Things to Do in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- December trades hurricane season's chaos for trade-wind breezes - you'll feel 15-20 knot winds that keep the humidity from becoming oppressive while sailing between islands
- Hotel rates drop 25-40% from peak season prices, on Bequia and Canouan, making beachfront cottages suddenly affordable for longer stays
- Sea conditions flatten out after November's swells, giving you glass-calm mornings for snorkeling the Tobago Cays' turtle grass beds before 10 AM
- The island-hopping ferries run on actual schedules again - no more weather cancellations or 3-hour delays that plague September through November
- Christmas winds bring steady 12-15 knot breezes that turn Union Island's Clifton Harbour into a kite-surfing playground, with consistent conditions lasting through January
Considerations
- December sits in that awkward shoulder season where some restaurants close for 'renovations' (translation: the owner's visiting family in Canada), so call ahead before planning dinner at that waterfront spot you bookmarked
- North swell season starts mid-month, which means some of the south-facing beaches get choppy for swimming after December 15th - you'll want to shift to leeward coves
- Holiday pricing kicks in December 20th, tripling accommodation rates and making inter-island flights nearly impossible to book without 6 months advance planning
Best Activities in December
Tobago Cays Marine Park Snorkeling
December's water clarity hits 30+ meters (98 feet) visibility after the rainy season flushes out, making the horseshoe reef perfect for spotting nurse sharks resting under coral heads. Morning tours leave Union Island at 8 AM to beat the trade winds that pick up after 11 AM, giving you three hours of mirror-flat conditions with green turtles feeding on seagrass beds just 2 meters (6.5 feet) below your mask.
Bequia Whaleboat Sailing Excursions
December brings the traditional Bequia whaleboats out of dry dock - 28-foot (8.5-meter) cedar vessels that locals have sailed since the 1800s. You'll join fishermen who've been running these boats for three generations, sailing to remote cays where the only other footprints belong to nesting seabirds. The December trades make for exhilarating 15-knot reaches between Petit Nevis and Mustique.
Kingstown Market Food Tours
Saturday morning transforms Kingstown's produce market into an explosion of nutmeg, fresh turmeric, and roasting breadfruit. December marks dasheen season, so you'll watch vendors grate the purple-flecked root into spicy soup bases while the morning sun hits the covered market at the perfect angle. The market tour works rain or shine - when showers hit, everyone crowds under the corrugated roofs and the experience gets more intimate.
Canouan Reef Restoration Diving
December's water temperatures hover around 27°C (81°F) - perfect for hour-long dives helping marine biologists transplant coral fragments at Canouan's southern reef. The post-hurricane season has settled sediment, giving you 25-meter (82-foot) visibility to monitor reef health while contributing to restoration efforts. Afternoon dives work around the brief showers that typically pass by 3 PM.
St. Vincent Jungle River Tubing
December's reduced rainfall makes the Buccament River's rapids manageable for tubing - you'll float 3 km (1.9 miles) through rainforest where the morning sun filters through 30-meter (98-foot) tall breadfruit trees. The water runs clear after November's washout, revealing riverbed stones that let you see fish 2 meters (6.5 feet) below. Tours run 9 AM to avoid afternoon clouds building over the volcano.
Union Island Kiteboarding Sessions
Christmas winds create ideal conditions for learning - steady 12-15 knot trades blow across Clifton Harbour's sand-bottomed shallows where you can stand up when you crash. The consistent breeze runs December through March, making Union one of the Caribbean's most reliable spots for progression from beginner to intermediate. Morning sessions catch the smoothest wind before thermal activity creates choppy afternoon water.
December Events & Festivals
Nine Mornings Festival
St. Vincent's pre-dawn street party runs nine consecutive mornings leading to Christmas, with steel pan bands starting at 4:30 AM in Kingstown's Victoria Park. Locals drink hot cocoa and eat fried bakes while watching sunrise over the harbor - tourists are welcomed with rum punch and invited to join the soca dancing that spills into the streets by 6 AM.
Bequia Christmas Regatta
Working fishing sloops race around Admiralty Bay in a three-day spectacle that's part competition, part floating party. You can watch from Belmont Walkway's bars, or join the spectator boats that follow the races - December 26-28 when trade winds are at their most consistent.