One of the major British Windward Islands, sleepy St. Vincent is just beginning to awaken to tourism. Sailors and the yachting set have long known of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but until recently it was a well-kept vacation secret. Even if you've not been here, you may have seen its scenery in Pirates of the Caribbean, starring Johnny Depp.

You visit St. Vincent for its lush beauty, and the Grenadines for the best sailing waters in the Caribbean. Don't come for nightlife, grand cuisine, or spectacular beaches. There are some white-sand beaches near Kingstown on St. Vincent, but most of the other beaches ringing the island are black sand. The yachting crowd seems to view St. Vincent merely as a launching pad for the 65km (40-mile) string of the Grenadines, but the island still has a few attractions that make it worth exploring on its own.

Unspoiled by the fallout that mass tourism sometimes brings, islanders treat visitors courteously. British customs predominate, along with traces of Gallic cultural influences, but all with a distinct West Indian flair.

South of St. Vincent, the islands forming the small chain called the Grenadines have such romantic-sounding names as Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, and Petit St. Vincent. We'll explore Union and Palm Islands, and Mayreau as well. A few of the islands have accommodations, but many are so small and undeveloped that they attract only beachcombers and stray boaters.

Populated by the descendants of African slaves and administered by St. Vincent, the Grenadines collectively add up to a landmass of about 80 sq. km (30 sq. miles). These specks of land may lack natural resources, but they're blessed with white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and their own sleepy beauty. If you don't stay overnight in the Grenadines, at least try to visit one on a day trip, and enjoy a picnic lunch (which your hotel will pack for you) on your own quiet stretch of sand.