Visas & entry
Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU and many Commonwealth countries can generally enter visa-free for short tourist stays, subject to a valid passport, onward/onward-travel proof and immigration approval. Nationals of some countries need a visa in advance; confirm the current SVG Immigration rules before booking, especially if connecting through Barbados or another island.
Getting in
- Argyle International Airport, St. Vincent: The main international gateway for the country. From here, continue by domestic flight to Bequia, Canouan or Union where schedules work, or transfer to Kingstown for the Bequia ferry. Do not plan a tight same-day international-to-ferry connection.
- J. F. Mitchell Airport, Bequia: The most useful arrival point for a Bequia stay, reached on regional services from St. Vincent and selected Caribbean hubs. Port Elizabeth and the island's accommodation are a short taxi ride away.
- Union Island Airport: The practical southern-Grenadines gateway for Tobago Cays, Mayreau and Union itself. Use it if the Cays are central to the trip; it avoids wasting a day getting south from Bequia, but schedules are limited and weather-sensitive.
- Canouan Airport: Useful for Canouan resort stays and some southbound island-hopping itineraries. It is not a strong independent-traveler hub: onward public transport and dining outside the resort sphere are limited.
- Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados: A common regional air hub for onward connections to the Grenadines, particularly when direct service to St. Vincent is inconvenient. Treat it as a connection point, not a substitute for building overnight slack into an inter-island itinerary.
Getting around
Think in bases and transfer days, not road distances. Bequia is best handled by taxi, walking around Port Elizabeth/Belmont, and occasional boat trips; Union is the base for Tobago Cays and Mayreau. Scheduled ferries are cheap but infrequent and can run only on particular days, while small flights and private water taxis save time at a substantial premium. Keep a weather buffer before international departures: rough seas, squalls and aircraft disruptions can turn a short hop into an overnight delay.
Money
The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$ / XCD); US dollars are widely accepted at roughly US$1 = EC$2.68, while ATMs dispense EC dollars. Cards work at better hotels, resorts and some restaurants, but carry cash for ferries, taxis, beach bars, small guesthouses and tips. A 10–15% tip is reasonable where service is not already included; check resort bills before adding more.
Daily budget · Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$ / XCD). US dollars are widely accepted; use US$1 ≈ EC$2.68. ATMs dispense EC dollars.
- Value
- EC$300–500 (US$112–187)
- Mid-range
- EC$650–1,250 (US$243–466)
- High-end
- From EC$2,000 / US$746, often far higher
- Bands exclude international flights but include lodging, food, local transport and a share of ordinary activities, assuming two people share a room. Solo travelers should budget substantially more for accommodation.
- Value works on Bequia and Union Island: simple guesthouses or apartments, local breakfasts and rotis, casual fish meals, ferries/shared taxis and self-guided beach days. It is not realistic on Mustique, private islands, or most Canouan resort inventory.
- Mid-range buys a good small hotel or villa room, restaurant dinners, taxis and one boat excursion averaged across the stay; dives add up quickly.
- High-end means Mustique villas or hotel, Canouan resort stays, Palm Island or Petit St. Vincent, private launches, charter flights and premium dining. Four-figure US-dollar daily spending per person is normal on Mustique and private islands.
- The budget killers are private boats, inter-island flights, peak-season villa rates, taxis, and repeated Tobago Cays or private-sail days. Stay longer in fewer bases: each transfer costs money and burns much of a day.
- December–April, Christmas/New Year and Easter regatta periods push rooms, boats and excursions sharply upward. September–October can be cheaper, but reduced services can erase some savings.
Eating well
- Ask what was landed that day; chasing a particular fish is less useful than ordering the fresh catch.
- Book Bequia dinners in peak season and around regatta weeks, especially for waterfront tables.
- Outside Bequia, confirm dinner plans that afternoon: kitchens may close early, operate only on certain days or be constrained by supplies.
- On Union, do not assume a late dinner will be available without checking locally first.
- Mayreau rewards low expectations and advance meal arrangements; choice is the wrong metric there.
- Lobster availability is seasonal. In Tobago Cays Marine Park, buying lobster is prohibited from May 1 through August 31.
