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Grenada and Carriacou map
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Nudity
The Grenadians are very conservative and any form of nudity is unacceptable in public. It is, in any event, against the law to be topless or naked if you are in view. |
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Passports & Visas
The easiest document on which to enter Grenada or Carriacou is a passport (it should be valid for six months after entry), but it is possible with two pieces of identification, one of which has a photograph. No visas are necessary for British, Canadian or United States Citizens, or members of the European Union. Other nationalities please check with the Grenada High Commission or with your travel organiser.
As of 31 December 2006 all American citizens returning home from the Caribbean will need a valid passport. For further information please check with the U.S. Department of State. |
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Places to Go/Activities
St George’s
St George’s, the capital of Grenada, is one of the prettiest towns in the whole of the Caribbean. It sits astride a headland and on the flanks of an extremely fine harbour in the south-west of the island, with a series of colonial forts and churches guarding it on the point, the ridge and on the heights above it. The town splits into two halves, the Carenage, which is on the inner harbour side, and the Esplanade, which looks out to sea on the Caribbean side. To get from one side to the other you can go by (one-way) tunnel, or over the ridge. This is so steep that during carnival time the floats have to be winched up and over. St George’s was terribly damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and while it is busy again there are still some buildings under repair, particularly around the Carenage.
The prettier of the two halves is the Carenage, the front of which is lined with small warehouses, shops, offices and cafes. It is well worth stopping over for a drink to watch the activity of the harbour. The Carenage itself, named after the act of careening (or cleaning) the hulls of wooden ships, is lined with all sorts of boats and ferries. Modern architecture has protruded into it now, but many of the old traditional buildings are still there. They are made of yellow and rose coloured brick that was brought to the Caribbean as ballast in the 1700s.
The Esplanade side of town is a little busier with the main market and on the waterfront the bus station and fish market. The main market, on Granby St, is one of the great colourful sights of the Caribbean. There are two formal red tin buildings, but many of the stall-holders like to sit outside under colourful umbrellas. The bus station is now primarily on the Esplanade itself, next to the fish market. A large pier runs out into the water from here. Smaller cruise ships still make their way into the inner harbour, but larger ships tend to stop out on the new pier on this side.
Grenada National Museum, Young Street, St George’s, t 440 3725, Grenadamuseum@caribsurf.com
The Grenada museum is worth a visit. Set in an attractive building, brick with a wrought-iron balcony (actually the former women’s jail), on Young Street on the Carenage side of town, it has a run down of Grenadian life since the earliest times. Exhibits include Carib artefacts, a canoe, coral encrusted weaponry from early wrecks and a certain Father De Vas’s collections of stuffed birds and handbooks. Memorabilia of colonial rule and Independence include the original national standard weights used to calibrate people’s scales and relics from the Bianca C, a cruise ship that burned in the harbour. The Grenada Arts Council stages annual art exhibitions of local and resident artists – paintings, sculptures, together with the University of West Indies. Open Monday – Friday, 9am – 4.30pm, entrance fee (Mon-Fri) EC$2, children (3-10) EC$1. Donations are very welcome.
Forts around St George’s
Forts loom large above St George’s. Wherever you are, they dominate the heights above you. And they have played a key part in the island’s history, as the island was fought over by the French and British. Fort Annonciation, an early French fortification described as a wooden ‘house’, first appeared on the point in 1649. It was replaced by the Great Fort, in what by then had become the town of St Louis. In 1666 Fort Royal was built across the harbour overlooking the 'new town' of St George's, facing inland, which might seem bizarre, but in fact there was a considerable threat of attacks from on land rather than out to sea.
In 1763 Grenada was ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Paris, but then the island was retaken by France in 1779. After the American Civil War ended and the French troops returned home, Grenada became British once again in the Treaty of Versailles, 1783. Fort Royal promptly became Fort George and a hospital was built in the grounds to cope with increasing illness from mosquito-born disease. Fort Matthew was soon added, along with Fort Frederick, which was built on Richmond Hill to cope with the surge of British troops to counter the effects of the French Revolution, which were still reverberating around the Caribbean.
