Watching double-ender boats race off from the glorious infinity pool at Bequia Beach Hotel was not on my bingo card this year, but the best travel memories often aren’t…
Let’s rewind. When I was asked if I’d like to attend the VERY FIRST edition of SVG Sailing Week, my answer was an immediate yes. You see, I’ve learned over the years that these kinds of international events offer exactly what I’m looking for when visiting a destination. Most notably, they bring local communities together to celebrate deeply-rooted traditions. They’re energized, meaningful and give visitors an opportunity to enjoy festivities WITH the locals — something that is sadly missing from most travel itineraries.
Having been to St. Vincent and the Grenadines before, I was excited to show my bestie what the Caribbean gem has to offer — 32 unique islands and cays, stunning natural landscapes, incredibly warm locals and delicious food. Did we know anything about sailing? Nope. Are we travellers who love exploring destinations through a different lens? Absolutely! So we packed our bags and took a 5.5 hr direct flight down to paradise…
Taking place on St. Vincent, Bequia, Mayrou and Canouan this year, SVG Sailing Week featured two race series: the Bougainvilla Cup (April 13–16) and the Bequia Easter Regatta (April 17–21). We LOVED that they kicked off the inaugural event with junior sailors to emphasize the importance of passing down their rich sailing heritage to future generations. How inspiring is that?! Their excitement was palpable at the media launch in St. Vincent!
We spent our time in St. Vincent cheering on the junior sailors from Blue Lagoon Hotel and Marina, wandering the streets of Kingstown and visiting one of my favourite natural sites: the double waterfalls at Dark View Falls….
We also really enjoyed our guided tour of the Botanical Gardens, taking in the views from Fort Charlotte, dining at the iconic Vee Jay’s Restaurant & Bar and lounging poolside at LaVue Boutique Hotel & Beach Club…
Next we headed to Mayrou and Tobago Cays which are known for their crystal clear waters, vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life. This is such a great day trip and a MUST when visiting the islands.
We then headed to dreamy Canouan. Oh Canouan… If you love luxury hotels as much as I do, this island NEEDS to be on your bucket list. Regardless of whether you stay at the Mandarin Oriental Canouan, Soho Beach House Canouan or Sandy Lane Yacht Club, you will have the most exquisite time. These properties are secluded, offer impeccable service and million (or should I say billion) dollar views…
The final leg of our trip was spent on the beautiful island of Bequia. Seven incredible days filled with thrilling races, vibrant parties and local traditions. This is where we felt the true pulse of the islands…
I lost count of how many races we watched from different vantage points in Bequia, but each event was fuelled with excitement and pride. I could tell Sailing Week meant a lot to both the sailing and island communities and felt so honoured to be part of the launch. The next edition of SVG Sailing Week is scheduled for March 29th – April 6th 2026 and promises to be even bigger and better than this year so start planning now!
A Few Tips When Planning Your SVG Sailing Week Trip
1. If you want to stay in the heart of all the action, I recommend the Bequia Beach Hotel or Bequia Plantation Hotel. Reserve ASAP though because they’ll book up fast given Sailing Week and Easter holidays draw a lot of visitors to the island!
2. Try their local cuisine! We loved tasting traditional dishes like ducana and curry goat at Vee Jay’s, lobster in Tobago Cays and all the fresh fruit on property at Bequia Beach Hotel (get the garden tour and thank me later).
3. In terms of what to pack, bug spray is a must (unspoiled natural beauty awaits along with the creatures that come with), Gravol for the ferry/boat rides and comfortable shoes because the islands are mountainous. The temperature was perfection when we visited in April/May (around 29°) and it’s breezy so take those flowy summer dresses! The dress code is pretty casual on all the islands so keep the ties and blazers at home for this trip.
4. Try to attend at least one of the Easter parties in Bequia. They all have different vibes so ask around to decide which one is for you. We loved The Circle Beach Party and OverD.O.S.E.
5. Get out on the water! Book a boat tour (I love the one to Tobago Cays), take a short ferry to Young Island for meal, charter a yacht (we had a chance to check out TradeWinds’ new electrical yacht) or take advantage of water sports.
6. And lastly — whatever you do — do NOT miss a sunset. They’re all epic and can be enjoyed from pretty much anywhere on the islands, but some of my favourite spots were Jack’s Beach Bar, Soho Beach House Canouan, Coconut Grove Beach Club and LaVue Boutique Hotel & Beach Club.
A huge thanks to the SVG Tourism Authority for hosting us and sponsoring this post. As always, opinions are my very own.
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