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Grenada and Carriacou map
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Airport
Point Salines International Airport, airline airport code GND, recently renamed after Grenada's slain former PM Maurice Bishop, is at the south-western tip of the island. The runway is impressively long, and was one of the causes of the dispute between the Grenadian Government and the USA in the invasion in 1983. The Arrivals Hall has recently been upgraded and there is also a new lounge for VIP travellers.
The new Arrivals Hall is modern and sleek, with marble floors and splashes of colour in the posters of island images and mannequins in carnival costumes. On the left hand side as you go in there is a tourist information kiosk and Grenada Board of Tourism booth. On the right hand side of the Arrivals Hall you will find an exchange bureau, a nurse’s office, washrooms with handicap facilities and the In Transit lounge. Beyond the passport control desks you will be greeted by porters at Baggage Reclaim (porters, with red caps, expect EC$1 per bag). There is a final customs check before leaving the airport.
Outside there are telephones, ATMs, a giftshop, newsagent, a bar/rum shop, the Convenience Corner Internet Café and ‘Bits & Bites’, which offers hot and cold snacks. To the left there are a number of offices for car hire companies, including Y&R Car Rentals. British Airways, BWIA, Virgin Atlantic, US Airways and SVG Airways also have offices at the airport. To the right, on the upper level you can see the planes land and take off from Liftoff Restaurant, which is reasonably priced. Washrooms are located on this level. You will also find an executive lounge for First and Club Class passengers, a VIP room and a reception room for special tour groups.
Further right is the Departures Hall with airline ticketing and check-in desks. These include Virgin Atlantic, Air Jamaica, Excel, American Eagle, LIAT and SVG Air. On leaving the island you need to pay Departure Tax (EC$50). In the Departure Lounge there are washrooms including facilities for disabled passengers and a simple café. The few duty free shops include Colombian Emeralds, a souvenir shop selling local spice packs, a perfume and cosmetic store and two liquor shops.
It’s worth remembering that there is a beach bar, the Aquarium, within walking distance of the airport, so you can can even go and catch a last minute drink on the beach after check-in.
The taxi service, run by the Airport Taxi Union, t 444 4296, is on a stand in line basis. Rates from the airport are published on a board outside the Arrivals Hall. They are shown in Eastern Caribbean Dollars (EC$) and are approximately as follows (subject to change without notice).
AIRPORT to -
Hotels EC$25-35
St George’s EC$30
Woburn Cliff EC$30
Short Drop EC$20
Beyond this the rate is EC$4 per mile for the first ten miles and EC$3.50 per mile thereafter. After 6pm add EC$10. Waiting is charged at EC$15 per hour and if you want to go sightseeing then the rate is EC$40 per hour.
CARRIACOU
Lauriston Airport, airline airport code CRU, is a tiny airport with a 1560ft runway just southwest of the island’s town Hillsborough. There is a washroom and waiting room, but no other facilities. No flights take off or land after dark. Until recently you had to look left and right to see whether any planes were about to land, because the main road used to run diagonally across the runway. Buses do not pass the airport any more, so you will probably have to take a cab.
Taxi rates from Lauriston to -
Hillsborough – EC$15
Tyrell Bay – EC$25
Windward - EC$35.
PETITE MARTINIQUE has no airstrip. There is nowhere on the island flat enough. |
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Banks
Banks are normally open Monday – Friday, 8am–3pm (some until 2pm), but are not on Saturday or Sunday. Customers are generally required to show their passport and ticket when converting foreign dollars, definitely when converting back to your home currency. The island also offers Offshore Banking and Insurance services.
First Caribbean International Bank, Grand Anse and Church St, St George’s, t 440 3274
Formerly Barclays, also located in Grenville and Carriacou. All branches have ATMs.
Grenada Co-operative Bank, t 440 2111 (head office)
Four branches branches in Church Street, St George’s, the Spiceland Mall in Grande Anse, Grenville and Sauteurs
National Commercial Bank of Grenada, t 444 2265 (head office)
Their main office is at the Sugar Mill roundabout, but NCB has a branch in each Parish. in the Otway Complex, Grand Anse, on Depradine Street in Gouyave, Victoria Street in Grenville; Maurice Bishop Highway in Point Salines, on Main Street in Sauteurs, at Thebaide Junction, St David’s, and at the corner of Halifax and Hillsborough Streets in St George’s. They have ATMs at their Granby Street branch in St George’s and on the Carenage next to Renwick and Thompson.
