St Vincent
Admiralty Bay, Bequia
Britannia Bay, Mustique
Charlestown Bay, Canouan
Saltwhistle Bay, Mayreau
Tobago Cays
Snorkel the Tobago Cays Horseshoe Reef
Hike La Soufriere volcano
Dive Bequia’s reefs and wrecks
Kitesurf off Union Island
Visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, Bequia
Bequia
Mustique
Canouan
Mayreau
Union Island
The dry season from December to April brings the steadiest weather, with consistent trade winds and the least rainfall, making it the most popular charter window. December through February also sees the ‘Christmas Winds’, when trades strengthen further and can push 20 to 25 knots, which experienced sailors enjoy but which is worth flagging to less seasoned guests. Hurricane season runs June to November, peaking August to October, so most operators avoid booking then.
Most charters begin at Argyle International Airport (SVD) on St Vincent, which opened in 2017 as the country’s first true international airport with direct flights from the US, UK and regional hubs. Guests heading straight to the southern Grenadines often connect instead through Barbados and take a short inter-island flight to Union Island or Canouan, both of which have their own small airstrips closer to the anchorages.
Tobago Cays is the standout, a horseshoe reef enclosing five uninhabited islets and calm, turtle-filled water protected as a marine park. Admiralty Bay in Bequia is the social hub, with restaurants and a lively waterfront, while Saltwhistle Bay on Mayreau is one of the most sheltered, beach-lined anchorages in the chain. Mustique’s Britannia Bay adds a quieter, more private stop for guests wanting to see the island without going ashore at length.
Seven to ten days lets you cover the main highlights, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau and Tobago Cays, without rushing between anchorages. Because the chain runs only around 60 kilometres end to end and most hops take two to three hours, a shorter four or five day charter is workable if you’re flying in and out of Union Island rather than St Vincent, cutting transit time at both ends of the trip.
The Bequia Easter Regatta, held over Easter weekend each April, is the southern Caribbean’s best-attended regatta and turns Admiralty Bay into a lively mix of competitive yacht racing, traditional double-ender boat races and beach parties. Anchorage space in Bequia gets tight that weekend, so charters wanting a mooring close to the action should book well ahead. Outside regatta week, the same bay is a far quieter, more relaxed stop.