Things to Do in Mayreau

Saltwhistle Bay Beach Day

The half-moon of white sand at the island's northern tip is one of the Caribbean's great beaches, separated from the wilder Atlantic side by a thin curtain of palms and sea grape trees. The water is bath-warm. Shoulder-deep for a long way out, you can wade across to where small reef fish dart over patches of seagrass. By late afternoon a few yachts swing at anchor and the sand turns peachy-gold.

Tobago Cays Snorkeling Trip

A short boat ride east of Mayreau drops you into the Tobago Cays Marine Park, a horseshoe of uninhabited islets ringed by a barrier reef. You'll find yourself swimming alongside green sea turtles grazing on the seagrass meadows, with parrotfish crunching coral around you and the occasional southern stingray gliding past. Water clarity is ridiculous. Often 30 meters of visibility on a calm day.

Hike to the Catholic Church Viewpoint

The walk up the steep concrete road from Saline Bay to the stone Catholic church at the island's summit takes about 20 sweaty minutes, and the panorama at the top is worth every drop. From the churchyard you can see Union Island to the south, the Tobago Cays to the east, Canouan to the north, and Carriacou shimmering on the horizon. Late afternoon is the moment. Just before the light goes gold, the view feels almost unreal.

Sailing Charter Around the Grenadines

Mayreau sits in the middle of one of the world's great sailing grounds. Chartering a day-sail or sunset cruise puts you on the same blue water that draws repeat visitors year after year. You'll tack between Mayreau, Petit Bateau, and Petit Tabac (where parts of Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed), and back. Snorkel stops. Rum punch in plastic cups. The wind cooperates. Reliably 15 to 20 knots from November through April.

Village Walk Through Old Wall

Wandering the single concrete path that threads through Old Wall village gives you a sense of how Mayreau lives between cruise ship visits. You'll pass pastel-painted wooden houses with hibiscus hedges, the small primary school, fishermen mending nets in their yards, and women selling bread from front-room windows. People nod hello. Stop to chat and you might end up invited onto someone's porch for a glass of sorrel.

Saltwhistle Bay: the splurge end. A handful of beachfront cottages tucked into the palms on Mayreau's most photographed stretch of sand.

Saline Bay: mid-range guesthouses within a few minutes' walk of the ferry dock and the southern beach. Convenient for boat trips.

Old Wall Village. These are simple family-run rooms tucked into the village, where you'll wake up to roosters and church bells.

Upper Village sits near the church. Small guesthouses up here catch the best breeze and views over both bays. It's a steep walk from the water.

Lower Bay area. A couple of small inns sit close to the southern beach and the informal restaurant scene.

Yacht moorings off Saline Bay. If you're sailing your own boat or chartering one, anchoring offshore is the most flexible base.