RBTT Grenada Ltd, t 440 3521
Branches on the corner of Gore and Halifax Street, in Grand Anse, Grenville and at St George’s University School of Medicine in True Blue Bay. All branches have ATMs.
Scotiabank, 440 3274
Branches on Halifax Street in St George’s, Steele’s Complex at Grande Anse and on Victoria Street in Grenville. All branches have ATMs.
Carriacou
First Caribbean Bank, Hillsborough, 443 7232
National Caribbean Bank, Hillsborough, t 443 7289
National Caribbean Bank, Windward, 443 8603
Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 8am-2pm and Friday 8am-4pm.
Petite Martinique
National Caribbean Bank, t 443 9005
Capital International Bank, t 443 7844
Opening hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am-1pm, both in the town opposite the sports ground. |
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Bars & Nightlife
The beach bars in the southern part of the island and the bars in St George’s (particularly the ones surrounding the Carenage), see an easy-going mix of visitors and Grenadians. The musical diet is fairly international, with a range of R&B, Hip Hop and international rock. It is always worth asking around what is happening in the hotels because some of the best entertainment happens there. The music in local clubs includes plenty of Jamaican dancehall as well as Latin and other Caribbean sounds. In the north of the island, where there are fewer tourists, there is a much stronger Caribbean flavour, so if you would like to see a regional band playing to a local crowd look around at the fly posters and in the papers, or ask. There is no real dress code in the bars and clubs, but smart casual would be normal except on the beach and in open air clubs. Don’t forget the beach bars though, because they are some of the coolest Grenadian experiences. For bars in Carriacou, see below.
Club Bananas, True Blue, t 439 4369
The most popular lime on a Friday night. An open-air bar (and reasonably priced restaurant) with air-conditioned disco playing live music (Wed is Caribbean Oldies, Thurs Latin Soca, Fri Caribbean Club and Sat Alternative and Techno). Cover charge on Fri. A good mixture of locals, visitors and medical students during term time.
D’Big Fish, True Blue Marina, moderate
A bar restaurant popular with yachties. Combo and singer on Saturdays.
Kudos, Lance aux Epines, t 444 1250
A very popular meeting place for local business people with a more mature crowd up to midnight before the younger ones appear. Don’t be fooled though, with disco music each night and a live band on Friday from 9-midnight, Kudos is a lively bar. Small restaurant and nightclub also on the same lot.
Hornibaboon Watering Hole, Lazy Lagoon Cottages, t 443 5299
Set on a small deck above the lagoon, very laid back, rustic and popular with yachties and Grenadians on their way home from work. Unusual seating – the chairs are loo seats and stools cut from tree trunks - and generally good fun, with impromptu jam sessions.
Di Vino, Marquee Shopping Complex, t 457 6569
Cosy, air-conditioned wine bar next to Carib Sushi and La Boulangerie. They have a good selection of wines, brochette and other accompanying snacks. Around EC$15 for a large glass of wine. Live music on Wednesday nights.
Owl Bar, the Flamboyant, Grand Anse
Open-sided bar at the foot of Grand Anse bay, nice setting for a quiet drink looking across to the harbour and the capital lit. Stays open late as the name suggests, pool table and sports on the tv.
Club Fantazia 2001, Morne Rouge, t 444 2288
Lively club with an open-fronted bar looking west to the sunset. Mainly a local crowd, Wed is ‘Blast from the Past’ (sees an older crowd), Fri ‘Hot Tempo’ (younger crowd), Saturday features local and regional bands and DJs. Very busy on the last Friday of the month.
Creole Shack, Carenage, St George’s
Right on the waterfront next to the Nutmeg, at street level. Cafeteria by day (very popular for lunch) with reasonable prices. Bar in the evenings, with TV screen. Very popular for Karaoke on Fri and Sat.
