A Bequia Travel Guide
Much of Bequia’s allure lies in it being one of the lesser known Caribbean islands. Bequia is beyond being a tourist favourite, instead it offers an authentic charm with beaches completely clear of footprints. Naturally, the route to this largely undiscovered island requires a little planning as there are no direct flights. This Bequia Travel Guide aims to cover all you need to know regarding the simplest routes to and from Bequia.
Most visitors from outside of the Caribbean region, including the USA, will approach Bequia via direct, international flights into Barbados. Fortunately, the majority of international arrivals into Barbados are in the early afternoon, which allows for convenient onward connections to Bequia. Barbados’ Grantley Adams International Airport in Bequia is served by the following major airlines:
| From the USA & Canada – American Airlines – US Air (via Philadelphia) – Air Canada – Air Jamaica |
From the UK – British Airways – Virgin – Various UK charter airlines |
Alternative approaches to Barbados are made from France and Germany and from the USA via San Juan. From France you would use Air France or a French charter flight to Martinique and vice versa, then a regional airline will take you to St. Vincent followed by a ferry trip to Bequia itself. Air connections to St. Vincent from Martinique are invariably not direct, and may involve some long stops in both St. Lucia and Barbados and/or overnight stays to get to Bequia. From Germany you should take Condor (charter) flights from Frankfurt to St. Lucia, which run on Fridays only. An overnight stay in St. Lucia is then followed by regional airline flights to St. Vincent, followed by a ferry to Bequia. Alternatively, those travelling from France and Germany can first go to London for a direct flight to Barbados.
Once in Barbados, visitors can choose either to fly to Bequia direct, a journey taking just under an hour. Alternatively, you can fly to St. Vincent then take a taxi to the Grenadines Wharf and catch the ferry to Bequia taking approximately an hour and a half. (Taxi approx.: EC$80 one way, ferry approx.: EC$25 one way/ EC$45 return).
The following local airlines fly direct to Bequia from Barbados:
SVG Air: SGV Air offers daily scheduled flights from Barbados to Bequia, these are designed to connect with incoming international flights. Flying time is approximately 55 minutes, reaching Bequia in the late afternoon. For more information and to book reservations please visit www.svgair.com or email: res@svgair.com tel: (784) 457 5124 (St. Vincent Office)
Bequia Airport: daily scheduled flights are in service to and from Barbados. Private charters and scheduled flights to and from Grenada (SVG Air), Union Island, Canouan and St. Vincent are also available – contact the above local airlines for details.
On arrival at Bequia Airport, visitors will be expected to present a completed Immigration Form provided by your incoming airline. Visitors must also be able to show a return ticket out of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The majority of hotels/villas will arrange for their guests to be collected by taxi from the airport, do check for specific information on transfers upon booking your accommodation. Otherwise, there will be taxis readily available to meet each incoming flight who are happy to take you safely to your hotel, apartment, guest house or villa.
When departing St. Vincent & the Grenadines, each passenger will be charged a mandatory EC$100 (about US$40) for National Departure Tax. This tax will already be included in the ticket price for LIAT and other major airlines departing from AIA (Argyle International Airport), but must be paid on departure by persons travelling on SVG Air/GAA/Mustique Airways out of AIA, Bequia or any other Grenadine island airports.
For those journeying to Bequia via St. Vincent, the following regional airlines fly direct to St. Vincent’s Argyle International Airport from Barbados, as well as from other hubs such asSt. Lucia, Grenada and Trinidad:
Liat – St Vincent: Within select Local Markets Call Toll Free at: 1-888-844-LIAT (5428). In U.S.V.I. and Puerto Rico call 866-549-5428. From Antigua call 480-5582. All others 1-268-480-5601/2 (Call Center Antigua W.I) reservations@liatairline.com | www.liatairline.com Tel: (784) 784 4571821 / (784) 458 4841
If visitors plan on catching a ferry to Bequia from St. Vincent, they will take a taxi to the ‘Ferry Dock’, officially known as the Grenadines Wharf, in Kingstown to catch the ferry to the island. (If your schedule is tight, tell your taxi driver!) Once at the ferry dock, you must pass through the Grenadines Wharf terminal and purchase your ferry ticket on board. The ferries run frequently on weekdays but are not as regular at the weekends. Schedules can also be subject to seasonal change, so it is sensible to check with the ferry companies or the Bequia Tourism Association before planning your journey. In the low season, the last weekday ferry to Bequia (Bequia Express) leaves St. Vincent at 6pm. The 5.30pm (Admiral) ferry to Bequia only runs on Saturdays and Sundays. Please call the ferry companies for their up-to-date ferry schedule. Phone contact: Admiralty Transport 784 458 3348 and Bequia Express 784 457 3539, or check online.
Bequia Travel Guide. Having made the journey for many years John Nicholson is happy to offer guidance on the best way to plan your trip. To discuss your own land or property purchase please telephone: +1 784 532 9224 or email john.nicholson@rockybaybequia.com