Book before you land
- Use two bases for a first island-hopping trip: Bequia for restaurants, beaches and easy arrival; Union Island for Tobago Cays and Mayreau. A Tobago Cays day trip from Bequia is a long, weather-dependent stretch, not an efficient default.
- Treat ferry timetables as provisional. Reconfirm locally, build a full transfer day between island bases, and do not book non-refundable international connections immediately after a planned boat transfer.
- Mayreau has no airport and very limited supplies, cash access and dining. Bring cash, any essential medication, and accept that prearranged meals may be the sensible choice.
- The Tobago Cays Marine Park charges an EC$15 per-person, 24-hour entry fee. Do not touch coral or marine life; take nothing from the park, and use registered local operators for diving.
- Lobster is seasonal. In Tobago Cays Marine Park, buying lobster from May 1 through August 31 is prohibited; ask where seafood came from rather than assuming every beach barbecue is compliant.
- Small-island service runs on supply deliveries, weather and local rhythms. Confirm dinner plans early, especially on Union, Mayreau and outside the December–April high season.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
December–February
This is the driest, breeziest and most reliably beach-oriented stretch, with peak North American and European demand.
Christmas/New Year and school-holiday weeks bring the highest rates and the tightest availability for small hotels, charters and Mustique connections.
March–April
Dry weather and steady winds make this prime sailing season, with especially strong conditions for boat days and inter-island cruising.
Easter makes Bequia and Union notably busier; beds, ferries, charters and dinner tables can be scarce rather than merely expensive.
May–June
Expect hotter, calmer conditions between showers, with lower rates and fewer visitors than in the core dry season.
Some small guesthouses and restaurants reduce hours, and rain or squalls can complicate smaller-boat plans.
July–August
It is humid, greener and culturally livelier; rain often arrives in bursts, but tropical waves can make passages rough.
Boat and small-aircraft reliability becomes less certain, and Canouan Carnival does not mean every island has the same level of activity.
September–October
The quietest and cheapest period also overlaps the most weather-exposed part of the year, with frequent rain and heightened hurricane-season risk.
Do not build a fixed boat-heavy itinerary: some properties, restaurants and air links reduce service or close temporarily.
November
A transitional month: rainfall can still be heavy early on, while late November starts to settle toward dry-season patterns.
Weather remains variable, so leave transfer buffers and avoid tight onward connections.
Events worth planning around
Bequia Easter Regatta · Usually over the Easter period; dates vary annually. · Bequia, especially Port Elizabeth and Admiralty Bay.
A major sailing and waterfront-social week that fills Bequia accommodation, boats and restaurants; reserve well ahead.
Union Island Easterval · Usually over the Easter period; dates vary annually. · Union Island.
Music, costume, Big Drum and community events increase demand on an island with limited rooms and transport capacity.
Canouan Regatta · Usually in May. · Canouan.
Worth timing deliberately for regional sailing and local energy; book lodging and inter-island transport before committing to flights.
Mustique Blues Festival · Generally late January or February; dates vary. · Mustique.
It can tighten already expensive Mustique accommodation and arranged air connections; confirm dates and access requirements before planning around it.
What to eat
Eat Vincentian food first: breadfruit, saltfish or jackfish, callaloo, goat water, roti and whatever fish landed that day. Bequia has the broadest reliable choice; Union is for conch and informal seafood, while Mayreau, Mustique and Canouan require more planning or acceptance of resort-led dining.
Bequia / Port Elizabeth: The parish's broadest and most dependable dining scene · Roti and local lunch plates · Waterfront grilled seafood and lobster dinners · Bequia lobster pizza, especially around Belmont Walkway
Union Island / Clifton: Conch/lambie · Fresh fish and informal barbecue meals · Seafood-focused local cooking
Mayreau: Simple meals based on what has arrived or been caught · Prearranged guesthouse or hotel dinners are often the sensible choice
Canouan and Mustique: Hotel, villa and resort-led dining rather than an independent local-food crawl · High-quality meals are possible, but budget options and casual variety are limited