Karma Night Club, Bar & Grill, Carenage, St George’s, t 435 2582, www.karmavip.com
Close to Nutmeg Restaurant on the Carenage Karma is the latest night club to be opened in Grenada. New, state-of-the-art nightclub - A/C bar, 12 plasma TV screens (even in the loos), central dance floor, top of the line sound systems and lights, lasers, etc. Karma is popular with all Grenadians and visitors alike, young and old, with a good range of themed nights, imported stage acts and discounts available from selected locations. There are four bars, including one upstairs for the VIP lounge. Wednesday is Karaoke night, Thursdays is for the students, there is a DJ and video effects on Friday with Saturday being left open for parties, private events and concerts (Tarrus Riley recently performed there). There is an entrance fee of EC$25, from which VIP members are exempt. (A yearly VIP membership costs EC$1,500 as of January 2008.)
The Arena, Plains, St Patrick’s
Country disco, remote venue for large concerts with Reggae artists.
Local music and food, very popular with locals from the northern parishes.
Key West nightclub, Gouyave
A lively club, whose owner brings in the most popular regional/international artists to perform either at the club or a larger venue.
Fish Friday Festival, Gouyave
Friday night street party fun, music and dance – sample local cuisine and culture, lots of fish and lobster fresh from the sea washed down with ice cold Carib, (kebabs, pizzas too). US$25 per person for return bus journey and a guide (minimum 4 persons needed for the bus to operate). Trips can be booked through Caribbean Horizons.
Carriacou
Nightlife is never that lively in Carriacou, but in season a crowd can gather in the few easy-going bars as well as in local bars at the weekends and during festivities. There are just few in Hillsborough and around the island, but there is a string of restaurant/bars in Tyrell Bay where you can get a drink or buy one and take it across the road and watch the sunset from the sand (some have chairs under the trees). You would also be welcome in any of the hotel bars or restaurants. Listen out for local events. You would be welcome to go along to these as well if you wish.
After Ours, Tyrell Bay
Upstairs above the supermarket, a large room that also doubles as the main venue for musical bands.
Lambi Queen, Tyrell Bay
Very local bar with West Indian food.
Twilight Restaurant and Bar, Tyrell Bay
Local flavour with indoor/outdoor dining next to the supermarket, friendly staff and a mean rum punch.
Lazy Turtle Pizzeria, Tyrell Bay, 443 8322, moderate-expensive
An Italian restaurant ideal for a drink and a pizza, wireless internet, no credit cards.
Hardwood Bar and Snacket, Paradise Beach
Set in the trees just behind Paradise Beach. Can be lively in the evenings as well.
In Hillsborough you can stop by for a drink at Ann and Sharon's Snack Bar and the Butterfly Bar, which also serves pizzas. Hours vary according to custom.
On Petite Martinique most bars are simple and local. They include Uprising, Standing Wave and Angel's.
Palm Beach, on the waterfront in town
An attractive bar/restaurant set in a stone building and under shingle shelters in its own garden right on the beach. |
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Beach Bars
The beach bars are one of the joys of Grenada. Some are set on the main beaches, but others are tucked away in the their own delightful coves, making a great place to spend the day or have a sunset drink. They are generally cool and quiet during the week, with just a few travellers, but some of them liven up at the weekends when the islanders come out.
La Sirena at Aquarium Restaurant, Magazine Beach, t 444 1410
Excellent for a whole day out. Outdoor and undercover dining on a deck that gives onto the beach. Sun loungers available. Serves lunch and dinner, with an all-day barbecue on Sundays. Open daily except Mondays, 10am – 11pm. New villa accommodation just opened on the hillside above the bar - Maca Bana Villas.
Beach House, Balls Beach, Point Salines
Lovely bar (and excellent restaurant), set on a pretty deck above the greenery and thin white sand of Balls Beach. No deck chairs and not much shade, but good snorkelling. Excellent food, with service from the bar to the beach if you want. Open daily except Sundays, from 11 am – 10.30pm. The Beach House is sign-posted off the Maurice Bishop Highway, access is fairly hidden but it is well worth the effort to find it.
Coconuts Beach Restaurant, northern end of Grand Anse Beach, t 444 4644
At the head of Grand Anse on an excellent strip of sand, a brightly painted building with thatched parasols and tables inside and out. French Creole cuisine, candelight dining in the evenings. A great spot for watching the sunset. Open daily except Tuesdays from 12.30pm -10pm.