A tour of the forts and other historical buildings in St George’s can be arranged through Caribbean Horizons.
Beyond St George’s:
Dougaldston Spice Estate, inland just south of Gouyave
A traditional, still working plantation estate where you will see Grenada’s various spices processed using traditional methods, including cocoa beans laid out on the boucans, or drying trays.
DuCane Bay Petroglyphs, Victoria
Large Carib Indian rock carvings on a dark sand beach in Duquesne, on the way to Victoria. There are also petroglyphs at Mt Rich in St Patrick’s.
Morne Fendue, near the northern tip of the island, t 442 9330
Plantation house on a small rise in the north of the island. Regular lunch-time stop on island tours. Advanced bookings recommended.
Lake Antoine, northeast
A lake within the perfect crater of an extinct volcano, just north of Grenville.
River Antoine Rum Distillery
Water-propelled cane-crushing factory, and rum distillery, little changed since the 18th century.
Levera National Park, northeast
On and offshore park where there is hiking and some swimming and snorkelling on the offshore reefs. Beware of strong currents.
Grenada Chocolate Company, Hermitage, St Patrick's, t 442 0050, www.grenadachocolate.com
A small scale but fascinating solar-powered chocolate factory, set in a modern house by Hermitage Police Station. All ingredients are organic, including the locally produced cocoa, cocoa butter and soy lecithin. Raw cane sugar is imported from cooperatives in Paraguay and vanilla beans from Costa Rica. Tours have unfortunately been suspended because of a greater amount of interest than the limited space could allow. However, Edmond Brown, one of the founders of the Grenada Chocolate Company can often be found down the road at Belmont Estate and is happy to regale you with the history of his award-winning chocolate. You can also buy the chocolate all over the island in different forms ranging from dark chocolate to Smilo (chocolate powder), sweets and syrups.
Belmont Estate, St Patrick, t 442 9524/26, belmontestate@spiceisle.com, www.belmontestate.net
A 300 year old plantation estate and museum illustrating the cultural traditions, cuisine and agricultural methods of a 400 acre cocoa and nutmeg plantation. Situated in Hermitage, close to Tivoli in the North Eastern parish of St Patrick, Belmont Estate is a popular stop off for lunch on a tour of the island.
The museum contains artefacts, tools, photographs and other memorabilia from the estate as well as personal effects from the Nyack family, owners of Belmont Estate. There are even games and musical numbers that visitors are encouraged to enjoy. Try The Pique, the Pound Stone or perhaps some Kalinda (stick fighting). Or you can simply stroll around the lovely gardens. Interestingly, most of the cocoa harvested at Belmont goes to The Grenada Chocolate Company just down the road – to produce Certified Organic Fine Dark Chocolate.
Belmont Estate is open Sunday to Friday. Tour rates are US$5 for adults, US$2.50 for children under 12. The restaurant serves locally grown produce in various juices, desserts and spicy buffets and can cater to conference clients and large parties of up to 200 people for weddings or other special occasions. A set menu costs US$15, plus 8% GCT, whilst children under 12 eat for half price.
Nutmeg Processing Stations
Nutmeg factories are well worth a visit. There are two main ones on the island, located in Gouyave and Grenville, and they send their product all over the world, for use in cooking and confectionary. Although about three quarters of the nutmeg trees were destroyed, the factories have plenty of stock that they can process, so the factories are still working. See more stories about nutmeg.
Grand Etang National Park
Thirty acres of rainforest around the Grand Etang, or ‘Great Pond’, at 1700 feet in the centre of the island, with limited hiking trails, refreshments and toilets.
Clabony Sulphur Springs, north of Grand Etang
You will need a 4x4 jeep to wind your way through banana and nutmeg plantations finally flourishing after the hurricanes of recent years to reach Clabony Springs above Mirabeau Estate. The spring is the most accessible of a number of natural, warm, sulphur springs hidden in the overgrowth. After a short walk over streams and rocky stairs you will find a steep-backed rock pool to your left. The waist-deep water is clear and surprisingly pleasant smelling - until you stir the bottom with your feet. Guide recommended.
