Tourism in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines are starting to be noticed as tourism destinations. Google looks out for mentions of SVG on the internet. Here's some recent ones:
St Vincent – The Caribbean you are looking for
24 January 2008
Hon. Glen Beache, the Minister of Tourism for St Vincent and The Grenadines said the Caribbean island nation is committed to being 'the Caribbean you are looking for'. And, through the development of Buccament Bay Resort on the west coast of the largest of the Islands, St Vincent, it looks like Mr Beache’s vision will come to fruition.
Practically untouched along its coastline, St Vincent has awe-inspiring scenery with palm-cloaked mountains, tumbling waterfalls and lush vegetation which earned it the setting for the Pirates of Caribbean trilogy – a major kick-start for a still embryonic tourist industry. Over 200,000 cruise passengers tested their sea legs on the Island last year and with a chain of 32 tiny islands to explore, the sailing here is amongst the best in the world. However, a quick read of the plans afoot for Buccament Bay and it’s clear that this is just the beginning.
Chris Sawyer, Caribbean expert for GEM Estates comments, “At this moment in time there are only a handful of hotels and therefore practically nowhere for tourists to stay, so the local authorities have welcomed the development of Buccament Bay with open arms. The resort will bring the Island’s first casino, the Island’s first conference centre and wedding-white sand will be shipped across from Guyana to disguise the natural black sand. In order to make guest’s arrival a smooth experience, the developer has helped to modernize the airport, fill potholes in the road and even purchased three airplanes and two seaplanes to charter clients to the resort from Barbados’ International Airport - although St Vincent’s own international airport is due to open in 2011 in Argyle just 15km away from the resort.”
Chris continues, “With the developer now the second largest employer on the Island after the government, with almost 500 staff, the government has even passed a special act to express their thanks to confirm that purchasers will pay no income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax indefinitely. Compound the fact that property prices are around one fifth of the west coast of Barbados and the developer is marketing Buccament Bay below market value, the investment case here is very strong.”
In order to attract high-calibre five star guests to the resort, which comprises one and two bedroom apartments, one and two bedroom cabanas and two three and four bedroom plantation villas, it will have some of the most unique facilities ever seen. A replica hand-built solid wood ‘Black Pearl’ pirate ship will be moored offshore as a floating restaurant and a 20,000ft² Spa with treatment suites as well as Yoga and Pilates will occupy ‘Spa Island Sanctuary’, a drawbridge-accessed six acre island with luxury butler-serviced cabanas and a private restaurant – ideal for honeymooners and other VIPs. A sports academy with tennis, football and cricket coaching will be on-hand for the energetic as well as a diving centre offering PADI tuition. Bars, restaurants and boutiques will satisfy a more leisurely taste.
Environmental considerations have not been forgotten, Buccament Bay will be powered by a biodiesel generator, water will be recycled into grey water for garden irrigation and all trees in the path of construction have been lovingly replanted and shoots taken for new offspring. The lagoons coursing between the cabanas will teem with Koi Carp – not only beautiful to look at but also feasting on mosquito larvae thus keeping populations low and, in a nod to the possibility of heavy rainfall, the developer has additionally chosen to elevate the land by between three and a half and six feet to prevent flooding, whereas the professional study only advised seven to nine inches. There will be nothing left to chance.
Thanks to some clever financing options Buccament Bay is available for just £1,000 representing the non-refundable reservation fee and thereafter the purchase is 100% finance. In each case a 30% deposit is required within 45 days of reservation. If you opt for finance, not compulsory, the developer will cover the loan repayments including interest until completion and simply add on the cost of those payments to the purchase price upon completion. On a property of £200,000 that would mean an additional £7,080 on the purchase price based on an interest rate of 6%, a figure that will undoubtedly be swallowed up in capital appreciation when the property is bank valued at completion. Buccament Bay also has a 10% rental guarantee in place for the first two years after completion (50% of the net room rate share thereafter) generating an income of £20,000 each year, enough to cover mortgage repayments.
