St Vincent and Grenadines has a good range of bars, many of which take advantage of the physical beauty of the islands and are set along the various waterfronts and beaches on the islands. As you would expect in a fairly undeveloped series of islands with a strong sailing industry, the bars are almost all informal and most of them see a nice mix of islanders and visitors. Nightlife tends to centre around the bars as there are not many notable discotheques at the moment.

St Vincent has a busy strip at Villa, in the tourist heartland to the east of Kingstown, where a handful of bars stand shoulder to shoulder along the picturesque waterfront. Elsewhere on the 'Mainland' the bars are mainly local, as is the entertainment. Actually there is not even that much entertainment in Kingstown itself at the moment. In the country you will find mainly local rum shops, though the occasional jump-up will be held in the towns and villages.

In Bequia there is a string of delightful hangouts on the Belmont waterfront in Admiralty Bay, bar after bar with a really easy atmosphere, peopled by hotel and villa guests and by yachties parked in the bay as well as the Bequians themselves. Each bar has its distinct character and usually a special night with entertainment.

On Mustique many people entertain in their houses, but the couple of public areas can get very lively on their special nights and sometimes spontaneously.

There are two distinct halves to Canouan. The area around Charlestown in the south sees a mix of locals with yachtsmen and general travellers. The north of the island, where you will find the Raffles Hotel, has a very different feel to it as it is effectively private. Here you will find a beach bar, but also a couple of elegant bars, including one in the casino.

Mayreau is very quiet except on Saturday evenings and over national festivities, when all the stereo systems in the village compete with one another to play the loudest. Union Island has a number of bars along the main street and the waterfront in Clifton. The nightlife is good on the island.

The private islands, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent, fundamentally want to keep their islands reserved for their guests, but they have provision for sailors that come off the yachts. On Palm Island the Sunset Bar is at the bottom end of Casuarina beach. PSV allows people to visit its main bar.

See our complete Guide to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

St Vincent

Aggies, Kingstown Hill, t 456 2110
Bar and restaurant on the edge of town, local crowd but welcoming to visitors.

The Attic, Grenville Street, Kingstown
Friendly top floor bar in the heart of Kingstown. Live Jazz music most nights throughout the year. Closed for renovation at the time of writing, scheduled to re-open for the 2008 season.

Aquatic Club, Villa, t 458 4205
Bar and discotheque next to the Young Island dock. Live bands and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays playing reggae, soca and calypso to the early hours of the morning.

Basil's Bar, Cobblestone Inn, Kingstown, t 457 2713
Air-conditioned bar and restaurant set in an old stone-walled warehouse in town, with satellite TV. Popular meeting spot with a good cocktail menu.

Beachcombers Restaurant & Bar, Villa Beach, t 458 4283
Pleasant garden deck just above the beach. A restaurant and bar in a family-run hotel.

Cheers, Villa, t 457 4004
Sports bar on the lively Villa strip. Popular hangout with the locals at the weekend.

Club 40 40, Villa, t 457 5044
Nightclub with lounge, bar, air-conditioned dancehall, cable TV featuring sports, movies, comedies, and dining. Karaoke on Wednesdays, barbecue and DJ on Fridays and live jazz and DJ on Saturdays.

Emotions, Kingstown
Nightclub popular with the local crowds, plays a variety of Caribbean and US music. Also known as Fusion club.

Lime N' Pub, Villa, t 458 4227
Friendly waterfront restaurant and popular bar with a nautical theme. Huge cocktail and wine list. Gets very busy in season.

Vee Jay's Rooftop Dinner & Pub, Upper Bay Street, Kingstown, t 457 2845
Bar and tv lounge set on a rooftop right in the middle of town.

Young Island Resort, t 458 4826
Live entertainment on weekends includes their Bamboo Melodian Band on Friday nights and a Steel Band Orchestra on Saturdays.

Bequia

Buddy's Bar, Bequia waterfront project, Port Elizabeth
Tiny watering hole on the waterfront surrounded by boutique shops.

Coco's Place, Ocar, t 458 3463
Friendly bar and restaurant set on a brightly painted deck above the bay. Easy-going atmosphere with unique string band Mighty J Cool and De Ting on Tuesdays and live soca music on Fridays in season. Try the freshly made rum punch.

Devil's Table, Bequia Marina, Port Elizabeth, t 458 3900
Pirate-inspired restaurant built around a rock outcrop in the bay. Plenty of atmosphere. Live music on Wednesday and Friday nights in season. Lively on weekends.

Frangipani, Belmont Walkway, Admiralty Bay, t 458 3255
Very attractive spot on the Belmont waterfront, famous for its Thursday night barbecue buffet and jump-up with live music by the Elite Steel Band.

Green Boley, Belmont Walkway, t 457 3625
Simple and very charming bamboo-fronted bar and restaurant featuring local fare, with seating under the trees and views across the bay.

