Grenadines: Reefs, Cays and Island Nature

The Tobago Cays are considered the “jewel in the crown” of the southern Grenadines. Their marine area surrounds five uninhabited cays, the inhabited island of Mayreau and three small islands. The region offers a range of natural experiences to help you plan your trip: from watching seabirds and exploring hiking trails to diving at sites with very different reef profiles.

Reefs and Islands in the Tobago Cays Marine Park

The Tobago Cays Marine Park includes coral reefs, small mangrove systems and seagrass meadows. The area also contains nesting and feeding grounds for sea turtles. Mayreau is home to a salt pond. These habitats show that the park is more than just a backdrop of reefs; they offer different focuses for nature watching.

At four kilometres long, Horseshoe Reef is the longest of the four major reef systems in the Marine Park. It surrounds Petit Bateau, Petit Rameau, Baradal and Jamesby; Petit Tabac lies east of the reef, outside it. Jamesby is the smallest and southernmost cay in the group. There is a beach on its eastern side.

Birds, Wildlife and Hiking Trails

Catholic Rock Bird Sanctuary is home to nesting and resting colonies of seabirds. You can watch them from a boat with binoculars or a telescope. There are hiking trails on Petit Bateau, James Bay and Petit Rameau. Along these trails, you can observe tropical plants and animals, including iguanas and birds.

Nature watching therefore offers two distinct perspectives: the colonies at the Bird Sanctuary can be viewed from a boat, while the trails mentioned above offer insights into plant and animal life on land.

Dive Sites with Different Profiles

Horseshoe Reef offers diving on its sheltered, shallow inner side and along its deeper outer drop-off. Mayreau Gardens is an extensive coral reef and a site for drift diving. The two descriptions highlight different features: the reef’s inner or outer location in one case, and drift diving in the other.

Nearby, off the west coast of Mayreau, lies the wreck of the Purunia. The 140-foot British gunboat sank in 1918 during the First World War and is a dive site for scuba divers. Here, a historical detail is paired with a specific dive destination; another diving option can be found on Mustique. It offers scuba diving with professional PADI instructors and dive guides, as well as diving equipment. Check the specific details of the offerings before planning your trip.

More Island Profiles

At 19 square kilometres (7 square miles), Bequia is the largest of the Grenadine islands. The shallow waters off Bequia are home to seahorses, pipefish and batfish, among other species. For getting your bearings among local place names, it is also helpful to know that Princess Margaret Beach is also known as Tony Gibbons Beach.

The coast of Industry Bay offers a different landscape, shaded by forested hills and coconut palms. These specific features add further facets of the Grenadines to the reefs and wildlife of the Tobago Cays, without implying that every island has the same landscapes or opportunities for wildlife watching.

Visiting and Respecting the Protected Area

The government has declared the Tobago Cays a wildlife reserve. Fishing, jet skis and anchoring dinghies are prohibited there. Check the current park rules before taking part in any activities.

Petit Tabac also has a distinctive connection to the area: the deserted island scene in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” was filmed there. The secluded beach on Petit Tabac is also suitable for a private picnic. The film history and the character of the beach are two different reasons to keep the name of the cay in mind when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Port Elizabeth, Lovell, Clifton, Frederiksted, St George, Saint David, St Andrew, Christiansted.

For the broader travel overview: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.