Most people assume you need a yacht to see the Grenadines. You do not. The chain of islands between Grenada and St Vincent is linked by ferries, small planes, water taxis and inter-island cargo boats that local people use every day, and with some patience a traveller can work north from St George's to Bequia, crossing an international border on the way, without ever chartering a boat.
The route below takes ten days and leaves room for weather, which matters more here than in most places. It runs from south to north, flying into Grenada and out of Argyle International Airport on St Vincent, but it works just as well in reverse. Treat the day numbers as a framework. Services on the smaller islands changed after Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, and schedules on several legs vary by season, so confirm each connection as you go rather than booking everything rigidly in advance.
Days 1 and 2: St George's and the west coast of Grenada
Arrive at Maurice Bishop International Airport and spend the first two nights on Grenada's south-west, around St George's, Grand Anse or the Lance aux Épines peninsula. The time is useful beyond recovery from the flight: it lets you buy East Caribbean dollars, pick up a local SIM card if needed, and stock up on anything you might struggle to find on the smaller islands, such as specific medicines, reef-safe sunscreen and dry bags.
Use one day to see the capital properly: the Carenage, Fort George above the harbour, the market area and the steep streets of the old town. If there is time, take the west coast road north to Gouyave and the nutmeg station, which also previews the coastline you will pass on the ferry. Confirm the next day's ferry departure the evening before and pack so that one main bag and a day bag cover everything, because every leg after this involves carrying luggage along jetties and into small boats.
Days 3 to 5: Carriacou, with a day on Petite Martinique
Take the morning ferry from the Carenage to Carriacou, checking whether it lands at Hillsborough or Tyrrel Bay. Carriacou rewards slowing down: stay near Hillsborough for convenience, at Tyrrel Bay for the yachting atmosphere, or near L'Esterre and Paradise Beach for the water. Spend a day on the island itself, visiting Windward on the north-east coast, where wooden boats are still built by hand on the beach, and the viewpoint at Belair or Princess Royal Hospital hill above Hillsborough for the panorama across to the Grenadines.
A second day can go to the sea. Water taxis run from Hillsborough and Paradise Beach to Sandy Island for swimming and snorkelling, and boatmen at Windward can take you across to Petite Martinique, the smallest inhabited island of the three, where a slow walk around the waterfront and the single main road shows a seafaring community quite different from Carriacou. Keep the last day on Carriacou for arranging the crossing to Union Island and clearing out with customs and immigration in Hillsborough, which is easiest on a weekday morning.
Days 6 and 7: Union Island and the Tobago Cays
Cross by small boat to Clifton on Union Island, clear in with immigration and customs, and settle in for two nights. Clifton is compact and walkable, with guesthouses, a waterfront and a little harbour busy with day-trip boats. Union was badly damaged by Hurricane Beryl, so contact accommodation directly before arriving, carry cash and expect fewer services than older reviews mention. The rebuilding itself is part of what you will see, and spending money locally helps.
Use the full day for a boat trip to the Tobago Cays Marine Park, the reef-sheltered cluster of uninhabited islands an hour or so from Union by fast boat. Most trips combine snorkelling with green turtles in the protected area off Baradal, a beach stop and often a lunch stop at Mayreau, the small island just to the west. Choose an operator that respects the park rules, carries life jackets for everyone and pays the park fee properly; your guesthouse can usually suggest one. Ask whether the fee is included in the price.
Day 8: getting from Union Island to Bequia
Option one: the slow boat. Inter-island passenger and cargo vessels have long linked Union Island with Mayreau, Canouan and Kingstown on St Vincent a few days a week. The journey is slow and timings vary, but it is cheap and shows the islands from the water. From Kingstown, frequent ferries cross to Bequia in about an hour.
Option two: a short flight. Light aircraft operate within St Vincent and the Grenadines, connecting Union Island with Canouan, Bequia and Argyle on St Vincent, though schedules depend on the operator and season. Flying from Union to Bequia, or to St Vincent and then taking the ferry, saves most of a day.
