UK to BQU Stopover- recommendations?
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UK to BQU Stopover- recommendations?
Never been to the Caribbean before and REALLY looking forward to it.
What my better half and I need now is a bit of advice wrt stopovers in the region.
We could simply spend the first night in Barbados and then hop over to Bequia the next day, or, we could head out to St Vincent for the first night and then take a ferry to Bequia.
Next part is obvious, any recommended hotels in Barbados or St Vincent?
TIA
ST
What my better half and I need now is a bit of advice wrt stopovers in the region.
We could simply spend the first night in Barbados and then hop over to Bequia the next day, or, we could head out to St Vincent for the first night and then take a ferry to Bequia.
Next part is obvious, any recommended hotels in Barbados or St Vincent?
TIA
ST
Join Date: May 2002
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Loads of hotels in BGI - take your pick. All relatively expensive.
All depends on your taste. I can't recommend any hotels in SVD - I lived there for quite a while, but never stayed in any. They WILL be cheaper that BGI. I always preferred the less-developed islands, so my preference would be to go for SVD for the night, then across to BQA. Lots to see in SVD - the Botanic Gardens, Basil's Bar in Kingstown (offshoot of the famous bar in Mustique), eat at Papa Spoon's Irie Soul Food Cafe (Rasta cuisine at its best). BGI I always found too manicured, too much like Tunbridge Wells with palm trees.
Alternatively, you could go straight from BGI to BQA and take a daytrip ferry over to SVD.
Hope you like things quiet in Bequia. You WILL have to be sparing on the water. In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, soap & wash, water back on to rinse. Likewise when carrying out other necessary bodily functions, the rule is "If it's brown, flush it down - if it's yellow, be mellow" - Also seen as "In the land of sun and fun, we never flush for Number 1".
What water there is is safe (it's almost ALL tankered in), so don't worry about ice cubes in your drink or using it to brush your teeth, but use bottled water to drink. Local beers are great - Hairoun, Carib, Red Stripe etc. I can't remember any rum shacks in Bequia, but if there are, they'll be safe. Well worth going to one to see real local colour. You'll get almost no local colour in Barbados. The land of McDonalds, KFC etc. Yuck. Also V expensive.
Other excellent things to do - very, VERY good diving in Bequia. Take a day trip down to the Keys - wonderful small coral island atoll partway down the Grenadines. Mustique may be worth a visit just to see the playground of the rich and famous - Mick Jagger, Raquel Welch, the late (pickled) Princess Margaret, etc.
Have fun!
All depends on your taste. I can't recommend any hotels in SVD - I lived there for quite a while, but never stayed in any. They WILL be cheaper that BGI. I always preferred the less-developed islands, so my preference would be to go for SVD for the night, then across to BQA. Lots to see in SVD - the Botanic Gardens, Basil's Bar in Kingstown (offshoot of the famous bar in Mustique), eat at Papa Spoon's Irie Soul Food Cafe (Rasta cuisine at its best). BGI I always found too manicured, too much like Tunbridge Wells with palm trees.
Alternatively, you could go straight from BGI to BQA and take a daytrip ferry over to SVD.
Hope you like things quiet in Bequia. You WILL have to be sparing on the water. In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, soap & wash, water back on to rinse. Likewise when carrying out other necessary bodily functions, the rule is "If it's brown, flush it down - if it's yellow, be mellow" - Also seen as "In the land of sun and fun, we never flush for Number 1".
What water there is is safe (it's almost ALL tankered in), so don't worry about ice cubes in your drink or using it to brush your teeth, but use bottled water to drink. Local beers are great - Hairoun, Carib, Red Stripe etc. I can't remember any rum shacks in Bequia, but if there are, they'll be safe. Well worth going to one to see real local colour. You'll get almost no local colour in Barbados. The land of McDonalds, KFC etc. Yuck. Also V expensive.
Other excellent things to do - very, VERY good diving in Bequia. Take a day trip down to the Keys - wonderful small coral island atoll partway down the Grenadines. Mustique may be worth a visit just to see the playground of the rich and famous - Mick Jagger, Raquel Welch, the late (pickled) Princess Margaret, etc.
Have fun!
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Captain Stable -
I have to take exception to that remark!!!
Barbados has plenty of local colour, and NO McDonalds. What you do have is the choice between first world amenities and local island flavour. Go down to Oistins on a Friday night and you will see more local colour there than you could shake your stick at.
As for expensive.....no more so than anywhere else in the Caribbean. Again its choice. You could go and stay at Sandy Lane for $2000 US a night, or there are great little charming guest houses on the south coast for as little as $40 or $50 US a night.
With the most beautiful beaches, the rugged east and north coast, and the highly developed south and west, telephones, electricity, internet, TV, transport, and water that ALL WORK, Barbados probably has the best tourism product on offer in the Caribbean right now.
But don't take it from me - come see yourself. SofTop Pm me if you need more info - glad to help you out.
I have to take exception to that remark!!!
Barbados has plenty of local colour, and NO McDonalds. What you do have is the choice between first world amenities and local island flavour. Go down to Oistins on a Friday night and you will see more local colour there than you could shake your stick at.
As for expensive.....no more so than anywhere else in the Caribbean. Again its choice. You could go and stay at Sandy Lane for $2000 US a night, or there are great little charming guest houses on the south coast for as little as $40 or $50 US a night.
With the most beautiful beaches, the rugged east and north coast, and the highly developed south and west, telephones, electricity, internet, TV, transport, and water that ALL WORK, Barbados probably has the best tourism product on offer in the Caribbean right now.
But don't take it from me - come see yourself. SofTop Pm me if you need more info - glad to help you out.
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BGI: Allamanda Hotel is small and reasonable...nice rooms studio style and a nice pool...nice sea views...no beach, but free transport is provided to the sister hotel The Ameryllis, just up the road, which has a nice beach...Virgin Atlantic and a few others stay there.
Nice restaurant about 50 yards from the Allamanda called Splash. Alternatively head into Lawrence Gap where almost every taste is catered for.
Cheers
HR
Nice restaurant about 50 yards from the Allamanda called Splash. Alternatively head into Lawrence Gap where almost every taste is catered for.
Cheers
HR
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All of the above .....
Thanks folks for the recommendations. Still sorting out a few details and your info is in the mix.
Also following the "liming" thread with some anticipation
Regards to all.
ST & Better Half
Thanks folks for the recommendations. Still sorting out a few details and your info is in the mix.
Also following the "liming" thread with some anticipation
Regards to all.
ST & Better Half
