Canouan Island (Grenadines)

Canouan is an island located in the Grenadines Islands which belongs to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The island has a population of around 1,700 people.

Canouan Island is a small (5,6x2 km / 3,5x1,3 mi). A barrier reef runs along the island's Atlantic side. Mt Royal is the highest elevation point. Two bays (Friendship, and Glossy) separate the southern side of Canouan. Canouan is approx 40 km (25 mi) south of Saint Vincent which (between 1871-1969) was part of the British colony Windward Islands. Locals who needed supplies beyond basic staples board cargo ships to make the 2-3-hour voyage to Saint Vincent Island. A ferry service for the Grenadines started operations in June 2010 thus reducing the journey to 1 hour.

In the early-1990s Canouan Resorts Development Ltd company was formed. It secured a lease for areas of Canouan to build two hotels - Tamarind Beach Hotel site and the former Raffles Resort site (Carenage Bay Resort). The building arm of CRD built roads throughout the island, installed electricity and for the first time provided desalinated water. Before that, fresh water was purchased by boat from Saint Vincent on a regular basis.

Currently, locals who are not employed by this resort, are forbidden admittance to the property as it is private property. The beaches, however, remain public property and local people are allowed to use the beaches and access either by boat or through the resort.

Canouan Airport runway has been lengthened to nearly 6000 ft to accommodate bigger aircraft. Canouan Island is today the jet port for Grenadines and moorings yacht charter company feature their Grenadines base in Grand Bay.

For season 2018-2019, Bequia Island had scheduled/booked 88 cruise ship calls, St Vincent Island - 82, Mayreau Island - 43, Tobago Cays - 31, Union Island - 26, Canouan Island - 3.

Canouan Island cruise terminal