Thirty-two islands and cays strung across a sparkling stretch of the southern Caribbean, most within an easy sail of one another. Here’s how to explore them like you’ve done it before.
There are few places on earth better suited to island hopping than the Grenadines. This is a compact archipelago of some thirty-two islands and cays, many ringed by coral reefs and protected anchorages, scattered between St. Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. You can breakfast on Bequia, snorkel off an uninhabited cay by lunchtime, and watch the sunset from a different island entirely. All without ever feeling rushed.
If it’s your first time, the sheer number of options can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks it down to the islands worth knowing, how to move between them, and how to shape it all into a trip that flows.
The Islands in Short
You don’t need to see all thirty-two. A handful of standouts will more than fill a wonderful trip.
Bequia is the natural base and the largest of the Grenadines after St. Vincent. Big enough to have real character, small enough to feel intimate. Expect white-sand beaches, a working harbour at Port Elizabeth, a proud boat-building heritage, and a genuinely warm local community. Most first-timers make Bequia their home and hop out from here.
Mustique is the famously private hideaway with glamorous, discreet and known for its exclusive villas. A day visit is a luxury treat, even just anchoring off its beaches feels like a glimpse into another world.
Canouan blends barefoot calm with pockets of serious luxury with beautiful beaches, a marina, and a quieter maritime culture than its livelier neighbours.
Mayreau is tiny, charming and gloriously laid-back with a single hilltop village, a couple of stunning beaches, and not much else to do but relax, which is entirely the point.
Union Island is the southern gateway with a lively harbour at Clifton, a fringing reef, and an unpolished, authentic energy. It’s also the jumping-off point for the archipelago’s crown jewel.
The Tobago Cays are the reason many people come with five uninhabited islands enclosed by a horseshoe reef, protected as a marine park, where you can snorkel with hawksbill turtles over impossibly clear water. There’s nothing built here, it’s all just simply sand, sea and wildlife. Completely unmissable.
How to Get Around
There are three main ways to move between the islands, and the best trips often mix them.
The ferries are the local lifeline and the most affordable option. Regular services connect St. Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island, with the fast ferry linking the main stops in good time and traditional ferries offering a slower, scenic ride. They’re inexpensive, sociable and a lovely way to travel. Just note that schedules are built around island life rather than tourists, and can change around holidays, so it pays to confirm times in advance.
Small aircraft cover the same ground in minutes rather than hours. SVG Air and the Grenadine Air Alliance connect the islands with airstrips. Connecting Bequia, Canouan, Union Island and Mustique and the flights themselves are spectacular, skimming low over the reefs and cays. Ideal if you want to maximise beach time over transit time.
Private boat charters are where island hopping becomes something special. A skippered powerboat or catamaran lets you set your own itinerary. Linger longer at the Tobago Cays, reach anchorages the ferries don’t serve, and travel entirely on your own schedule. For a group or a special occasion, it’s hard to beat, and it’s the classic way to experience the Grenadines the way sailors always have.
Shaping Your Trip
For a first visit, we’d suggest basing yourself on Bequia and taking day trips out as it gives you a comfortable home to return to, with none of the hassle of packing up and relocating every couple of days.
A relaxed week might look something like this:
- Settle into Bequia and give yourself a day or two to slow down and explore its beaches and Port Elizabeth.
- Take a day sail down to the Tobago Cays for the snorkelling of a lifetime, perhaps calling at Mayreau on the way.
- Set aside a day for Mustique if a touch of glamour appeals, or Canouan for its beaches and calm.
- Leave plenty of unscheduled time simply to enjoy where you are. The Grenadines reward slowing down far more than rushing around.
Those with more time, or a taste for adventure, might charter a boat for a few days and sleep aboard, waking up in a different bay each morning.
A Few First-Timer Tips
Ferry and small-plane timetables flex with island life, and the whole point of the Grenadines is not being in a hurry. Carry some Eastern Caribbean cash for smaller islands and ferry fares, though cards work in most established spots. Keep snorkel gear and swimwear close at hand. The best water is often an unplanned stop. And if you’re prone to seasickness, the fast ferry and calmer months (the dry season and late spring) will be kinder to you than an open crossing in choppier weather.
Most of all, resist the urge to cram it all in. The magic here isn’t in ticking off islands. It’s in the unhurried, sea-and-sky rhythm of moving gently between them.
