Tobago Cays travel guide

The Tobago Cays are a small collection of islets just off Mayreau, protected by a horseshoe reef and surrounded by beautifully clear water. The beaches are some of the most beautiful in the Caribbean and there is diving and snorkelling on Horseshoe reef and wall. Anchor damage, together with over-fishing and removal of black coral has killed some of the reef; hard coral lies broken on the bottom, but overall it is in remarkably good condition considering the volume of visitors it receives. Do not touch anything underwater, coral dies if you do. The Tobago Cays are crowded with unlimited charter boats, liveaboard boats or day charter catamarans out of St Vincent, Bequia, Canouan and Union Island which can number over 150 in high season. Mooring buoys have been put in to prevent anchoring on the reef, but there are not enough. Although the yachts anchor on sand, their dinghies do not and they are damaging the coral by putting down anchor wherever they want to snorkel. The flat, calm water within the reef has become popular as a place to kitesurf. Although exhilarating, it is extremely dangerous with so many snorkellers on the surface of the water. There are also anchorages in the cut between Petit Rameau and Petit Bateau, or to the south of Baradel. You can shop at your boat or on the beach: ice, butter, fresh fish, lambi, lobster, T-shirts, even French designer clothes are brought to you by boat men. Don’t give them your garbage though, or you’ll be sunbathing next to it on the beach later.

The Tobago Cays were used for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Scaramouche, a two-master boat used for taking tourists to the cays, was converted into an impressive Portuguese merchant ship.