Gingerbread Restaurant, Belmont Walkway, Admiralty Bay, t 458 3800
Pretty restaurant and bar with lovely views over Admiralty Bay. Live folk music and calypso several nights a week.

Jack's Bar and Restaurant, Princess Margaret beach, t 457 3762
Beachfront sports bar and restaurant in a prime location. Seating outside under a large canopy, friendly service and a good selection of drinks. Half price cocktails during sunset hour.

L'Auberge des Grenadines, Belmont Walkway, Admiralty Bay, t 458 3201
French restaurant on the waterfront with live music on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Sunset Happy Hour from 5.30-6.30pm. Closed at the time of publication, reopening scheduled in November 2008 in Hamilton across the bay.

Moskito Bar & Grill, Friendship Bay, t 458 3222
Informal beach restaurant and bar set right above the sand and with a lovely view out into the bay. If you feel the ground move that's probably because you are in one of their swinging chairs attached to the ceiling. Open for lunch and dinner, Lobster Fest with string band on Wednesday nights, barbecue brunch with background music on Saturdays.

Penthouse, Ocar
Small and colourful shack on the roadside, selling snacks and drinks by day. At night it gets very lively and the parties go until the early morning, long after the other bars have closed. Mix of locals and visitors.

The Porthole, Port Elizabeth, t 458 3458
Waterfront bar and restaurant run by Noelina who serves hearty, home-cooked, Creole fare and a range of exotic cocktails. Popular meeting spot with live music in season.

The Salty Dog, Port Elizabeth, t 457 3443
Air-conditioned sports bar and restaurant and a popular after-work chill-out open 'til late', with pool table, dart board and cable TV. Cocktail specials, quiz nights and a good sandwich menu.

The Whaleboner, Belmont Walkway, t 458 3233
Waterfront bar built with the bones of whales - rib bar and entrance and vertebrae seats. Live music on Mondays, Friday and Saturday nights in season. music from calypsonian Mighty Ray. Depending on the crowd, the bar often stays open late.

Mustique

Basil's Bar, Britannia Bay, Mustique, t 488 8350, VHF 68
World famous watering hole of the rich and famous, set on a deck on stilts over the water of Britannia Bay, with bamboo walls and palm thatch roofs. Liveliest on the Wednesday barbecue and jump-up, which features live bands. Home of the Blues Festival in February.

Firefly, t 488 8414
Small hotel with a dining room and bar perched high above Britannia Bay. A popular and hip gathering spot, with a long and interesting list of cocktails, and equally interesting (and often very famous) clientele. You might just walk into a priceless evening, with Phil Collins playing the piano or Nigel Kennedy on the violin.

Canouan

Bellini's, Raffles Resort, t 458 8000
The signature bar at Raffles Resort, Bellini's is located next to the La Piazza restaurant and offers a range of cocktails to go with views over the golf course and the main bay. Open from morning until late evening, live entertainment and food on selected days.

Trump Club Privee, t 458 8000
European style casino in an elegant venue. La Varenne restaurant and bar upstairs has stunning views across Canouan. Also a ballroom for private functions.

Pirate's Cove, Tamarind Beach Hotel & Yacht Club, t 458 8044
Open-sided bar under thatch, live music and dancing several times a week.

Splash Disco, town
Loud, local disco on weekends.

Canouan Beach Apartments, town
Sees a mix of islanders and visitors. Pool table volleyball, occasional karaoke and bands.

Silver Lining Sports Bar & Restaurant, t 482 0348
Nice setting high up on the hill with excellent views overlooking Grand Bay. International cuisine and local drinks.

Mayreau

Dennis's Hideaway Seafood Restaurant, t 458 8594
A popular bar and restaurant set at the heart of the village with an easy mix of islanders and visitors, occasional live music on weekends.

Island Paradise Bar, Restaurant & Disco, t 458 8941, VHF 68
Friday is barbecue night with live music. Happy hour 6-7pm.

Righteous Robert and the Youths Snack Bar and Tea Room, t 458 8203
Inexpensive colourful Rastafarian restaurant and bar.

Union Is

Anchorage Yacht Club Restaurant & Bar, t 458 8221
Busy waterfront spot with lots of comings and goings in season, especially with the yachtie crowd. Games area with pool table, satellite TV, occasional entertainment at night with live music and calypso jump-ups.

Green Light, Clifton
Small friendly bar with cable TV set on the main street. Nice place to pass the time and people-watch.

Janti's Happy Island, Clifton Harbour, VHF 16
A bar set on a small man-made island of discarded conch shells out in the harbour in Clifton. Popular with the yachtsmen in harbour.

Jennifer's Restaurant, Clifton
A peach and blue bar on the street in Clifton. Small but welcoming and a nice spot to spend an evening.

Lambi's, Clifton, t 458 8549
Weekend steel band jump-ups and sometimes limbo dancing, very busy in season.

See our complete Guide to St Vincent and the Grenadines.