The island of Saint Vincent and the numerous islands of the Grenadines sit at the East end of the Caribbean, with the latter stretching out to form a tail into the Caribbean Sea. The island of St Vincent is made up of volcanic terrain, with beautiful black sandy beaches and some wonderful lush vegetation covering it, whilst the Grenadines are famous for clear blue waters and deserted white beaches. Whilst the islands are home to a number of world-famous celebrities as well as providing getaway spots for numerous others, the islands remain largely undiscovered by the tourist population, meaning anyone visiting the country can enjoy the unspoilt wonders of the country.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was another of the islands that Columbus missed the first few times around, and by the time he had arrived in 1498 the native Carib Indians had settled the island. The British soon claimed the islands as their own through a royal grant from the Spanish, but the Carib were not taking this lying down and mounted a fierce resistance for many years – whilst on very bad terms with the British, the Carib people did not take too badly to the French and allowed them to set up the first European settlement on the islands in the early 1700s, but by 1783 the Treaty of Versailles saw St Vincent ceded to British hands. The French instigated an uprising amongst the Carib, and the resulting violence saw many deaths until the British rounded up the Indians and shipped them off to neighbouring islands to solve the problem. With stability in the region, the island enjoyed economic growth through plantation owners and their many slaves, but 1812 saw the eruption of La Soufriere and the loss of many lives and plantations. It wasn’t over there though, and the abolishment of slavery in 1834 was a brief high in the hundred or so years, which saw destructive hurricanes in 1898 and finally another eruption of the volcano in 1902, which pretty much destroyed the plantation economy, as well as killing thousands. By the end of the Second World War suffrage was granted to the entire adult population, by the end of the 60s the country was self-governing and by 1979 independence was achieved. In the same year, La Soufriere erupted again, though this time loss of life was avoided. In recent years St Vincent and the Grenadines has seen slow economic growth, with tropical storms damaging plantation crops – nevertheless, a growing offshore banking service and increased tourism in the region is seeing the nation become self sufficient in ways other than farming.

Politically stable and economically growing – if slowly – St Vincent and the Grenadines is a celebrity choice: luxurious, but out of the way. Prices on the islands do reflect the levels of luxury, and some regions are certainly millionaires’ havens. Though that is the case, there are cheaper properties and plots of land available to off plan investors willing to look for them. The friendly people, wonderful way of life and beautiful island all combine to provide something of a rarity – a luxury location, generally unspoilt by throngs of tourists.

The standards of healthcare in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are generally decent, with the main hospital in Kingstown offering better facilities. Treatment for major conditions and injuries will require evacuation though, so health insurance with emergency repatriation is recommended.

Mobile phone coverage stretches across the country, and North Americans can get signal across all islands. Landlines are widely available and lines are of a decent standard. A few internet cafes are available.