Mustique Places to See and Things to Do
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Mustique offers a wide range of recreational activities
to enjoy and many heavenly beaches where one can totally
relax, sunbathe and picnic. Walking and horse riding
trails are in abundance on the island and jeeps, motorcycles
and mountain bikes may be rented from Mustique Mechanical
Services.
Britannia Bay is the main area of the island with
Basil's Bar and Restaurant, Basil's Boutique, Johanna
Banana Cafe, Sweetie Pie Bakery, the Food Store, Fish
Market, Treasure Boutiques for designer clothes shopping,
and Across Forever for Balinese furnishings.
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Places to See
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Off Island
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Bequia
Lying just nine miles to the south of St. Vincent,
Bequia is the largest of the Grenadine islands - a
compact seven square miles. Her history has been deeply
entwined with the sea for generations. The age-old
traditions of boat-building, fishing and whaling are
still evident.
Visitors are often surprised that on an island of
only seven square miles there is such an abundance
of natural beauty. While exploring, whether it's by
taxi, hired car or on foot, there is a visual feast
to be discovered around every corner.
Port Elizabeth is built along the waterfront of
Admiralty Bay and into the rising hills surrounding
it a number of brightly coloured shops, houses, restaurants,
small hotels and guest-houses complete the captivating
scene. While strolling around the harbour, look out
for the "House of Parliament" the name given
to the benched area under the almond trees, where
the taxis and dollar vans assemble to collect and
deposit their passengers. Bequians of all walks of
life gather here daily to discuss the topic of the
moment, usually politics or some colourful island
gossip. Discussions can be loud and passionate, deviating
quickly and unpredictably, often interspersed with
boisterous bouts of laughter.Discussions can be loud
and passionate, deviating quickly and unpredictably,
often interspersed with boisterous bouts of laughter.
The Belmont Walkway meanders along the waterfront
of Admiralty Bay starting at the popular Porthole
Restaurant and Bar in Port Elizabeth and weaving its
way South, past the Frangipani Hotel, a favourite
"hangout" and watering hole for all visitors
to Bequia (don't miss their Thursday night barbecue
and "jump-up"). It was the original birth
place and family home of Sir James "Son"
Mitchell, the former Prime Minister of St. Vincent
and the Grenadines.
As the walkway winds its way along the shoreline,
you will pass the Whaleboner Inn with its arched whalebone
entrance and Pat Mitchell's splendid Gingerbread Hotel,
with its pretty facade of intricate "gingerbread"
fretwork. In addition to the delightful restaurant
upstairs (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), the
complex also features a coffee shop, travel agency
and internet facility. Two of Bequia's best known
dive shops, Bequia Dive Adventures and Dive Bequia
are located just beyond Gingerbread Hotel.
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St. Vincent
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St. George’s Anglican Cathedral
Built in the early 1800s in the Georgian architectural
style it features spectacular stained-glass windows,
one of which was originally commissioned by Queen Victoria
to hang in London's St. Paul's Cathedral. Eventually
the window found its way to Kingstown as a gift to the
bishop.
St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral
Built in 1823, and rebuilt most recently in the 1930s
by a Flemish monk, the cathedral displays an amazing
mixture of styles, including Moorish, Romanesque, and
Georgian, all fashioned out of dark volcanic-sand bricks.
Kingstown Methodist Church
Sparkling coloured glass in its windows and a massive
intricately detailed pipe organ in the choir balcony
opposite the altar accent the brightly coloured interior
with its warm, open atmosphere.
The Botanical Gardens
The Leeward (west) coast of St. Vincent leads to many
interesting sights. A visit to the Botanical Gardens,
the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, is a favourite
stop for both visitors and Locals. Here, rare and exotic
flowers, plants and trees abound. The garden was founded
in 1762 as a commercial breeding ground for plants brought
from other parts of the world. St. Vincent was Captain
Bligh s original destination when the mutiny on HMS
Bounty delayed his first scheduled arrival. He eventually
completed a second voyage, and a descendant of one of
his original breadfruit trees thrives in today s garden.
There is also an aviary for a close-up view of the majestically
coloured national bird, the St. Vincent parrot (Amazona
Guildingii). Guides are available and will happily escort
you on a short, half-hour tour of the grounds for US$2
a person, longer tours are available for US$3 a person.
Fort Charlotte
On Berkshire Hill, just west of town, and over 600 feet
above the bay, is Fort Charlotte. Named after King George
III s wife, the fortification was constructed in 1806.
In its heyday, it supported 600 troops and 34 guns.