Prices from £115,000 for a hotel suite, one bedroom cabanas from £285,000 and two bedroom plantation cabanas from £495,000. The whole complex will be run as a hotel meaning that all units come fully furnished to a five star standard.
For further information, visit gem-estates.com.
It's cold as anything here in the nation's capital and we're dreaming of unspoiled Caribbean beaches, so we'd like to give a shout out to the Grenadines. While some sustainable-tourism panelists argued that cruise culture is taking its toll on the island chain, the Grenadines scored a decent 77 on our Destinations Rated: Islands survey, putting it in the top 20 best islands and tied with Dominica for the top Caribbean island.
So where are they and how soon can we get there?
The Grenadine chain includes 600 islands (many uninhabited) covering about 60 miles in the West Indies, namely St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, and Union Island. In the north, the islands are part of the nation known as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while southern islands such as Carriacou are incorporated into Grenada.
And now for the goods. Our sustainable tourism experts said:
Beautiful destination for yachting and high-end tourists. Water is scarce so resources must be carefully managed. Good environmental awareness among the local population, who guard their islands zealously. Yachting discharge into the ocean is a problem. Given their fragility, there is need for strict development controls. Otherwise, attractive, friendly people, and good quality of life.
Another panelist bemoaned the behavior exhibited by visitors, especially cruisers:
Visitors are not sensitive to their impact on the environment, especially marine. Many yachties do not see themselves as being 'on' the destination, and is even truer of cruise ships, which boost arrival numbers while doing little for the islands' economies.
Ouch! But, to end on a happier note, another expert added:
One of the last, best hopes of the Caribbean. Bequia is a gem and the Tobago Cays, though overrun with boats, remain the best place to snorkel in the region. The only inauthentic place is Mustique and the two private resort islands.
Ever been? What's your take?
St Vincent and the Grenadines invests in tourism development with EU assistance
Published on Thursday, January 31, 2008
Email To Friend Print Version
BELFAST, Northern Ireland: The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) with the assistance of the European Commission will be investing 5 million Euro, to upgrade and develop their tourism and eco-tourism industry. The Tourism Development Project (TDP) initiative comes after record visitor numbers in 2007 and strong projections for 2008 from Europe, North America and the Caribbean community. SVG is one of the most diverse locations in the Eastern Caribbean, each island offering a truly unique and different experience to its visitors. The TDP objective is to achieve levels of sustained growth, increased employment, and shared benefits to local communities, while simultaneously offering a high quality tourism product, positioning SVG as an ultimate adventure Caribbean holiday destination.
Dr Christopher G. Stange, Consul for St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in Northern Ireland and Caribbean Industry Analyst
A National Parks Authority (NPA) has been established, and various sites and attractions have been designated for improvement including the world-famous Tobago Cays, cascading Falls of Baleine and lava pool at Owia Salt Pond. Community organisations and other non-governmental parties will be involved during all stages of development. The emphasis will be on strengthening the sustainable management of the country’s resources ensuring environmental protection as well as, improving customer service through the establishment of a Hospitality Training Institute. Glen Beache, Minister of Tourism, Youth and Sports for St Vincent and the Grenadines explains: “St Vincent and the Grenadines has something to suit all holidaymakers and their budgets, from guest houses to five star resorts, from sailing to hiking, and we hope that our efforts to develop key tourist sites, as well as the continued investment by hoteliers in new and exciting accommodation options, will attract even more visitors to the destination.” Dr Christopher G. Stange, Consul of St Vincent and the Grenadines in Northern Ireland further added: “With Argyle International Airport on St. Vincent to be completed in 2011 and the recent large expansion to the airport on Canouan, the necessary infrastructure is being created for easier airline access to the country and direct routes. With the large population of Caribbean descent and specifically the Vincentian Diaspora outside the country, we all have a substantial role to play in Caribbean integration and promoting our small nation. I encourage citizens to get involved, be proud of our country’s achievements and promote SVG.” The Tourism Development Project is managed by the Ministry of Tourism, implemented by Tourism Intelligence International and will run until 2009. The sites that are being developed are: Argyle Recreation Park, Belmont Lookout, Black Point, Botanic Gardens, Cumberland Beach Recreation Centre, Cumberland Nature Trail, Dark View Falls, Falls of Baleine, Fitzhughes Heritage Centre, Fort Murray, Layou Petroglyph Park, Owia Salt Pond, Rabacca River Recreation Park, Rawacou Beach, Soufriere Cross, Country Trail, Tobago Cays, Wallilabou Falls Park and the Youroumei Heritage Village.
