Canouan Island Grenadines
St Vincent & Grenadines
18
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (1 Cruises)
SeaDream Yacht Club (2 Cruises)
Silversea Cruises (3 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
It stays at anchor — ships anchor off Charlestown Bay on the leeward coast and tenders land passengers at the village jetty. Canouan is an eight-square-kilometre island between Bequia and Union, in the middle of the Grenadine chain.
No. Grand Bay, the island’s longest beach, runs right alongside Charlestown and is a short walk from the jetty. The water is calm and sheltered, with a gentle slope that suits cautious swimmers. Almond trees provide shade and nearby beach kitchens serve the catch of the day a few steps from your towel.
Its size. The barrier reef wrapping the entire windward coast is among the largest in the Lesser Antilles and creates a wide shallow lagoon where corals, sea fans and reef fish thrive. That reef is what gives the water the graded blues passengers photograph from the deck before arrival.
Depending on conditions and local arrangements, trips run from the jetty, and some ship excursions continue to the nearby Tobago Cays, where green turtles can be approached in a metre of water. Spaces go quickly — book as soon as the excursion list opens.
Mount Royal, the island’s highest point, gives a full-circle view over the Grenadines: Mayreau, the Tobago Cays, Union and, on a clear day, as far as Carriacou. You can walk up by road and a few tracks, or take a taxi. The interior climbs quickly, so carry water.
Swim at Grand Bay straight off the tender, walk through Charlestown — one main street, a red-roofed Anglican church, two or three shops — then take a taxi up to the viewpoints before coming back down for a fish lunch. The island asks for no schedule and no queuing.
Largely, no. The north of the island holds exclusive resorts and one of the few 18-hole courses in the Grenadines, reserved for their guests. The contrast between private villas and fishermen’s houses is part of the island’s character, but cruise passengers see the village, not the estates.
Yes. To the south, South Glossy Bay traces a fine curve of sand. The east coast, open to the trade winds, is lined with bays edged in volcanic rock where the sea is far livelier — beautiful to look at, less suited to a quiet swim with children.
Yes, as long as you stay on the leeward side. Grand Bay is steps from the jetty, calm and shallow near shore, with no crowds and no distances to cover. The windward east coast is not a place for young children to swim.
The East Caribbean dollar is official and US dollars are widely accepted. English is spoken. The island has around 1,700 residents, who live from fishing and from a discreet high-end tourism trade.
