, SVG celebrates Carnival, a colorful festival that includes include calypso music, elaborate costumes, masquerade bands, and energetic street parades. While English is the official language, there are also Creole languages and dialects spoken in SVG.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) offer numerous stunning destinations to explore on a yacht charter.
Fly to Argyle International Airport (SVD) in Argyle, Saint Vincent. While there are direct flights from some major cities, you’ll likely be routed through Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), Barbados or Port of Spain Piarco International Airport (POS), Trinidad & Tobago and will take a prop plane from either one of these places to Argyle. The airport is located about 5.17 miles from the capital of Kingstown, but most of the charter companies are a little bit east of Kingstown in the Blue Lagoon Marina area, only 15 minutes from the airport.
Where to go on a Saint Vincent & The Grenadines sailing vacation?
Scroll below for sample itineraries or use the map to explore.
The Grenadines offer many great overnight stops, anchorages, and beaches. Don’t miss a day stop at Mopion Island. Also, motor slowly past the abandoned Moonhole area on the west end of Bequia! For longer itineraries visit St. Lucia to the north or spend 2 nights in Tobago Cays. Caution of the reefs between Mustique – Tobago Cays – Mopion – Petit St. Vincent
Emily L. Austin, Tx: St. Vincent itself is a gorgeous island to kick off a sailing vacation. Perfect winds that filled our sails every day as we island-hopped down the Grenadines to see some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Loved it and will go back many times.
Our trip was great. Sailing in and out of Grenada was perfect – and gave us a lot of options on how far up the chain we went. I still think Grenada and the Grenadines are one of my favorite sailing destinations.
You guys were amazing and so patient with us – we really appreciated all of the help and made good use of some of your online lessons and materials. Thanks again for all of your efforts to keep this trip in play through all of the twists and turns. I would highly recommend NauticEd to anyone.
We look forward to working with you again on our next sailing vacation.
Stuart K.
NauticEd are expert Saint Vincent & The Grenadines yacht charter agents. We don’t charge you a fee and can more than likely save you money on all your sailing vacations. We search the world’s databases for over 8,000 yachts in 55 destinations. We give expert advice on where and when to go – likely, we’ve been there. Make an inquiry and book your sailing vacations through NauticEd Sailing Vacations.
Local Knowledge + Education: as Sailing Vacation Experts, NauticEd’s team has chartered and sailed in almost all these locations – providing you with the “local knowledge” you need when planning a sailing vacation. And, as the leader in sailing education, NauticEd assigns different skill levels based on the knowledge-theory and practical/experience needed for chartering in different sailing locations.
Recommended Knowledge-Theory Courses for chartering: Bareboat Charter Master Bundle (six bareboat and near coastal courses), Catamaran Sailing Confidence (if chartering a Cat), Yacht Charter Crew Course (for your crew).
Skill Levels notably emphasize the overall practical experience and competency that is required to sail in certain areas. Of course, the “devil’s in the details” on specifics, and we recommend you contact us when planning a sailing vacation. We’ll save you money on your vacation – which is great – but being prepared to have safe fun experiences that will last a lifetime is priceless!
• Intermediate = Near Coastal <5nm within sight of land, some navigation hazards (always be aware), and generally mild weather conditions. Good seapersonship (i.e., “seamanship”) skills, knowledge, and experience apply.
• Intermediate +Plus = Near Coastal <15nm, within sight of land in clear atmospheric conditions, moderate navigation hazards, and/or challenging weather. Good seapersonship skills, knowledge, and experience apply.
• Advanced = Near Coastal <20nm, within sight of land in clear atmospheric conditions, many navigation hazards, and/or potentially difficult weather. Expert seapersonship skills, knowledge, and experience apply.
*Atmospheric conditions: from the deck of a sailboat, your “visible horizon” is about 12nm on a clear day (considering typical freeboard + your height). Visibility is decreased by haze, fog, rain, smoke, and similar atmospheric considerations. Navigating by line of sight is obviously greater if your destination has features such as mountains, lighthouses, tall buildings, etc…
*Navigational hazards may include features such as rocks, shoals, rough inlets or anchorages, challenging tides and currents, lee shores, commercial traffic, etc…
*Weather: examples of challenging or difficult weather include thunder/lightning storms, areas prone to high winds, or even seasonal risks such as excessive heat.
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NauticEd is a fully recognized education and certification platform for sailing students combining online and on-the-water real instruction (and now VR). NauticEd offers +24 online courses, a free sailor's toolkit that includes 2 free courses, and six ranks of certification – all integrated into NauticEd’s proprietary platform. The USCG and NASBLA recognize NauticEd as having met the established American National Standards. Learn more at www.nauticed.org.
The NauticEd Vacations team are Expert Global Yacht Charter Agents – when you book a sailing vacation or bareboat charter through NauticEd, we don’t charge you a fee – we often save you money since we can compare prices from all yacht charter companies. PLUS, we can give you advice on which destination or charter company will suit your needs best. Inquire about a Sailing Vacation or Charter.
