Bequia is best reached by boat, ideally on a chartered yacht but also by ferry, which takes about an hour to reach Port Elizabeth from the Vincentian capital of Kingston. Boats entering Admiralty Bay pass under the watch of the ruined Fort Hamilton before passengers spy the sweep of Princess Margaret Beach, the island's largest swimming and sunbathing strand.
The harborfront is lined with bars and restaurants, as well as small inns that are popular with both budget travelers and sailors looking for a night's rest on dry land. For longer stays, Bequia is blessed with a bounty of private villas for rent, including the famous rustic elegance of the Moonhole community, where homes hewn from local stone blend effortlessly into cliffside perches overlooking the sea.
Bequia is hardly cluttered with tourist attractions, and visitors who rent villas for a week or more are typically content to explore the island's half dozen or so secluded beaches and pass the time lazing on a hammock, drink in hand. However, Park Beach is home to one must-see attraction, the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, where owner Orton "Brother" King has devoted his retirement years to raising more than 2,000 endangered hawksbill sea turtles from egg to adulthood, before releasing his charges into local waters to fend for themselves.
A nautical haven for more than three centuries, Bequia is perhaps best experienced during the annual Easter Regatta, where local boats and visiting yachts compete in a variety of events, including a race around the island. Regardless of when you visit, however, don't leave Bequia without stopping at Mauvin's or Sargeant Brothers, shops where local craftsman share the art of meticulously carving model wooden boats. From simple fishing craft to intricately detailed models of yachts and fully rigged schooners, you won't find a more lovely and authentic souvenir anywhere in the Caribbean.
