Things to Do on Mayreau

Mayreau is about slowing down, but there is more to do than lie on the sand. These are the classic ways to spend a day or two on and around the island.

Walk the island

A single concrete road runs from the Saline Bay jetty, up through the village and down to Salt Whistle Bay, and you can walk its length in about an hour. Side tracks lead to the windward beaches. Carry water and sun protection; the hill is steep and the shade is patchy.

Take in the view from the hill

From the top of the village, the view takes in the Tobago Cays, Canouan and Union Island. It is one of the best panoramas in the Grenadines, especially in the late afternoon light.

Swim at Salt Whistle Bay

Swim on the calm Caribbean side, then walk across the isthmus to the Atlantic shore. Stay for a sundowner at one of the beach bars. See Salt Whistle Bay.

Dive Mayreau Gardens and the Purunia wreck

Two of the Tobago Cays Marine Park's dive sites are right by Mayreau: Mayreau Gardens, a coral reef rich in fish and colorful sponges, and the wreck of the Purunia, a British gunboat from the First World War that sank just off the island's west coast. Scuba divers in the park must go with staff from a registered local dive operator.

Spend a day in the Tobago Cays

Snorkel Horseshoe Reef, swim with turtles near Baradal and picnic on a deserted beach. See a day in the Tobago Cays from Mayreau.

Look for wildlife

Iguanas and birds are easy to spot on the trails of the nearby cays, and seabirds nest and roost on Catholic Rock in the marine park. Watch from a distance, ideally from a boat with binoculars.

Visit the salt pond

Just east of the beach at Saline Bay lies the salt pond that gives the bay its name. Salt was once harvested here for export; today it is gathered only for local use.

Hop to the neighbors

Water taxis and the ferry make day trips easy. Lively Union Island is just to the south, Canouan is to the north, and Palm Island sits off Union.

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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