Grenada
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I had just arrived in the Caribbean and with Grenada I had already set foot in what would go into the books as my favorite island of the lot. So far, when it comes to this particular sailing adventure. It might have been the newness, it might have been the exciting start of my very first multi-week sailing voyage, volunteering as crew on a monohull… but probably it’s just the mere magnificence of Grenada itself. The Island of Spice, a reputation once luring literal shiploads of greedy colonialists in, but nowadays attracting those in search of billboard-appropriate beaches and luscious rainforests. From moment #1 when a man in a van spontaneously offered me a ride from the airport, joint dangling out of the corner of his mouth, I felt welcome. Your natural instinct automatically shifts back a few gears to flow into that Caribbean rhythm. Rum punch in one hand, snorkel goggles in the other. Life should be like that more often.
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Grenada
Grenada’s main island is, very originally, also called Grenada. A name many confuse with the similarly named Spanish (or Nicaraguan) city, Granada… which according to folk tales is exactly what this mini-country was named after by Spanish sailors, even though Columbus named the island rather differently following his first sighting in 1498 (Concepcion). Nevertheless, whereas the Spanish never attempted to colonialise Grenada, the French and (after the Treaty of Paris) the British most definitely did, which is why you can currently survive with just your English language skills (although the locals mainly speak English Creole, and Patois – French Creole). Even though they shook off the English influence with their independence in 1974, they still hold on to some quirky imported habits, such as driving on the left side of the road… doing so in ramshackle steam mobiles of vehicles, flying over the narrow potholed streets like there’s no tomorrow (and high chances there won’t be with this kind of marihuana-fuelled driving behaviour). However, this is your way to get your ass of the beach and see some of the interesting sights Grenada has on offer.
The hectic capital St. George’s, for starters, is worth an hour of your time. If only for a short walk along the promenade for a quick glance at the colorful houses creeping up the hillside, like an unpolished and slightly messy imitation of Italy’s Cinque Terre. It definitely has its charm.
If you’re keen to further deepen your understanding of Grenada’s status as Spice Island, you may visit the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, the Belmont Estate (cacao) or the small Grenada National Museum.
Grenada’s main island is, very originally, also called Grenada. A name many confuse with the similarly named Spanish (or Nicaraguan) city, Granada… which according to folk tales is exactly what this mini-country was named after by Spanish sailors, even though Columbus named the island rather differently following his first sighting in 1498 (Concepcion). Nevertheless, whereas the Spanish never attempted to colonialise Grenada, the French and (after the Treaty of Paris) the British most definitely did, which is why you can currently survive with just your English language skills (although the locals mainly speak English Creole, and Patois – French Creole). Even though they shook off the English influence with their independence in 1974, they still hold on to some quirky imported habits, such as driving on the left side of the road… doing so in ramshackle steam mobiles of vehicles, flying over the narrow potholed streets like there’s no tomorrow (and high chances there won’t be with this kind of marihuana-fuelled driving behaviour). However, this is your way to get your ass of the beach and see some of the interesting sights Grenada has on offer.
The hectic capital St. George’s, for starters, is worth an hour of your time. If only for a short walk along the promenade for a quick glance at the colorful houses creeping up the hillside, like an unpolished and slightly messy imitation of Italy’s Cinque Terre. It definitely has its charm.
If you’re keen to further deepen your understanding of Grenada’s status as Spice Island, you may visit the Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, the Belmont Estate (cacao) or the small Grenada National Museum.
I specifically enjoyed the Grand Etang National Park & Forest Reserve*, centred around the volcanic region responsible for Grenada’s very creation. The explosions formed three craters, which have now turned into lakes: Grand Etang Lake (depicted on the coat of arms), Lake Antoine and the Levara Pond. Don’t worry, the country doesn’t contain any active volcanoes anymore, besides the underwater one called Kick ‘Em Jenny (needless to say a no-go sailing area). It is a standard daytour-stop, so expect to find endless lines of vans and tour buses dropping off the masses for a hasty photo session. However, what these tourist masses generally don’t do is actually put in some physical effort… so that’s how you shake them off. I was properly impressed with how fertile and hilly Grenada’s landscape is. I had somehow expected only long strips of beaches with the sole vegetation being a palm tree here and there, but I couldn’t be further from the truth. Grenada is a full-on Jungle Book experience, with the Grand Etang section offering plenty of trails (which can be entered free of charge once you walk away a bit from the tourist parking lot). From the Grand Etang Lake you can easily hike up to Mount Qua Qua, or make a different trip to the trail-rich areas around Mount Granby, the South East Mountain, or Mount St. Catherine, with 840m Grenada’s highest**. Keep an eye out for the mona monkeys!
