Kingstown
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesCapital
- Population
- 24,518
- Currency
- XCD$2.700/$
Kingstown is the capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, located on the island of Saint Vincent. The city has the main port and the biggest commercial center of the islands.
Guide content adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Kingstown". Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Weather
Live29°C
Light drizzle · feels like 33°C
- 73%
- 17 km/h
- AQI 36
- SunThunderstorm25° / 29°
- MonLight drizzle26° / 30°
- TueModerate drizzle25° / 29°
- WedSlight rain showers24° / 29°
- ThuModerate drizzle24° / 30°
Measured at 13.155, -61.227 · America/St_Vincent
Getting there
Air Canada, American Airlines, and Caribbean Airlines all fly to Argyle International Airport (SVD IATA), which is a 30-minute taxi ride to Kingstown's city centre. If you're flying from a neighbouring Caribbean island, Mustique Airways, One Caribbean, and SVG Air operate a variety of routes throughout the Caribbean.
Getting around
Although not a very large island, St. Vincent has mountainous and rugged terrain, making it difficult to get around. Private vans or taxis are your best options. Car rental is also available.
In terms of public transportation the island is served by a large number of privately owned vans that act as a bus service. These vans have an "H" at the beginning of their licen plates, meaning they are "for hire". Cost to ride starts at EC$1. A van trip from Argyle airport to Kingstown is EC$3 (July 2019) as opposed to the EC$70 taxi ride. Walk up 300 m the slip road towards Windward Highway junction and hail a van. They ride fast and recklessly, hence you get a free rollercoaster ride for the fare. Many of the vans have graphics on the front and play loud music.
What to see
- 1 Botanic Gardens (Botanic Gardens St Vincent & the Grenadines), on the town's northern outskirts, ☏ , botanicgardens@hotmail.com. Daily 7AM-6PM (may close at 5:30PM in winter). Established in 1765, the botanic gardens are the oldest in the Western Hemisphere and in the tropics. It is worth paying for a guide (EC$10 per visitor) as they have intimate knowledge of the plants in the peaceful and lush gardens. EC$13.5/foreigner, EC$5/local.
- SVG National Trust (St Vincent & the Grenadines National Trust), Halifax St, ☏ , svgntrust@vincysurf.com. M-Th 9AM-5PM, F 9AM-4PM. Small national museum EC$5.
What to do
- Cricket: 1 Arnos Vale Stadium. With a capacity of 18,000, this is multi-use but primarily a cricket ground.
Where to eat
Drinking & nightlife
- 1 Flow Wine Bar and Kitchen, James St, ☏ . As the name suggests, the bar specialises in wine. They also have a variety of pizzas which pair well.
Shopping
Where to stay
- Beachcombers Hotel, ☏ , fax: +1 784-458-4385, beachcombers@cariaccess.com. Doubles $90 summer, $99 winter.
- Villa Lodge Hotel, Indian Bay, ☏ , fax: +1 784-457-4468, frontdesk@villalodge.com. Doubles $115 dummer, $130 winter.
All guide text on this page is adapted from Wikivoyage and reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Prices and opening hours change — verify anything that matters before you rely on it.