St. Vincent and the Grenadines or, as the locals call it, SVG is a picturesque Caribbean jewel. Located between Grenada and St. Lucia, SVG is made up of dozens of islands, islets, and cays. The larger island is home to most of SVG's 107,600-plus residences, its capital, Kingstown, and the ET Joshua Airport. Strategically nestled between two hilly promontories is a very small yet bustling city. A walking tour can be completed within two hours because downtown is literally a city block long. Also akin to Kingstown are the one-lane roads with goats, people, and cars that travel in opposite directions.

The undisturbed beaches, rugged mountain terrain, lush forests, and blue sailing waters draw in tourists who visit St. Vincent. Bequia, Petit, and Young islands are among the more popular spots for millionaires and others looking for a unique hideaway. Bequia has the most tranquil beaches while Petit is known for its private resort and cottages (Forbes FYI, 2003). Young Island was made popular by the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (AJC, 2003). The entire movie was filmed on location.

I visited St. Vincent for the first time with my grandfather, now a 91 year-old native Vincentian. While there, I found adventure in researching family documents at the courthouse records office, visiting the general hospital, and attending Carnival activities. An extended tour allowed family and friends to explore major attractions, which included Bequia, the seaport, a small zoo, the western hemisphere's oldest botanical garden (1765), and Fort Charlotte. The most notable attraction, La Soufriére is a 4,048-foot volcano which locals admonished takes "more than a little energy" to climb.

SVG is a refreshing and inviting place. The cuisine is appetizing and the people are as warming as their culture. The view from Fort Charlotte is breathtaking and the boat ride to Bequia is a must!

For more information on St. Vincent and the Grenadines visit http://www.svgtourism.com

If you have never traveled to the islands of the Caribbean you don't know what you're missing, it is truly paradise if such a place exists. The Caribbean Sea runs from South America up to the Gulf of Mexico and meets with the Atlantic Ocean on the East.

It is not surprising that it is the vacation destination of choice for North and South America with natural beauty rarely seen any where else on the planet. Some of the islands feature lush mountains lined with coconut trees and valleys filled with sugar cane and bananas but it is the beaches and the azure waters that bring people back time after time.

When you see how beautiful the Caribbean Islands are you will understand why the British, Spanish, and the French fought over them for centuries after the area was found by Columbus when he got lost trying to find a short cut to India. You will still find the influences of the former colonial dictatorships on St. Croix, Bermuda, Aruba, and other islands with a mixture of both the native cultures and the culture of the colonists who settled there.

There are well over fifty distinctive island vacation spots to choose from with some of them, like the Bahamas, having dozens of islands themselves. One thing is sure; you will never be cold in the Caribbean!

The island of New Providence in the Bahamas is sometimes called Nassau by mistake because that is where the capital of the Bahamas is located. This island, which is a short hop from the east coast of Florida, is home to the majority of Bahamians and is also an offshore financial center with millions of dollars being invested and sheltered there. There is also of course, the famous shopping on Bay Street and the little side streets nearby. Be sure to take in the flavor of the local music as well, which is as famous as the azure waters around the islands.

Another top choice in the Bahamas is Eleuthera, one of the outermost islands and also one of the least developed. If it is your goal to go to a beautiful place that is sparsely populated and a little more primitive, this would be my suggestion. Eleuthera has little night life to speak of, unless you consider the little bar, Elvira's where Lenny Kravitz is known to hang out sometimes. Lenny owns a house there, his mom is Bahamian.

Almost anyplace you stay will be walking distance to the beach and the different areas of the island are so diverse you would probably have to make several trips to be able to appreciate them all. We stayed for a month and still didn't get to see everything we wanted. You will definitely want a rental car though because the taxi service is unreliable at best and there is no public transportation. Picking up hitch hikers is an everyday occurrence and a fun way to integrate into the culture.

