Bequia island, pronounced (Beck-Way), is a true Caribbean Island, a small Island located just off St Vincent and the Grenadines and is a relaxed beach-orientated island, a favourite among seafarers. Port Elizabeth is the main entrypoint for visitors and locals venturing from either St Vincent by use of ferries or by boat, either owned or rented.
Port Elizabeth is the Island’s central shopping area and tourist hot spot. It has a supermarket, a bank, a pharmacy, shops and local stalls. The place always has a buzz about it, even when it’s not so busy. Hotels, bars and restaurants line the water offering incredible views across the marina. There are a few beaches nearby to enjoy a dip in the crystal clear waters. The Island has a very relaxed feel, even with the odd honking horn from passing cars or music emanating from the nearby bars.
Where is Bequia?
Situated south of the Island of St Vincent. About 9 miles of sea separate it, and you can cross it by one of the many ferries that travel between the two multiple times a day. Alternatively, you can arrive via a private boat/yacht. There is also an airport on the Island. However, only small charter planes seem to use this airport.
How to get there?
You can reach Bequia in a few different ways.
One method is via air, depending on where you are coming from. For example, direct flights that use Bequia Air Charter planes from St Lucia and Barbados.
The second option is to fly into St Vincent and take a ferry from Kingstown. Around a 30 min taxi drive from the airport. You can find Kingstown Port. The trip on the Ferry across takes around an hour. Bequia Express is the most popular.
The third option is to come in via your own or rented boat or yacht. There are a few places to moor up on the Island. However, the majority use Port Elizabeth as a base. Here you can restock and visit the local bars and restaurants.
Whaling history?
Bequia is mainly a fishing island and also 1 of only four places in the world that are still allowed to hunt whales as per the IWC (International Whaling Commission) regulations that accept traditional whaling as opposed to commercial. . The three other places are in the Arctic. Under these IWC regulations, Whalers can catch up to 4 whales a year. However, Whalers still use traditional hand-thrown harpoons, as they have done for 130 years. This ensures that not too many whales are caught. Whaling season starts in January, so we didn’t see anything during our stay in November.
Things to see and do?
Visit Port Elizabeth
With an abundance of shops, bars, and restaurants that line the streets, you can wander along the coastline, sampling rum punches and food along the way.
Visit Bar One – A floating bar in the marina, only accessed by boat, with Swings for seats and a great place to sit, chat and see the sun setting over the water. The Bequia Plantation offers boat rides to the floating bar from their dock outside the hotel. The floating bar can be seen in the photo above on the left hand side.
Jacks Bar
Located just around the corner of Bequia Plantation and on Princess Margaret Beach, this bar offers great drinks with a view.
You can access Jack’s bar from Port Elizabeth by walking along the shoreline, the Princess Margaret Trail, or Lower bay beach.
Lower Bay Beach
A lovely stretch of beach with the water gently lapping at the clean sands and clear water. A few restaurants and bars can be found here, and it is a local and tourist favourite.
Friendship Bay
This is a picturesque beach on the Island’s west side, with a long stretch of sand and clear blue waters. The Bequia Beach Hotel sits on this stretch of sand, and apart from a few local houses and the Sugar Apple Beach houses, there is nothing else there. The waves are a little rougher on this side of the Island, which may not be to everyone’s liking, but we enjoyed the quiet side of the island. You can still use the bar and restaurant if you are not a hotel guest.
Mustique can be seen in the distance on a clear day.
Heritage Museum
Located just off the road that passes Friendship beach, you can find a small museum dedicated to the whaling history of the Island. From the boats to the typical equipment used, if you are interested in this part of their history and heritage, the staff here will answer all your questions.
Hamilton Fort /Old Fort
Sitting high above the bay, looking over Port Elizabeth, is a small area with a few old cannons that look out to sea, once used to protect the harbour from incoming threats. An excellent place to take some pictures, take a break for a few moments, and watch the scenes below as the ferries go back and forth and the sailboats come back and forth.
What did we like the most?
We stayed on Friendship Bay on the Island’s west side for the first week and then the second week in Port Elizabeth. Both offered something different.
Friendship Bay was a true paradise. Staying on the beach, Quiet and relaxing, It was only a few minutes to travel to the other side of the island to do our shopping, but we felt like we were all alone on a deserted island. The coastline is lined with Seagrape and coconut trees, representing a Caribbean beach paradise.
Only a few properties are in the area, some residential, some rental and, of course, the Bequia Beach Club hotel. In low season the beach is empty.
Our visit was at the start of November. Visitor numbers were low but starting to pick up.
We fell in love with this place simply down to its natural beauty and quiet surroundings.
We were waking up, making a coffee while listening to the waves lap against the shore outside. Our mornings became a relaxing routine of either wading into the gently crashing waves into the sea for a morning swim, taking a walk along the shoreline where seabirds would dive into the clear water, or just enjoying the sun radiating against our faces.
Even when the weather was a little wetter than usual, looking out to sea, watching the distant Island of Mustique disappearing behind a curtain of grey as the rain started to creep closer.
Island of dogs.
Dogs of all sizes roam around freely on the island. Some have collars, and most don’t. Wherever we were on the island, a lone dog seemed to be watching you from afar, hoping you would either drop some food or do its best puppy dog eyes to win a treat. There are also wandering groups of dogs that seem to walk from one part of town to the other. Always in search of some scraps.
In the midday heat, they can be found lying in the shade of a tree or even under a table or deck chair, trying to cool down. Still, with one eye open, checking for opportunities, never really making any noise, and only occasionally barking at particular people that pass by. (We assumed some history between the two, as they made no noise towards tourists)
In the evening, they will come to find you, sit while you eat, and never venture too close unless you call them or act like you will give them some food. However, they will walk off if you don’t produce anything for them.