Clarke’s Court Rum Distillery, Woodland
There is a welcome Centre at the distillery which describes the process of rum production. They make a white rum, several award-winning light rums and some darker and aged rums. The sugar factory buildings are under repair and not open to visitors, but the shop is open for tasting and purchase.
The Westerhall Rum Distillery
A factory for blending rums and producing ice. They are open for tours and tasting and purchases, but a planned rum museum has been delayed by the hurricane.
Helvellyn House, nr Sauteurs, t 442 9552
Currently owned by Karen Maaroufi, Helvellyn House was built by her grandfather. It is a rather soft building made of stone, set in beautiful and immaculately kept grounds (perfect for a Grenada wedding, birthday or any celebration that needs plenty of outdoor space and shade - from the huge flamboyant tree). The views carry over Irvin’s Bay to Carriacou Island and the Grenadines beyond. Badre Maaroufi, Karen’s husband, will take you down to his pottery workshop and guide you through making a piece out of locally quarried clay. Of Moroccan descent, Badre has been working with clays all his life and on moving to Grenada was amazed to find an abundance of mostly unused clay.
Lunch is available from 11-3, Monday to Friday, reservations only.
Carib’s Leap, Sauteurs
In 1651, the Amerindians living in Grenada were being slaughtered by the European colonisers. Rather than surrender to their tormentors, some 40 of them jumped into the sea to their deaths off the cliff face at Sauteurs. Eerily enough there is now a promontory over this spot, so you can peer down to the sea with images of heroism and honour in your mind. If that isn’t your thing then stroll round the new museum with Amerindian artefacts, old French weapons and models of Carib life. Opening times unavailable at present, please book through Caribbean Horizons.
WATERFALLS
There are several waterfalls that can be enjoyed for their beauty and for a swim. Some involve a hike but others are easy to get to. Some remain closed since Hurricane Iva. Annandale (easily accessible), Concord (three falls, two walkable only, admission fee US$1, upper two closed), Seven Sister (seven falls, 30 minutes hike) and Victoria Falls (accessible only by foot) and Royal Mt Carmel .
Carriacou
The interest of Carriacou is generally its gentle, unhurried life, its beaches and increasingly its nature, but generally there is not a lot to see. Outside the main town there are a couple of villages and there are a few ruins of plantation houses inland which can be fun to explore on a hike (try Dumfries, Belair, Craigston and Dover). Look out for the skeletal hulls of local ships under construction. They are built mostly in Windward and in Tyrell Bay. Boat building is a long-standing tradition in Carriacou. If you are on-island and hear of a boat launch, definitely go along.
Hillsborough
A small and generally dozy town with just a few streets of mainly modern buildings set along the waterfront of Carriacou’s main bay. It is at its liveliest ‘when the boat comes in’, as crowds gather to get their supplies and chat, but then the activity soon subsides and it returns to its customary doziness. There is a small botanical garden in the rear of the town. It is now in some disrepair.
Carriacou Museum
Set in Hillsborough, a series of simple exhibits illuminating Carriacou life, including articles found on archaeological digs, old drums, canoes and artefacts from the time of slavery. One highlight is the Carib ‘well’, a series of sandstone pots that filters water. Open Monday-Friday, 9.30am–4pm.
Windward Boat Yard, Windward
Small nautical museum and Boat Building Academy
Tyrell Bay
A favourite anchorage for yachts, which has gathered a cluster of houses, bars and restaurants along its waterfront.
Offshore Islands
There are three offshore islands in Hillsborough Bay, Mabouya, Jack Adan and Sandy Island, the last of which is a stopover for day sails and cruises. |
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Places of Worship
The Grenadians have a mix of denominations. The majority are Catholic (64%) and 22% are Anglican, but there are also Presbyterians, Methodists, Pentecostalists and Seventh Day Adventists among others.