Something in the wind
Gina Mallet, National Post
Published: Friday, February 01, 2008
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Gina Mallet for National Post
If you can’t get on the water, you can’t really absorb Bequia. Above, the Friendship Rose drops anchor in the yacht-clotted harbour.
The sun's high, scattering the clouds, the seas are rolling and the crew is hoisting the flapping sails of the 100-foot wooden schooner Friendship Rose as she starts the 14-km trip from Bequia to Mustique. These little lumps of the Grenadine islands, 32 cays of extinct volcanoes, are battered by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which at the turn of the tide can transform channels into surging torrents. Already I can feel the boat bouncing on the waves as I lie leeside enjoying the occasional ocean splash. I can't believe it: There are no Jet Skis! Jet Skis are banned in the Grenadines.
It's OK, I think to myself: Bequia hasn't changed that much. I came here for the first time more than 20 years ago on the Friendship Rose, which was then the sole link between the island and the outside world. From Barbados I flew to St. Vincent and then got on the boat, shabby, capacious and fun, families, tourists, Rastafarians, the odd pig, sacks of food.
But this time I took a car ferry to Bequia, and was depressed until I spotted the schooner's graceful lines in the yacht-clotted harbour. She hadn't died, just morphed into a posh day tripper, dishy pale blue and white, for those aching to be under sail. If you don't get on the water, you can't really absorb Bequia. It's not enough to take a water taxi to and from Princess Margaret Beach, and I don't see any small sailing boats until Danny, a bronzed Californian, sails his 12-foot gaff-rigged Whitehall skiff on to the beach in order to reef the oxblood sail, the wind's that strong, before sailing it back to the mother ship.
Drat, if I'd come here later in the season I might have had a chance to go whaling: Bequians are allowed to take four humpback whales a year; the season runs from February to June.
I buy a couple of tickets for the trip to Mustique, one for me, the other for my niece Lara, to try to get her to stop texting. Cost: $125 each for a sybaritic 12 hours. As we head out to sea I sip excellent coffee, bite into a fresh Danish, eat half a passion fruit.
After the sails go up, the schooner does some serious heaving to and fro, and several passengers dive below for a Gravol fix. Noon brings us to the offshore Basil's Bar, which looks like a shack on stilts. After some therapeutic fizz, we're taken ashore by tender. There we run into Mustique 'tude. There are only 17 of us, the limit imposed by Mustique, which doesn't want tourists, and we have trouble getting a cab, the usual pickup truck with a rollback vinyl roof.
Not much to see: Mustique is the Caribbean version of Palm Beach. Mostly elderly people in golf carts hiding behind huge hedges. Basil's Bar is a bust, too. It has a clientele of people who imagine they're Princess Margaret, once the queen of Mustique, and look at you as if you should know who they are. But I don't know what Tommy Hilfiger looks like unless he's wearing his logo.
We eat lunch onboard, propping our plates on hatches, very good coconut chicken, saffron rice, red and white French wine, amazing coconut fudge. Bequia food has improved no end since I was first here. In those days, steak night at the Frangipani, the iconic Grenadine bar for international yachties, with the sea lapping the sand, was the high point. Now, the pathway along the harbour has restos cheek by jowl. All bills are rendered in frighteningly large amounts of eastern Caribbean currency, but once the BlackBerry crunches the numbers, half a huge lobster grilled to perfection at L'Auberge des Grenadines tallies up to a mere $22. The island's doyenne, Pat Mitchell, makes a mean shrimp bisque at the Gingerbread Hotel, where we're hanging. And don't miss the wonderful goat soup at Fernando's Hideaway, a tree house of a resto; this tip comes from a gastronomic couple from Pennsylvania.
