Have you ever wondered whether you could afford to visit the Caribbean? Below is our financial spend for our journey around St Vincent and the Grenadines recently. Check out what we did during the fourteen days we explored St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Download your Sustainable Travel Checklist and show the world you care
As travellers, we should all be aware of our travel behaviour and its environmental, economic and social impact; and make conscious decisions about it. Too often, we hear negative stories in the media about tourists behaving badly.
Here is your chance to tick some boxes and check out what it really takes to travel with a sustainable mindset.
Assumptions
When reading our travel costs for St Vincent and the Grenadines, please keep the following in mind:
- The costs are based upon a couple travelling together.
- We did not travel as part of an organised tour group but as independent travellers.
- Not considered is the entry or exit transport into/out of the country.
- Included in the overall daily costs (for the period of time we are in the country) are:
- Our mail scanning and forwarding service
- Mobile phone plan
- Travel insurance.
Where We Travelled
Map of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the destinations we explored
Accommodation
With regard to accommodation costs, St Vincent and the Grenadines has been our most expensive destination to date. It was even slightly more costly than the USA.
How to save money on accommodation
For accommodation, as with any other travel expenses, it’s worth shopping around. When we book accommodation somewhere, we tend to look across a number of booking platforms to find the best value-for-money option. Wherever you book, make sure you read the fine print to make sure you compare apples with apples. For example, your stay may incur extra charges (like local tourist taxes or cleaning fees). Some booking platforms include them, while with others, you have to pay them to your host upon arrival.
Nightly rates are generally cheaper outside of peak season. If you can only travel in peak season, look for accommodation options that are a little further away from the main tourist attractions, yet have good connections by public transport. Always double-check the cancellation policy and payment terms before you book.
We use and recommend the following online travel agents and service providers for all our accommodation needs:
Experiences
Our experiences and activities included downloading and watching Pirates of the Caribbean – a must-see given the number of scenes that were filmed here. We also did a day trip to Mayreau, the Tobago Cays and Palm Island in the Southern Grenadines (a must for anyone in the area) and hired a car for a day to explore St Vincent.
How to save money on experiences
Free activities or experiences
Many activities (and some of our most treasured experiences) are free or cost very little. On our journeys, we have
- Visited many museums free of charge (including the Colosseum and Forum in Rome, Italy which is free on the first Sunday of the month)
- Joined Al Green’s Baptist Church Service in Memphis to experience local community life (rather than pay the exorbitant entry fees at nearby Graceland)
- Attended free guided walking tours through Buenos Aires and Merida (you pay a tip at the end based on your budget and how much you liked the tour) and a free guided walking tour as part of Auckland Heritage Festival (which even included coffee and scones afterwards)
- Did countless self-guided walks and used public transport to get to know a city
- Hiked in the Andes in Ecuador and climbed volcanoes in the Caribbean
- Swam and snorkelled at countless beaches, using tree shade rather than paying for parasols; and
- Attended free performances and danced with locals in Cuba.
Just search for free activities for your destination and chances are someone has made a nice list for you already. Here are some examples
Paid Experiences
Paying for experiences or activities can add up quickly, especially if you're travelling as a family. Make use of family passes (if available). Look out for special deals and discount coupons. If you travel in a group, you may also pay to book a private tour and share the cost. Definitely shop around.
We use and recommend the following service providers for all our paid experiences and activity needs:
Withdrawing cash overseas can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be. We can show you how to avoid unnecessary fees and make your travel budget stretch further.
How do you determine which card is best for your overseas trip? Using the right one can save bank fees and make your travel budget stretch further.
Ever been caught out by the bad FX rates and exorbitant commissions charged by FX bureaus? These tips allow you to minimise these charges in future. We also recommend XE Money Transfer to keep more of your money when you complete a transfer.
Travel Costs Summary Table
| Categories | USD per person per day | Percentage of total |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 0.07 | 0% |
| Groceries | 5.84 | 9% |
| Dining | 6.43 | 10% |
| Leisure | 10.92 | 17% |
| Accommodation | 35.54 | 54% |
| Miscellaneous | 0.49 | 1% |
| Finance | 0.11 | 0% |
| Travel | 6.01 | 9% |
| Total USD per person per day | 65.40 |
How much did it cost you to explore St Vincent and the Grenadines?
If you have visited St Vincent and the Grenadines recently, how much did it cost? What other tips can you share in regard to saving money on your trip?
If you want to visit, what additional questions do you have about the costs of travel in St Vincent and the Grenadines?
0 Comments