About the island
A working sailing island in the Grenadines.
Bequia (pronounced BECK-way) sits at the northern end of the Grenadines, nine miles south of St. Vincent. Seven square miles, a population of around five thousand, and a deep harbour at Admiralty Bay that has anchored visiting yachts for over two hundred years. It is the largest and most settled of the Grenadines, and unmistakably the heart of the chain.
The defining feature of Bequia is the sea. Wooden whaleboats are still built and launched from the foreshore at Friendship Bay; the island holds one of the last indigenous whaling quotas issued by the International Whaling Commission, exercised perhaps once a year using traditional hand-thrown harpoons from open boats. The boat-building yards along the harbour are working sheds, not museum pieces. Sailing is not a leisure activity here — it is the working culture of the island.
Bequia remains quietly independent. The island has electricity, fibre internet, and a school that turns out the captains and engineers of the West Indian merchant fleet — but no traffic lights, no resort developments, and no chain hotels. The main town, Port Elizabeth, runs along the harbour for half a mile and stops. The Easter Regatta is the island’s calendar event; otherwise, life proceeds at its own pace.
“Bequia is the kind of island people return to year after year — and once you have understood why, you tend not to leave it for anywhere else in the Grenadines.”
Main town
Currency
Language
Time zone
When to go
Bequia enjoys a tropical climate that is comfortable throughout the year. December through April is the peak season, with consistent trade winds and the lowest humidity. Easter is the most significant date on the island calendar — the Bequia Easter Regatta has run for over fifty years and brings sailors from across the region. May and November are excellent shoulder months. The wetter season from June to October is warm and quiet, with the small possibility of a tropical system; the southern Grenadines sit at the edge of the hurricane belt and are typically less affected than islands further north.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Peak season
Shoulder
Green Season
Getting there
Bequia is reached by air or by sea. Most international guests fly directly into Argyle International on St. Vincent (SVD) and continue by the one-hour ferry to Bequia. Barbados (BGI) remains a useful alternative gateway for those whose home airport doesn’t connect directly to SVD, with onward connections by small plane into Bequia’s own airport.
Things to do
Bequia is a place where the days have their own logic — usually involving the sea. Mornings are for the beach, afternoons for a boat or a quiet walk, evenings for the harbour bars and Mac’s pizza. There is more to do here than first appears, but most guests find they want to do very little of it.
Princess Margaret Beach is the island’s main strand, a ten-minute walk south of Port Elizabeth. Lower Bay extends from there. Friendship Bay on the south coast is broader and quieter; Hope Bay and Industry Bay on the windward coast are wilder and largely deserted.
Bagatelle at the Bequia Beach Hotel is the polished evening — quietly considered fine dining. Da Reef on Lower Bay is the traditional beachside choice; Provision, also on Lower Bay (in season only), the modern counterpoint — a creative kitchen, a serious cocktail programme, a lively atmosphere that has made it a favourite of island regulars. Laura’s in Port Elizabeth for Italian; Coco’s in Hamilton for grilled lobster. Jack’s Bar at Princess Margaret remains a favourite for a slow lunch, sunset cocktails or a lively dinner.
Bequia is one of the great sailing islands of the Caribbean. Day charters out to the Tobago Cays — five uninhabited islands within a reef-protected lagoon — are essential. Crewed catamaran and monohull charters of several days, taking in Mustique, Canouan, and the Tobago Cays, are easily arranged.
The Tobago Cays Marine Park is a horseshoe reef enclosing five small uninhabited islands. Day trips by yacht or speedboat — with snorkelling among the turtles in the inner lagoon and a grilled lobster lunch on Petit Bateau — are an established Bequia ritual.
The wooden boats of Bequia are built by hand on the foreshore at Friendship Bay using techniques unchanged in generations. The Bequia Heritage Museum at Park documents the island’s deep maritime history.
The Bullet, Devil’s Table, and the reefs along the leeward coast offer good diving in clear water. Snorkelling from Princess Margaret Beach is straightforward and rewards a slow morning.
Hand-carved model boats — particularly the Bequia whaler — are an island specialty. Sargeant Brothers in Port Elizabeth produces the finest examples; commissioned pieces take weeks to complete and are quietly collected by Bequia regulars.
The Bequia Easter Regatta has run since 1968 and is the calendar event of the island. Three days of racing in Admiralty Bay, music ashore, and the largest gathering of the year. Booking villas around Easter requires significant lead time.
Our Bequia portfolio sits along the leeward coast — from Admiralty Bay and Belmont through to Friendship Bay on the south. Most are hillside villas with broad views over the channel; a small number are directly on the water. Every property has been visited and assessed by our team — and Real Grenadines, our sister agency on the island, manages many of them directly.
Friendship . Bequia
Villa One
12 Guests
6 Beds
Daily Continental Breakfast
Air Conditioned Bedrooms
Gated Property
UK plug sockets
Beach Access
Fully Equipped Kitchen
From
$ 3195 / night
Friendship . Bequia
Coral Hill
8 Guests
4 Beds
Infinity Pool
Gated Property
Home Office
Fully Equipped Kitchen
Tropical Garden
Gym
From
$ 3200 / night
Cloud 9 . Bequia
Moringa
10 Guests
5 Beds
Tropical Garden
Sun Loungers
Safes
Fully Equipped Kitchen
Infinity Pool
WI-FI
From
$ 1429 / night
Practical information
Entry requirements
UK, US, EU, and Canadian passport holders. Six months’ passport validity required.
Currency
Eastern Caribbean Dollar, pegged at 2.70 to USD. US dollars accepted everywhere.
Climate
25–30°C year-round. Southern Grenadines sit at the edge of the hurricane belt — typically less affected than islands further north.
Electricity
UK-style plugs (Type G). US devices require adaptors.
Driving
British convention. Local driving permit required, obtainable on arrival.
Time zone
Atlantic Standard Time. No daylight saving observed.
Connectivity
4G coverage across the island; fibre WiFi in most villas. Pockets of weaker signal in the hills.
Healthcare
Bequia Hospital handles routine care. Serious cases transfer by power boat over to St. Vincent or by air ambulance to Barbados or Miami. Travel insurance essential.
A note from our team
Every villa in our St. Barth portfolio has been personally visited by our team. We know which Gouverneur villas catch the morning light at the right angle, which Lurin properties sit on the right side of the prevailing trade wind, and which work best for a particular kind of stay. If you would like honest guidance on the right pocket of the island for your group, call us. The differences between properties are not always obvious from photographs alone.
