ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

In the southern Caribbean is St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an idyllic archipelago of islands whose gentle breezes and yacht-friendly harbours seem to attract as many sail boats as land visitors. Reef-lined Bequia Island, the rising star of Canouan and the legendary private island of Royalty and Rock-Stars, Mustique, are all notable ports of call here. Mustique, the brainchild of Lord Glenconner in the 1950s, features some of the region’s most distinctive accommodation. Magnificent hill-top residences overlook the iconic beaches of Macaroni or Pasture Bay, whilst traditional Gingerbread-style houses, many designed by Mustique’s original architect, Oliver-Messel, open onto white-sand beaches and coral-filled bays. On green and pleasant Bequia, Port Elizabeth is a lively outpost of 19th-century colonial rule, with an easy-going atmosphere and soulful Caribbean vibe. Canouan, dominated by the towering Mount Royal, lays claim to the new must-visit island in the region, as well as some of the country’s most outstanding beaches, including Grand Bay and South Glossy.