Canouan - St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Overall:  This island had it all: Unblemished luxury near the legendary Tobago Cays, a five star resort with several restaurants, beautiful white sand beaches, a golf course, a spa and a casino. If you want to relax in the lap of comfort without having to cross the globe, learn a new language or change currency, Canouan had it all when we were there.

Location: Eastern Caribbean

How to get there: American Airlines has daily flights from Puerto Rico. Other Caribbean carriers via Barbados are available. There is a station for the Moorings sailboat line there, so you could terminate a sail from the area there as well.

Language:  English

Currency: U.S. dollars, Eastern Caribbean dollars

Transportation: Rental cars, hotel transport, and taxis

Cost of visiting:  Expensive

Facilities: Limited shopping, other than what the small hotel shops sell, there is hardly anything to purchase on the island.  Junk food like snacks, cookies, and chocolates can be found at the hotels along with souvenirs and upscale clothing. The Moorings operates a base from the island, so sailing provisions and charters are available.

Technology Level: Telephone and network access was available at the major hotels. Television and radio very limited, only cable access to selected satellite programming. Cellular technology is not available.

Advantages: We found unspoiled beauty in a serene setting with limited development, excellent accommodations, service and food (by Caribbean standards)

Challenges: The areas developed for the hotels appear to offer the only attractions on the island. Local residents are relatively poor and rely on the tourist trade for income.