Owl Bar at The Flamboyant Hotel, Grand Anse
Set at the western end of Grand Anse, steps up from the sand, this is generally good for a quiet drink. Occasional activity, including steel bands sometimes.
Petit Bacaye Cottage Hotel, Westerhall, t 443 2902
A palm thatched beach bar and restaurant with views through a glade of coconut palms to the beach just a few paces away. Lobster salads a speciality. Delightful beach to laze at after lunch, watch the fishermen bringing in supper! Nat's rum punches and Kelon's pina coladas alone make it worth the visit.
La Sagesse, St David's, t 444 6458
A classic setting under tall palms and sea almond trees (good shade), with grey sand and shallow water in a quiet bay enclosed by headlands. Beach chairs and kayaks available for hire. Open-sided restaurant deck and bar that is open for all meals (they have accommodation). Try the local ‘leven’ bread.
Sur la Mer Restaurant, Morne Rouge Bay
Open-fronted modern building at the top end of the (usually) very quiet, west facing Morne Rouge Bay. Good for a stop-in if you are on the beach, also simple meals.
Turning Point Diner, Jenny’s Place Grenada, Grand Anse, t 405 6073, inexpensive
Popular spot for live music, particularly on Thursdays and Sundays. Set at the northern end of Grand Anse Beach, Jenny’s Place is run by Jennifer Hosten, Grenada’s former Miss World (1970) and her British-born husband Shaun. Accommodation available too.
Carriacou
There is only one real beach bar in Carriacou. There are several restaurant/bars on Tyrell Bay, across from the beach and with an excellent view of the sunset of course. Or you can stop at the beach hotels, for instance Silver Beach, which would allow you to base yourself there for the day.
Hardwood Bar and Snacket, Paradise Beach
Set just behind the fantastic stretch of Paradise Beach, an open-sided wooden deck looking out through the trees to fantastic blue water and to Sandy Island. Serves lunch and dinner.
PETITE MARTINIQUE
Palm Beach, on the waterfront in town
An attractive bar/restaurant set in a stone building and under shingle shelters in its own garden right on the beach. |
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Beaches
Grenada’s best beaches and whitest sand are to be found in the sheltered south-west, where the flatter land shelves more gently into the sea and has been encrusted with coral, which gives the white sand. The area is protected from the Atlantic swell by the island itself. In the north east, where there is also white sand because shallow land leads off to the Grenadines, the water is much rougher and there are sometimes also currents (except in certain places where the coastline is protected by an offshore reef or there is a deep inlet), so be aware when you swim. For this reason we recommend you take local advice before venturing to any other beaches that aren’t on this list. Elsewhere on the island there are also some very pretty beaches (mostly with grey sand). The west coast has a few inlets, but the loveliest are the very pretty coves in the jagged southern shoreline.
One of the delights of Grenada is its beach bars, several of which are set up so that you can spend the whole day there. Drinks, a meal and sometimes watersports are on hand. There is even one that you can walk to from the airport, so you can get a few last minutes on the beach after check in.
For the beaches on Carriacou, which are excellent, please see below.
Grand Anse
Grenada’s most famous and best loved beach, by locals and tourists alike. A fantastic two mile strip of bright white sand looking out onto attractive water and the mountains of Grenada in the background. Plenty of watersports and a couple of bars and restaurants. Good for families and soaking up the Grenada flavour.
Morne Rouge (aka BBC Beach, after a former club)
Lovely enclosed, west-facing bay, separated from Grand Anse by a small but steep headland and consequently much quieter and lower key, except when an occasional party-boat puts in. There is a bar and deckchairs are available for rent. With calm water that shelves gently in the sea, BBC Beach is ideal for families with small children.
Magazine Beach
A lovely strip of sand on a small secluded bay with a backdrop of cliffs. The water can be a bit rough and you should watch out for the manchioneel trees. At one end is the Aquarium Restaurant and Bar, at the other is the Rex Hotel. Public access is on a steep road just above the airport.