The Catholic Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, is on Church St in St George’s, as is St George’s Anglican Church, the main Anglican church. Just up the way is the St Andrews Presbytery, also know as the Scots Kirk. St George’s Methodist Church is on Green St. Almost all of the churches sustained considerable damage during Hurricane Ivan and many have still to be repaired. Ask around for where services are being held.
Carriacou
For such a small community Carriacou has an abundance of churches. Catholic churches are situated in Hillsborough on Main Street, L'Esterre, Harvey Vale, Top Hill, Bogles and Windward and Anglican churches in Hillsborough and Harvey Vale. Other churches include Seventh Day Adventist, Evangelical in Hillsborough, Jehovah's Witness in Beausejour and Spiritual Baptist in Dover. |
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Recommended Books
Grenadian Richardo Keens Douglas is author of a book of children's stories called The Nutmeg Princess .
George Brizan has written a number of books about Grenadian history. John Angus Martin has just added to the Macmillan Caribbean A-Zs with his A-Z of Grenada Heritage.
The novel Tide Running (Picador, 2001), by Oonya Kempadoo is set in Tobago, but the author lives in Grenada.
Local history on Carriacou includes Folk Traditions Carriacou and Petite Martinique by Christine David.
There is a good book shop in St George’s, the Sea Change Bookstore on the waterfront on the Carenage. |
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Real Estate
Although it has seen steady increase in building by islanders and latterly visitors, Grenada is still relatively undeveloped and there is plenty of scope to build in the island. Prices have never reached the heights of say, Barbados or Anguilla, and represent good value by comparison. The most developed area of the island is the southwest, around St George’s and south of there, but most particularly on the Point Salines Peninsular and at L’Anse aux Epines. Gradually development has crept east from here, through the finger coves on the southern coastline. There are now villa developments at Westerhall and Fort Jeudy.
Just as it did in every other area of life, Hurricane Ivan (September 2004) had its affect on the real estate in Grenada. Many of the properties for sale were damaged and taken off the market for a while - and the damage around the island meant that there was very high demand for property to rent while people’s homes were repaired. Prices dipped for a while, but soon headed back up to the level they were before the hurricane.
More recently Grenada has attracted major investment and prices are rising fast as top notch villa developments come on line at the new Four Seasons, where there is the opportunity to buy plots and build villas. An 8,000 sq ft villa will cost US$8 million or more. British developer Peter de Savary is investing heavily in the island and there are new waterfront developments at Prickly Bay and Bacolet Bay.
Carriacou is very different from Grenada. It is a much smaller island and it is also much less developed. The beaches and sea are better, so that there is plenty of potential, but there are obviously the logistical issues of the remoteness and the fewer facilities and services available on the island. Also, land is limited, as the islanders are often reluctant to sell.
Carriacou is not completely undeveloped. There are a few villas, mainly in the west of the island (three bedroom villas have been on the market for around US$500,000). Up to now building has been mostly in the west around Tyrrell Bay (where villas come onto the market from time to time) and to the north of Hillsborough, around Snow Hill and Cherry Hill, where Simply Caribbean are developing the old Craigstoun Estate.
| | Simply CaribbeanSimply Caribbean is the trading name of The Island Development Company (GDA) Ltd. The Island Development Company is a Grenadian owned company operating out of Carriacou. The company has a good management team, working with TM Williamson Architects and Glean's Engineering, both Grenada companies together with Charles Knowles Designs to develop a desirable cluster of villas. |
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Restaurants
Eating out can be fun in Grenada. While there are just a few restaurants of extremely high quality, you can eat well and the settings of many of the dining rooms are delightful. Many are on the waterfront, and of course a couple of Grenada’s excellent beach bars also offer an very nice lunch or evening out. On the ‘tourist circuit’ you will find that the fare is solidly international, with some concessions to the climate and to Grenada itself (in the local ingredients and spices). Don’t forget the hotel dining rooms. Try Gary Rhodes at The Calabash Hotel and Oliver's at Spice Island Beach Resort.
