In the eastern Caribbean, St. Vincent -- the "gateway to the Grenadines" (the individual islands are discussed later in this chapter) -- lies about 160km (99 miles) west of Barbados. There are no direct flights. The best connections are through Barbados and Antigua. From Barbados you can take LIAT (tel. 888/844-LIAT [5428] in most of the Caribbean, or 784/458-4841; www.liatairline.com), which connects the islands of Grenada and St. Lucia with St. Vincent, Bequia, Union Island, and Antigua.
American Eagle (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S. and Canada, or 784/456-5555; www.aa.com) flies nonstop from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Canouan, one of the most visited of the Grenadines.
Dependable SVG Airways (tel. 800/624-1843 or 784/457-5124; www.svgair.com) makes daily shuttle runs from St. Vincent to the satellite islands of Mustique, Union, and Canouan, with per-person fares ranging from $46 to $85 round-trip, plus a fuel surcharge. To connect with those Grenadine islands with airports, separate charter arrangements can be made from Union Island. The price of these chartered flights is less than you might expect and often matches the fares on conventional Caribbean airlines.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