Option three: a ride on a yacht. Crew-wanted notices at marinas and word of mouth sometimes lead to a passage north on a cruising boat. If you go this way, make sure the skipper lists you properly as crew for clearance purposes.
Whichever option you choose, check the day before, because cargo boats run on their own timetable and small planes are weather-dependent. Having an extra night in hand on Union is the best insurance.
Days 8 to 10: Bequia, and flying home
Bequia is the right place to finish. Admiralty Bay is full of yachts, Port Elizabeth has restaurants, small shops and a waterfront path, and the walk or short taxi ride to Princess Margaret Beach and Lower Bay fills a slow morning. The island has a strong boatbuilding and model-making tradition, and a gentle hike up to one of the hilltop viewpoints gives a final look south along the chain you have travelled.
On the last day, take the ferry from Port Elizabeth to Kingstown and a taxi to Argyle International Airport on St Vincent's east coast, which has regional connections and some direct services to North America and the UK. Leave a wide margin: allow for ferry delays and the drive across the island, and if your flight leaves early, spend the final night on St Vincent rather than on Bequia. Remember that you entered St Vincent and the Grenadines at Union Island; departure formalities happen at Argyle in the normal way.
What to book ahead and what to leave open
The balance on this route is between security and flexibility. Book the first two nights on Grenada and the last night before your flight home, because those anchor the whole trip. Book Carriacou accommodation ahead too, particularly at festival times, since the island has a limited number of rooms and many fill with returning family. On Union Island, contacting guesthouses in advance is wise because capacity was reduced after the hurricane.
Leave the transport between islands as open as you reasonably can. Buy ferry tickets a day or two ahead rather than weeks, keep the Union-to-Bequia leg flexible until you know how the slow boat or small planes are running, and avoid non-refundable bookings on any leg that depends on a small boat. A simple notebook or phone note listing each leg, its possible options and who to ask locally is more useful than a rigid printed itinerary. Above all, keep one night unallocated somewhere in the middle of the trip; it absorbs a cancelled crossing without a chain reaction of missed bookings.
What to adjust before you go
The route is flexible. These are the common changes and the checks that make them work:
- Running it in reverse works well if flights into Argyle are cheaper; you would then clear out of St Vincent and the Grenadines at Union and enter Grenada at Hillsborough.
- Adding days is best done on Carriacou or Bequia, which have the most accommodation choice, rather than on Mayreau or Union, where options are thinner.
- Weather days are worth building in. Strong winds from December to March can cancel small-boat crossings for a day or two.
- Budget varies hugely with accommodation. Transport costs mount up across several boats and a flight, so price each leg locally rather than assuming it is cheap because it is short.
- Two currencies are not needed. Both countries use the Eastern Caribbean dollar, which keeps budgeting simple across the whole route.
- Documents should be kept dry and together, with the entry stamp from Union safe until you leave from Argyle.
Frequently asked questions
Can you island-hop the Grenadines without a yacht?
Yes. Ferries, small planes, water taxis and inter-island cargo boats link Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique, Union Island, Mayreau, Canouan, Bequia and St Vincent. It takes more planning than sailing your own boat, and some legs run only on certain days, but it is entirely possible.
How many days do you need to go from Grenada to Bequia?
Around ten days allows a comfortable pace with a couple of nights on each main island and some buffer for weather. A week is possible if you fly one or two legs. Rushing makes little sense, because weather and irregular boat schedules punish tight plans.
Where should the trip start, Grenada or St Vincent?
Either works. Starting in Grenada lets you settle in on a larger island with more services before heading north. Starting at Argyle on St Vincent may suit you if flights there are cheaper. The route reverses easily, with border formalities at Union Island and Carriacou.
Is the Tobago Cays day trip worth it?
For most visitors it is a highlight: clear water, protected reefs and the chance to snorkel with green turtles in a managed marine park. Choose a reputable operator, check that the park fee is included or carry cash for it, and go on a calm day.
Which airport is best for flying home after Bequia?
Argyle International Airport on St Vincent is the usual choice, reached by ferry from Bequia to Kingstown and then a taxi across the island. Bequia's small airport handles light aircraft only. Allow plenty of time for the ferry and drive on departure day.