Grenada also offers good opportunities for experiencing local West Indian food in a sympathetic environment. Local food is solidly West Indian and so you will be faced with fairly exotic sounding dishes when you go to a true Grenadian restaurant. Curry goat is fairly regular but you might be served a stew fish or the ‘national dish’, an oil down (or ‘ile dung’ as it is usually pronounced), which involves just about every Caribbean vegetable and meat all boiled together for hours in coconut milk. And delicious it is, a whole meal in itself. See details of Grenadian food. See an article on learning to cook Grenadian food.
The food in Carriacou is generally simpler than it is in Grenada. Some places offer a nice variation on West Indian food to brighten up solidly international menus of chicken and fish, and there are just a couple of places that offer pizzas or French cuisine.
GRENADA RESTAURANTS
The price of a main course (excluding steak and lobster) is as follows: Inexpensive, less than EC$15, Moderate – $15-30, Expensive – $30 plus
Rhodes Restaurant, Calabash Hotel, L’Anse aux Epines, t 444 4334, expensive
One of a kind, excellent innovative cuisine in a lovely terrace setting from one of Britain’s leading chefs. Rhodes recipes adapted to the tropics, with extensive use of local produce. Excellent experience. See a review of the Rhodes Restaurant.
Oliver’s, Spice Island Beach Resort, Grand Anse, t 444 4258, expensive
Elegant dining with excellent service, in an open-sided veranda right on the beach. A la carte menu particularly recommended.
The Water’s Edge, Bel Air Plantation, St David’s Point, t 444 6305, expensive
An excellent meal in a wonderful waterfront setting, on a deck above the calm waters of St David’s Harbour. Contemporary Caribbean cuisine, imaginative combinations of locally caught fish with fresh produce from their own herb garden and nearby suppliers. Good wine list. Special diets and functions catered for. A drive, but worth it.
Coconuts Beach Restaurant, north end of Grand Anse Beach, t 444 4644, expensive
At the head of Grand Anse, a pretty building with thatched parasols and tables inside and out. A great spot for watching the sunset. French Creole cuisine, good conch salad and lobster thermidor, candelight dining in the evenings. Open daily except Tuesdays from 12.30pm -10pm.
La Belle Creole, Blue Horizon Cottage Hotel, t 444 4316, moderate–expensive
Sophisticated blend of local foods and skillful use of signature menus. Fixed price four course menu.
Sur La Mer, Morne Rouge Bay, t 444 3267, moderate-expensive
Set above the beach with a sunset view, international and Caribbean fare. They are open in temporary housing so it is possible to get a meal at Morne Rouge Bay, but it is not a patch on the new premises which have access to a rooftop as well as the beach and bar
True Blue Bay, True Blue Bay Resort and Marina, t 443 8783, moderate-expensive
A lovely setting on a deck right on the waterfront on True Blue lagoon, with Mexican and Caribbean fare. Some themed nights and a roast beef brunch on Sundays.
Aquarium Beach Club and Restaurant, t 444 1410, moderate - expensive
Good dining in a lovely location on a fine beach. Friendly, with reliable fare. Top pumpkin soup, Sunday BBQ grill of lobster, fish, pork chops. Maca Bana Villas nestles in the hills above.
The Beach House Restaurant, Point Salines, 444 4455, moderate
Located just off the airport road in a classic beachfront setting The Beach House offers international cuisine with a local flavour. Expect dishes such as Cajun Shrimp, Blackened Fish, Caribbean Lobster Tail, Seared Tuna, Eggplant Parmesan, Mud Pie and Banana Nut Blaze.
Open Monday to Saturday, 11:00am to 10:30pm. Reservations preferred.
The Red Crab, L’Anse aux Epines, t 444 4424, moderate
Pub style, set on a terrace, always good fare, some of the best callaloo soup on the island.
