Stopping Off at St. Vincent and the Grenadines Quiz

Clearly the largest of the islands in this Caribbean chain, the island of St. Vincent is home to the bulk of the country's population, many of which reside in its capital in Kingstown, located on its southwest shore. The island is also home to La Soufrière, one of the most active volcanoes in the Caribbean.

Originally colonized by the French, it would fall under British rule in the eighteenth century and receive independence in 1979. Famously, St. Vincent was also the filming location for the live-action Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl".

The furthest north of the Grenadines, the island of Bequia also happens to be the most populated in the country besides St. Vincent to the north. The island has a long history involving several inhabitants and industries. Originally a site for supply ships it would become an alleged pirate base of operations (for Blackbeard, especially) and a key Caribbean location for sugar farming.

The island would settle as a prime spot for whaling before, inevitably, becoming a quiet tourist destination only a short ferry south from St. Vincent.

The teeny-tiny island of Bettowia is not one that most would visit on a trip to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and it's because it's generally overtaken with birdlife. Its size, solitude, and location lend the island to be ideal for roosting sea-birds, and it's because of this that it's been declared a Wildlife Reserve. Birds aren't alone on the island-- there's a small, permanent population of goats as well!

Baliceaux, at only a mile-and-a-half long, is one of the generally untouched gems of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, having been privately-owned and put up for sale frequently over the years but lacking any formal development. What this means is that this former British lookout spot is left uninhabited despite being a picturesque island with a couple of rolling hills looking out over the sea.

Where Baliceaux to the north is generally empty, Mustique is the opposite, being a luxurious retreat for the rich and famous. Generally only reachable by boat, it's a mooring spot for yachts and a quiet getaway destination for not only A-list actors and musicians, but British royals; Queen Elizabeth II visited several times during her reign.

Originally inhabited to house sugar mills, it would fall into private use in the nineteenth century and be built up for tourism in the twentieth.

Of the Southern Grenadines, Canouan is one of the more popular to visit, partly due to the fact that it has an airport capable of taking larger planes. It makes Canouan a great point at which to embark on a beach vacation, something that's not in short supply on the island itself.

In addition to the resorts built into the hills of this small island, the eastern coast is bordered by barrier reefs, making it ideal for snorkelling. Historically, Canouan was one of the most important islands in the Grenadine chain, being a permanent port for European settlers.

One of the smallest, yet still-visited islands of the Grenadines, the island of Mayreau is home to a harder-to-access village of only a few hundred inhabitants. Known for its reefs and bays, it's just removed enough from the Tobago Cays to be a quiet destination for mooring yachts. Though not the ideal location for a cruise ship, it is a destination to visit for anyone looking to spend a few days island-hopping, especially to the nearby protected areas.

A series of five islands in the Southern Grenadines, the Tobago Cays are part of the larger, protected Tobago Cays Marine Park which includes the shores, the sandy lagoon, and the Horseshoe Reef surrounding it. The St. Vincent and Grenadines government purchased the islands back from its private owner at the turn of the century.

Naturally, it's a go-to destination for boaters looking to catch a glimpse at its natural beauty above and below the clear waters.

The second-most populated island of the Grenadines, Union Island is within sight of the island nation of Grenada to the south and is home to a small handful of towns situated around a volcanic landscape. More than most islands in the country, Union is home to several exciting festivals around the year, making it a likely destination for those seeking a cultural spot for a vacation. Additionally, the island is home to many sea turtles who use its shores as a breeding ground.

The southernmost island in the Grenadines and only a short distance offshore from the larger and more populated Union Island, Palm Island was built into a resort destination designed to employ locals and attract tourists to the area. Allowing the government to drain out a swampy middle section of the island allowed for cleaner beaches, many of which are frequented by local animal life (especially turtles).