L’Anse aux Epines, pronounced ‘Lansapeen’
Palm-backed, mounded light and dark-flecked sand that gives into the shallow water at the head of L’Anse aux Epines Bay, a popular anchorage for yachts. Usually quiet, very calm water, with a couple of hotels and some villas in the area. Ideal for children
La Sagesse
Very pretty strip of grey sand under tall palms, providing plenty of shade, set in its own bay with shallow water. Restaurant and bar to retreat to in the heat of the day. Excellent day out.
Telescope Beach
Close to Grenville, a dark sand beach that has suffered erosion through sand mining for construction. Popular with residents from the Grenville area.
Levera Bay
In the northeast, facing Sugarloaf Island at the beginning of the Grenadine islands, often deserted, with an offshore current. There are some issues with security in this area, so you are advised to stay aware.
Bathway Beach
A white sand beach at the northern tip of the island. As it gives directly onto the Atlantic the water can be fairly rough, but the reef provides a well protected swimming area. Do not swim outside the reef because there are strong currents and sudden waves. The beach is popular with the locals on public holidays and there are some facilities, including loos.
Sauteurs & Mount Rodney
Grey (volcanic) sand country beach facing north, with a view of Diamond Rock and the Grenadines. Frequented by the residents and fishermen of the villages nearby. Constant breeze onshore, offshore currents 50 metres out.
CARRIACOU
Carriacou is fringed with excellent beaches. The sand is supreme. The island is coral-capped, with bright white sand set against a fantastic aquamarine and azure sea. There are many inlets and coves around the island and a couple of classic offshore cays. Even the main town Hillsborough and the best harbour (Tyrell Bay, where yachts put in) are set on passable sand on this island. With the exception of Tyrell Bay and Paradise Beach, the beaches do not have any facilities, so make sure to take any food and water you will want. Also watch out for manchineel trees. Do not touch the leaves or apples, or even shelter under them in the rain, because the caustic sap will blister your skin.
Anse la Roche
A fantastic cove on the western side of the northern tip of the island. Very secluded, reached off a remote road by a path that leads down through the forest (it may be easier to take a water taxi from Hillsborough). Superb sand that shelves steeply into lovely clear water. A real hideaway for the day. There are no facilities so take water and supplies. Good snorkelling. Be careful with regard to the security of your belongings and things have gone missing on Anse la Roche.
Beausejour Bay
In front of the Silver Beach hotel, a nice strip of light grey sand.
Paradise Beach
Close to the airport, a lovely strip of excellent sand and shallow water. Beach bar and trips out to Sandy Island. One of the best beaches on the island.
Petit Carenage, Windward Bay
Another lovely strip of sand.
Tyrell Bay
A working beach and harbour with passable sand and good places to sunbathe and sit in the shade. Bars and shops across the road. Good calm and shallow water.
Sandy Island
A spit of land that just makes it above the sea’s surface in Hillsborough Bay. Sadly it has lost its palm trees in recent years, and the reef has also suffered damage, but the beach itself has got bigger recently as sand has sifted back. Possible to visit on a day sail, but if you are travelling independently, water taxis are available from Paradise Beach and from Hillsborough.
White Island
Off the southern shore, lovely white sand beach and good snorkelling.
On PETITE MARTINIQUE, the main beach is on the north side of the island off the main town (it is a also a working beach), but there are a couple of very secluded stretches of sand on the protected western side of the island. There are no facilities, so stock up before you head off for the day |
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Calendar of Events
2009
JANUARY
20-23 Jan, 40th Annual Spice Island Bill Fish Tournament, Grenada Yacht Club
30 Jan-03 Feb, 16th Annual Grenada Sailing Festival, Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina
FEBRUARY
01-03 Feb, 16th Annual Grenada Sailing Festival continues, Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina
07 Feb, 35th Anniversary of Independence, celebrations include parades by the Royal Grenada Police Force, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and schools
19-22 Feb, 2nd Grenada Classic Yacht Regatta, St David’s Harbour
23-24 Feb, Carriacou Carnival with calypso competitions, Shakespeare Mas and costumed street parades
MARCH
07 Mar, Grensave 15th Annual International Food & Drink Festival, Grenada Trade Centre, Grand Anse
13-15 Mar, 7th Annual Grenada Round-The-Island Race, Garfield’s Beach Bar, Grand Anse Beach – Bathtub Derby on Sunday 15th.