La Boulangerie, Le Marquis Shopping Complex, Grand Anse, t 444 1131, moderate
French bakery and café, good cinnamon twists and a place to meet the Italian and expats for morning coffee.
Carib Sushi, Le Marquis Shopping Complex, Grand Anse, 439 5640, moderate-expensive
As you’d expect from a sushi bar, they serve freshly-prepared sushi and sashimi of tuna, mahi mahi, sailfish, snapper and lambi. You can also use their take-away facility for an alternative lunch on the beach.
Tropicana, just on the Lagoon, t 440 1586, moderate
Local scene Friday night barbeque buffet, open air dining. Good for a drink before heading out somewhere else, or for a meal with atmosphere. West Indian, Chinese and international menu, take away (roti).
D’Big Fish, True Blue Marina, moderate
A bar restaurant popular with yachties. Well priced international fare on a waterfront veranda, burgers, wings and curry
The Nutmeg, on the Carenage, t 440 2539/1950, inexpensive – moderate
A Grenadian classic, set on the first floor looking out across the Carenage. Very good Rum punches and non-alcoholic Bentleys. A variety of local dishes, good value, such as the Chicken Maryland, potato salad and creole christophene.
BB’s Crabback Caribbean Restaurant, Progress House, Carenage, 435 7058, www.bbscrabback.com, moderate
Brian Benjamin and his wife Ana have brought their restaurant from Ealing, England to St George’s, Grenada. Brian’s classical cooking qualifications have been turned to local ingredients and flavours and make for an entertaining evening of Grenadian cuisine. Cookery classes are available. You will learn to cook dishes such as Tender Goat Curry and Red Snapper with rice, peas and plantain.
Creole Shack, St George’s, t 435 7422, inexpensive – moderate
On the Carenage, cafeteria style dining with big screen and karaoke
‘D’s’ Roti Shop, Grand Anse, inexpensive
D’s is set in a pretty courtyard with umbrellas for shade. It also offers more substantial fare as well as its famous rotis, such as beef curry, lambi or fried chicken with rice, peas and plantain. Very popular for lunch.
Rick’s Café, Grand Anse Shopping Centre, t 444 4597, inexpensive
Ice cream parlour and pizzeria, grilled chicken, excellent pizzas made on premises, can buy by the slice, eat in or take out. Great for kids. Open daily except Mondays, gets very busy at weekends.
Deyna’s Tasty Foods, Melville Street (nr fish Market), t 440 6795, inexpensive
Local fare, very popular at lunchtime.
Beyond Grand Anse, L’Anse aux Epines and St George’s
Petit Bacaye Villa Hotel, Westerhall, t 443 2902, moderate - expensive
A palm thatched beach bar restaurant open for all meals just a few paces from the beach with views through a glade of coconut palms from each table. Very romantic evening dining under the stars, or a table right at the water's edge. Fresh fish out of the sea, homegrown produce, homebaked breads, soups & icecreams. Wines from Chile, America & Spain.
Morne Fendue, St Patrick, t 442 9330, moderate
Old plantation style grace and good West Indian fare for lunch. Reserve in advance.
Le Phare Bleu Restaurant and Bar, Egmont, t 443 3443, www.lepharebleu.com, expensive
A converted lighthouse ship originally built in 1900 in Stockholm, Sweden, where it served almost 70 years as the Vastra Banken before being turned into a Museum. Now, with a different lighthouse and deckhouse installed for use as a café, the Vastra Banken has come to rest in Petite Calivigny Bay, at the new Le Phare Bleu Marina & Resort. Austrian Chef Alexander Sattler and his wife Veronika offer fine dining and cocktails for all occasions. The restaurant and bar are open from Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm. Reservations are appreciated.
Sunset View, Grand Mal Beach, t 440 5758 moderate
Simple setting on a local beach just outside St George’s to the north, popular with local businesspeople
Roger’s Restaurant, the Island View, Woburn, St George, t 443 5962, inexpensive - moderate
Set in one of the finger bays of the southern shore, Roger’s has an indoor dining room and a balcony with views across Woburn Bay to Calvigny and Hog Islands. Wholesome West Indian fare in a relatively simple setting. Open daily except Sunday from 11am to 11pm for lunch and dinner.
