FAQ's

Driving is on the left-hand side. Please note that visitors owning a foreign license are legally required to obtain a visitors driving permit for each driver. This can be obtained from the Revenue Department in Port Elizabeth in Bequia.

The currency of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$) which is tied to the US dollar at a bank exchange rate of US$1 to EC$2.67. Many businesses and taxis will also accept US dollars for payment, however the exchange would usually be less.

Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the island at hotels, restaurants, and boutiques, whilst smaller businesses and street vendors may only accept cash (accepting both EC$ and US$). There is one bank on Bequia and two ATM machines where cash withdrawals can be made anytime. Please note that there may be a charge from your bank for these transactions.

Bequia has a 220 volt (50 cycles) electric supply with UK style plugs as standard. Most accommodation options supply adaptors that convert the UK plugs and allow you to use American and Canadian style plugs. Please check with the villa owner as you may need to bring adaptors if not supplied.

Considering you are on a small island in the Caribbean Sea, the internet connection on Bequia is surprisingly good and on a par with what you might expect back home. Most accommodation options have good wifi as standard and there are numerous bars, restaurants & cafes that all have wifi for you to connect to and keep in touch with events & people around the world.

We would recommend that (if your phone is unlocked) you purchase a local SIM card from a provider in town such as Digicel. This costs as little as $25EC and will allow you to book restaurant tables, call for taxis etc.

Bequia is relaxed & informal so our advice is to travel light. Even the best restaurants accept smart casual attire & you will find most folk wearing just shorts & t-shirts in many venues. Perhaps you may consider lightweight long trousers for protection against bug bites & maybe a long-sleeve shirt. The tropical temperatures mean that, even at night, you will be comfortable & warm in short sleeves, shorts & skirts.

Our advice is simply to be street wise. Bequia is one of the most friendly & welcoming places on earth. Life is stress-free, harmonious and there are no religious or ethnic tensions. So walk down the back streets & pop in to that bar that, at first glance, seems to be for locals only. You will get a warm greeting and make new friends for sure. Bequia is laid-back & genuine but, just like anywhere in the world, don’t invite crime and be aware. Remove temptation and never leave valuables in your car, at the bar or lying on the beach.

Bequia is realtively safe & most health issues are self inflicted (see rum punch advice below!). There are pharmacies & doctors on the island, as well as a hospital & a medical centre. There are also further facilities across the water in St. Vincent. Admittedly, the facilities are somewhat lower than what you may enjoy back at home but adequate for an island of Bequia’s size. Our advice? Eat the fresh fruit & seafood, walk around the island, drink plenty of water and respect the rum punch & the sun!

In a word yes. Bottled water is widely available from local stores but tap water is safe to drink. Water is a precious resource on Bequia, so all homes & accommodation options collect rain water and filter it so it’s ready to drink straight from the tap.

The local beer from St. vincent is Hairoun (pronounced Hi-roon) and another Caribbean beer that is widely available is Carib. Rum punch drinking is a popular past time on the island, but be warned. The local Sunset rum is very strong at 84.5% so treat it with respect or ask for another rum such as Sparrow or Mount Gay. We have bitter experience of not heeding this warning!

The island of Bequia has a tropical climate, which means that the weather is consistently warm throughout the year. Maximum daily temperatures only vary across the 12 months by around 4 degrees from 29 to 33 Celsius (84-91F), with the hottest & wettest months falling in August & September. But any time of the year is wonderful here, with cool breezes especially on the east coast and up on the numerous hilly points on the island. There is no bad time to visit, being far enough south to avoid passing hurricanes.

Entry visas for visits lasting up to one month are not required for holders of American, Australian, British, Canadian, European Union, New Zealand, South African and other Commonwealth passports. Visitors that do not have citizenship or residency must ensure that they can prove their departure, for instance with a return flight ticket.