Photo above: MKBrock, Feature photo: H. Michael Karshis

The Down Low

Geographical definitions of the Delta vary, and you can find quality live blues from Memphis and Oxford south to Vicksburg and Jackson, but the core of the scene is the triangle formed by Clarksdale, Greenwood, and Greenville.

Photo: Bob Jagendorf

If you’re searching for live blues in this triangle, your first stop absolutely must be Cat Head. (I know, I know. I said there’s no “right” way. But trust me on this one.)

Located in downtown Clarksdale, Cat Head is a music store, folk art gallery, recording label, and more. There’s no one more well-informed about the Delta’s regular blues festivals, showcases, nightly juke joint performances, old-timers, or up-and-coming artists than the folks here. Period.

Call ahead, check out the extensive resources on their website, email a question, or simply walk in and ask what’s on the go.

While you’re at it, think about doing some shopping: these guys know their stuff, and will give you tailored recommendations to add some legit Delta blues to your collection, beyond those Greatest Hits albums from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

When I visited Cat Head, I ran down a list of my dad’s favorite big-name blues artists, and asked them to recommend someone similar, but someone he’d never discover anywhere else.

The result? Super Chikan. Here he is, live in Clarksdale:

The Venues

As any purist will tell you, the old Delta juke joints ain’t what they used to be. But there are still a few spots to hear live blues on a nightly basis.

Here are a few reliable options:

Photo: stevebott

Ground Zero:
Best known as “Morgan Freeman’s juke joint,” and located next door to the Delta Blues Museum in downtown Clarksdale, the Ground Zero Blues Club naturally attracts a few more visitors than some.

But it also attracts talent, so don’t sniff at it just ’cause it’s only seven years young and owned by a celebrity.

Po’ Monkey’s:
Widely considered one of the last legit Delta juke joints, Po’ Monkey’s is located in tiny Merigold, outside Clarksdale. It’s as old school as they come, offering live blues just one night a week in an aging shack surrounded by cotton fields. Atmospheric, much?

Walnut Street Blues Bar:
Further afield, in Greenville, is the Walnut Street Blues Bar — also known as the Walnut Street Blues Club or the Walnut Street Bait Shop. (Have you guessed yet? It’s on Walnut Street.) Good blues and good food, and the ownership is active in some of the festivals and area blues preservation efforts that go on.

The History

Sure, you probably know that Robert Johnson is said to have sold his soul to the devil at the infamous crossroads in Clarksdale. But what else do you know about the people that created the blues, and the places that created them?

Several area museums are happy to tell all:

Photo: Waka Jawaka

Delta Blues Museum:
In downtown Clarksdale, this is the place most folks end up. It’s got an array of Delta blues memorabilia, and is probably best known for the reconstructed shack that Muddy Waters grew up in.

The music selection in the gift shop is disappointing, though — head to Cat Head up the block for your shopping.

Rock’n'Roll & Blues Heritage Museum: Another Clarksdale institution, this one is dedicated to more than just the blues — it also touches on rock, soul, gospel, funk, and how they all fit together.

Opening hours are limited: check the website or call ahead.

Highway 61 Blues Museum:
If you’re headed down to Greenville from Clarksdale, you’ll pass through quiet Leland just after you exit Highway 61 heading west. The folks here are heavily involved in festivals and live shows, keeping the music alive outside the museum, too.

B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center:
This brand-new museum, in King’s hometown of Indianola, is a new breed of tourist attraction in the Delta — the $14-million facility is a state-of-the-art homage to one of the greatest of the Delta blues masters.

The Tunes

Be sure to check out the accompanying article, “Highway Blues: Essential Tunes for a Delta Road Trip.”

Community Connection:

For more on the Delta, check out Travelling Riverside Blues, or read personal blogs from Matador members who’ve recently made the pilgrimage themselves: try New Orleans to Memphis: Searching for the Soul of the Delta or Seen & Heard.

Also, don’t miss Worth the Trip: Bluesfest in Ottawa.

Bahrainian dinars, also known as rubias. Photo by Ahmed Rabea.

The Netherlands Antilles

In the eastern Caribbean, this island group is made up of Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius and Sint Maarten. The national currency, the Netherlands Antillean guilder, is pegged to the USD at a rate of 1.79 to 1.

