The sleepy isle of Bequia certainly has a lost-in-time quality. Dogs doze in the middle of some roads that wiggle up a hill, goats nibble on grass growing around the headstones in a local cemetery, and one of the restaurateurs seems to know all the school children that pass her waterfront eatery.
This
is a destination where I strolled Belmont Walkway, a ribbon of a
pedestrian path beside azure waters, past pastel-hued shops, hotels,
bars and restaurants; sipped a non-alcoholic lime squash at Jack's, a
bar along a remote stretch of Princess Margaret Beach, a golden arc
of sand; and dined at Toko's, an ultra informal restaurant where I
shared the table with fishermen and whalers.
If you're looking for an island with a high glitz factor with shopping opportunities galore, Bequia isn't for you. Rather, it's suffused with authenticity, whether it's the sea-to-table cafes or cliff top picnic spots where you'll likely not run into a soul.
I just wrote an article on Bequia for National Geographic Traveler - Intelligent Travel.