Passengers are now unbuttoning. We're the typical Caribbean vacation demographic: Aussies sailing round the world, an English doctor and his wife who broke her back nursing a sheep, some serious lefties who keep trying to buy the right newspaper, a septuagenarian economist who is walking all over the island - he recommends we next take the Friendship Rose to the spectacular Tobago Cays - and a family we dub the Ikeas, Swedes of somber mien. Some go snorkelling. I drop off the ladder into a pellucid sea of marginal refreshment.
The sail back is calmer. We skirt Friendship Bay, where the schooner was built, and chug into the harbour as the sun goes down. Little lights go up on the surrounding sailboats, inflatables buzz around. My favourite water taxi, Desire Me, heaves to.
GUIDEBOOK:
Happily for those of us who don't want Bequia to be overrun, it isn't always easy to get there!
Going out
The plan is for me to meet my niece Lara from London in Barbados and take a LIAT (Leave Island Any Time) flight to St. Vincent (SVG), in the hope of catching the last ferry. Reality: Her plane is late, and the LIAT plane incredibly late. We get up the next day at 3 a.m. to board the flight to SVG, where we take the ferry to Bequia. Luggage lost.
Getting home
I switch to SVG Airlines, which flies from Bequia's tiny airstrip. When I arrive in SVG, I learn the fire engine has broken down and nothing can fly in or out. But Firefly, the island's gold-plated resort, has rented a fast boat to take two guests to Mustique where a flight to Barbados is scheduled. For US$100, I sign on, too. OMG. Mr. and Mrs. Dutch, as I call my fellow passengers, are dressed for their NYC arrival; he's wearing Gucci loafers, a panama hat. Our captain, Garnet Williams, drives the boat at top speed through two-metre waves; sometimes we're planing over top, once we gaze down into a chasm. Mrs. Dutch cries, "It's like being in a James Bond movie!" Suddenly we're at Basil's Bar, offshore. Mr. Dutch fumbles for major cash. I tell Garnet I have only the $40 required to leave the country. "It's OK," he beams, "money isn't everything." The finest words in the lingo.
The trip home takes a total of 14 hours. Lara takes 26 hours to get to London since she has to take the ferry to SVG and then catch a plane back to Bequia and start all over again! But what's a holiday for?
Where to stay
• Gingerbread Hotel. Luxury suites for two in a beautiful garden right on the harbour. ginger@caribsurf.com
• The Frangipani Hotel. Authentic island feeling in a historic hotel lapped by the sea. frangi@caribsurf.com
• Firefly Hotel. Blue-ribbon resort on
a former plantation. hotelbequia.com
• Bequia Beachfront Villas.
Luxury apartments on the empty
end of Friendship Bay.
bequiabeachvillas.com
Restaurants/Bars
Expect to pay about $55 to $75 for two.
• De Reef on Lower Bay Beach, for Sunday-afternoon jam sessions. 784-458-3958
• Moskito Beach Bar on Friendship Bay serves knockout rum punch dusted with LSD, a.k.a. nutmeg. Terrific
hamburgers.
• Café at Gingerbread Hotel is at the dock, where everyone comes in for cappuccino and iced coffee.
• The Frangipani bar has a great steel band, rum punch and a Thursday-night barbecue.
• Devil's Table in Tradewinds Cruise Club. Get a table right on the water and order steak with rum and peppercorn sauce.
• L'Auberge des Grenadines. Perfectly grilled fresh lobster. auberge@caribrestaurant.com
• Fernando's Hideaway, Lower Bay. 784-458-3758. Famous for goat soup and authentic island cooking. friendshiprose.com
Shopping
• Eastern Caribbean dollars and U.S. dollars are accepted. There are a couple of ATMs on Bequia but they're often out of money. The Gingerbread Hotel will change money.
• Tropical Wave Boutique in the Bayshore Mall opposite the ferries is great when your luggage is lost.
• The Garden Boutique has gorgeous handpainted batik dresses, T-shirts and the like.
• Kingsley "Prop" King makes enchanting model boats that can be sailed by hand at the boathouse on the road to the airport.
