Bequia

Introduction

Bequia is the second largest island in the Grenadines at 18 km2 (the largest being Carriacou, a dependency of Grenada). It is part of the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and is approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the nation's capital, Kingstown, on the main island, Saint Vincent. Bequia means "island of the clouds" in the ancient Arawak. The island's name was also 'Becouya' as part of the Granadilles. The island's unofficial anthem is considered to be 'Only in Bequia' by island native Raphael "Socony" Holder.

Geography

The island's hills are much lower than the peaks of St. Vincent, 10 miles (16 km) to the north, so they do not receive as many rain showers.

Cities

• Port Elizabeth is the main town.

Sights and Activities

• Partying - There is a regular small party on Thursdays in Frangipani one of the harbour side bar/restaurants.
• Dive Bequia, South Shore of Admiralty Bay, ☏ + 1 (784) 458 3504, ✉ [email protected]. Dive shop with friendly staff. There are several good dive sites on the island, and these folks know them well. An excellent place to get certified.

Events and Festivals

Bequia Easter Regatta

This five-day boat race takes place over Easter on the island of Bequia. It attracts many international professional and amateur sailors who compete in the Caribbean Sea surrounding the island. It is quite a spectacle to watch, and the final day sees huge celebrations going into the night.

Weather

Bequia has a hot and humid tropical climate with average daytime temperatures between 28 °C and 30 °C and average nights around 23 °C. Most rain falls between June and October with a chance of hurricanes from August onwards. Therefore, the drier (and slightly cooler) December to April period is the best time to visit weatherwise. Unfortunately prices rise sharply during this period and the months of November and May still have good weather. So budgetwise these latter months may be a good option as well.

Getting There

By Plane

in 1992, the James F. Mitchell International Airport for small planes is located near Paget Farm. With a runway length of 3,696 feet (0.7000 mi), Bequia can be reached by plane with daily connections from Kingstown, Bridgetown and surrounding islands.

By Boat

There is an Inter Island ferry between several of the main islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Four ferries operates between the islands of Saint Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island. The exact schedule can be found on this page]].
Admiralty Transport (phone 784 458 3348) and Bequia Express (phone 784 458 3472) have 4 boats togethere, travelling between the island of Bequia and Kingstown on Saint Vincent. There are 7 sailings on weekdays, 5 on Saturdays and 2 on Sundays.

Getting Around

The local bus will take you over most of the island for around 3 EC. You can easily walk to most places-for example Admiralty Bay to Friendship bay should take less than an hour.

External Links