All the islands are tourist magnets; their infrastructure is better developed than many other island nations in the region, thanks in part to support from the Dutch government. Bonaire and Curacao have the added bonus of being below the hurricane belt.

Their close cousin, Aruba, another one-time Dutch colony, also pegs its Aruban florin to the USD at the same rate.

Tourists explore Petra, Jordan. Photo by bribriTO.

Jordan

Jordan’s been drawing tourists for years thanks to its relative stability and fabulous archaeological sites. The Jordanian dinar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 0.709 to 1.

Several other Middle Eastern countries have also hitched their currencies to the USD. Bahrain’s dinar clocks in at 0.376 to 1, Lebanon’s pound is pegged at 1507.5 to 1, and Oman’s rial is set at 0.3845 to 1.

In Qatar, the rial is pegged at 3.64 to 1, and if you can get your hands on a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia, you’ll enjoy a riyal pegged at 3.75 to 1 there. Finally, Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates have pegged the Emirati dirham at 3.67 to 1.

Barbados

Ah, lovely Barbados. With progressive laws on public beach access and a government intent on defending local culture as best it can, it’s done a better job than most Caribbean islands of resisting total resortification. It’s also got a dollar that’s pegged to the USD at a rate of 2 to 1.

Elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago dollar is steady at 6.33 to 1. The eastern Caribbean dollar, the currency used by Antigua, Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, is also fixed at a rate of 2.7 to 1.

Lonely paradise on a Maldive island. Photo by Nattu.

Maldives

This Indian Ocean paradise may be one of the first nations to vanish under the rising waters of climate change – but until that happens, you can still enjoy the Maldivian rufiyaa at a fixed rate of 12.8 to 1 USD.

Belize

A rising star in Central American travel, Belize has pegged its dollar at 2 to 1. Neighboring Venezuela is a little further from the travel mainstream, thanks to the antics of its leader, Hugo Chavez. Still, if you decide to head that way, you’ll find the Venezuelan bolivar fixed at 2.15 to 1.

The Bahamas

As one of the wealthiest nations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas aren’t necessarily cheap. They are, however, stable and predictable: the Bahamian dollar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 1 to 1.

Residential high-rises in Hong Kong. Photo by Charles Lam.

Hong Kong

One of the great metropolises of the world, Hong Kong is a hectic, brightly-lit intersection of West and East. The HK dollar is pegged to the USD at a rate of 7.8 to 1.

Community Connection

For more information on travel to some of these countries, check out our Caribbean guides to Barbados, Dominica or Bequia, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Matador Network’s also got a guide to Belize’s Caye Caulker, and a few essays about travel in the Middle East: try How Teaching in Oman Taught Me the Shades of Islam, or Hidden Kingdom: Understanding Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia.

Whether it’s a little-known local game or a major international tournament, attending a spectator sporting event in a foreign country can be a great alternative to the usual tourist fare.

Here are 8 can’t-miss events, in 8 can’t-miss locations scattered across the globe.

Photo by BringBackBuck.

OFC Nations Cup (Oceania, Fall 2008)

Always wanted to island-hop in the South Pacific? Need a good excuse to finally book that plane ticket?

A handful of Pacific island nations are still in the qualification hunt for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. The remaining matches will take place in New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu, through September and October 2008.

New Zealand is heavily favored, but New Caledonia is still in the fray. The winner will advance to play the 5th place Asian team for a coveted World Cup berth.

Grand Sumo Tournament (Fukuoka, Japan, November 2008)

Photo by Stevro.

There are just six professional Grand Sumo tournaments each year in Japan – and the last one for 2008 takes place in November, in Fukuoka.

While sumo’s popularity is spreading worldwide – particularly in Eastern Europe – and the amateur association is even making a bid for inclusion in the Olympics, the sport will forever be associated with its native land. What better way to soak up some Japanese culture than to attend a real, professional tournament?

Best of all, the Fukuoka tournament will get you out of Tokyo – something too few tourists to the country manage to do.

The Grand Tournament runs from November 9 to 23, 2008.

NHL Winter Classic (Chicago, USA, January 2009)

Photo by Scott Ableman.

The NHL’s first foray into “winter classic” hockey took place a few years back. The concept – outdoor games played by long-time rivals – took off, and the third installment comes up on New Year’s Day at Wrigley Field.

