Union Island

Union Island is a lovely, old-fashioned Caribbean island near the southern end of the Grenadine chain — volcanic in origin, only about 3 miles long and 1½ miles wide, yet dramatic for its size, with thick green vegetation, sharp rocky peaks and jagged mountains rising several thousand feet. Sometimes called the "Tahiti of the West Indies" for its towering, serrated skyline, it is one of the smaller and friendliest of the Grenadines, though you can still find yourself the target of a cheerful "tourist dollar" hustle as everyone competes for your custom. The island has nice bars and restaurants, colourful little shops, Wi-Fi spots and fruit stands along the road, all in a very quiet, peaceful, low-traffic setting.

The island has two main settlements. Clifton, on the eastern harbour, is the neat, pretty commercial centre — visually attractive and small enough to walk end-to-end in about four blocks, with restaurants, tourist shops and the harbourfront. Ashton, to the southwest, is the larger residential village, giving access to fine beaches and hiking trails. Union Island is the practical gateway to the southern Grenadines: from here boats run to Palm Island, the Tobago Cays, Petit St Vincent, Mopion and across to Petit Martinique and Carriacou.

The climate is warm and tropical year-round, around 28–31°C, cooled by reliable trade winds that make Union a noted sailing and kitesurfing spot. The dry season (December to May) is the best and busiest time, taking in Easterval, the island's big Easter festival; June to November is hotter, wetter and within the hurricane season.

By Plane

Union Island Airport (IATA: UNI) sits beside Clifton and has direct flights from Barbados, Martinique and St Lucia, plus connecting inter-island flights to and from St Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Carriacou (Grenada). The airstrip is right by the main town, so transfers to Clifton's hotels and the harbour are a very short taxi ride or even a walk.

By Car / Road

Regular ferries run down from mainland St Vincent through the Grenadines. The fast ferry MV Jaden Sun (the "Fast Ferry") takes about 2.5 hours from Kingstown harbour to Union Island, with stops at Bequia, Canouan and Mayreau. Slower cargo-passenger vessels — MV Barracouda, MV Gem Star II and MV Guidance II — also travel between the islands, taking 5 or more hours. A local ferry connects Union Island with Carriacou (Grenada) on Mondays and Fridays. Fares are paid in Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$/XCD).

Union Island is tiny and easily covered on foot — Clifton's compact grid is just a few blocks, and you can walk much of the island. Shared minibuses and taxis run the road between Clifton and Ashton for a few EC dollars, and taxis (often open trucks) meet the airport and ferry jetty. Water taxis are the standard way to reach the offshore islands, anchored yachts and quieter bays. There is no ride-hailing app; arrange boats and taxis at the harbour or through your guesthouse. Roads are quiet with little traffic, so walking and the occasional minibus suffice.

• Fort Hill (Fort Irene / Fort Murray) — the island's old hilltop fortifications above Clifton; the climb gives commanding views over the harbour, the reef and the southern Grenadines.

• Salt Pond and Basin Pond — the island's salt pond and inland pools, part of Union's natural landscape.

• Clifton harbour and town — the neat, picturesque commercial centre on the east coast, attractive to stroll, with its market, shops and waterfront.

• Ashton — the residential village in the southwest, the access point for beaches and trails and a window onto local island life.

• The peaks (Mount Taboi, Mount Olympus, Mount Parnasse) — the serrated volcanic summits that give Union its "Tahiti of the West Indies" nickname; Mount Taboi is the highest point in the Grenadines.

• Frigate Rock and Chatham Bay — offshore rock and the wild, sheltered west-coast bay, beautiful for swimming and a favourite yacht anchorage.

• Kitesurfing and windsurfing — Union's steady trade winds and shallow reef flats make it one of the Caribbean's prime kite- and windsurfing spots, with schools based at Clifton.

• Sailing and boat tours — day trips run to the Tobago Cays, Mayreau, Palm Island and Mopion aboard catamarans and schooners (operators such as Wind & Sea, Captain Yannis, Scaramouch and Sail Grenadines); Union is a major yacht-charter base.

