The Grenadines are made for a week on a crewed yacht. The islands are close together, the trade winds are reliable and many of the best anchorages can only be reached by boat. This sample itinerary runs south from St Vincent and back, and is a starting point: your captain will adjust it around the wind, the swell and what your group enjoys most.

Day 1: St Vincent to Bequia

Board your yacht in St Vincent and cross to Bequia, a short and usually lively sail. Anchor in Admiralty Bay, then take the tender to Port Elizabeth for a sundowner on the waterfront. Princess Margaret Beach and Lower Bay are an easy swim or tender ride away.

Day 2: Bequia to Mustique

A morning swim, then on to Mustique, the famously private island. Yachts pick up a mooring in Britannia Bay, and the afternoon is for the beaches, from Macaroni Beach on the Atlantic side to the calmer bays near the anchorage.

Day 3: Mustique to Canouan

Head south to Canouan, a quiet island with a long reef-protected bay on its eastern side and a sheltered anchorage to the west. A good day for snorkelling, paddleboarding and a long lunch on board.

Days 4 and 5: The Tobago Cays

The highlight of most Grenadines charters. The Tobago Cays Marine Park is a group of small, uninhabited islands inside a horseshoe reef, with water in every shade of blue. Spend two nights here so there is time to snorkel with the turtles off Baradal, explore the reef and walk the little islands. Local boat vendors often offer a beach barbecue in the evening. Park fees and moorings are handled by your crew.

Day 5 evening: Mayreau

Move the short distance to Mayreau for the night and anchor in Salt Whistle Bay, a crescent of white sand and palms that is one of the most photographed anchorages in the Caribbean. Walk over the hill for views back across the Tobago Cays.

Day 6: Union Island, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent

Clifton on Union Island is the southern hub of the Grenadines, with a colourful harbour and kitesurfers out on the reef. From here, Palm Island and Petit St Vincent are close by for a swim, a beach walk and a final night in the south.

Day 7: North Towards Bequia

Begin the return north, with the wind usually on the beam for some of the best sailing of the week. Many groups stop again in Bequia or Mustique for a last evening ashore before disembarking in St Vincent the next morning.

Alternative: One Way to Grenada

If flights suit, you can finish in Grenada instead. From Union Island, the route continues to Sandy Island off Carriacou and on to Grenada. Carriacou belongs to Grenada, so your crew will clear you out of St Vincent and the Grenadines and into Grenada on the way. One-way routes can involve a delivery fee, which we will set out in your quote.

Which Yacht Suits This Itinerary?

Crewed catamarans are a natural fit, with shallow draft for the reefs and space for life at anchor. Sailing yachts enjoy the trade-wind passages, and motor yachts can cover the chain quickly and add St Lucia or Grenada. Our guide to yacht charter costs, APA and tips explains all-inclusive and plus-expenses pricing, and our Caribbean season guide covers timing and the festive weeks.