So if you want to see hockey as it was meant to be played, get down to the Windy City. This time around, the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings will take on the Chicago Blackhawks and their up-and-coming young superstars, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Six Nations Cup (Europe, Winter 2009)

Photo by BobtheCorkDwarf.

Every year, the national rugby teams of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, and France compete for the Six Nations Cup.

The result is the best rugby tournament the Northern Hemisphere has to offer.

Tempers and regional rivalries flare. The British locations generally guarantee a good mud bath.

And the only sure thing is that Italy never wins.

The 2009 edition takes place over five weekends in February and March.

Matches are played in each of the participating countries, so pick your favorite spot!

UCI BMX World Championships (Adelaide, AU, July 2009)

If you were watching the Beijing Olympics closely this summer, you may have noticed a new and unexpected sport on the roster.

Yup, following in the path blazed by the snowboarders a couple years back, BMX has completed the transition from X-game to officially sanctioned Olympic sport.

Photo by Phillip McMaster.

BMXers still have their own adrenaline-fueled tournaments, too, though. The next World Championships take place July 18-26, 2009, in Adelaide, Australia.

The Ashes (England and Wales, Summer 2009)

Photo by ~Prescott.

Dating to 1882, the Ashes is perhaps the most storied competition in the history of cricket. Every two years, arch-rivals England and Australia face off for five days of bowling and batting, wickets and runs.

The 2009 series takes place in several locations around England in July and August 2009, with the opening day held in Cardiff, Wales.

Glory, national bragging rights, and a crystal replica of a funeral urn go to the winners.

Red Bull Big Wave Africa (Cape Town, SA, Summer 2009)

Photo by localsurfer.

Held each year at “Dungeons ” in Cape Town’s Hout Bay, the Big Wave competition sees competitors tackling real monsters: in this tournament, it’s not just the judges who can take you out of the game.

This year, hometown boy Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker took the prize. Next summer’s Red Bull Big Wave Africa runs from late July through August.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (Dubai, UAE, Summer 2009)

Photo by mSkeet.

If you’re an admirer of soccer’s skill and creativity, but bored by long goal-less droughts and dull defensive matches (c’mon, I can’t be the only one?), then this is the tournament for you.

Beach soccer’s smaller, sand-covered playing field demands dynamism, agility, and improvisational ball-handling, and results in fast-shooting, high-scoring games. Brazil has, unsurprisingly, dominated the tournament over the years.

The next Beach Soccer World Cup will be touching down in Dubai next summer. The UAE knows a thing or two about fun in the sun – so don’t miss it.

Community Connection!

Check out “6 Strategies to Connect with Locals Through Sports” for some fun tips on how to get the most out of your trip to an international sporting event.

Feature photo by PixelFixer. Photo above by pfig.

When half of London’s best attractions are free of charge, $100 is actually pretty generous, and will allow you to drop some cash on a couple of big-ticket attractions, eat a few meals out, or even sample some nightlife. If you’re willing to self-cater and cut down on the bar-hopping, you could get by on closer to $50 a day.

1. Get above ground.

London’s underground system – ‘the tube’ – is so well-known that riding it seems like an essential part of visiting the city. But it’s also one of the most expensive subways you’re likely to encounter on your travels, with the cheapest ticket, a single ride within Zone 1, clocking in at a whopping four pounds.

Constantly taking the tube also means you tend to lose track of where you are – and just how close together all the attractions you want to see are, too. London is a great city for walking (the areas along both sides of the Thames are especially nice), and nearly all the major central landmarks are easily reachable on foot.

As a rule of thumb: everything on and within the yellow Circle Line on the tube map is potentially walkable. For longer hauls, try the city’s equally famous double-decker buses, which cost half the price of the tube. The six-pound, six-ticket bus saver pack is a good deal with built-in flexibility.

Photo above by fabbio.

2. To market, to market.

London is blessed with several fantastic open-air markets, all free to wander around. Camden is the most famous, but Portobello Road is also worth visiting – it’s central, and within easy walking distance of the cluster of hostels around Bayswater.

Nearby is the fabulous Travel Bookshop – the one that Hugh Grant’s shop is based on in the movie ‘Notting Hill’ – which is cozy and friendly to browsers.

