Getting There
By Plane -- Four of the Grenadines -- Bequia, Mustique, Union Island, and Canouan -- have small airports. Service from St. Vincent is by small interisland carriers. SVG Air (tel. 800/624-1843 or 784/457-5124; www.svgair.com), one of the longest-established airlines in the region, will fly you in modern five- to nine-seaters to any island within the eastern Caribbean. From St. Vincent the one-way fare to Canouan or Union Island is $45.
By Boat -- The ideal way to go, of course, is to hire your own yacht, as many wealthy visitors do. A far less expensive option is to take a mail, cargo, or passenger boat, as the locals do, but you'll need time and patience. The ferry dock at Kingstown is at the cruise-ship terminal. The most visited island by ferry is Bequia, costing $10 for the 1-hour trip. Two companies compete on this route: Admiralty Transport (tel. 784/458-3348; www.admiralty-transport.com) and the MV Bequia Express (tel. 784/458-3472). Several daily trips are made Monday to Saturday beginning at 8am in St. Vincent; the last trip back from Bequia is at 5pm. On Sunday the schedules are curtailed, but there are usually two trips -- one for morning departures, another for an evening sail.
Some adventurers prefer to take the mail boat, MV Barracuda (tel. 784/455-9835), sailing Monday and Thursday mornings from St. Vincent, stopping at Canouan, Mayreau, and Union islands. On Saturday a round-trip takes in every island. The one-way fare to Canouan is $12, to Mayreau $12, and to Union Island $14.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
