Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Things to Do in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in January

Things to Do in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in January

January weather, activities, events & insider tips

Good time to visit Low Season · Budget Friendly

January Weather in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance

77°F High Temp
68°F Low Temp
2.0 inches Rainfall
70% Humidity
⚠ UV index 8 cooks skin fast on open decks. Reapply SPF every 2 hours even when skies look dull. Clouds lie. Burns do not.

Is January Right for You?

Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking

Advantages
  • + January nails the dry-season sweet spot. Flat seas make the 45-minute speedboat hop from St Vincent to Bešchorne Cays painless. Drift alone above untouched elkhorn coral. No tour groups. Just you and the current.
  • + Hotel rates crawl down from Christmas spikes. Ocean-view rooms in the Grenadines cost 30-40% less than February. Wind drops enough for beach restaurants to plant tables on the sand. No windbreaks needed.
  • + Whale season peaks. Humpbacks cruise past Bequia's leeward side. Captains idle the engine. You hear the blow before you spot the plume. By March it's hit-or-miss.
  • + Island-hopping ferries stick to the winter schedule. Three daily to Mustique, two to Canouan. Half the passengers of peak season. Board with a coffee. Claim the bow rail. No elbows required.
Considerations
  • Nights can dip to 20°C (68°F). Ceiling fans alone won't cut it. Ask for the extra blanket most villas forget to leave out.
  • Wind reversals push Atlantic seagrass onto normally postcard beaches. The sand browns until the tide drifts it away again.
  • Some inland guides vacation in January. The cross-island hike to La Soufrière's crater rim may force you into a group. Private treks aren't guaranteed on the spot.

Year-Round Climate

How January compares to the rest of the year

Monthly Climate Data for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Average temperature and rainfall by month Climate Overview 15°C 18°C 22°C 26°C 30°C Rainfall (mm) 0 25 50 Jan Jan: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Feb Feb: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Mar Mar: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Apr Apr: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain May May: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Jun Jun: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Jul Jul: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Aug Aug: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Sep Sep: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Oct Oct: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Nov Nov: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Dec Dec: 25.0°C high, 20.0°C low, 51mm rain Temperature Rainfall
MonthHighLowRainfall
Jan25°C20°C2.0 inches
Feb25°C20°C2.0 inches
Mar25°C20°C2.0 inches
Apr25°C20°C2.0 inches
May25°C20°C2.0 inches
Jun25°C20°C2.0 inches
Jul25°C20°C2.0 inches
Aug25°C20°C2.0 inches
Sep25°C20°C2.0 inches
Oct25°C20°C2.0 inches
Nov25°C20°C2.0 inches
Dec25°C20°C2.0 inches

Best Activities in January

Top things to do during your visit

Bequia to Petit Nevis Seal-Snorkel Circuits

The channel between Bequia and Petit Nevis lies January-calm. Boulder-size brain coral glides beneath you. Hawksbill turtles keep pace while the boat shadows above. Morning light peaks before 10am. UV index already 8. Water feels bath-warm; your scalp still burns.

Booking Tip: Book the morning slot 2-3 days ahead. Captains monitor marine-radio wind forecasts. They confirm the route the night before. Pick an operator with a hydrophone. Humpback song travels kilometres underwater this month.
Union Island Kite-Lagoon Sessions

Steady 15-18 knot easterlies annoy sunbathers. They also flatten Union's south-west lagoon to waist-deep glass. January wind stays consistent. Beginners stand and relaunch the kite without reef drag.

Booking Tip: Buy the 3-hour land-and-water package. Most schools shift to deeper Clifton Harbour by March. January gives you the longest learning window.
Kingstown Market Cook-and-Eat Walks

Saturday mornings the covered market reeks of nutmeg and fresh-torn thyme. January overlaps dasheen, golden apple, and the last December breadfruit. Vendors dice them into one-pot 'oil-down' you taste at the stall. Humid July wilts produce. This month it holds.

Booking Tip: Meet the 7am walking group. By 9am cruise-ship crowds clog the aisles. Steel-drum buskers drown the banter.
Tobago Cays Turtle-Float Excursions

The reef shelf inside the horseshoe reef sits only 2m (6ft) deep in January. Lie motionless. Green turtles cruise past at eye level. Outgoing tide around 11am pulls plankton through the channel. Harmless remoras tag along.

Booking Tip: Multi-stop day-trips depart Mayreau and Union at 9am. Demand a bimini shade. UV stays fierce even in 'winter.'
La Soufrière Crater Rim Dawn Hike

The 1,234m (4,049ft) volcano often rises above dawn cloud in January. Watch the Atlantic sunrise paint Barbados 160km (100mi) east before heat builds. December dry-down firms the volcanic grit. May rains turn it slick.

Booking Tip: Leave Richmond at 4:30am. Guides hand out head-lamps. The forest section stays pitch-black. The first hour is sound only: crickets, frogs, your lungs. Then the sky opens.

January Events & Festivals

What's happening during your visit

Mid January
Bequia Mount Gay Music Fest

Three nights of string-band and soca rule the Belmont Walkway. Fishing boats morph into pop-up bars. Rum punch flows. You carry it barefoot in sand. Thin tourist numbers mean you dance with locals, not visitors.

Ends first week of January
St Vincent Nine Mornings Festival

Carolling and steel-pan start at 4am in Kingstown. Mass ends at 6am. The island stretches Christmas into January. Bring a flashlight. Side streets stay unlit.

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Essential Tips

Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid

Insider Knowledge
If a 'southerly burster' flips the wind, board the 7am ferry to Mayreau. Atlantic-battered Salt Whistle Bay turns glassy. You own it until the breeze swings back. Hunt down 'black cake' in Kingstown market. January vendors sell rum-soaked Christmas leftovers. Home-baked bricks beat any restaurant slice. At Wallilabou Bay ask for 'Duke.' The uncredited Pirates of the Caribbean extra still haunts the set. One beer buys continuity Polaroids tourists never see. The best lobster hits Union before noon. If the fisherman's boat still rests on the beach at 11am, the catch is spoken for. Arrive early. Agree to pay 'market' so he keeps one aside.
Avoid These Mistakes
Never assume every beach is swimmable. January Atlantic swells can rip even calm-looking Friendship Bay, Bequia. Ask your guesthouse which flag flies. Never wait for Mount Gay fest morning to hunt a Bequia bed. Yacht crews block every room weeks early. Book before your plane touches the tarmac. Sleep secured. Party later. Five Grenadines in five days is a timetable fantasy. Ferries keep island time. One engine hiccup knocks the rest flat. Pick two islands. Do them right. Enjoy the pause.

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