Way south – but worth the detour – is Brixton Market, Europe’s largest Caribbean market and home to the famous Electric Avenue. Borough Market is, believe it or not, still exclusively devoted to selling fresh produce and other fine foods, while Brick Lane Market is at the heart of one of London’s largest South Asian communities.

3. Museums aren’t just for rainy days.

In a particularly enlightened move a few years back, the British government abolished admission fees for all national museums and galleries in London. Add in a few charitable or privately-owned institutions that jumped on the band wagon, and almost every major cultural institution in the city is free of charge.

One of my favorites is the National Portrait Gallery. Basically a beautifully illustrated history lesson, it runs chronologically through the ‘who’s who’ of British politics, arts, science, and more over the centuries.

The National Gallery houses one of the finest collections of European artwork in the world, while the Tate Britain covers several centuries of British painting, and the Tate Modern, unsurprisingly, displays the best in 20th century art, including cutting-edge contemporary installations.

The British Museum, meanwhile, is an immense repository of artifacts from the ancient civilizations of Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and East Asia (among others), probably best known for its Greek and Egyptian collections.

Those are the big-name sites, but London has a free museum or gallery for nearly every occasion and interest. Theater buff? Try the Covent Garden branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum to learn more about the rich history of the stage in Britain.

The Museum of London traces the city’s history all the way to its Roman origins, 2000+ years ago. The London branch of the Imperial War Museum explores Britain’s role in the wars of the twentieth century and beyond. The British Library displays a copy of the Magna Carta and other historical documents. And on and on.

Photo above by srboisvert.

4. Go fly a kite.

Or have a picnic. Or just sit in the grass and people-watch. Contrary to popular belief, London is regularly blessed with at least a few warm, sunny days, and the city has plenty of fabulous parks to spend those days in.

Try posh St. James’s Park and its more laid back neighbor, Green Park, near Buckingham Palace. Nearby, the adjoining Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens mix history, boating fun, and large-scale memorials to both Prince Albert and Princess Diana.

Regent’s Park is heavier on the sports fields, with gardens and a theater space. Further north, vast Hampstead Heath is the wildest option, approximating real countryside with woodlands, swimming ponds, and a couple of historic pubs.

5. Get Stuffed.

British food has been the butt of plenty of jokes over the years – but if you skip out on London’s eating options, the joke is on you. There are plenty of delicious, affordable, evocative meals available in the city.

Top of the list for ‘classic British food’ is the pub meal. If you can find one, try the ‘Ploughman’s Lunch’ – generally a huge platter of cheeses, fresh bread, fruit, and meats, complete with the requisite Branston Pickle. Wash it down with a pint (or two) of one of England’s many fine, hand-pulled ‘real ales’.

Fish’n'chips – from a proper ‘chippy’ – is another must-eat. Best of all, in terms of value for money, is the ubiquitous British breakfast – the ‘fry-up’. Get eggs, toast, a selection of sausages and bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, hash browns, and black pudding (if you dare), sometimes for just a few pounds.

The cafeteria at department store BHS is a good spot to get a cheap fry-up – there’s a location on Oxford Street, near the Tottenham Court Road tube station.

And of course, there’s a whole world of ethnic food options within London’s borders. For more ‘authentic’ Indian food, head to Brick Lane, mentioned above – but to taste curry as re-invented by the British, head to your nearest pub. ‘Chicken tikka masala’ – a dish, like butter chicken, that never truly existed in India until it came in demand from tourists – is reputedly Britain’s favourite meal.

For a cheap, basic option, head to your nearest Wetherspoon’s location – their curry is bland, budget-friendly, and beautifully British.

community connection

For more general advice on Britain, as well as blogs, travelers currently there, local experts, and volunteer opportunities, please check out our UK page at Matador. Also be sure to check out some of the other articles in the Matador Trips Cheap Europe series: How To Enjoy Paris On $100 A Day, and How To Enjoy Italy On 30 Euros Per Day.

Beautiful Bottom Bay, Photo by Eva Holland

One of the most popular and heavily-touristed islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Barbados certainly offers its share of generic resort experiences. In fact, the peaceful west coast, sheltered from the open Atlantic, is devoted almost entirely to high-end, gated resorts, duty-free shopping, and over-priced daiquiris.