St Vincent – The Caribbean you are looking for
24 January 2008
Hon. Glen Beache, the Minister of Tourism for St Vincent and The Grenadines said the Caribbean island nation is committed to being 'the Caribbean you are looking for'. And, through the development of Buccament Bay Resort on the west coast of the largest of the Islands, St Vincent, it looks like Mr Beache’s vision will come to fruition.
Practically untouched along its coastline, St Vincent has awe-inspiring scenery with palm-cloaked mountains, tumbling waterfalls and lush vegetation which earned it the setting for the Pirates of Caribbean trilogy – a major kick-start for a still embryonic tourist industry. Over 200,000 cruise passengers tested their sea legs on the Island last year and with a chain of 32 tiny islands to explore, the sailing here is amongst the best in the world. However, a quick read of the plans afoot for Buccament Bay and it’s clear that this is just the beginning.
Chris Sawyer, Caribbean expert for GEM Estates comments, “At this moment in time there are only a handful of hotels and therefore practically nowhere for tourists to stay, so the local authorities have welcomed the development of Buccament Bay with open arms. The resort will bring the Island’s first casino, the Island’s first conference centre and wedding-white sand will be shipped across from Guyana to disguise the natural black sand. In order to make guest’s arrival a smooth experience, the developer has helped to modernize the airport, fill potholes in the road and even purchased three airplanes and two seaplanes to charter clients to the resort from Barbados’ International Airport - although St Vincent’s own international airport is due to open in 2011 in Argyle just 15km away from the resort.”
Chris continues, “With the developer now the second largest employer on the Island after the government, with almost 500 staff, the government has even passed a special act to express their thanks to confirm that purchasers will pay no income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax indefinitely. Compound the fact that property prices are around one fifth of the west coast of Barbados and the developer is marketing Buccament Bay below market value, the investment case here is very strong.”
In order to attract high-calibre five star guests to the resort, which comprises one and two bedroom apartments, one and two bedroom cabanas and two three and four bedroom plantation villas, it will have some of the most unique facilities ever seen. A replica hand-built solid wood ‘Black Pearl’ pirate ship will be moored offshore as a floating restaurant and a 20,000ft² Spa with treatment suites as well as Yoga and Pilates will occupy ‘Spa Island Sanctuary’, a drawbridge-accessed six acre island with luxury butler-serviced cabanas and a private restaurant – ideal for honeymooners and other VIPs. A sports academy with tennis, football and cricket coaching will be on-hand for the energetic as well as a diving centre offering PADI tuition. Bars, restaurants and boutiques will satisfy a more leisurely taste.
Environmental considerations have not been forgotten, Buccament Bay will be powered by a biodiesel generator, water will be recycled into grey water for garden irrigation and all trees in the path of construction have been lovingly replanted and shoots taken for new offspring. The lagoons coursing between the cabanas will teem with Koi Carp – not only beautiful to look at but also feasting on mosquito larvae thus keeping populations low and, in a nod to the possibility of heavy rainfall, the developer has additionally chosen to elevate the land by between three and a half and six feet to prevent flooding, whereas the professional study only advised seven to nine inches. There will be nothing left to chance.
Thanks to some clever financing options Buccament Bay is available for just £1,000 representing the non-refundable reservation fee and thereafter the purchase is 100% finance. In each case a 30% deposit is required within 45 days of reservation. If you opt for finance, not compulsory, the developer will cover the loan repayments including interest until completion and simply add on the cost of those payments to the purchase price upon completion. On a property of £200,000 that would mean an additional £7,080 on the purchase price based on an interest rate of 6%, a figure that will undoubtedly be swallowed up in capital appreciation when the property is bank valued at completion. Buccament Bay also has a 10% rental guarantee in place for the first two years after completion (50% of the net room rate share thereafter) generating an income of £20,000 each year, enough to cover mortgage repayments.
Prices from £115,000 for a hotel suite, one bedroom cabanas from £285,000 and two bedroom plantation cabanas from £495,000. The whole complex will be run as a hotel meaning that all units come fully furnished to a five star standard.
For further information, visit gem-estates.com.
