Why Mustique Is Still the Caribbean Island the Famous Go to Disappear

Mustique, a tiny island in the Grenadines measuring roughly three square miles, has been the Caribbean's most discreet celebrity address since a company took over the island in 1968 and began selling plots to buyers who valued privacy above all else. Decades on, its reputation rests on the same principle: a few hundred residents, no high-rise hotels, and a culture in which nobody asks who you are.

How the island stays out of sight

The island is privately owned by the Mustique Company, which runs its utilities, roads, and airstrip, and limits development. Most visitors stay in one of the island's private villas, many of them available to rent, or at the handful of small hotels, so the resort-scale crowds that define other Caribbean islands never form.

Basil's Bar and the social scene

The social centre is Basil's Bar, a wooden bar built over the water in Britannia Bay, which has long doubled as the island's informal meeting place, and whose annual Mustique Blues Festival draws musicians each winter. Beyond that, the days revolve around beaches like Macaroni and Gelliceaux, horse riding, and long lunches at villa terraces.

Getting there

There is no commercial airport big enough for international jets, so most guests connect through Barbados or St Vincent and take a small charter or scheduled flight to Mustique's airstrip. That extra leg is a large part of why the island remains as quiet as it does.

Traveller tips

• Villa rentals usually include staff and a vehicle; check what is bundled before comparing rates.
• December to April is peak season; book far ahead for Christmas and New Year.
• Golf carts and mules are the local transport; there are almost no ordinary cars.
• Confirm entry requirements for St Vincent and the Grenadines for your passport.