Fine, if that’s what you came for.

But in spite of the heavy development in some areas, Barbados retains a distinct personality, a regional cuisine, some stunning natural areas and plenty of local traditions and culture.

If you’d like to experience the best that the island has to offer, this guide is the place to start.

Oistins Fish Fry

Friday nights mean one thing to locals, tourists and ex-pats alike: fish fry time. Head down to the waterfront in the village of Oistins (on the south coast, east of Dover and Maxwell) anytime after sundown for a delicious, filling plate of the day’s fresh catch.

A double row of shacks serve the crowds, and everyone has their own favorite. Offerings vary from week to week, but red snapper, dolphin (the Bajan term for mahi mahi), swordfish and tuna are all common.

Try Annie’s, on the eastern end of the row facing the road, for the best selection of typically Bajan sidedishes, like peas’n’rice, grilled sweet potatoes, or macaroni pie. For an appetizer, check out the “Hot Legendary Fishcakes” booth, in the middle of the row.

After you’ve eaten, grab a bottle of island-brewed Banks beer and stick around; a DJ will be spinning the latest soca and dancehall reggae until at least midnight. Shake a leg with the locals if you dare.

Bathsheba, on the rugged east coast. Photo by Eva Holland

Bottom Bay

Just before the south coast turns a sharp corner and becomes the east coast at Ragged Point, you’ll find Bottom Bay, and it’s as perfect a tropical beach as I’ve ever seen.

Though there are some new suburb-style housing developments going up in the area, the nearest hotel is miles away and the beach – tucked between rocky cliffs, and reachable by a narrow dirt path – is almost totally undeveloped.

I say “almost” because no trip to Bottom Bay is complete without meeting the beach’s resident “coconut guy,” a young local who calls himself Dr. Mongoose.

For a small fee, Dr. Mongoose will shimmy up a 30-foot palm tree, bring down a fresh young coconut, and hack it open for you to enjoy the refreshing water inside. He also rents a couple of lounge chairs.

Dr. Mongoose in action at Bottom Bay. Eva

Bottom Bay is a little out of the way, and the waves are too heavy for swimming most days, but if you’re looking for a stunning dose of icing-sugar sand, swaying palms, and colors worthy of a Corona ad, don’t miss it.

Bathsheba

Because the Atlantic surf on the island’s rugged east coast is heavy at best, and legitimately dangerous at worst, this side of Barbados has been largely ignored by developers.

The sole exception is the ragged, laid-back little resort town of Bathsheba, which caters to surfers – local and foreign alike – who want to test themselves in “the soupbowl”.

The waves here are not for beginners, but even if you’re not a serious surfer it’s a gorgeous spot to while away an afternoon, watching the show.

Try the Roundhouse Inn for a beer and a bite to eat (budget tip: listed as a sidedish, the macaroni pie is nearly a meal in itself), or even stay for a night to fully savor the vibe. The Roundhouse, the Atlantis Hotel , and the Sea-U Guesthouse all offer rooms in the area at varying rates.

Beautiful Bottom Bay, Photo by Eva Holland

North Point

The jagged cliffs and frothy, pounding surf at the island’s northernmost point feel worlds away from the sedate beaches further south. Bring a picnic and enjoy the waves and the wind; wander a couple hundred yards east from the main point to see water being forced out and up into the air through a nauseatingly-deep blowhole.

Don’t let any handicraft vendors convince you that you need to pay to visit the point; there is no admission fee, and the parking and washrooms are also free of charge.

Waves crash at North Point. Photo by Eva Holland

Carlisle Bay

If you’re going to do fun in the sun you might as well do it right. And Carlisle Bay, on the south coast just east of the capital city, Bridgetown, is the place to go for beachy hedonism: think banana boats, jet ski rides, water trampolines, and more.

The action is concentrated at the beach’s western end; rent an umbrella and sip a daiquiri, join the beautiful people already splashing flirtatiously in the water, or pay the cover charge to gain access to The Boatyard, a beachfront club where a sound system blasting reggae-lite (Shaggy, Maxi Priest) keep an all-day dance party going.

The best part about Carlisle Bay, though, is that it’s a massive strip of sand: start walking east from the heart of the hedonism, and you’ll quickly find yourself on an undeveloped stretch populated mainly by a sprinkling of local residents.

