Mayreau: The Smallest Inhabited Island in the Grenadines

Mayreau has a permanent population of around 250 people, no airport, and approximately 4 square kilometres of land. It receives a fraction of the tourist traffic that goes to Bequia or Mustique, and that is the reason to go. The island sits at the southern end of the Grenadines chain, north of Union Island, with the Tobago Cays Marine Park visible to the northeast.

Most visitors who reach Mayreau arrive by charter yacht, and the island’s two anchorages - Grand Bay and Saline Bay - fill with boats from December through April. Independent travellers arrive by water taxi or ferry from Union Island (15-20 minutes). There are no cars on the island worth mentioning; the settlement sits on a ridge above the western beach and takes about 20 minutes to walk across.

The Beaches

Saline Bay on the western coast is the main anchorage and the island’s longest beach - perhaps 1 km of pale sand with calm Caribbean-side water. The beach bar at the north end of Saline Bay (Dennis’ Hideaway, more on this below) is where the yacht crowd congregates. The snorkelling along the reef to the south of the bay is good in calm conditions.

Salt Whistle Bay at the island’s northern end is smaller and more enclosed, with a coconut grove running behind the beach and reef on both arms of the bay. It is consistently described as one of the most beautiful anchorages in the Caribbean and is frequently cited as a top Caribbean beach. There is a small resort at Salt Whistle Bay; walk-in visitors are welcome on the beach. In December-February, the bay can get crowded with chartered yachts.

The View from the Church: Climb the steps from Saline Bay to the village and continue to the Catholic church at the ridge crest. The view from the church grounds covers both the Atlantic and Caribbean sides of the island simultaneously, with the Tobago Cays clearly visible to the east. This takes 15-20 minutes each way from the beach.

Tobago Cays

The Tobago Cays Marine Park is 8 km northeast of Mayreau and is the most visited snorkelling site in the Grenadines. Five uninhabited islands sit within a horseshoe reef, and the calm lagoon water hosts large green turtles, reef fish, and good coral in the shallower sections. Day trips from Mayreau by local boat cost around $60-80 USD per person including equipment; trips can be arranged through Dennis’ Hideaway or by negotiating with boat operators in Saline Bay. The site is technically a national park; the park fee is EC$30 (approximately $11 USD) per person per visit.

Go early: the Tobago Cays fill with charter yachts by midday and the snorkelling crowds increase significantly. A 08:00 departure from Mayreau gives you a couple of hours in relatively quiet conditions before the main rush.

Where to Eat

Dennis’ Hideaway in Saline Bay is Mayreau’s primary social hub, operated by the same Dennis family for decades. The restaurant serves fresh lobster (when available, typically $30-50 USD depending on size), grilled fish, and the standard Caribbean menu of rice and peas, fried plantain, and roti. The bar runs from midday into the night and is the gathering point for the yachting crowd during the high season. The family also rents basic accommodation in a few rooms above the bar.

The village above the beach has a handful of small grocery shops and rum bars. The rum shop on the main path through the village serves local rum (Sunset, the St. Vincent brand) and basic snacks; prices are what you’d expect in a village shop, not tourist pricing.

Self-catering on a yacht is the most common approach for multi-day visitors; the small shops in the village can supply basics.

Where to Stay

Accommodation on Mayreau is extremely limited. Options are essentially: a room at Dennis’ Hideaway (basic, around $80-100 USD per night, negotiate on the spot or via phone ahead of arrival), the Salt Whistle Bay Club (the island’s only resort, 8 cottages, from approximately $250 per night in season, saltwhislebayclub.com), or a charter yacht.

The Salt Whistle Bay Club is small enough that atmosphere and service vary considerably depending on who is running it at a given time; current reviews are the most reliable indicator of what to expect. The resort closes in the low season (roughly June through October).

If staying more than a couple of nights without a boat, the limited food options and absence of any entertainment infrastructure become relevant. This is not a criticism - it’s what makes Mayreau what it is - but it’s a planning reality.

Getting There

From Union Island: Water taxis run between Union Island’s Clifton Harbour and Saline Bay. The journey takes 15-20 minutes depending on conditions and costs approximately EC$20-30 (around $7-11 USD) one way. The service is not on a fixed schedule; boats leave when they have passengers. Ask at Clifton Harbour.

Union Island is the access hub for the southern Grenadines. SVG Air and Mustique Airways fly from Barbados (45 minutes) and St. Vincent (25 minutes) to Union Island’s small airstrip. Flights are small propeller aircraft with strict baggage limits. From St. Vincent’s E.T. Joshua Airport (or the newer Argyle International Airport), flights connect to Barbados, Trinidad, and regional Caribbean destinations. Inter-island ferry services also connect the Grenadines from St. Vincent, but the schedules are infrequent and the journey is long.

High season is December through April, when the yachting crowd arrives and prices increase. The shoulder months (November, May) have lower prices and some services closed but the weather is generally still good. Hurricane season runs June through November; August and September are the highest-risk months and most serious sailors leave the region.