It's cold as anything here in the nation's capital and we're dreaming of unspoiled Caribbean beaches, so we'd like to give a shout out to the Grenadines. While some sustainable-tourism panelists argued that cruise culture is taking its toll on the island chain, the Grenadines scored a decent 77 on our Destinations Rated: Islands survey, putting it in the top 20 best islands and tied with Dominica for the top Caribbean island.
So where are they and how soon can we get there?
The Grenadine chain includes 600 islands (many uninhabited) covering about 60 miles in the West Indies, namely St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, and Union Island. In the north, the islands are part of the nation known as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while southern islands such as Carriacou are incorporated into Grenada.
And now for the goods. Our sustainable tourism experts said:
Beautiful destination for yachting and high-end tourists. Water is scarce so resources must be carefully managed. Good environmental awareness among the local population, who guard their islands zealously. Yachting discharge into the ocean is a problem. Given their fragility, there is need for strict development controls. Otherwise, attractive, friendly people, and good quality of life.
Another panelist bemoaned the behavior exhibited by visitors, especially cruisers:
Visitors are not sensitive to their impact on the environment, especially marine. Many yachties do not see themselves as being 'on' the destination, and is even truer of cruise ships, which boost arrival numbers while doing little for the islands' economies.
Ouch! But, to end on a happier note, another expert added:
One of the last, best hopes of the Caribbean. Bequia is a gem and the Tobago Cays, though overrun with boats, remain the best place to snorkel in the region. The only inauthentic place is Mustique and the two private resort islands.
Ever been? What's your take?
St Vincent and the Grenadines invests in tourism development with EU assistance
Published on Thursday, January 31, 2008
Email To Friend Print Version
BELFAST, Northern Ireland: The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) with the assistance of the European Commission will be investing 5 million Euro, to upgrade and develop their tourism and eco-tourism industry. The Tourism Development Project (TDP) initiative comes after record visitor numbers in 2007 and strong projections for 2008 from Europe, North America and the Caribbean community. SVG is one of the most diverse locations in the Eastern Caribbean, each island offering a truly unique and different experience to its visitors. The TDP objective is to achieve levels of sustained growth, increased employment, and shared benefits to local communities, while simultaneously offering a high quality tourism product, positioning SVG as an ultimate adventure Caribbean holiday destination.
Dr Christopher G. Stange, Consul for St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in Northern Ireland and Caribbean Industry Analyst
A National Parks Authority (NPA) has been established, and various sites and attractions have been designated for improvement including the world-famous Tobago Cays, cascading Falls of Baleine and lava pool at Owia Salt Pond. Community organisations and other non-governmental parties will be involved during all stages of development. The emphasis will be on strengthening the sustainable management of the country’s resources ensuring environmental protection as well as, improving customer service through the establishment of a Hospitality Training Institute. Glen Beache, Minister of Tourism, Youth and Sports for St Vincent and the Grenadines explains: “St Vincent and the Grenadines has something to suit all holidaymakers and their budgets, from guest houses to five star resorts, from sailing to hiking, and we hope that our efforts to develop key tourist sites, as well as the continued investment by hoteliers in new and exciting accommodation options, will attract even more visitors to the destination.” Dr Christopher G. Stange, Consul of St Vincent and the Grenadines in Northern Ireland further added: “With Argyle International Airport on St. Vincent to be completed in 2011 and the recent large expansion to the airport on Canouan, the necessary infrastructure is being created for easier airline access to the country and direct routes. With the large population of Caribbean descent and specifically the Vincentian Diaspora outside the country, we all have a substantial role to play in Caribbean integration and promoting our small nation. I encourage citizens to get involved, be proud of our country’s achievements and promote SVG.” The Tourism Development Project is managed by the Ministry of Tourism, implemented by Tourism Intelligence International and will run until 2009. The sites that are being developed are: Argyle Recreation Park, Belmont Lookout, Black Point, Botanic Gardens, Cumberland Beach Recreation Centre, Cumberland Nature Trail, Dark View Falls, Falls of Baleine, Fitzhughes Heritage Centre, Fort Murray, Layou Petroglyph Park, Owia Salt Pond, Rabacca River Recreation Park, Rawacou Beach, Soufriere Cross, Country Trail, Tobago Cays, Wallilabou Falls Park and the Youroumei Heritage Village.
