DIVE THE DEPTHS OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES WITHOUT GIVING BUDGETS THE BENDS

photo courtesy Dive St. Vincent

Dive St. Vincent and Mariners Hotel Launch “Summer/Fall Dive Special” With More Dives and a Bonus Hotel Night for Less

Dive St. Vincent and Mariners Hotel in St. Vincent beckon cost-conscious travelers to explore this diver’s mecca with their enhanced “7 Nights/10 Dives” package featuring special savings of US$106 per diver. The best value “Summer/Fall Dive Special” package is only US$999 per person and includes two extra dives at no cost, plus the 8th night free. Offer valid for travel through November 30.

Dive St. Vincent is the only dive shop in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that specializes in critters. In fact, the owner and PADI & NAUI certified instructor, Bill Tewes, is the very person who put St. Vincent on the critter diving map of the world. Joining Bill at the dive shop is another PADI instructor and two NAUI certified dive masters who offer full certification courses for ages eight and up, advanced open water excursions for diving connoisseurs, and the introductory “learn to scuba dive” lesson for novices. For more information, visit www.DiveStVincent.com or call 1 (784) 457-4928.

Mariners Hotel is a beachfront boutique property, situated on the pristine Villa Beach. Its 21 guest rooms that are decorated in vibrant Caribbean colors all feature private balconies and air-conditioning. Following a strenuous day of diving, the French Verandah Restaurant, conveniently located on the property of Mariners Hotel, serves superb French cuisine with Caribbean flair. For more information, visit www.marinershotel.com or call 1 (800) 223-1108.

Dive St. Vincent and Mariners Hotel’s “Summer/Fall Dive Special” is US$999 per person, for travel through November 30, and includes: 12 dives with Dive St. Vincent; 8 nights at Mariners Hotel, including daily full breakfast; and roundtrip airport transfers. For more information or bookings, please e-mail bill2s@DiveStVincent.com or call 1 (784) 457-4928.

About St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The towering La Soufrière volcano at 4,048 ft. dictates much of what divers will find on St. Vincent, both above and below the waterline. The fine black-sand beaches are actually the remnants of past volcanic upheavals, and the sheer cliffs extending below the water offer spectacular wall diving. The rugged, steeply-rising shoreline precludes shore diving and preserves the health of the surrounding reefs, and the sheer depth of the reefs protects them from damage by the anchors of yachts and dive boats. Further evidence of the robust health of the reefs is the abundance of black coral at relatively shallow depths. Most diving on St. Vincent takes place on the sheltered west and south coasts of the island, where currents are gentle, the surface is usually calm, and impressive walls offer sweeping underwater vistas.

Divers are advised to allocate 24 hours between diving and flying. For this “dry day,” St. Vincent boasts a myriad of activities. The culturally curious will enjoy visiting the oldest Botanical Gardens in the Western Hemisphere; admiring the blend of Moorish, Romanesque and Georgian architectural styles at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral; or joining local Vincentians at the Market Square, overflowing with fresh produce, fruit and meats. Outdoor enthusiasts might quest for a rare glimpse of the Vincy parrot at Vermont Nature Trails; hike to the 40-foot Trinity Falls deep in the Vincentian jungle; or climb the imposing La Soufrière volcano. The charming neighboring island of Bequia makes a perfect day trip. Just a one-hour ferry ride from St. Vincent, this cultural enclave boasts three family-run model boat shops and the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, where owner “Brother” Orton King nurtures endangered hawksbill turtles back to health.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a string of 32 islands in the southern Caribbean, located 1,500 miles southeast of Miami. For more information on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, visit www.svgtourism.com or call (212) 687-4981.

Source: Spring, O’Brien & Company