Tobago Cays sailing guide — anchorages, snorkelling and park fees

The Tobago Cays are the headline stop on almost every Grenadines charter, and once you sail through the gap in the Horseshoe Reef it is obvious why. Five uninhabited islets sit inside a shallow lagoon, protected from the Atlantic swell by a mile of live reef, with turquoise water so clear the anchor chain looks like it is floating. It is the anchorage guests remember years later.

Inside the reef you have four practical anchorages between Petit Bateau, Petit Rameau, Baradal and Jamesby. Holding is good in 3–6m of white sand — drop well clear of any dark patches, which are coral or seagrass. In the standard easterly trades, the northern lee of Petit Bateau or between Petit Bateau and Petit Rameau is the classic pick; when the wind swings south of east, tuck up behind Jamesby instead. Give other yachts plenty of swinging room — the lagoon fills up fast in season.

Snorkelling is what people come for. The turtle sanctuary on the west side of Baradal has resident green turtles feeding on seagrass — swim slowly, keep two metres of clearance, and never touch or chase. The Horseshoe Reef itself, on the eastern edge, is the best snorkel: rays, reef fish and the occasional nurse shark along the drop-off. Do not stand on coral, do not lift anything, and use reef-safe sunscreen — the rangers do check.

Park fees in 2026 are EC $10 per person per day (about US $4), collected on board by the Tobago Cays Marine Park rangers who visit each yacht in the afternoon. Have EC or US cash ready — no card. The same rangers enforce the no-fishing rule, the mooring buoys reserved for larger yachts, and the reef-safe sunscreen requirement.

The lobster BBQ ashore on Petit Bateau is the other headline experience. Ask your captain to radio the boat boys in the morning — Mr Fabulous, Romeo and Simon are the names most captains work with — and they will set up a table on the beach for that evening. Expect around US $60 per person for grilled Caribbean lobster with rice, salad and rum punch, and book by mid-morning to be safe.

For the full destination page and how the Cays fit into a week, see our guide at /destinations/tobago-cays. Most guests who fall for the Cays end up back on a crewed catamaran — see /sailing-holidays/luxury-crewed-yacht-charter for the boats we book most often for this itinerary.