• Diving and snorkelling — scuba and reef diving over the surrounding Grenadine reefs, plus easy snorkelling from the beaches.

• Beaches — swim and sun at Big Sand, Richmond Bay, Bloody Bay, Campbell Bay, Chatham Bay and Anchorage Bay.

• Happy Island — a tiny man-made island built of conch shells in the lagoon off Clifton, now a quirky bar reached by water taxi or wading — a sunset drink here is a Union Island rite of passage.

• Hiking — trails climb the volcanic peaks (Mount Taboi, Mount Olympus, Mount Parnasse) and to lookouts such as Point Lookout for sweeping views.

• Festivals — Easterval brings nine days of Easter celebrations culminating on Easter Monday; other events include the Maroon Festival (Big Drum dancing and community feasting in late May–June), Labour Day (1 May), a Full Moon Party, the Boxing Day Fair (26 December) and Old Year's Night festivities.

Union Island's food is classic Grenadine cooking centred on the sea: fresh fish, conch, lobster in season and creole stews served with rice and peas, breadfruit, plantain and provisions, plus easy standbys like roti and rotisserie chicken. Clifton has a cluster of local restaurants and casual eateries.

• Budget: Snackettes, bakeries and roadside stalls in Clifton and Ashton serve rotis, fried fish, bakes and creole plates at low prices; the market and fruit stands suit self-caterers.
• Mid-range: Harbourfront restaurants in Clifton serve grilled catch of the day, lobster, conch and Caribbean dishes with a sea view; many double as bars in the evening.
• Upscale: The dining rooms at the harbourside hotels offer more polished seafood and international menus. Vegetarians are well served by the abundance of local provisions, callaloo and fresh produce; ask and most kitchens will adapt, though dedicated veg menus are limited.

Rum punch built on Caribbean rums and cold Hairoun, the Vincentian lager, are the local favourites, alongside fresh tropical juices, coconut water and sea-moss drinks. The unmissable spot is Happy Island, the conch-shell bar standing in the lagoon off Clifton, famous for rum punch at sunset; the harbourfront bars in Clifton are the other social hub, especially during festivals and the Thursday-and-weekend buzz. Tap water is generally treated, but bottled or filtered water is widely available and preferred by many visitors, particularly in the rainy season.

• Budget: Small guesthouses and inns in and around Clifton offer simple rooms from roughly EC$120–250 per night, often within walking distance of the harbour and airport.
• Mid-range: Harbourside hotels in Clipton — such as the long-running waterfront properties overlooking the bay — offer comfortable rooms with restaurants and bars, typically around EC$250–500 a night.
• Upscale / heritage: Union itself leans simple, but it is the gateway to ultra-exclusive private-island resorts a short boat ride away — Palm Island Resort and Petit St Vincent (PSV) — where all-inclusive cottages run from several hundred US dollars per night upward; book transfers through Union Island.

Clifton's main street and harbourfront have colourful little shops and stalls selling crafts, beachwear, souvenirs and everyday goods, and there is a small fruit-and-vegetable market with fresh produce and fruit stands along the road. It is a place for casual browsing rather than serious shopping; prices in shops are generally fixed, while light good-natured haggling is fine at market stalls. Carry Eastern Caribbean dollars; US dollars and cards are accepted in many places, with change given in EC$.

• Tobago Cays Marine Park — a short sail north; uninhabited islets and pristine reefs, the Grenadines' premier snorkelling spot.
• Mayreau — nearby to the north, the smallest inhabited Grenadine, with the gorgeous Saltwhistle Bay.
• Palm Island — a few minutes by boat; a private-island resort with a beautiful beach.
• Petit St Vincent (PSV) — a private-island luxury resort just offshore.
• Carriacou (Grenada) — reachable by local ferry on Mondays and Fridays; a larger, laid-back island across the channel.
• Canouan — up the chain by ferry or air; resort island with golf and grand beaches.