The Tobago Cays are five small, uninhabited islands — Petit Rameau, Petit Bateau, Baradal, Jamesby and Petit Tabac — sitting inside a shallow lagoon that is sheltered from the Atlantic by the long arc of Horseshoe Reef. The water inside is every shade of turquoise the Caribbean has, and it is the reason most people come to the Grenadines at all.
The area has been a marine park since 1997. Rangers collect a small daily fee, anchoring is restricted to set zones, and a roped-off area off Baradal is set aside for the green turtles that graze the seagrass there. Petit Tabac, on the outer edge, is where Captain Jack Sparrow was marooned in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film.
Top things to do: Tobago Cays
Swim with the turtles off Baradal
The turtle-watching area on the south side of Baradal is shallow, sandy and full of green turtles grazing on seagrass. Float quietly on the surface, keep a couple of metres away and do not touch or chase them — they will often carry on eating right beneath you.
Snorkel Horseshoe Reef
The outer reef is where the fish are: parrotfish, tangs, rays and the occasional nurse shark. Currents can be strong on the ocean side, so snorkel with a guide or a boat boy who knows the channels, and use reef-safe sunscreen.
Beach lunch and a view from Baradal
Licensed vendors grill lobster (in season), fish and chicken on the beach at Petit Bateau and Baradal — agree the price before they start cooking. Then walk up the low hill on Petit Bateau or Baradal for the classic view over the lagoon.
How to get to Tobago Cays
- By boat only. The cays have no jetty, no hotel and no permanent population. Day trips run from Union Island (the shortest crossing, roughly 30–45 minutes), Mayreau, Canouan and Bequia (a full day under sail).
- From St Vincent: a long day — either a fast boat from the south coast or a flight to Union Island and a boat from there. Read our island-hopping guide for the options.
- On a yacht charter: the classic way. Most one-week Grenadines itineraries spend at least a night anchored inside the reef.
Insider tips
- GetYourGuide does not currently list Tobago Cays trips; book with a licensed operator on Union Island, Mayreau or Bequia, or through your hotel, and check the marine-park fee is included.
- Go early. By late morning the day-trip catamarans arrive and the turtle area gets busy.
- Bring cash in EC or US dollars for the park fee, the beach barbecue and tips.
- Never stand on coral and never feed the fish or turtles — rangers can and do fine people.
Tours that include Tobago Cays
These bookable experiences are the easiest way to see Tobago Cays:
Boat trip from €112 Bequia Day Cruise with Drinks and Photos
The only bookable way on GetYourGuide to get a taste of the Grenadines in a day. You cruise to Bequia, swim or snorkel off Princess Margaret Beach, then have lunch or a drink by Admiralty Bay before sailing back — with photos of the day included.
- Sail across to Bequia, the first of the Grenadines
- Swim and snorkel at Princess Margaret Beach
- Drinks or lunch at a Port Elizabeth waterfront bar
Private boat charter from €1561 per group Private Charter Tour to Bequia Island
The whole boat to yourselves for a day trip to Bequia. At the group price it only makes sense for a large party — up to 18 people — but for a family reunion or a group of friends it is the most comfortable way to see the first of the Grenadines.
- Your own boat and crew for the day
- Swimming and snorkelling at Princess Margaret Beach
- A complimentary photo shoot of the day