On a Sunday, you might even see a born-again baptism taking place in the shallow, calm water.

Oistins Fish Fry. Photo by Eva Holland

Practicalities

The Barbados dollar (B$) is fixed at a rate of 2 to 1 with the US dollar; hotels generally quote prices in greenbacks, but Barbados dollars are used most everywhere else.

Barbados receives daily direct flights from Toronto, New York, Miami and London, to name a few. Grantley Adams International Airport is one of the best facilities in the Caribbean; it’s also a hub for smaller carriers serving the other islands.

Most of the mid-range and budget accommodation in Barbados is scattered along the south coast, in areas like Rockley, Dover, and the St. Lawrence Gap. Here’s a list of the island’s guesthouses organized by rate – note that costs will vary according to the season.

There’s not always a lot to choose from between these budget places, but The Dolphin Inn is recommended, clean and friendly.

In high season (roughly mid-December to early April) you may want to book all your accommodation in advance; from late March on, though, vacancy rates will start to rise, and you could probably just book the first couple of nights and then shop around.

(You’ll need to provide an initial hotel’s address to Barbadian customs, so you have to at least book your first night.)

There are also a number of Couchsurfers based in Barbados.

Public transit is pretty good in Barbados, and particularly along the south coast, where large government buses and smaller vans rush up and down the coastal road between Bridgetown and Sam Lord’s Castle. A single fare costs B$1.50.

These south coast buses will take you to Oistins and Carlisle Bay; Bottom Bay is not far past their terminus at Sam Lord’s, and is clearly signposted from the road. Bathsheba is also served by buses from Bridgetown; ask around for the routes headed up the east coast.

North Point is not on a bus route, and you’ll need a rental car or a taxi to get there.

Taxis are plentiful, safe, and reasonably priced; agree on a rate for your destination before you set off.

Community Connection!

Do you want to escape to a beautiful Caribbean island where you can hang with locals instead of scarfing down the travel equivalent of an Extra Value Meal at Club Med?

Check out our series on chill Caribbean islands by browsing related posts below, or get in touch with the remarkable individuals who wrote them -

Anna, who speaks French and Swedish and knows the lush jungles and romantic waterfall plunge pools of Dominica.

Tony, who eats rainbows and lives in the Virgin Islands with his wife and new baby.

Eva, a Canadian travel writer who can hold her own drinking beer with a New Zealand rugby team.

Matador is a community of aware travelers who are working together for a better world.

Join Us.

Chairs for Rent, Lower Bay. Photo by Eva Holland

What to say about Bequia?

I could call it enchanting, idyllic, or seductively laid-back – all that would be true. I could tell you it’s a gem, or a jewel, a pristine and undeveloped (by Caribbean standards) oasis in a world of all-inclusives. Those things, clichéd or not, would also be true.

But everyone has their own idea of paradise, and yours might not be anything like mine. So instead I’ll just say that I love Bequia, and I think you might just love it too.

Here is all the information you need to discover the best of Bequia:

“Leave only footprints behind”. Photo by Eva Holland.

Get There

Bequia (pronounced Beck-way) is the second-largest rock in the island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – and at seven square miles, that’s not saying a whole lot.

High-end resort-goers and Hollywood celebrities drive the economies of neighboring Canouan and Mustique to the south, while rumor has it that the global narcotics trade fuels the “mainland” – the island of Saint Vincent – just nine miles north.

There’s a tiny airport on the island – small carrier SVG Air lands there – but the simplest way to arrive is to fly into Saint Vincent and catch one of the regular ferries.

LIAT is your best bet for decent prices; try connecting in Barbados, a hub that receives daily flights from the US, Canada, and the UK, or in Trinidad.

A taxi from the airport to the ferry terminal should cost 25 Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$), and a one-way ferry ticket costs another EC$20. (The EC$ is pegged at $2.75 to the US dollar – good news for Americans!)

Ferries run regularly on weekdays and are much less frequent on weekends; check the online schedules, but ask around when you arrive or call ahead as they aren’t always reliable.

Food and Shelter

Most of Bequia’s accommodation options – chiefly simple guesthouses and small boutique hotels – are clustered around the edges of Port Elizabeth, the tiny town in Admiralty Bay where the ferry docks.

