Tobago Cays Marine Park: moorings, permits, rules and beach BBQs

The Tobago Cays Marine Park is the headline anchorage of the Grenadines: five uninhabited cays, a turtle sanctuary inside Horseshoe Reef, and the best beach BBQ in the Caribbean. It''s also a managed park with rules — here''s what you need to know.

The five cays

• Petit Bateau — the main beach-BBQ island; lobster fires light at sunset
• Petit Rameau — quieter; good lunchtime beach
• Baradal — sunset island; the turtle sanctuary sits just off it
• Jamesby — small, often used for private beach setups
• Petit Tabac — outside the reef; day trip only when sea state allows

Moorings vs anchoring

The park strongly prefers moorings over anchoring to protect the seagrass and reef. We pre-book moorings inside Horseshoe Reef before you arrive. Anchoring is permitted in designated sand patches only — the park rangers will reposition you if you drop on grass or coral.

Park fees

Charged per person per night by the Tobago Cays Marine Park Authority. We pre-pay on arrival and reconcile on your final invoice. Fees fund ranger patrols, mooring maintenance, and the turtle sanctuary.

The turtle sanctuary

A protected zone off Baradal where green turtles graze on seagrass. Snorkelling is permitted but with rules: no touching, no chasing, no flash photography, and don''t stand on the reef. Rangers monitor and will board if rules are broken.

The lobster BBQ on Petit Bateau

The signature Grenadines guest experience. Local cooks light fires on the beach at sunset; lobster (in season), grilled fish, chicken, rice and pigeon peas, salads, rum punch. We coordinate with the right operator (there are several; not all are equal) and book 24 hours ahead. Tables, chairs, music and lanterns are set up on the sand.

In season: lobster is closed from May to August (SVG fishing regulations). Outside the closed season we book Caribbean spiny lobster; in-season we substitute grilled fish, chicken and seafood platters.

Weather windows

Tobago Cays sits inside Horseshoe Reef, which knocks down the swell from the east. Steady ENE trades give the iconic flat water and good kite-boarding conditions. Avoid in a northerly swell — the reef doesn''t protect from the north and the anchorage gets uncomfortable.

What you can''t do

• No anchoring on coral or seagrass
• No spearfishing
• No standing on or touching the reef
• No littering — pack everything out, including cigarette butts
• No drone flights without a permit (the park enforces this)
• No fires on the beach without the operator''s permission

VHF and rangers

Rangers monitor VHF channel 16 and patrol throughout the day. They''re helpful and will assist with mooring assignment, snorkel guidance and BBQ logistics. We coordinate with them on your behalf.

How to plan a Tobago Cays day

1. Overnight at Mayreau (Salt Whistle Bay or Saline Bay) the night before
2. Mooring inside Horseshoe Reef by 10am — peak day-charter arrivals come later
3. Morning snorkel safari from the dinghy: turtles at Baradal, reef at Petit Rameau
4. Lunch aboard or beach lunch on Petit Bateau
5. Afternoon swim or kite session inside the reef
6. Lobster BBQ on Petit Bateau at sunset (booked 24h ahead)
7. Overnight on the mooring; quiet by 10pm

What to send us on enquiry

Yacht, ETA, guest count, length of stay, and whether you want the beach BBQ. We''ll book the moorings, pre-pay the park fees, confirm the BBQ operator and have a ranger expecting you.