St. Vincent and the Grenadines named #1 Island Destination in the Caribbean

St. Vincent and the Grenadines named #1 Island Destination in the Caribbean

St. Vincent and the Grenadines took the number one spot in 2021’s Top 25 Islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas survey, part of the World’s Best travel awards program by Travel + Leisure magazine.In this annual awards program, readers of the trusted international travel publication rated islands according to their activities and sights, natural attractions and beaches, food, friendliness, and overall value.

Travel + Leisure holds reader-curated rankings of different travel categories every year, but the publication noted that this year’s World’s Best awards were particularly meaningful as recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Readers were thanked for their insights in an introductory note to the World’s Best features, reading “Your love of exploring the world has helped sustain the travel industry during these tumultuous times, and as the world began to reopen, you were among the first to get back out there.”

The archipelago of 32 islands outranked places such as Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, Aruba, Barbados, and the British Virgin Islands, to name a few. "St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a unique old-school Caribbean vibe, very low-key," said one reader. "Lots to do as far as hiking, sailing, snorkeling/diving, and day trips to other islands."

The description of the number one spot went on to say:
Of the nine inhabited islands, one of our readers insisted that "Petit St. Vincent is heaven on Earth." St. Vincent, the largest island, is home to sanctuaries like Little Palm Resort. A rejuvenating mix of outdoor pursuits and laid-back luxury can also be found on the smaller islands, including Canouan — where the Mandarin Oriental adds some Italian flavor to the Antilles — and Mustique, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge vacationed in 2019 at a villa that usually rents for $34,000 a week.
The travel industry of St. Vincent welcomes this distinguished recognition not only in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but also after the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in April of this year. Visitors to St. Vincent don’t have to worry about any further activity from La Soufrière disrupting their travel plans for a very long time. Before the eruption in April, the volcano had been inactive since 1979. Because of monitoring, early detection, and preparation neither the 2021 nor the 1979 eruption caused any fatalities and recovery has been swift. During periods of inactivity, visitors can view the volcanic crater from the rim by following a hiking trail that ascends through beautifully lush forests. It's an amazing view from the top!  

The quiet island of St. Vincent is truly a hidden gem of the Caribbean. While other destinations in the region may be trampled with throngs of tourists, St. Vincent is a paradise of undisturbed beauty. The island breathes an air of relaxation that medical students find therapeutic as they work hard to focus on their studies and manage their stress levels. Trinity School of Medicine is thankful to call St. Vincent home to our Basic Sciences campus. We couldn’t agree more with Travel + Leisure’s survey results naming the country & as the number one island destination in the Caribbean.

Contact us today to learn more about Trinity School of Medicine.