Some of the old barracks now house a museum with the
colourful history of the Black Caribs depicted on its
walls.
Fort Duvernette
Alongside Young Island, this fort (built in 1800) is
situated 195 feet above the sea and was originally intended
to defend the anchorage at Calliaqua Bay. Transportation
to the fort can be arranged with the ferry at the dock
on Villa Beach.
Black Point Tunnel
Situated on the windward coast. This historical tunnel
is the only road access point linking the south of the
island to the North. Only one car can pass through this
dirt tunnel at a time.
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THE DOCTOR CECIL CYRUS MUSEUM
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This museum is a distillation of the life’s work of
Dr Cyrus, CMG MCH FRCS, a surgeon, over a period of
40 years in his native St Vincent. Shocked by the untapped
‘clinical goldmine’ of cases of great diversity and
grossness, Dr Cyrus began to record them with a succession
of humble cameras, as well as starting a pathological
museum of tissues removed at operation. This material
is now the Dr Cyrus Museum, which was opened in May
2002. Moreover, it provided the material for the publication
of his “ A Clinical and Pathological Atlas: The Records
of a Surgeon in St Vincent, The West Indies.” It received
great reviews in prestigious journals.
The museum consists of two separate sections. The
larger consists of medical exhibits housed in 4 rooms,
the smaller contains non-medical items.
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MEDICAL ITEMS:There is a picture
gallery of about 800 colour photographs. The largest
room contains most of the 700 pathological specimens
uniquely stored in a variety of domestic bottles.
Tobago Cays
The huge Horseshoe Reef that protects these five deserted
islets, with their dazzling, palm-studded shorelines,
provides some of the best snorkelling and diving in
the world. The brilliant powdery, white sand, the coloured
waters shaded in unimaginable blues and the neon marine
life beneath give true meaning to the "stop-the-world-l-want-to-get-off'
Caribbean fantasy.
The Cays have been declared a wildlife reserve by
the government and all visitors are urged to preserve
and protect this unique natural resource. No fishing,
jet skis, or anchoring of dinghies allowed. Make your
own contribution to the efforts by disposing properly
of your debris, including the charcoal and remainders
of your beach barbecue. Local youths may offer to remove
your garbage for a fee but avoid this temptation, as
some are known to dump it without care.
Petit Rameau features a beach on the south side of
the cay, as does Barabel, which lies southeast of Petit
Rameau. Petit Bateau provides visitors a shaded beach
to the north and another beach on its east side. This
easterly beach is the best choice for beginning snorkellers
as it has calm shallow water. More experienced snorkellers
will be delighted by the waters surrounding Horseshoe
Reef, but may find it occasionally choppy.
When approaching these islands, well aided by black
and white day markers, be careful not to cut corners
as you may end up on a coral head. Anchor in the cut
between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau with bow and stem
anchors, as the current is strong.
The smallest and southernmost cay, Jamesby, features
on its eastern side one of the best beaches of the group.
Petit Tabac where Johnny Depp was marooned as Sparrow
in Disney's blockbuster "Pirates of the Caribbean:
Curse of the Black Pearl", is the most inaccessible
with a narrow entrance at the southwestern tip. This
crescent shaped islet is covered in coconut trees planted
by the late John Caldwell (a.k.a. Johnny Coconut), formerly
of Palm Island and his efforts have been continued by
Glenroy Adams of Grenadines Dive, a devoted conservationist
and a good choice for scuba diving in the area.
During the season local boatvendors are at hand to
provide you with everything from jewellery and ice to
bread, fish and lobsters. As you head out of the Cays,
avoid the southern route (as it is hard to find) and
pass around the leeward of Mayreau.
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Things to do:
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Bird watching
Over 50 species are indigenous to Mustique, including
the Mangrove Cuckoo and Tropical Kingbird.
Basket Ball
The court is located at the playing field.
Cricket
Informal games on and off island
Day Trips and Sails to the surrounding islands
Enjoy a sailing or power boat trip to the neighbouring
Grenadine Islands of Bequia, Canouan, Tobago Cays, Palm,
Union, and Petit St. Vincent. Boats charter at a minimum
price (approx. US$450) and increase per number of passengers
and destination.
Fly to mainland St. Vincent and take a historical
tour of Kingstown
- the capital of St. Vincent - and experience an
old fort built in 1806; tour the oldest botanical gardens
in the Western Hemisphere - founded in 1765; hike the
Vermont Nature Trail - within the St. Vincent Parrot
rainforest reserve; climb the volcano, La Soufriere
- peaks at 4048 feet above sea level; and cruise through
exotic coves and fishing villages dotted along the leeward
coastline before enjoying the unspoilt beauty of the
Falls of Baleine and trinity Falls.
