Dark View Falls

The basics

Thanks to its picture-perfect setting, Dark View Falls is a staple of St. Vincent Island tours focusing on nature and culture. It’s often combined with Fort Charlotte, a British colonial-era fort, and Walliabou Bay and Buccama Beach, which were used to film scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. If you’re short on time, some half-day tours take you directly to Dark View Falls without the other stops.

Things to know before you go

• There’s an admission fee to enter the falls, which you can pay in cash at the ticket booth at the entrance.

• At the start of the trail, you’ll find a changing room, food kiosks, and a picnic area where you can eat lunch before you begin the walk.

• Bring your bathers because you can swim and splash in the refreshing natural poos at the bottom of the waterfall.

• The trail isn’t accessible to travelers of limited mobility, but you can still enjoy views of the falls from the welcome center.

How to get there

Dark View Falls is a 20-mile (35-kilometer) drive from Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent. You can arrive by car or take the Leeward—Fitz Hughes green bus route from Leeward Bus Terminal—they depart approximately every hour, and from the final stop, it’s a 30-minute walk to the falls.

When to get there

Dark View Falls is open daily from morning until late afternoon. Thanks to its location in the rainforest, it's powerful year-round. The best time to visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines is between February and April when the weather is driest and sunny skies are most probable.

The best beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

This Caribbean paradise boasts a wealth of white (and black) sand beaches lapped by warm, clear waters. For the best swimming conditions, visit Friendship Beach on the southern side of the ideal (a great place to take the kids. Macaroni Beach is a must for the most picture-perfect scenery—it’s hailed as one of the best on the island.