Bequia Island is the best kept secret in the Caribbean

It is located about 15 kilometers south of the island of Sao Vicente, in the depths of the Barlavento Islands Bequia, a small 11-kilometer stretch of land, surrounded by prehistoric-looking green hills. he is One of the rare islands in the Caribbean that still retains a sense of isolation and barefoot🇧🇷

The island’s name, pronounced “Beck-way,” translates to “Cloud Isle,” the lyrical name given by the ancient Arawaks, its first inhabitants. You understand why when you land on the island’s grassy runway—which looks dangerously short from the sky.

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Sunset is the perfect time to get to Bequia. As you drive along South Coast Road, past pink homes and azure fruit stands, you’ll feel the deep baseline beat of a reggae song in the air. Sellers and sailors, packing for the day, tempt. Meanwhile, the setting sun makes the tangerine hibiscus slowly exhale its intoxicating scent in the breeze. It’s the best Caribbean reception.

Unlike Barbados, its more striking neighbor, which lies 190 kilometers to the west, There are no big resorts in Bequia🇧🇷 Sure, there are a few lackluster hostels and gated villas for rent, BUT Bequia Beach Hotel is the main place to stay on the island🇧🇷 You’re greeted by a shot of rum in the lobby, with its spinning bamboo fans, vintage suitcases and low armchairs in painted bamboo, which has a retro 1940s appeal.

Soon after the sky opens and a minute’s worth of rain falls from the sky, you’re escorted to your room, walking into twilight as frogs hop along the way and cicadas give a dissonant lullaby to say good night.

Dinner features skewers of grilled aeriolla, spicy chicken, and rice with peas, while calypso music plays in the background. You may be tempted to turn over, but the night is short for newcomers. But in fact, every night ends before midnight for most of the tourists here. And that’s the way the Bequians like it: Most people get up early to deal with another craggy day—turquoise seas, cobalt skies and violet bougainvillea do just that—and jobs that need to be done before the midday temperatures soar.

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Island views from Bequia Beach Hotel

Your mornings at Bequia Beach Hotel quickly take on a new routine. The hotel is located in Amizade Bay in the shape of a horseshoe. First, a swim in the sea, and then a walk along the incredibly beautiful coast. Breakfast is comforting: a plate of pineapple and a cup of soursop juice and a mushroom omelet, with a side of fried banana. Eat slowly, you won’t be rushed here.

As you look out from the balcony, Mustique—the hot spot for royalty, rock stars, aristocrats, and autocrats—shimmers in the distance. The enclave of the rich and famous is like a private club by the sea, with its luxury yachts and mega-villas, including Les Jolies Eaux, the famous home of Britain’s Princess Margaret. It’s a fun place to see, even if it’s just for half a day.

Fortunately, Bequia Beach Hotel has Benetti’s 35-meter yacht, “The Star of the Seas,” to take you there. So you’ll arrive in style or with a little seasickness from the Atlantic crossing – which is quickly overcome by heading to Basil’s Bar for margaritas (and a grilled Mahi burger with hot sauce, for when you’re feeling 100% again).

While Mustique is known for its attractive residents – Mick Jagger, Tommy Hilfiger and Brian Adams are just a few of the names with pastel-coloured mansions on the island – Bequia couldn’t be more different.

You could argue that the entire Caribbean revolves around the sea. In fact, you are not far from the beach on an island. But Bequia’s maritime connection runs deeper. This is still a place where fishing is the main source of income, and as you travel through the archipelago, you realize how connected people are to the ocean. Along the coast, you’ll see fishermen handling their catch–barracuda, tuna, and red snapper.

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The hotel’s saltwater pool overlooks Amizade Bay

In Admiralty Bay, in the southwest of the island, the sparkling waters are littered with the white sails of boats and yachts of all sizes. The sheltered bay has long attracted sailors, explorers, buccaneers and buccaneers, including the infamous Blackbeard who landed here in 1717.