For vegetarians, dining out presents many challenges; finding vegan choices can be even more frustrating. Add travel to the mix and you've got a potential recipe for disaster. While the Caribbean's abundance of seafood will suit pescetarians, discovering true vegetarian meals requires a bit more work. Fortunately, a little research before you go will help find dining choices which are not only suitable but delicious.

If you're planning to take a cruise, you're in luck. A number of cruise lines offer vegetarian options, a complete vegetarian menu, or can make you special dishes on request. Celebrity Cruises has received rave reviews for their excellent gourmet vegetarian cuisine, which tailors meals to diners' needs. NCL and Royal Caribbean also rank highly with vegetarian passengers. Carnival Cruise Lines, on the other hand, may be one to avoid. Although they offer one vegetarian item per menu and claim they can accommodate vegetarian requests, they don't have a dietician on board, so their ability to make changes is limited. For vegans, this can be a big problem. One vegan reports that she was assured before the cruise that her diet would be no trouble; however, all she could actually eat was bread, lettuce, and an occasional baked potato. When booking a cruise with any company, tell them you're vegetarian or vegan and ask any questions you may have about menu offerings.

Land-lubbers may find the easiest way to assure a variety of vegetarian choices is to stay at a resort with several restaurants. The Sandals chain, for example, includes up to eleven eateries at each location. Their menus typically include at least one vegetarian option in each category. While that may sound limiting, resort menus tend to change frequently, often nightly. Resorts also usually have a buffet, so you'll be able to pick and choose. Sample menus are generally posted on a resort's website, so logging online may be one way to do a bit of investigative work. Still, it's a good idea to check with the resort before booking to find out how veg-friendly they are.

Higher-end resorts are often more conscious of serving healthy food, including vegetarian dishes. Some of them use locally grown and/or organic items in their cooking. Even if you can't afford to stay there, you may be able to eat at their restaurants. For instance, the Sugar Mill Restaurant at the Sugar Mill Hotel (British Virgin Islands) is a local treat that's worth the trip. Voted "The Best Restaurant in the Caribbean" by readers of Caribbean Travel & Life, this gourmet restaurant's ever-changing menu always offers several vegetarian dishes and its atmosphere makes it a great place for a special night out.

Meat-free travelers interested in visiting the Dominican Republic should consider Sirenis Hotels, which have an all-vegetarian restaurant at their Punta Cana resort complex. Comprised of Sirenis Cocotal Beach Resort and Sirenis Tropical Suites, the vegetarian restaurant seems to be on the all-inclusive plan of Tropical Suites but not Cocotal Beach Resort. If you prefer to stay at Cocotal, check with them to find out if you'll be able to eat at the vegetarian restaurant.

As far as specific countries go, Jamaica is veggie heaven. Because Rastafarians are vegetarian, options abound. The key word to remember is "Ital," derived from "vital." Ital cooking uses pure, organic ingredients, and is essentially vegan. However, some dishes may contain honey, so if you don't eat honey be sure to ask about it. In fact, Ital is a good word to look out for anywhere, as Ital food can be found in other countries, too.

Puerto Rico also has a number of cafés and restaurants which are either all-vegetarian or veg-friendly. If you're having a hard time finding a place, keep your eyes out for the fast food chain Pollo Tropical, which doesn't put meat in its rice and beans.

Of course, ethnic restaurants are good stand-bys anywhere. An island's ethnic population will partially determine what's available. For instance, Trinidad has a number of Chinese and Indian restaurants because immigrants came over from those countries prior to the 20th century.

For casual or take-out meals, look for natural food supermarkets, which sometimes have delis with vegetarian items. Nature's Way in the British Virgin Islands' Road Town is one such place.

The brief list of dining options below will help you get started. Some aren't exclusively vegetarian, but all include at least a few veggie choices on their menus. Vegan and vegan-friendly are indicated with a V.

Antigua: Kalabashe, St. John's West. V

Barbados: Back to Eden, Speightstown. V

Cancun: 100% Natural. V

Cayman Islands: Veggie Delights, Georgetown. V

Dominican Republic: Lotos Restaurant, Santo Domingo. V

Nevis: Natural Livity, Newcastle Village. V

Puerto Rico: Asiquesi, Cabo Rojo. V

St. Martin: Top Carrot, Simpson Bay.

