Tobago Cays Marine Park

Just east of Mayreau, the Tobago Cays Marine Park protects five uninhabited cays, a large reef system and the waters around Mayreau itself. It is the natural highlight of the southern Grenadines.

Aerial view of the Tobago Cays and Horseshoe Reef
The Tobago Cays from the air. Photo: Iain Grant / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5).

The cays

Four of the cays, Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Baradal and Jamesby, sit inside Horseshoe Reef, which curves for about 4 km around them. Petit Tabac lies outside the reef to the east. The park's waters also surround Mayreau and three smaller islets, and include a 50 sq km sand-bottomed lagoon.

What to see

  • Baradal Turtle Sanctuary: green and hawksbill turtles feed freely here. Snorkel quietly and give them space.
  • Horseshoe Reef: coral and abundant fish. The inshore side suits snorkelers; the ocean side is for scuba divers.
  • Petit Tabac: an isolated beach, known as the place where the desert island scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was filmed.
  • Trails on Petit Bateau, Jamesby and Petit Rameau: short walks with iguanas, birds and panoramic views of the Grenadines.
  • Catholic Rock Bird Sanctuary: seabird nesting and roosting colonies, best watched from a boat with binoculars.
  • Mayreau Gardens and the Purunia wreck: dive sites close to Mayreau.

Petit Bateau's east beach is a good spot for beginner snorkelers.

Green hillside overlooking the sea and the Tobago Cays
Looking toward the Tobago Cays from Mayreau. Photo: David Stanley / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Park rules

  • All scuba divers must be accompanied by staff from a registered local dive operator.
  • Do not fish, and do not take coral or any other marine life.
  • Do not damage the vegetation; shoreline plants prevent beach erosion.
  • Do not touch the coral. Control your movements and buoyancy.
  • Anchor only in sand or use the moorings provided, never in coral or seagrass.
  • Do not buy lobster during the closed season, May 1 to August 31.
  • Keep to the five-knot speed limit.
  • Do not disturb nesting or roosting seabirds, and do not bring pets.
  • Take all litter away, and do not discharge bilge or wastewater.

Park fees apply to visitors and boats. Check the current fees with the park office, which has a base opposite the ferry wharf in Clifton on Union Island, or with your captain or tour operator.

For a plan for the day, see a day in the Tobago Cays from Mayreau.

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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