* Minibus 6 goes to Grand Etang National Park. This line connects St. George’s with Grenville, so you have to get out right in the middle. Keep in mind that there is no time schedule nor any form of organization for these buses, they come when they come and can be stopped anywhere. Don’t take Minibus 2 (like I did after a local told me to): This line also connects St. George’s with Grenville, but via a very different route going all the way east around the coast, bypassing Grand Etang entirely. If you plan on hiking, bring twice as much water as you think you can drink: the heat and humidity is unforgiving.
** Want to hike to some waterfalls instead? Grenada has 18, so take your pick: Seven Sisters Falls, Annandale Falls, Concord Falls, Royal Mount Carmel Falls, Marquis Falls, Victoria Falls, Fontainebleu Falls, Rosemount Falls, Castaigne Waterfall, Golden Falls, Baileys Waterfall, Shodoo Waterfall, St. Margaret Falls, Au Coin Falls, Honeymoon Falls, Tufton Hall Falls, Rainbow Falls and Adelphi Falls. Some charge an entry price! All sulphur baths are ticketed too.
* Minibus 6 goes to Grand Etang National Park. This line connects St. George’s with Grenville, so you have to get out right in the middle. Keep in mind that there is no time schedule nor any form of organization for these buses, they come when they come and can be stopped anywhere. Don’t take Minibus 2 (like I did after a local told me to): This line also connects St. George’s with Grenville, but via a very different route going all the way east around the coast, bypassing Grand Etang entirely. If you plan on hiking, bring twice as much water as you think you can drink: the heat and humidity is unforgiving.
** Want to hike to some waterfalls instead? Grenada has 18, so take your pick: Seven Sisters Falls, Annandale Falls, Concord Falls, Royal Mount Carmel Falls, Marquis Falls, Victoria Falls, Fontainebleu Falls, Rosemount Falls, Castaigne Waterfall, Golden Falls, Baileys Waterfall, Shodoo Waterfall, St. Margaret Falls, Au Coin Falls, Honeymoon Falls, Tufton Hall Falls, Rainbow Falls and Adelphi Falls. Some charge an entry price! All sulphur baths are ticketed too.
Another interesting sight is the Underwater Sculpture Park, containing 75 different statues below sea level! A fun diving adventure, but as it’s only 5-8m deep, you can explore this sight easily by snorkelling as well. The reason of the creation of this unusual statue park can be found in Hurricane Ivan, which caused considerable reef damage in 2004. This new attraction doesn’t only redirect the visitor stream away from the few vulnerable reefs which were spared the ruin, its pH-neutral cement also creates a new base for marine life to flourish. Most tourists book a boat tour to get here, but it’s only a 20-min swim out from the end of Shenda Road (next to the “Dragon Bay Bar” on Google Maps), so you can make it a free* activity if you enjoy some physical effort (I loved it – with the Caribbean heat making hiking or running incredibly challenging, swimming is the best way to stay fit here).
* I went passed the Grenada Maritime Authority to enquire about an entrance fee for the Underwater Sculpture Park, but they told me there wasn’t any… yet! There are future plans to implement a small fee.
* I went passed the Grenada Maritime Authority to enquire about an entrance fee for the Underwater Sculpture Park, but they told me there wasn’t any… yet! There are future plans to implement a small fee.
Carriacou, Petite Martinique & The Grenadines
Besides the main island, the country of Grenada exists of the smaller island of Carriacou, and the even smaller islands of Petite Martinique and a bunch of the tiny Grenadines (even though St. Vincent has more of ‘em): Ronde, Saline, Glover, Caille, Large, Diamond and White Island. (In fact, since the name Granada was adopted in Spanish maps, the ini-mini surrounding islands were named Los Granadillas – changing respectively into Le Grenade and Les Grenadines when the Frenchies came along.) I enjoyed the sudden silence Carriacou. The chaos is left behind in a flash. No honking cars or madman-driving. Just peacefully deserted beaches, mild rolling hills and colorful brightly painted wooden houses surrounded by wildflowers. The island is so small you can walk around it in its entirety in just one day. Which is therefore exactly what I did. Unlike many of the other islands I visited on my sailing journey, Carriacou has actual a setup which allows you to combine a variety of trails into one big loop, with only the occasional asphalt road in between as a connector (check the route here!).
