The quiet, spellbinding Mustique Island, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is quite small, but it looms large on the list of exclusive vacation getaways.
Mustique's development began in 1958, when the island was purchased by Colin Tennant. A few years later, he gave Princess Margaret some land on Mustique as a wedding present. Soon after the British royalty began vacationing there, the island began attracting other famous and wealthy visitors. Over the years, Mick Jagger, Paul Newman and a host of other celebrities have spent time on the island. Today, it's still privately owned, well-maintained and quite expensive.
Those who can afford to visit go for the secluded beaches, orange groves, terrific snorkeling and diving, tennis, freshwater pools, hiking, horseback riding, deep-sea fishing and—as you might expect—privacy.
You won't find a lot of nightlife: The closest Mustique gets to a nightclub is Basil's Bar—a thatch-roofed wharf built over the clear waters of Britannia Bay. Basil's is famous for its well-heeled but dressed-down clientele and for its potent Hurricane Davids. It also hosts the annual Mustique Blues Festival in late January and early February.
Shopping in Mustique is limited as well, as there is no town to speak of. There are only a couple of hotels, but many luxurious villas are available for rent.
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