Wonderful calming waters of Dark View Falls, St. Vincent Eco-Travel

Wonderful waters of Dark View Falls, St. Vincent; credit St. Vincent TB

St. Vincent Eco-Travel

St. Vincent Eco-Travel comes naturally. Along with the Grenadines, the surroundings are mostly untouched by development or farming. Combined with low human population, that makes it an exceptional destination for eco-travel experiences that leave the modern world behind. Hikers can journey through secluded luscious waterfalls up to a semi-active volcano (no lava flows). With those views in mind casually tour down the lush foliage slope to pristine beaches.

When you need a break from walking, visitors find that Jeep safaris and bike trips are plentiful options to explore more parts of the islands. The beaches made of black sand from or white sand from sea tides, leave clue to their origin. The Tobago Cays also has small sand beaches that are perfect for barbecue.

As the largest of the islands, St. Vincent has the most to offer in the way of land-based natural attractions. From hiking trails to black sand beaches to historic gardens, the activities here practically demand that eco-tourists spend at least a day or two exploring the island’s interior.

La Soufriere Volcano
The volcano that formed St. Vincent over eons, is the centerpiece of eco-travel in St. Vincent. Like hypnosis, it calls hikers to its summit at 4,048 feet. The journey there is your reward. The eastern trail, beginning near the town of Georgetown, is the easier and more popular of the two, stretching for three and a half miles. The western trail, on the other hand, is a rougher trek lasting about seven hours, but boasting better scenery along the climb. Hikers reaching the top of the volcano will enjoy breathtaking views of the crater.

Dark View Falls
The most famous of SVG waterfalls, Dark View visitors can watch the water flow from a stone swimming pool at the bottom after crossing a bamboo bridge.

Trinity Falls
Located only a 30-minute hike into the forest, Trinity features three separate cascading falls that flow into a serene circular swimming pool before another 10 foot drop into a second pool that invites swimmers.

Botanical Gardens
Occupying 20 acres on the northern outskirts of Kingstown, the Botanical Gardens were created in 1765 by the governor of the British Caribbean islands as a plant breeding centre and to provide medicinal plants for the military. Three acres were set aside for the established of a Government House. They are famous for being Captain Bligh’s second visit to the Caribbean in 1798 (his first ended in the Mutiny on the Bounty) when he introduced breadfruit to the island. You can also see the beautiful St. Vincent Parrot here.

St. Vincent’s Vermont Nature Trail
These awe-inspiring hikes take you through lush rainforest with an amazing variety of tropical flora, ending up with beautiful scenery and a chance to see the famous St. Vincent Parrot in its natural habitat. Located in St. Vincent’s southern interior, the nature trail is a 10,870 acre reserve marked hiking trails through a variety of rainforest habitats. Informative signs describe all the fauna and flora you encounter.

Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary
Bequia is home to a nursery for endangered hawksbill turtles. The creatures are nurtured for their first 18 months before being tagged by scientists and set free to the ocean. Feel like you are helping to nurture the ecosystem when you learn the importance of protecting sea turtles from man’s ocean pollution.

Birdwatching
There’s nothing quite like seeing parrots in full flight or Antillean crested hummingbirds searching for nectar, whistling warblers and a whole host of endemic and migratory species. Come bird watching in St. Vincent & The Grenadines. The St. Vincent Parrot is a remarkable endemic bird that can be seen at the Botanical Gardens or in the rainforests. There are an estimated 500 parrots living in the small island of St. Vincent. See them as you trek along Vermont Nature Trails. As you near the Parrot Look-Out on the far side of the nature trail, listen for their call before they fly across the forest canopy.

Petit St. Vincent
Guests come here to unplug and celebrate the sublime beauty of tropical nature. You won’t find telephones or television on PSV and Internet access is available only in the main office. But you will find ample beaches with few people distractions to simply enjoy marine life on an island that conserves natural resources. Ride a wooden sailboat Tobago Cays Marine Park, an uninhabited archipelago of five islands and extensive coral reef. The assortment of fish and sea turtles who feed on abundant seagrass beds and starfish.

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