Besides the main island, the country of Grenada exists of the smaller island of Carriacou, and the even smaller islands of Petite Martinique and a bunch of the tiny Grenadines (even though St. Vincent has more of ‘em): Ronde, Saline, Glover, Caille, Large, Diamond and White Island. (In fact, since the name Granada was adopted in Spanish maps, the ini-mini surrounding islands were named Los Granadillas – changing respectively into Le Grenade and Les Grenadines when the Frenchies came along.) I enjoyed the sudden silence Carriacou. The chaos is left behind in a flash. No honking cars or madman-driving. Just peacefully deserted beaches, mild rolling hills and colorful brightly painted wooden houses surrounded by wildflowers. The island is so small you can walk around it in its entirety in just one day. Which is therefore exactly what I did. Unlike many of the other islands I visited on my sailing journey, Carriacou has actual a setup which allows you to combine a variety of trails into one big loop, with only the occasional asphalt road in between as a connector (check the route here!).
Make sure to swim out (or take a boat taxi) to Sandy Island, which is basically a glorified sand bank San-Blas-style, offering the best swimming and snorkelling around.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Grenada Facts
Short History Recap
1498: Columbus sights the islands, names Grenada after the Spanish city. 1650: French settlers from Martinique establish colony, found Saint George's. 1763: Grenada to Britain under Treaty of Paris. ’79: French recapture Grenada. 1783: France cedes Grenada to Britain in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles. African slaves to work cotton fields and sugar/tobacco plantations. ’95: Rebellion against British rule. 1834: Slavery abolished. 1958-62: Grenada part of British-sponsored Federation of West Indies. ’67: Autonomous / foreign and defence affairs British. ’74: Independence. ’79: Bishop seizes power in coup. ’83: Coard overthrows Bishop in coup d’etat. 2001: Grenada blacklisted by Financial Action Task Force: not doing enough to tackle money-laundering (until ’02). Government starts organizing off-shore banking. Underwater volcano Kick'em Jenny off the Grenada coast erupts, but does not break the water's surface. ’04: Hurricane Ivan. ’05: Hurricane Emily.
Grenada Facts
- Capital: Saint George’s
- Language: English / Creole
- Population: ± 124,600
- Sq km: ± 344
- Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$ - XCD)
- Electricity Outlet: G / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Emergency Phone: 911 (police), 434 (ambulance), 911 (fire).
- Visa: Needed for some countries. More info.
- Vaccinations: Hep-A, Hep-B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever (recommended, not mandatory).
- Climate: Tropical Rainforest Climate (Af). There are only two seasons: Dry (Dec-May) & Wet (Jun-Nov). Hurricane season runs from June until November, although Grenada is located just outside the hurricane zone.
- High season: December – April.
Short History Recap
1498: Columbus sights the islands, names Grenada after the Spanish city. 1650: French settlers from Martinique establish colony, found Saint George's. 1763: Grenada to Britain under Treaty of Paris. ’79: French recapture Grenada. 1783: France cedes Grenada to Britain in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles. African slaves to work cotton fields and sugar/tobacco plantations. ’95: Rebellion against British rule. 1834: Slavery abolished. 1958-62: Grenada part of British-sponsored Federation of West Indies. ’67: Autonomous / foreign and defence affairs British. ’74: Independence. ’79: Bishop seizes power in coup. ’83: Coard overthrows Bishop in coup d’etat. 2001: Grenada blacklisted by Financial Action Task Force: not doing enough to tackle money-laundering (until ’02). Government starts organizing off-shore banking. Underwater volcano Kick'em Jenny off the Grenada coast erupts, but does not break the water's surface. ’04: Hurricane Ivan. ’05: Hurricane Emily.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Evening Entertainment
Local Festivals
- Sights: Underwater Sculptures (you can swim out to it), Market Square St. George’s, Fort Matthew, Carib’s Leap, Cathedral of Immaculate Conception & more churches.
- Hikes / Nature: Welcome Stone Lookout, Concord Falls, Royal Mount Carmel Falls / Marquis Falls, Victoria Falls, Levara Pond, Mount Qua Qua, Lake Antoine National Landmark, Morne La Bay Trail.
- Beaches: Grande Anse, Morne Rouge, Sandy Island, Levara Beach, Magazine Beach, Paradise Beach, Bathway Beach, Tyrell Bay, Anse La Roche Bay, Black Bay Beach, Lance Aux Epines, Pink Gin Beach, Petite Carenage, Turtle Bay, Mount Pandy Beach, Fort Jeudy Beach, Gouyave Bay, Parc a Boeuf Beach.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Belmont Estate, The Tower Estate, Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, Fort George.
- Museums: Grenada National Museum, House of Chocolate, Carriacou Museum.