Something in the wind
Gina Mallet, National Post
Published: Friday, February 01, 2008
Story Tools
•
•
• Change font size
• Print this story
• E-Mail this story
Share This Story
• Digg
• Del.icio.us
• More
Gina Mallet for National Post
If you can’t get on the water, you can’t really absorb Bequia. Above, the Friendship Rose drops anchor in the yacht-clotted harbour.
The sun's high, scattering the clouds, the seas are rolling and the crew is hoisting the flapping sails of the 100-foot wooden schooner Friendship Rose as she starts the 14-km trip from Bequia to Mustique. These little lumps of the Grenadine islands, 32 cays of extinct volcanoes, are battered by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which at the turn of the tide can transform channels into surging torrents. Already I can feel the boat bouncing on the waves as I lie leeside enjoying the occasional ocean splash. I can't believe it: There are no Jet Skis! Jet Skis are banned in the Grenadines.
It's OK, I think to myself: Bequia hasn't changed that much. I came here for the first time more than 20 years ago on the Friendship Rose, which was then the sole link between the island and the outside world. From Barbados I flew to St. Vincent and then got on the boat, shabby, capacious and fun, families, tourists, Rastafarians, the odd pig, sacks of food.
But this time I took a car ferry to Bequia, and was depressed until I spotted the schooner's graceful lines in the yacht-clotted harbour. She hadn't died, just morphed into a posh day tripper, dishy pale blue and white, for those aching to be under sail. If you don't get on the water, you can't really absorb Bequia. It's not enough to take a water taxi to and from Princess Margaret Beach, and I don't see any small sailing boats until Danny, a bronzed Californian, sails his 12-foot gaff-rigged Whitehall skiff on to the beach in order to reef the oxblood sail, the wind's that strong, before sailing it back to the mother ship.
Drat, if I'd come here later in the season I might have had a chance to go whaling: Bequians are allowed to take four humpback whales a year; the season runs from February to June.
I buy a couple of tickets for the trip to Mustique, one for me, the other for my niece Lara, to try to get her to stop texting. Cost: $125 each for a sybaritic 12 hours. As we head out to sea I sip excellent coffee, bite into a fresh Danish, eat half a passion fruit.
After the sails go up, the schooner does some serious heaving to and fro, and several passengers dive below for a Gravol fix. Noon brings us to the offshore Basil's Bar, which looks like a shack on stilts. After some therapeutic fizz, we're taken ashore by tender. There we run into Mustique 'tude. There are only 17 of us, the limit imposed by Mustique, which doesn't want tourists, and we have trouble getting a cab, the usual pickup truck with a rollback vinyl roof.
Not much to see: Mustique is the Caribbean version of Palm Beach. Mostly elderly people in golf carts hiding behind huge hedges. Basil's Bar is a bust, too. It has a clientele of people who imagine they're Princess Margaret, once the queen of Mustique, and look at you as if you should know who they are. But I don't know what Tommy Hilfiger looks like unless he's wearing his logo.
We eat lunch onboard, propping our plates on hatches, very good coconut chicken, saffron rice, red and white French wine, amazing coconut fudge. Bequia food has improved no end since I was first here. In those days, steak night at the Frangipani, the iconic Grenadine bar for international yachties, with the sea lapping the sand, was the high point. Now, the pathway along the harbour has restos cheek by jowl. All bills are rendered in frighteningly large amounts of eastern Caribbean currency, but once the BlackBerry crunches the numbers, half a huge lobster grilled to perfection at L'Auberge des Grenadines tallies up to a mere $22. The island's doyenne, Pat Mitchell, makes a mean shrimp bisque at the Gingerbread Hotel, where we're hanging. And don't miss the wonderful goat soup at Fernando's Hideaway, a tree house of a resto; this tip comes from a gastronomic couple from Pennsylvania.
