Mustique, Private island in Grenadines Parish, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Mustique is a private island of 2,470 hectares (6,100 acres) in Grenadines Parish, about 4.9 km long and no more than 2.4 km wide, with two lagoons, one to the north and one to the west. Its coast alternates sandy coves and headlands, and a 1,000 m airstrip lies in the north. The villages of Lovell, Britannia Bay and Dovers hold most of the roughly 500 residents.
A Scottish businessman acquired the island in the late 1950s and formed a company a decade later to develop residential properties. A British princess built a villa in the early 1960s, drawing further prominent buyers.
The name comes from the French moustique, "mosquito", a nod to the insects that once plagued the island. About 500 residents live year-round in the villages of Lovell, Britannia Bay and Dovers, rising to 1,200 in peak season. Lovell Village was built in 1964, when each original inhabitant received a plot and a new home.
Mustique lies 25 km south of Gun Point, the southern tip of Saint Vincent, and is reached by ferry on the M/V Endeavour or by a 1,000 m airstrip in the north. The island has no natural fresh water, so supplies are managed by the Mustique Company, which runs roads, water, electricity and the airport. Villages are Lovell, Britannia Bay and Dovers.
A company owned by homeowners manages the island and limits possible villas to 120, controlling development. Even visitors must check in with a security desk on arrival, making access one of the few so tightly regulated Caribbean destinations.
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