BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Martinique to the Grenadines: the star itinerary of the Antilles
Le Marin, Saint Lucia, Bequia, the Tobago Cays: the run south to the Grenadines — customs, anchorages and budget, week by week.
If the Antilles are one of the world's great cruising basins, the run from Martinique to the Grenadines is their signature route. The starting point: Le Marin, the largest charter base in the Caribbean, deep inside a perfectly sheltered bay on Martinique's south coast.
The classic run (one week)
First leg to Saint Lucia (Rodney Bay or the Pitons, a 3-4 hour reach), then the long leg to Bequia, gateway to the Grenadines (5-6 hours) — and from there paradise tightens: Mustique, Canouan, and the Tobago Cays, five islets behind a horseshoe reef where you anchor among the turtles. Return via Union Island, or carry on one-way to Grenada.
Customs, without the stress
Three countries on the route (France, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines): clearance happens at each entry and exit, increasingly online (SailClear) or at a dockside office. Budget the fees (a few tens of euros per country) and keep the whole crew's passports within reach.
When to go, what it costs
Dry season December-April, sustained easterly trades (18-25 knots: the inter-island crossings are proper passages, sea legs advised). A 40-45 ft catamaran runs €3,500 to €7,000 per week by season; monohulls, rarer here, go for 30-40% less. One-way to Grenada adds a repositioning fee — compare offers with and without.
The advice that changes everything
Don't overload the programme: the Grenadines are to be savoured. Two nights in the Tobago Cays beat six islands ticked off at a run — and the beat back north against the trades deserves a full day of margin in the plan.