Canouan

Canouan is around 25 miles south of St. Vincent, to the north of Mayreau and the Tobago Cays, and to the south of Bequia and Mustique. It is around 3½ miles long by 1¼ miles at its widest points, with the whole of the northern half – some 1200 acres – privately owned. Residents live in and around the main settlement, Charlestown, which is also the location of the island’s main wharf.

Canouan’s airport is in the south west and has the capacity to accommodate small passenger jets.

We have a number of white sand beaches along both leeward and windward coastlines. The beach at Charlestown Bay (also known as Grand Bay), just off Charlestown, is popular with local people as well as with visiting sailboats. Rameau Bay, a little further to the north, is also a pretty anchorage. South Glossy Bay has a beautiful beach with terrific views of the Southern Grenadines. On the south coast, Friendship Bay has a long stretch of beach as well as a resort hotel, and on the east coast there are pretty beaches at Riley Bay and Windward Bay. Canouan’s signature beach is located at Carenage Bay, within Mandarin Oriental Canouan. Running along our windward coastline from Point De Jour in the north down to Barbruce Bay in the south is Grand Cois, an extensive and visually stunning barrier reef.

Our island’s interior is rugged and hilly, rising to 877 feet at Mount Royal. Dry forest covers much of the interior, particularly in the north.

Mandarin Oriental Canouan is Canouan’s biggest and best known attraction. Occupying the entire north of our island, Mandarin Oriental Canouan offers its guests an extraordinary variety of activities and entertainment. Canouan’s highest peak, Mount Royal, is located within the private estate and, from its summit, you can enjoy fabulous views of our island. Secluded coves and beaches make exploring the north extremely rewarding. More accessible white sands can be found in the picture perfect Carenage Bay as well as Mysore Bay, Pont De Jour Bay and Godahl Bay, all of which are protected by Grand Cois, a stunning barrier reef formation that stretches along the windward coast.

To the north of the main resort is the Jim Fazio-designed 18 hole championship golf course. Acclaimed as one of the best golf courses in the world, it is an absolute dream come true for golf enthusiasts. Perched on the hillside above the resort is the Villa Monte Carlo, home to Trump Club Privee, a European style casino, gourmet restaurant and elegant ballroom. Other activities and amenities offered to Mandarin Oriental Canouan’s guests include water sports, scuba diving, tennis, spa treatments, and swimming pools.

Beautiful beaches, reefs and bays – Windward Bay is particularly attractive, with powder white sand and calm, turquoise seas that are protected by the barrier reef making it a great place for swimming. Friendship Bay has a sweeping stretch of white sand and is also the location of the luxurious SOHO. In the south west, South Glossy Bay is also worth visiting. The beach is beautiful, the views of the Southern Grenadines fabulous, and the sunsets absolutely unbeatable.

There are a small number of private taxi operators on Canouan and they can usually be found at the jetport or the wharf in Charlestown when aircraft and ferry are arriving. A number of public buses also ply fixed routes around Canouan. They are the minibus type and can be identified by the driver’s logo on the front and by a letter ‘H’ on the number plate. The state-owned southern half of Canouan is a relatively small area and can easily be covered on foot. Nothing is really very far and you can walk around our island’s main roads in just a few hours. Be sure to carry plenty of water with you if you are walking as well as some form of sun protection. Many local people hitch rides with passing vehicles. This is a good idea if you are beginning to fade in the heat and also a nice way to meet people. Water taxis are also a popular way to get around.