Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines, home to fewer than 300 people and no cars. The entire settlement, Station Hill, sits on a single hilltop, and from the small Catholic church at the top you can see both the Atlantic and the Caribbean at once.
The main draw is Salt Whistle Bay on the north coast, a crescent of white sand sheltered by palms where the water is impossibly clear. It is regularly named among the best beaches in the Caribbean, and on most days you will share it with only a handful of people from passing yachts. The south side of the island faces the Tobago Cays, a cluster of uninhabited islets surrounded by a horseshoe reef that is one of the finest snorkelling spots in the eastern Caribbean.
There are no banks, no ATMs, and only a couple of guesthouses and beach bars. Mayreau runs on its own rhythm. Supplies come by boat, the generator shuts off at night, and the loudest sound is usually the wind. If you want the Caribbean stripped down to its essentials, this is it.