Trinidad: Mother Nature, Port of Spain.

Tobago: Kariwak Village Restaurant, Crown Point.

US Virgin Islands: Soul Vegetarian, Christiansted. V

A few good online resources are www.HappyCow.net, www.VegDining.com, and www.VegSource.com. Unlike the first two, VegSource doesn't have a directory, but its forum has a few threads on restaurants in the Caribbean, and you can always post your own question. Also take a look at the online international yellow pages. Just remember that businesses have to pay money to be listed, so not all restaurants will be represented.

When you're on your trip, if you want to try a restaurant that's out of the way, call first since listings can be outdated. With a little preparation, you'll spend less time worrying about where you're going to eat and more time enjoying your travels.

Most of us are not fortunate enough to live on an island. So, when thinking about where to take a vacation, an island location is a great choice. The Caribbean Ocean is dotted with many beautiful islands for vacationers. Three of these - St. John, St. Croix, and St. Thomas - are known as the US Virgin Islands.

The Virgin Islands are extremely popular, and yet still have beautiful nature preserves and beaches for people looking for a relaxing vacation. Each island, although similar, offers something different, and every vacationer will be able to find just the right activity or location that they want.

The island of St. John, the smallest of the three, is ideal for tourists who want to experience the unspoiled beauty of nature and the local wildlife. There are habitats to explore and wonderful underwater creatures to be found in the tropical waters off the white sand beaches. Even those who have never snorkeled before will be lured into the activity once they see the brightly colored fish and other marine life such as urchins and starfish.

If you want to be outside on your vacation, but you like a little more activity than looking at wildlife, then St. Croix is the island for you. This island caters to those who enjoy sports and being out on the water. You can fish, scuba dive, sail, hike, or jump aboard a boat for a tour of the area. This island also has great places you can visit to eat and shop, and the prices are great, too!

If the resort life is for you, try staying on the island of St. Thomas. You won't be disappointed with this location: it offers beautiful sand and surf, delicious cuisine, and excellent entertainment. You can enjoy your vacation at a fast or slow pace, and sleep in until lunchtime if you want!

If you find it hard to choose which island to visit, take a bit of extra time and visit all three Virgin Islands! You'll enjoy every minute and when it's time to leave, you'll already be planning when you can come back.

If you've ever traveled in the Caribbean, you will have heard a variety of languages spoken, depending on what islands you visited. If you take a trip to Curacao, you'll hear English and Spanish - but its primary languages are Dutch and Papiamento. This colorful mix of languages describes Curacao well: exciting, vibrant, and a wonderful place to visit.

If you wonder why Dutch is spoken on this island in the Caribbean, you need to know that Curacao is the largest of five islands in a group known as the Netherlands Antilles. Dutch settlers made this island their home, and their culture and traditions integrated with those of the local people. The official language, Papiamento, shows this integration: it is a mix of Dutch, African, Spanish, and Portuguese languages! The atmosphere and culture of this island are something no tourist should miss.

If you like a party, you'll want to visit Curacao at carnival time! The festivities, which take place before Lent, are well-known and are a great place to hear excellent music. If you want a quieter vacation, look to the pristine scenery and beaches for beauty, peace and quiet.

Make sure you save room in your travel bags for souvenirs - Curacao is famous for its huge selection of duty-free products. Shopping here is a pleasant experience, as you can see the sights of each city and town as you wander from shop to shop. Watch for the island's historic buildings when you are in the main cities.

The tropical climate is most enjoyable, especially if you like to be outside on the beach or taking part in sports or other leisure activities. Illnesses and disease that are found in other tropical locations are very scarce here, so you can enjoy your vacation without worry. Do make sure to use sunscreen and insect-repellant if you are going to be out of doors for more than a few minutes; these are good precautions that will help you to have a wonderful stay without worrying about bug bites or sunburn!