A Day in the Tobago Cays from Mayreau

If Salt Whistle Bay is where you swim and watch the sun drop, the Tobago Cays are where you spend a full day in the water. The marine park sits only a few nautical miles east of Mayreau, close enough that many sailors treat the two as a paired stop.

Aerial view of the Tobago Cays and their reef
Aerial view of the Tobago Cays Marine Park. Photo: Iain Grant / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5).

What the Tobago Cays are

The Tobago Cays are five small, uninhabited islands in the southern Grenadines: Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Baradal and Jamesby, enclosed by Horseshoe Reef, and Petit Tabac, which lies outside the reef to the east. There is no village and no hotel strip. The draw is clear lagoon water, coral, seabirds and iguanas on land, and green and hawksbill turtles feeding in the protected area around Baradal. More background is on the Tobago Cays Marine Park page.

How to go from Mayreau

  • By charter yacht or sailing itinerary: the classic approach. Pick up a mooring or anchor in sand, never in coral or seagrass, and take the dinghy to the snorkel spots.
  • By day trip: boats from Union Island and the Mayreau area run snorkeling outings when the weather allows. Ask locally at Salt Whistle Bay or Saline Bay the evening before.
  • Respect the park: stay off fragile coral, give turtles space, and follow ranger or captain guidance on where to swim.
The Tobago Cays seen across the water from a green hillside
Tobago Cays east of Mayreau. Photo: David Stanley / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

A simple day that delights

Morning: cross from Mayreau while the water is calm. Midday: snorkel the reef and the turtle area, then spend some beach time on one of the cays. Petit Bateau's east beach is a good place for beginner snorkelers. Afternoon: a beach barbecue when vendors are operating. Lobster is seasonal and regulated: the park asks visitors not to buy lobster during the closed season, May 1 to August 31. Evening: sail or motor back to Salt Whistle Bay for a sundowner on Mayreau's sand.

That pairing, the Cays for the reef and Mayreau for walking ashore and its two-sea beach, is why visitors remember this corner of the Grenadines.

What to bring

  • Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard, and your own mask if you have a favorite fit.
  • Cash for park fees, tips and any beach barbecue.
  • Water shoes for rocky entries.
  • A dry bag for phones and cameras in the dinghy.

Mayreau and the Cays together

Mayreau's own beaches are perfect for slowing down. The Cays are the underwater highlight next door. Visiting both gives you the full southern Grenadines rhythm: quiet sand and village life on Mayreau, then a protected marine park that still feels wild.

Park rules, mooring availability and barbecue vendors change with the season and the weather. Confirm details with your captain or a local operator the day you go.

Sources

Before you go. Ferry and flight schedules, park fees and opening hours are set by each operator and can change, especially after storms. Confirm the details with the operator or the official tourism office before you travel.
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