The Bequians are recognized as some of the best shipbuilders in the world, and in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth, that skill is embodied in miniature form at Sargeant Brother’s Model Boat Shop. Here, intricate models of ships and sailboats were meticulously handcrafted by the Sargeant brothers. His talent is spread by word of mouth among the sailing community, with many yachtsmen commissioning intricate models of their own boats over the years – small versions take months to make and some cost upwards of £10,000.

Bequia is also one of the few places in the world where whaling, controversially, is still allowed once a year. It was introduced by “Yankee” whalers in the mid-19th century, who taught local sailors how to hunt animals. At present, no more than four whales are allowed to be captured per year. In fact, few mammals are ever captured, though the whale symbol appears all over the island – painted on walls, signs, and even on the unofficial symbol of the place.

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“When the alarm bell rings to indicate that a whale has been caught, everyone puts down their tools and heads south,” says Maria, a local tour guide. “It’s like a carnival atmosphere. But it’s important to understand – we don’t hunt them for profit and no part of the whale is lost. There is respect. It’s part of our culture and tradition.”

Bequia Beach Hotel has its roots in the sea. It was discovered by its Swedish owner, Bengt Mortstedt, while he was sailing through the Grenadines, arriving with his family on New Year’s Eve in 1992. Impressed by its placid nature, “like an old postcard from the Caribbean”, he returned to the island over the years, until he saw Closed hostel for sale.

With a vision of a family vacation in mind, he slowly set about flipping the dilapidated property, buying up neighboring land in the process. “At first, I just wanted a quiet place for the whole family,” he says. Instead, what was to become a villa was gradually transformed into a hotel, which opened in 2009, symbolically on New Year’s Eve.

Bequia Beach is like a secret address on the inside – a place people return to, once they discover it, year after year. “We have a couple who have been going there for ten years,” says Bengt. Another guest stayed for 66 days.

With its handwritten signs, pineapple prints, and colonial-style four-poster beds, the hotel has old-fashioned amenities and is wonderfully unpretentious. You can stay in a variety of accommodations – from beachfront suites to pretty garden cottages. The decor is similar wherever you lay your head, with kitschy parrot lamps, vintage travel posters, and palm tree print fabrics adding a touch of fun and color to the pastel setting.

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The rooms at Bequia Beach Hotel are comfortable

During the day, you can lounge by the saltwater infinity-edge pool, wondering what to choose for lunch at Bagatelle. Maybe later, you’ll head to the Blue Tropic for an Italian dinner. You can even pop into Jack’s Bar on the north side of the island, also owned by Bengt. Don’t miss the snail croquette and lobster macaroni and cheese, which you’ll eat while mingling with the young crew, locals, and celebrities.

While nothing seems to change much at the Bequia Beach Hotel, and that’s its charm, in fact, Bengt, who describes himself as an “occasional hotelier,” has continually made adjustments and improvements over the years.

His latest project, Grenadine Hills, will raise the bar for the island when it comes to places to stay. The new collection of ultra-luxury villas was launched last year, with two properties available for rent. Villa One is a six-bedroom villa with an infinity-edge pool, wine cellar, and passion fruit-filled gardens. Coral Hill, meanwhile, has five bedrooms and stunning views of the South Grenadines. A large living area, gym, games room, and pool make it the perfect space for an extended family vacation.

Next year, a third villa — an eight-bedroom home — will be launched, with locally influenced architecture and Caribbean design touches. Dubbed the Rock Villa, it would be chic enough to attract rock stars who may have strayed from Mustique. But that is not the intention. Bequia, with its shell-paneled houses and breezy churches, which invites worshipers to “Sunday Best” every week, is too real for anything too luxurious.

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Bequia has an untouched local quality

“Maybe there were a few more cars, but Bequia has hardly changed since I got here,” Bengt says. “The only thing that really surprises you is the sunset.”

By the way, to the west of the island, next to the old fort, is the best place to watch the sunset. Each twilight brings a different sight – streaks of golden rays across the sky, sometimes crimson, sometimes amber, as if taken from a Tiepolo painting. It’s the only thing that really changes here.