Mustique Island
Located in the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, the private island of Mustique is a great island to visit while cruising on a private charter yacht on a yacht charter itinerary of the Windward Islands. There is a jet runway for private jet travel to Mustique and some local commuter flights, however visiting while on a yacht charter cruise of the Grenadines is one of the few ways to visit the lovely island of Mustique. Owned by the Mustique Company, whose shareholders are the Owners of the approximately 100 private villas on the island, this little island of only around 1400 acres, and around 500 local islanders, slumbers along in quiet elegance, a perfect location for those that want to slip away from it all.
Mustique Princess Margaret Villa
After a busy colonial sugar cane plantation period, the less expensive European sugar beet dominated and destroyed the sugar cane market and many of the sugar cane plantations on Mustique were abandoned or let go and the local population dwindled. In 1958, Lord Glenconner, Colin Tennant, the 3rd Baron Glenconner, purchased the island of Mustique to begin developing the island with luxury villas for the elite. To jumpstart the development, Lord Glenconner gave Princess Margaret, Countess, of Snowdon, and sister of Queen Elizabeth II, a gift of a 10 acre plot as a wedding present, upon which Princess Margaret built the luxury villa “Les Jolies Eaux”. In 1989, ownership of the island of Mustique was transferred from a private family holding to a private limited company with the villa owners as shareholders.
Basil’s Bar
Today, on this carefully cultivated island with beautiful flora and fauna, life moves slowly. Cruise into the main harbor of the island on your crewed yacht charter, anchored on one side by a local village and on the other side by the infamous Basil’s Bar, with several boutiques/provender’s inbetween, come ashore and join the locals traversing the island via heavy duty golf carts known as “Mustique Mules”. Or end or begin your crewed yacht charter on Mustique as many of the approximately 100 private luxury villas are available for rent through the Mustique Company, and there is also a luxury 5 star hotel called the Cotton House. Well known Mustique villa owners and visitors, past and present, other than Princess Margaret, who has hosted her sister Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip several times at her villa on the island are also Mick Jagger, Tommy Hilfiger, Bill Gates, and George Harrison. Island life centers around Basil’s Bar, which is now home to an annual Blues Festival. At other times at Basil’s Bar, local Reggae Bands may be playing or someone may be spinning records on the bar record player. Stop in as you never know who you might meet. Or stop in at the Cotton House for a drink or dinner, (reservations strongly recommended). The seven beaches around the island offer ample opportunity for swimming, sunning and snorkeling. Include Mustique on a crewed yacht charter itinerary of the Grenadines in the Caribbean, visit Basil’s Bar, take a Mustique Mule across the island and in general enjoy this little serene and private slice of the Caribbean.
Mustique Island Boutique
