In this post we share 9 of the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  This is a volcanic island chain with some of the best Caribbean beaches.  The tiny country is studded with 32 remote islands and cays.  So one can imagine that there are a lot of beautiful beaches here.  Yet, to get to the best of the best, one must know where to go.  Therefore we will share our favorites and the best beaches in St Vincent and the Grenadines that are Free.

Overall this is our St. Vincent travel guide so that you too can experience the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

#9 La Pompe Beach, Bequia Island

La Pompe Beach is located on the southern side of Bequia Island off Belmont Rd.  It is an uncrowded  and clean strip of white sandy beach.  Bequia Island has a number of fabulous beaches and is only a 45 minute ferry ride from St. Vincent.

#8 Canouan Beach, Canouan Island

Canouan Island is one for the rich and famous.  Some of the best beaches in the world are here, but unless you are willing to spend $1,000 plus per night they will not be accessible.  As a matter of fact, half of the island (the northern part) is owned by an Italian developer and houses 2 resorts behind it’s secured fencing.  However, as you make your way down the Grenadines, Canouan can be a good spot to stop if you know where to go.

The best free beach here is on the east coast of the island just north of Riley Hill.  As you head north from Riley Hill (about 400 meters) there is a trail which takes you down to this stretch of beach.  If you miss it, you will find yourself at the gates to the Mandarin Oriental Resort.  Just head back south to your first trail down to the water and you will be welcomed by stunning crystal clear warm water.

Where to Stay

This Airbnb had the most stunning view of Canouan and beyond.  That is how we found the best free beach in Canouan and one of the best in St. Vincent and Grenadines overall.  The beach is 1.1 km north of the apartment (just a 15 min hilly walk).

Pro Tip

The southern part of the island has a beautiful modern marina with some bars and smaller beaches.  Scruffy’s Bar is worth a visit.   The marina used to have an amazing grocery store which unfortunately has closed.

Getting Here

From Kingstown, St. Vincent take the MV Barracuda.  The journey is about 3 hours and 20 minutes and costs around $16 USD.  Check their Facebook page for each week’s schedule.

#7 Liming Beach, Bequia Island

The Liming Resort is currently closed until October 2024, as the hotel tries to rebuild and remodel after hurricane Beryl’s devastation and destruction.  The gorgeous abandoned sandy beach was a delight to visit especially since we were the only people there.  We hope that they are able to reopen soon as this was truly one of the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines!

#6 Princess Margaret Beach, Bequia Island

Princess Margaret Beach is a short walk from Port Elizabeth, the capital of Bequia Island.  It’s expansive white sandy beach and crystal clear water made it one of our favorite and best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Pro Tip

We had a really good pizza at Mac’s Pizza & Kitchen.  This is a cafe on the water between Port Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Beach in Bequia.  I heard about it from a vegan friend on the mainland.  The vegan option is Mother Earth pizza.  Although you can have a traditional pizza as well.

#5 Lower Bay Beach, Bequia Island

Lower Bay Beach was one of our favorite best beaches on Bequia Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Our Airbnb was a small apartment right on the shore.  There were a couple of nice expat bars on this white sandy strip as well.

Pro Tip

Doris’ Fresh Food & Yacht Provisioning in Port Elizabeth, Bequia will have the best gourmet and vegan grocery options.  They even had an organic kambucha starter kit!

#4 Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau Island

Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines.  It has a few rustic accommodations.  The star of this island are it’s stunning and very secluded beaches.  Saltwater Bay beach was our favorite of the best beaches on the island and our fourth favorite in all of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Getting Here

You can take the MV Barracuda from Kingston which will take approximately 3 hours.  We enjoyed coming to Mayreau on a day trip from Union Island.

#3 Big Sand, Union Island

David’s Beach is a secluded stretch of beach on the northern side of Union Island located between Sparrow’s Beach Club and David’s Beach Resort.  It is a 15 minute walk from the main town of Clifton where most tourists stay. This beach is our third favorite of the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  This is due to it’s crystal clear and warm water.

Union Island is a great place to spend some time on.  There are day trips to Mayreau, Tobago Cays and Palm Island.  You can also visit the manmade Happy Island for a drink or two.  It is located in the Union Island Bay.

#2 Casuarina Beach, Palm Island

Palm Island is a private island located just 1.6 km from Union Island.  It is home to a resort and 5 beaches.  Casuarina beach is the longest and prettiest.  Edged with coconut and fringe palms it is a popular beach with the yachting crowd, the laid-back beachside bar was open to day visitors pre-COVID (hopefully it will soon re-open).   The rest of the island is private, only accessible to residents of the Palm Island Resort.

The seclusion and setting  of this white sandy beach makes it our second favorite of the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Getting Here

We used Fair Deal Taxi to get from Union Island to Casuarina Beach.  Clem has a covered small boat to get to most of these southern Grenadine gems.

#1 Tobago Cays

Tobago Cays is an archipelago of 5 tiny islands near Union Island in the southern most tip of the Grenadines.  It is a fantastic place to snorkel and enjoy the crystal clear water and secluded white sandy beaches.  It is our most favorite of all the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Getting to the best Beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines:

The overall ferry schedule to get to the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is here.  It is a fun puzzle to figure out.  Our recommendation would be to split your time between Bequia and Union Islands (using Union as your springboard to nearby gems).

Once you are on Union Island use one of the top rated water taxis to get around to the Tobago Cays, Palm Island and Mayreau.

If you have extra time, visit Canouan but don’t be discouraged that there is only one free beach on the island that is as stellar as the others that we mentioned.

Wrap Up – Best Beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Even after visiting the best beaches in Antigua (which are a must) we found some amazing options in St. Vincent and the Grenadine.

What was your favorite of the best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines?  We would love to hear about your experiences there and answer any questions that you have if you are planning on visiting.  Let us know and we can give some suggestions.