St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourist Offices
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Head Office Upper Bay Street, P.O. Box 834, Kingstown St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tel: (784) 457-1502 Fax: (784) 451-2425 Email:tourism@vincysurf.com website:www.svgtourism.com
Getting Married
Non- Vincentians wishing to be married in the Southern Grenadines, which include Canouan, must be residents in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for a minimum of one day before a marriage ceremony (civil or church) can take place. A special licence (a Governor General’s licence) can be obtained from the Ministry of Legal Affairs for a minimal fee. This licence is valid for three months only. An ordinary licence can be obtained from the Registrar for a small fee, but notice of the ceremony must be published in the Registry for a minimum of seven days.
Medical Facility
Telephone: 784 458 8305
Credit Cards
Hotels and other companies generally accept major credit cards.
Electricity
Voltage is 220 volts – 50 cycles. Appliances rated at 110 volts (US standard) normally work satisfactorily with a transformer. Most hotels provide dual voltage shaver units.
Canada
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourist Office 333 Wilson Avenue, Suite 601, Toronto M3H 1T2, Canada Tel: (416) 630 9292 Fax: (416) 630 9291 Email:svgtourismtoronto@rogers.com
United Kingdom
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourist Office 10 Kensington Court, London W8 5DL, England Tel:0207 937 6570 Fax:0207 937 3611 Email:svgtourismeurope@aol.com
New York, USA
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourist Office 801 2nd Avenue, 21st Floor, New York N.Y 10017, USA Tel: (212) 687 4981 or 1(800) 729 1726 Fax: (212) 949 5946 Email:svgtony@aol.com
Canouan
How to get there Canouan has its own Jet airport with night landing facilities. Mustique Airways, SVG Air and Grenadines Airways have scheduled services between the islands and some flights are available for charter. American Eagle has a scheduled service between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Canouan (2 hours non-stop). Remember to reconfirm your return onward booking at least seventy two hours before departure.
Set in the middle of the Grenadines, Canouan is a tranquil island of brown and green hills surrounded by deep blue sea. All around the island are magnificent white sand beaches tucked away in every corner.
Canouan measures three and a half miles by one and a quarter miles and the main town, Charlestown, lies on one of its longest beaches at Grand Bay. Very popular for swimming and snorkeling, it claims some of the best beaches in the Caribbean – long ribbons of powder white sands, wide shallows and coral. The 900 foot Mount Royal dominates this sparsely inhabited tropical isle and its beauty attracted developers to build an exclusive 800 acre a retreat of private landscaped gardens, unobtrusive villas and an 18 hole golf course.
Those who wish for the adventure of travel by sea can get to the island on Mondays and Thursdays aboard the MV Barracuda. The boat leaves the Grenadines Wharf in Kingstown at 10:30am and arrives in Canouan at 1:45 pm the same day. The Gem Star also leaves the Grenadines wharf on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00am. The cost is EC$30.00.
Airport Tax
There is a departure tax of EC$40.00.
Activities Activities include sailing, snorkelling, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, golf and day sails to other islands.
Sailing / Yachting
Moorings: Tel: 784 482 0655 / 784 482 0653
Water Sports
Canouan Dive Center: Tel: 784 482 0820
Nightlife
There is a casino at the Raffles Resort – Canouan Island. The French style Big Point Casino is open to resort guests and members. Besides the usual slots and tables, private club facilities are available.
Beaches
Grand Bay in Charlestown is the main beach and the place where ferries dock. Glossy Bay and other beaches along the windward coast are alluring.
Canouan Regatta
The regatta is held over the Whitsuntide weekend. It features dramatic boat races with entrants from the neighbouring Grenadine islands and other islands in the region. Other activities centre around sports and games, fishing competition, culinary arts and Miss Caribbean Sailing Pageant.
Currency
Where to stay •Raffles Resort: •Tamarind Beach Hotel: •Crystal Apartments: •Rebecca’s Place: •Ocean View Inn: •Anchor Inn:
784 458 8000 784 458 8044 784 458 8356 784 458 8851 784 482 0477 784 458 8568
Immigration
All visitors must have valid passports including nationals of the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada. Visas are required from nationals of the following countries before entering SVG: China, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Nigeria. A return or ongoing ticket is required.
Taxes
There is a 10 percent government tax at hotels.
Banks
National Commercial Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines – (784) 458 8595. Opening hours – Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. and on Friday 3:00 p.m – 5:00 p.m. Extended hours at Christmas, Easter and Carnival.
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$), the local currency, is linked to the US$. The banks give EC$2.67 for US$1.00 and EC$2.68 for US$1.00 traveller’s cheques. Shops and restaurants may accept your own currency but may not give you the most favourable exchange rates (Approximately EC$2.60).
Churches
Roman Catholic, Anglican, Seventh Day Adventist.
Water Taxi
Water and land taxi services are readily available on VHF 16 and include: •Catherine’s WT 784 458 8264 / 526 5399 •Miss Maureen Water Taxi 784 458 8180 •Respect T 784 458 8856 •Jus Once Sea & Taxi Service 784 458 8601 •Ocean View Taxi 784 482 0477 •Newton Alexander Taxi 784 458 8141 •Maurice Taxi 784 4559120
Souvenir Shops
•Bare Necessity Ministore and Gift Shop (Money Gram) •Tamarind Beach Hotel:
Tel:784 458 8074 Tel: 784 458 8044