Ins & Outs of SVG 2020

MAYREAU Bequia 73 YREAU DISCOVER BEQUIA 73 INS OUT Bequia The Trident South Side Sights As you make your way west along the winding southside road you’ll come to the colourful fishing community of Paget Farm where there are superb views across the sea to the uninhabited islands of Isle a Quatre and Petit Nevis, the site of the old whaling station. The Fishing Complex at Paget Farm is a good place to get your fresh live lobsters during lobster season. Exploring the Wild Side The windward side of the island is also the most fertile, and it was here in the 18th and 19th centuries that several of Bequia’s nine sugar plantations were situated. Firefly Plantation Hotel at Spring is a charming boutique hotel set in the grounds of a 225 year old, 30-acre working plantation. The ‘Great House’, where the elegant yet informal bar and restaurant are now located, is built on the foundations of the original 18th century sugar plantation’s estate house. Plantation Tours of the estate are offered, giving visitors an excellent insight into the fascinating history of the old Spring Plantation and the adjoining sugar mill and indigo processing plant. Visitors will also have the opportunity to sample many of the seasonal fruits and vegetables and learn about the various crops, herbs and flowers you will encounter. Afterwards, stop at Crescent Beach (Industry Bay) for a swim and snorkel in the bay and have lunch at the charming Sugar Reef Café . Great care has been taken in the details to make Sugar Reef a one-of-a-kind gem, morphing laid-back charm with a noticeable degree of elegance. Explore Bequia’s History and Heritage On the south-east coast is Friendship Bay, bounded on the east by St. Hilaire Point and steeped in Bequia’s history. The much loved Friendship Rose, which operated as the main ferry between Bequia and St. Vincent for 25 years, was built under a cluster of shady trees on the shore of Friendship Bay in 1966/7. Two hundred years earlier, a large sugar estate was taking shape on the bay’s adjoining acres. The Bequia Heritage Museum , located at St. Hilaire Point overlooking Friendship Bay, offers a fascinating and in-depth glimpse into Bequia’s history and maritime heritage from Amerindian times to the present day, including the story of boat-building and whaling skills on which Bequia depended for survival in the late 19th century. For more information contact the Bequia Tourism Office at (784) 458-3286. Photo: Wilfred Dederer Photo courtesy Firefly Plantation Hotel