La Sagesse Natural Works, inexpensive – moderate
Set in an old Rum Distillery (of interest in itself), well priced local food and fresh fish.
Little Dipper, t 444 5136, inexpensive
Rustic wooden restaurant perched on the hillside on the south coast, with views of Hog and Calivigny Islands. Limited menu of lobster, lambie and fish. Advanced booking recommended.
Kelly’s Hot Spot, Gouyave, inexpensive
Fresh fish and chips served in polystyrene dishes. Very popular with locals, washed down with a Carib in the bar next door, or in front of ‘Texas Ranger.’
Open seven days a week until quite late.
Rivers Restaurant & Bar, River Antoine, t 442 7109, inexpensive
Local fare in a grand building at the entrance to River Antoine Rum Distillery, including callaloo soup, chicken or fish on the bone with rice and peas and a range of drinks, especially rum from just over the lawn.
Helvellyn House, nr Sauteurs, t 442 9552, Moderate
Local cuisine served in buffet style, typically callaloo soup and beef and rice, or curry chicken and creole fish, and an abundance of seasonal vegetables, along with fresh fruit juice and home-made ice cream. Lunch is available from 11am-3pm, Monday to Friday, reservations only.
Carriacou
The restaurants in Carriacou are all fairly simple, and they serve solidly international fare with hints of the Caribbean in some local dishes. There are a couple of places to eat around Hillsborough, but also head down to Tyrell Bay in the west, where of course you are guaranteed an excellent view of the sunset. Most have menus, but they are fairly flexible and anyway what is available may depend on the day’s catch so it is always best to ask. Don’t forget the hotel dining rooms, but remember that they are all small, so it is best to make a reservation in advance.
The Round House, near Bogles, t 443 7841, expensive
Excellent fare in a circular stone room whose ceiling is supported by a tree limb with a network of branches as beams. A nightly changing menu with seven or eight main courses, using the best of local ingredients (discuss your order when you make a reservation). Very nice evening out.
Callaloo Restaurant, Hillsborough waterfront, t 443 8004, moderate
Good food at reasonable prices in a pretty setting upstairs on Main Street. Very friendly and popular.
Garden Restaurant, Hillsborough t 443 7979, moderate
Small, friendly establishment where you can sit inside or dine on the veranda in a pretty creole house in town.
Sandisland Café, Hillsborough, t 443 6747, inexpensive
Small beachfront café with a covered veranda looking out to Hillsborough Bay and the jetty. Local saltfish breakfast is very popular, together with natural fruit juices, pizza, pastries, rotis and sandwiches served throughout the day. Opening times vary according to custom, but as a guide – Mon-Sat, 7am-3pm, Sun, 12am-10pm.
Patty’s Deli, Hillsborough, t 443 6258, moderate-expensive
Located just by Hillsborough jetty the deli is open six days a week and offers a provisioning service and picnic boxes to order - full of gourmet deli counter meats and cheeses, freshly made salads, quiches, tarts and cakes as well as fresh meats and imported fine wines. Perfect for taking on a day tour or sail.
Ann’s Eating Delight, Hillsborough, 443 6991, inexpensive
Opposite Patty’s Deli, Ann Matheson offers a quick eat in or take-away lunch of beef, chicken or lambi roti, pizza and chips. It is the favoured port of call for the island’s bakery van which stops outside to deliver its batch for the day.
Green Roof Inn, t 443 6399, moderate
First floor veranda location with lovely views across Hillsborough Bay and to outlying cays. The chef uses local fish and shellfish and land produce.
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.
Lazy Turtle Pizzeria, Tyrell Bay, t 443 8322, moderate
They serve a good range of pizzas from midday to 2pm and Italian cuisine from 6pm onwards. A choice of pastas and simple dishes. Also internet access.
