Mopion

Supposedly the smallest island in

the Caribbean, Mopion is more of a cay (a low inlet mainly composed of coral or sand) and its size depends on the tides. But its iconic umbrella is never quite submerged.

The very first name of the island seems to have been Morpion, with an R, “morpion” being the French word for “pubic louse.” But over time it appears the R has been removed according to more common Caribbean speech patterns. Mopion is part of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines island chain and is considered by many to be a sort of geographical mascot for the whole area. It’s easy to see why.

A pure sandy beach surrounded by a lovely underwater reef, Mopion is a quiet gem in the middle of turquoise waters. At just 100 feet (30 meters) long or so (depending on the tides), the small sandbar is so low that a thatch umbrella was built on it for the sailors to spot from a distance to avoid dashing their vessels on the reef. The straw parasol is also the only protection against the sun for anyone marooned, intentionally or otherwise on the idyllic little piece of land. Visitors are also known to leave their mark carved into the trunk of the umbrella.