Passengers are now unbuttoning. We're the typical Caribbean vacation demographic: Aussies sailing round the world, an English doctor and his wife who broke her back nursing a sheep, some serious lefties who keep trying to buy the right newspaper, a septuagenarian economist who is walking all over the island - he recommends we next take the Friendship Rose to the spectacular Tobago Cays - and a family we dub the Ikeas, Swedes of somber mien. Some go snorkelling. I drop off the ladder into a pellucid sea of marginal refreshment.
The sail back is calmer. We skirt Friendship Bay, where the schooner was built, and chug into the harbour as the sun goes down. Little lights go up on the surrounding sailboats, inflatables buzz around. My favourite water taxi, Desire Me, heaves to.
GUIDEBOOK:
Happily for those of us who don't want Bequia to be overrun, it isn't always easy to get there!
Going out
The plan is for me to meet my niece Lara from London in Barbados and take a LIAT (Leave Island Any Time) flight to St. Vincent (SVG), in the hope of catching the last ferry. Reality: Her plane is late, and the LIAT plane incredibly late. We get up the next day at 3 a.m. to board the flight to SVG, where we take the ferry to Bequia. Luggage lost.
Getting home
I switch to SVG Airlines, which flies from Bequia's tiny airstrip. When I arrive in SVG, I learn the fire engine has broken down and nothing can fly in or out. But Firefly, the island's gold-plated resort, has rented a fast boat to take two guests to Mustique where a flight to Barbados is scheduled. For US$100, I sign on, too. OMG. Mr. and Mrs. Dutch, as I call my fellow passengers, are dressed for their NYC arrival; he's wearing Gucci loafers, a panama hat. Our captain, Garnet Williams, drives the boat at top speed through two-metre waves; sometimes we're planing over top, once we gaze down into a chasm. Mrs. Dutch cries, "It's like being in a James Bond movie!" Suddenly we're at Basil's Bar, offshore. Mr. Dutch fumbles for major cash. I tell Garnet I have only the $40 required to leave the country. "It's OK," he beams, "money isn't everything." The finest words in the lingo.
The trip home takes a total of 14 hours. Lara takes 26 hours to get to London since she has to take the ferry to SVG and then catch a plane back to Bequia and start all over again! But what's a holiday for?
Where to stay
• Gingerbread Hotel. Luxury suites for two in a beautiful garden right on the harbour. ginger@caribsurf.com
• The Frangipani Hotel. Authentic island feeling in a historic hotel lapped by the sea. frangi@caribsurf.com
• Firefly Hotel. Blue-ribbon resort on
a former plantation. hotelbequia.com
• Bequia Beachfront Villas.
Luxury apartments on the empty
end of Friendship Bay.
bequiabeachvillas.com
Restaurants/Bars
Expect to pay about $55 to $75 for two.
• De Reef on Lower Bay Beach, for Sunday-afternoon jam sessions. 784-458-3958
• Moskito Beach Bar on Friendship Bay serves knockout rum punch dusted with LSD, a.k.a. nutmeg. Terrific
hamburgers.
• Café at Gingerbread Hotel is at the dock, where everyone comes in for cappuccino and iced coffee.
• The Frangipani bar has a great steel band, rum punch and a Thursday-night barbecue.
• Devil's Table in Tradewinds Cruise Club. Get a table right on the water and order steak with rum and peppercorn sauce.
• L'Auberge des Grenadines. Perfectly grilled fresh lobster. auberge@caribrestaurant.com
• Fernando's Hideaway, Lower Bay. 784-458-3758. Famous for goat soup and authentic island cooking. friendshiprose.com
Shopping
• Eastern Caribbean dollars and U.S. dollars are accepted. There are a couple of ATMs on Bequia but they're often out of money. The Gingerbread Hotel will change money.
• Tropical Wave Boutique in the Bayshore Mall opposite the ferries is great when your luggage is lost.
• The Garden Boutique has gorgeous handpainted batik dresses, T-shirts and the like.
• Kingsley "Prop" King makes enchanting model boats that can be sailed by hand at the boathouse on the road to the airport.
posted by Karl Eklund at 5:45 AM
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