TRAVEL POINTERS Access to St Vincent and the Grenadines is via Barbados . Flying time from London to Barbados is about 8 hours . British Airways has direct flights from London Gatwick to Barbados offering World Traveller , World Traveller Plus , Club World and First . Virgin Atlantic has direct flights from London Gatwick to Barbados offering Economy , Premium Economy and Upper Class . Then there is an onward flight of about 50 minutes to St Vincent by LIAT and to the individual Grenadine islands by Grenadine Air Alliance shared charters .
TWO-CENTRE RECOMMENDATIONS Grenada , Barbados .
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS Botanical gardens in Kingstown . Vincy Mas carnival at the end of June . Port Elizabeth on Bequia with its coconut palmed fringed waterfront and gingerbread houses . Tobago Cays for sailing , snorkelling and diving . Yachts in Port Elizabeth harbour . Hairoun is the local beer .
On Bequia cricket is played with four stumps . Captain Bligh is the local rum and fried jackfish and breadfruit the national dish . Silk screened fabrics and garments at the Crab Hole on Bequia . Sailing into Saltwhistle Bay , Mayreau for a beer or lunch . Spice cake at the Frangipani on Bequia .
GETTING OUT AND ABOUT On St Vincent taxis will take you on island tours and for shorter distances too . In the Grenadines travel from island to island is usually by boat or local aircraft . The islands are very small and on Palm Island and PSV there are no cars . On Bequia taxis are available if you want to see the other side of the island . Be prepared for lots of trips by small boats and planes .
FACTUAL INFORMATION Capital : Kingstown . Airport : Arnos Vale , St Vincent . Size of the island : 18 miles by 11 miles St Vincent with the other islands totalling just 17 square miles . Population : 110,000 . Average temperature : About 26 degrees Centigrade .
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