17 Mar, St Patrick’s Day Festival with a week of activities surrounding the official Feast of St Patrick Day including exhibitions of local arts and craft, agricultural produce, food, drinks and local cultural
APRIL
tba Apr, 9th Annual Carriacou Maroon Music Festival at Belair Park with nightly shows featuring Big Drum Nation Dance, String Band Music, Shakespeare Mas, Quadrille and African Dances
MAY
02-04 May, Grenada Drum Festival, Krumahville, Tivoli village, St Andrew. Traditional drumming and dancing includes performers from Barbados and Trinidad.
03 May, 22nd Annual Grenada International Triathlon, St George’s town and harbour.
29-31 May, Co-op Bank Rock D Spice, inaugural music festival featuring international, local and regional artists including Shaggy, Third World, Mr. Killa, Ajamu and Destra. Various venues with music, local art, crafts, food and culture. Free opening night in Gouyave with fireworks display.
JUNE
29 Jun, Fisherman’s Birthday in celebration of the Feast of St Peter and St Paul. Definitely worth a visit to Gouyave during the day to see some of the festivities put on by the most popular fishing village. Also festivities in Carriacou
JULY
26 Jul-03 Aug, 44th Annual Carriacou Regatta Festival. Locally built boats race in Hillsborough Bay and around Carriacou itself, lots of onshore activities, a beauty pageant and big drum dancers
AUGUST
01-03 Aug, 44th Annual Carriacou Regatta Festival continues.
03 Aug, Emancipation Day and Rainbow City Festival, a craft and cultural fair in Grenville
10-11 Aug, Grenada Carnival ‘Spice Mas’, with shows and intense party action, street parades and entertainment all day and night. National Carnival Queen Show, Soca Monarch Finals, Panorama Steel Band Competition take place in the run up to carnival with the King and Queen of Carnival competition the night before (Dimanche Gras, 09 Aug)
OCTOBER
10-15 Oct, Grenada Cricket Classics Festival 2009, England Classics squad led by Allan Lamb play West Indies squad led by Sir Viv Richards.
25 Oct, Thanksgiving Day, 26th anniversary in commemoration of the 1983 intervention with a military parade featuring service clubs and schools
NOVEMBER
tba Nov, 11th Annual TTSA Carriacou Sailing Series, Tyrell Bay Marina, Carriacou
DECEMBER
12 Dec, 10th Annual True Blue Christmas Arts & Crafts Bazaar, True Blue Bay Resort, True Blue Bay. 18-20 Dec, 32nd Annual Carriacou Parang Festival starts with a free open-air concert and features cultural entertainment, carol singing (including house-to-house) and parang string bands, Hillsborough, Carriacou
Grenada public holidays 2009: 01 January, 07 February, 10 & 13 Apr, 01 May, 01 June, 03, 10 & 11 August, 25 October, 25 & 26 December
Please note that the above events and dates may be subject to change/cancellation. Please check locally for confirmation of details |
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Car Hire
It is fun to explore Grenada. The island has some extremely pretty countryside, including the mountains and rainforest in the centre, the sleepy remote towns in the north of the island, and of course its beach bars. By hiring a car you are able to explore at your own pace and stop where you feel like it to enjoy chatting to the Grenadians. There are also the restaurants to visit in the evenings. Of course if you are staying in a villa then a car is pretty much essential.
To drive in Grenada you will need a visitor’s licence, which can be obtained through your car rental agency or at the Central Police Station on the Carenage on presentation of your licence from home. It lasts three months and costs EC$30 (about US$12).
We recommend Y&R Car Rentals for their consistent and reliable service. When checking prices please bear in mind that you will have to add 5% Government Tax and we always recommend you take out Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which usually comes at an additional US$12 a day. Most credit cards are accepted although Diner’s Club and American Express are not so popular due to the very high commission charges.
STOP PRESS - As of 01 February 2010 the 5% GCT will be replaced by a 15%VAT.
CARRIACOU
Carriacou is a small island, but it is large enough that getting around it is an issue, so unless you wish to use one of the few taxis then it will be very useful to have a car, particularly if you are staying in a villa. In fact, only jeeps are available for hire and we recommend Martin & Wayne's Jeep Rentals. |
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