- Hikes / Nature: Grand Etang Lake, Palm Tree Gardens Botanical Garden, La Sagesse Nature Center, Laura’s Herb and Spice Garden, Jessamine Eden Botanic Garden, Clabony Sulphur Hot Spring, River Sallee Sulphur Springs, Mount Hartman National Park, Seven Sisters Fall, Annandale Falls, Quarantine Point.
- Other: River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery, Clarke’s Court Rum Distillery, Blue Light Distillery, Grenada Distillers Limited, West Indies Beer Company, Outdoor Sports Like Snorkelling, Diving, Kayaking, ATV.
Evening Entertainment
- Nightlife Areas: St. George’s, Port Louis Harbour.
- Theatres: Conception Dance Theatre, The Spice Basket.
Local Festivals
- Port Louis Grenada Sailing Festival – Jan/Feb
- Independence Day – Feb
- Carriacou Carnaval – Mar
- Spice Mas / Grenada Carnaval - Aug
- Carriacou Regatta – Aug.
- Grenada Day Festival - Aug
- Carriacou Panrang Festival - Dec
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains: There aren’t any. Just one-off supermarkets and convenience stores.
- Local Dishes: Oildown (coconut breadfruit pigtail dish), Roti (curry wrap), Curried Goat, Pelau (meat rice dish), Crabback, Lambie Souse (conch), Callaloo Soup (dasheen leaf soup), Groundnut Sugar Cake, Nutmeg Ice Cream, Chocolate, Sweet Potato Pudding, Grenadian Fudge, Cocoa Balls, Coconut Drops.
- The Veg Situation: Going veg a bit complicated in Grenada, as most local food is meat or seafood based. Veg restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Rum Punch, Carib Beer, Cocoa Tea.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: If you intend to visit the Caribbean islands, make sure to have enough funds available. None of the islands are cheap here, and also Grenada is rather expensive. Expect prices comparable or higher to Western Europe. When it comes to accommodation, without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. That said, tourist taxes are very high in the Caribbean, but those can be avoided by booking something via Air BnB. Even though still very expensive, Air BnB has cheaper deals than hotels in the Caribbean (Air Bnb has cleaning fees and commission, but it is still much lower). Writer’s choice: I stayed on a sailboat I crewed on.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost, but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Grenada is small (because the country is small), but it exists.
- Wild Camping: seems to be legal, although official information is unavailable. That said, it is rather uncommon here, so I recommend stealthiness.
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Grenada is relatively safe, but incidents happen. Practice general caution.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- Traffic drives on the left side of the road.
- Unfortunately, homosexuality is still illegal in this country. Stealthiness is required.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most local ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere.
- Simcard: Public Wi-Fi is hardly existing in the Caribbean, and once you can connect it generally doesn’t work. Buying a local simcard is usually cheaper than using your international roaming option, although keep in the Caribbean prices for sims and data are incredibly high (way more expensive than Europe, for example) so it might be worth comparing in advance or check if there are better e-sim deals suitable for your phone. The main providers are Digicel and Flow. Digicel has a coverage from Grenada up to St. Lucia. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Instead, buy it in the phone stores in the cities. A passport must be shown.
Transport
- Walking: Walking is a good option within the separate cities and villages. Walking from town to town is relatively doable too (depending on your level of fitness), but keep in mind that the heat can be overwhelming and there are often no pedestrian lanes alongside the main roads.
- Cycling: Cycling could be an option to get around. However, keep in mind that local traffic might not always be mindful towards cyclists and there is little space to drive on.
- Public Transport: There is no organized public transport, but minivans randomly drive around on different routes and pick up and drop off passengers anywhere along the way. They usually drive recklessly and the vans are overfull, but it kind of works. You pay in cash. It’s best to verify the numbers, routes and fares with fellow waiting passengers, as there is no clear system or app where you can trace this information down.
- Taxi / Uber: Are extremely expensive in Grenada. The local Uber is called Haylup.
- Ferry: Surprisingly enough, there are hardly any ferries in between the Caribbean islands, which makes traveling here complicated and costly. Your options are flying in (very expensive) or arriving on a private boat (mind the extra entry and exit fees for the boat, on top of the fees you have to pay for yourself). Grenada only has a ferry service between the main island and Carriacou.
- Train: There are no trains in Grenada.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Grenada, but it is available.
- Airport: Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND).
- Hitchhiking: is relatively easy in Grenada, locals are used to it. The symbol is not a thumbs up, but waving or pointing in a certain direction. More info on hitchhiking in the Caribbean can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- International Destinations Close By: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Barbados, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago.
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