Day trips to Barbados, Grenada, Martinique or St.
Lucia can easily be arranged.
Fishing
Inshore and deep-sea fishing available at US$100-150
per hour, or full day from US$700. Rates include all
lures, equipment, and bait. Year-round catches may include:
inshore - salt water salmon and mackerel, jack, yellowtail
snapper and barracuda, and deep-sea - tuna, dorado (mahi-mahi),
wahoo, sail and marlin.
Fitness Trails
Look carefully around the flat land near the airport
and you'll find 15 handsomely-crafted exercise "stations"
scattered between L'Ansecoy Beach and the tennis courts,
each with instructions on one particular exercise, varying
from warm-ups to pull-ups, abdominal tucks to squats.
You don't have to be young or super fit to do the trail.
You can walk around the 2.2 mile loop if you choose,
taking between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on
your exertion rate. Each instruction has different levels
from beginner to expert. "It's a great way to get
a full-body work-out and experience the island,"
says the trail's creator, Tennis Pro Richard Schaffer.
Golfing
Raffles Carenage Bay Resort and Golf Club on the neighbouring
island of Canouan offers a demanding 18 hole course
(72 par). Golfers package US$195 per person includes
green fees, golf cart, lunch and use of the Beach Club
facilities. Transportation to and from Canouan is easily
arranged - 10 minute flight or 45 minutes by power boat.
Hiking
It is easy to explore the history of Mustique going
back to the days when cotton was king. Mustique is easy
to explore on foot although there are no marked trails.
The adventurous can find the remains of old sugar mills,
slave quarters and plantation houses. Pre-columbian
pottery can also be found. Some beaches are connected
along the coastline by rustic stone paths.
Horseback riding
The Mustique Equestrian Centre offers thoroughbred horses
and island ponies to take you on scenic riding trails
all around the island. These trails meander up into
the hills, offering impressive panoramic views, and
down on the white sand beaches where you can gallop
in the surf.
Horse riding may be arranged at the Mustique Equestrian
Centre, located near to the tennis courts.
Rates quoted are per person:
1 hour US$150 Island Trek US$65
Private lesson US$60
Mountain Biking
Schwinn mountain bikes (unisex) fitted with front shock
absorbers are available for rent from M.M.S. at the
following ratres:
Daily US$30 2-6 Days US$25/day Weekly US$150
M.M.S. requires a security deposit on rentals.
Picnicking
Picnics are greatly enjoyed on Mustique. Picnic areas
are located on Lagoon, Macaroni and Pasture beaches
and are available for private parties. Barbeque grills
are located at Lagoon (area #1) and at Macaroni (area
#1). All picnic areas should be reserved. Villa staff
can prepare wonderful picnics for you.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
Scuba Diving
1 dive US$65 5 dive package US$299
Introductory US$55 10 dive package US$579
Dive Courses:
Open water certification US$525 Advanced Diver US$440
Rescue Diver US$440 Dive Master US$799
"Bubble Maker" - introduction to diving for
children 8-11 years US$40
Snorkelling
Mask & fin hire:
1 hour US$7 1 day US$20
1 week US$60 2 weeks US$90
Snorkelling trip, per person (2 persons minimum) US$35
Spearfishing is Not Allowed.
Spa Treatments and Fitness
Spa & Fitness activities include the Spa at Cotton
House, the perfect place for a little self-indulgent
rest and rejuvenation, and a fitness trail with 15 exercise
stations located on approximately a 2.2 mile circuit
around the airport.
The Cotton House Spa, located on Endeavour Bay, offers
a wide variety of treatments, body massages and spa
packages using E'Spa aromatherapy skincare products.
The spa is open throughout the week.
For a massage at your villa, contact Roxanne. Her
massages are a combination of Shiatsu, Swedish and Reflexology.
Tennis
Four modern courts, two laycold (#1 and #2) and two
omnicourt (#3 and #4), with lighting, are available
for your use between 6:00am and 8:30 pm. There is no
charge for the use of the tennis courts.
Watersports
Mustique watersports (located on the Cotton House beach)
offers a selection of aquatic sports.
Island Boat Tour
1 hour US$99
Sailing
Aquafin ¸ hour US$20 1 hour US$30
Kayak ¸ hour US$8
Surfbike ¸ hour US$10
Windsurf ¸ hour US$15 1 hour US$25 1 day US$60
Zuma 1 hour US$30
(Longer term rates available).
Rates are subject to change without notice.
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