Staying Overnight on Petite Martinique: Rooms, Meals and Timing

Petite Martinique is the smallest of Grenada's three inhabited islands: a single steep hill rising out of the sea a few kilometres off Carriacou's north-east coast, with a road around much of its shore and a population of a few hundred to around a thousand people. Most visitors see it on a quick day trip. Those who stay a night or two get something different: the island after the last boat has gone, a sunset over the Grenadines and a sense of how a small, seafaring community actually lives.

Staying overnight takes more planning than on Carriacou. Accommodation is very limited, Hurricane Beryl caused severe damage in July 2024, and shops and restaurants are few. This guide covers how to find a place to sleep, what to bring, how to time boats, and how to make a short stay comfortable.

What accommodation looks like

Do not expect hotels. Accommodation on Petite Martinique has traditionally meant a small guesthouse with a few rooms, apartments or rooms let by local families, and the occasional house available to rent. Facilities are typically simple: a clean room, private or shared bathroom, a fan and perhaps air conditioning, sometimes a kitchen or access to one, and a veranda with a view.

Beryl destroyed or damaged the great majority of homes on the island, and accommodation was affected along with everything else. Rebuilding has been under way, including through the government's housing programme, but the number of rooms available to visitors may be smaller than before, and some may still be under repair. Treat any listing as a starting point and confirm directly.

The best way to find somewhere is often through people. Your Carriacou guesthouse host may know who has a room on Petite Martinique, and the ferry crew and water-taxi operators at Windward are well connected. Contact the property by message or email, ask for recent photographs and confirm the arrangement shortly before you go. On an island this small, word of mouth is the booking system.

Getting there and timing the boats

The fast Osprey ferry that links St George's with Carriacou continues on to Petite Martinique, and the onward leg from Carriacou is short. Small boats also cross from Windward on Carriacou's north-east coast, a popular option for those staying on Carriacou. Schedules change, sailings are fewer on weekends and holidays, and weather can cancel crossings, so confirm times with the operator a day or two before and again on the morning of travel.

Timing matters for an overnight stay. Arrive with plenty of daylight to settle in, and know exactly when the next boat out leaves, as there may be only one or two practical departures a day. If you have a flight or connection to make, do not plan to leave Petite Martinique on the same day, as a cancelled crossing could leave you stranded. Building a night on Carriacou into the return journey gives a comfortable margin.

Pack for the crossing as well as the stay. The channel between Carriacou and Petite Martinique can be choppy, and on small boats from Windward luggage and passengers may get splashed. A dry bag for electronics and documents, a hat and sun protection, and a soft bag rather than a large hard suitcase make the trip easier, particularly when stepping from a boat onto a jetty or beach. Travel light; there is little need for more than a few changes of clothes.

Sailors can anchor off the island in suitable conditions. The island is close to the border with St Vincent and the Grenadines, so if you are arriving from or heading to Petite St Vincent, Union Island or other Vincentian islands, follow the correct customs and immigration procedures for crossing between the two countries.

Meals, shops and supplies

Plan your meals. Petite Martinique has only a few small shops and a handful of places to eat, which may keep irregular hours or open only on certain days. Ask your host in advance whether they can provide meals, and whether anywhere will be open on the nights you are there.

Bring supplies. If you are self-catering, buy most of what you need on Carriacou or in Grenada before crossing. Fresh produce, particular foods and anything you rely on daily may not be available locally.

Fresh fish. Fishing is central to island life, so fresh fish is often available, but supply depends on the day's catch. Your host can usually tell you who is selling.

Water. As on Carriacou, households rely heavily on rainwater and stored supplies. Use water sparingly and ask whether drinking water is provided or whether you should bring some.

Cash. Bring enough EC dollars for the whole stay. Do not count on card payments or a working cash machine on the island; withdraw money on Carriacou or Grenada before you go.

What to do with a night or two

Petite Martinique is a place for walking, talking and watching the sea rather than for organised activities. The road around the island makes for an easy walk past homes, small churches and boatyards. The island has a long tradition of building wooden boats and of seafaring and trading, and on the shore you may see vessels under construction or repair. Ask before taking photographs of people at work.

The views are the other draw. From the shore and the lower slopes you look across to Petite St Vincent, a private island resort in neighbouring St Vincent and the Grenadines, and on clear days to Union Island, Palm Island and the Tobago Cays beyond. Sunrise and sunset are spectacular, and evenings are very quiet. The island's hill, known locally as the Piton, can be walked, but ask locally about the path and conditions.

Around Whitsuntide, Petite Martinique holds its regatta and celebrations, when the island is busier and accommodation fills up. At other times you may have the beach almost to yourself. Swimming is possible from the island's small beaches in calm conditions; ask residents where the water is safest, as currents run between the islands.

Pitfalls to avoid

Short stays on Petite Martinique go wrong for a few predictable reasons.

• Turning up without a confirmed room. There may be nowhere available, and getting back the same evening may not be possible.
• Relying on a single departure to catch a flight or connection the same day.
• Bringing too little cash, or assuming cards will be accepted.
• Expecting restaurants to be open every evening without checking.
• Using pre-hurricane photographs and reviews to judge a property.
• Treating the island as a backdrop. It is a close-knit community still rebuilding homes; respectful behaviour, modest dress away from the beach and asking before photographs are appreciated.
• Ignoring weather. Crossings can be rough or cancelled in strong winds, particularly in the windier months of the dry season.

Combining Petite Martinique with Carriacou

For most visitors, Petite Martinique works best as part of a longer stay on Carriacou rather than a destination on its own. A practical pattern is to base yourself on Carriacou for most of the trip, cross to Petite Martinique for one or two nights, and return to Carriacou before travelling back to Grenada. That way you have the larger island's services, beaches and choice of accommodation, with the smaller island as a quiet interlude.

If you have only a day, a day trip is perfectly worthwhile, and many visitors are content with that. An overnight stay suits travellers interested in small-island life, boatbuilding and maritime history, photographers wanting dawn and dusk light, and anyone who enjoys quiet more than entertainment.

Whatever you choose, leave Petite Martinique better for your visit: buy from local shops, pay fairly for rooms and meals, and keep your footprint light on an island where every resource arrives by sea.

Frequently asked questions