Good news for solo travelers: many of these hotels offer reduced single-occupancy rates on double rooms.

The best bargain on the island is The Frangipani, on the Belmont Walkway, which offers five “original rooms” on the second floor of an old house. Pricier air-con cabins with en-suite bath are out back, but the simple rooms, equipped with mosquito nets, fans, and sea breezes, are all you need.

The Frangi is gorgeous, with friendly staff, an excellent restaurant and an outdoor bar/patio with occasional live music.

Isola and Julie’s Guest House, directly across from the ferry jetty, is a simple budget option with a loyal following. For total isolation, check out the Crescent Beach Inn, on Industry Bay. Bear in mind that you’ll be a longish walk from most eating options, though.

If you have a group, inquire with the tourist authorities about apartment and villa rentals. You can save a lot of cash on Bequia by self-catering; stock up on groceries at Food City, next to the ferry terminal in Saint Vincent, before coming across to the island.

There’s a string of restaurants and bars along Port Elizabeth’s Belmont Walkway, a beach-front stone path that runs along the south side of Admiralty Bay. Most have affordable lunches and pricier dinners; The Green Boley is an exception, where even at dinner you can get filling plates of local specialties like conch curry for between EC$30 and EC$40.

Try The Porthole for lunch, where rotis go for around EC$12 or, further afield on Lower Bay, Dawn’s Café for cheap sandwiches.

In Port Elizabeth itself, Maria’s has sandwiches and snacks, internet terminals, and long hours. Most places have a daily special – some variation on seafood and rice – that will give you good value.

Bequia’s handful of giftshops is centered around the ferry dock. There’s also a small produce market there, and across the street is an ATM and a post office. The Bequia Technology center (follow the “Digicel” sign) next to Maria’s has comparable prices for internet, but better machines and air-con.

Be aware that almost everything shuts down on Sundays; hotel restaurants will be virtually the only places open, and they are welcoming to non-guests.

Admiralty Bay. Photo by Eva Holland.

Hit the Beach

The secret to Bequia’s success is Admiralty Bay, where yachties from around the world drop anchor. It’s the traffic from these yachts that keeps the restaurants and bars running – you’ll see rubber dingies zooming in from across the bay at sundown – while simultaneously keeping Bequia’s beaches completely undeveloped. Yachters, after all, do not require hotel complexes.

Start with the amenity-free, local-frequented Princess Margaret Beach, clearly signposted from the main road leading south out of Port Elizabeth. The next beach over is Lower Bay, which – thanks to a couple of sleepy cafes and a handful of lounge chairs for rent – is the closest thing to a “developed” beach that you’ll find on the island. (Cancun it ain’t.)

On the south side of the island, Friendship Bay is where Bequia’s only higher-end accommodation is located; at the time of writing, construction was underway there, too. Funnily enough, it’s one of the less attractive spots on the island, so it’s no huge loss – still worth a visit for the views on the way there, though.

North east of Port Elizabeth you’ll find Industry Bay, Spring Bay, and Park Bay – where you may be lucky enough to stumble on a local BBQ. Be sure to check out the Turtle Sanctuary while you’re here. It’s on the water between Spring and Park bays.

Friendship Bay. Photo by Eva Holland.

Special Events

Bequia was a major whaling center back in the day, and islanders are still permitted to hunt two whales per year in honor of this heritage. The hunt – which isn’t always successful – occurs each January and is a major occasion. The island also hosts a regatta every Easter. You’ll find a couple of small museums dedicated to Bequia’s whaling and ship-building heritage scattered around the island.

The Bottom Line

I could go on about that artist’s studio in the hills, or this model boat shop in town, but the key to Bequia is to simply get out and walk, and discover its treasures for yourself. The island is safe, compact, and enjoys perfect weather pretty well year round.

So take a walk. Take a nap on the beach. Drink a papaya juice and watch the sun go down. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like paradise to me.

Community Connection!

For more information on Bequia, check out Eva’s blog ‘Smitten in the Grenadines‘. For other guides to chill Caribbean islands, check out Tony Gatti’s pieces on Tortola and Jost van Dyke, or Anna Brones’ lovely guide to Dominica.

Matador blogger Julie can tell you all about her favorite islands, including Vieques and Cuba.

Matador is blossoming. Join the community today!