Twilight Restaurant and Bar, Tyrell Bay, inexpensive
Offers breakfast lunch and dinner at reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere.
Lambi Queen Restaurant and Bar, Tyrell Bay
Serves very local West Indian fare including some exotically named dishes like goat’s head soup and cow lip soup. A popular haunt for local fishermen.
Petite Martinique
The fare in Petite Martinique is very simple. Try the Palm Beach Restaurant, which has a pretty setting in shingle-roofed gazebos in a garden on the beach, or Melodies. |
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Rum
Like most Caribbean islands, Grenada has a history of sugar and rum production, but where many islands have gradually lost their distilleries, Grenada still has some working ones.
Clarke’s Court produce a white rum, a ‘red’ (dark) rum, some aged rums and a range of award-winning lighter rums for export. There is a Welcome Centre at their factory in Woodland which is currently open for tasting and the purchase of products. The sugar factory buildings themselves are under repair and not open to visitors.
The Westerhall Rum Distillery is a factory for blending rums and producing ice. They are open for tours and tasting and purchases, but a planned rum museum has been put on hold.
River Antoine Rum Distillery. Rum is produced from fresh cane juice by a water-powered mill by Lake Antoine near the Belmont Estate in the north of the island. A visit makes a good day outing and it is often included in day tours. Made according to traditional methods, the rum produced is overproof, and amazingly airlines are refusing to carry it so you’ll have to drink it on island.
Even stronger is Jack Iron, a bootleg rum. It is distilled in Trinidad, but it is so strong that it is illegal there. More alarmingly it also defies some of the normal rules of nature. Ice sinks in Jack Iron. It is quite popular in Carriacou. |
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Sailing
Grenada and the Grenadines up to St Vincent are one of the finest places to sail in the Caribbean. Grenada itself, the southernmost island in the Lesser Antilles, makes a great place to start or to finish a charter holiday.
If you are starting in Grenada there are a number of very nice, sheltered bays in the island’s serrated southwestern coastline, where you can sail for the day before returning to the shelter of the main anchorages at L’Anse aux Epines and True Blue, Mt Hartman or St George’s. As you set off for the Grenadines you coast up the island, beneath the massive green rainforested flanks that move so slowly against the tropical sky, and then you cruise into the open water along the island chain, past a number of smaller cays before eventually reaching the first large island at Carriacou. The crossing between Grenada and Carriacou is notorious for its usually choppy seas and strong currents, hard beating to windward sailing. Coming back down with the wind behind you is good cruising.
On the way you will pass a place called Kick ‘em Jenny. It is not actually an island, or not at the moment at least, but it is rough water. The name is thought possibly to derive from the French ‘Cay qui me gêne’, meaning ‘the island that disturbs me’. Which makes the English name just as appropriate. Currents overflowing a landmass near the surface make it choppy. Interestingly Kick ‘em Jenny is also an active volcano and pilots talk of seeing activity beneath the surface of the water. It was recently active, in 2001, and there is an exclusion zone around it for shipping. There is a theory about the disappearance of the Island Queen ferry in the 1940s. It is thought that gases given off by the volcano caused the ship to lose its buoyancy and sink. Kick ‘em Jenny grows every year, but right now it has vents spouts on the sides which dissipates some of the effects. For more information about the volcano, please see The University of The West Indies Seismic Research Unit website, www.uwiseismic.com. One day Kick ‘em Jenny will become an island.
Looking north from Hillsborough Bay on Carriacou you will see the Grenadines that are politically attached to St Vincent fade to grey on the horizon - Union Island, Petit St Vincent and Palm Island, Canouan and Mustique.
Carriacou is an excellent stopover, four or five hours’ sail from the south of Grenada and an hour from Union Island (in the St Vincent Grenadines). During the daytime yachts anchor off the cays in Hilllsborough Bay, but even tucked close into the town itself it is a little too lumpy for a night stay. The best anchorage is Tyrell Bay in the west of the island. A number of restaurants and bars line the shore there. A marina is being built in Tyrell Bay, but it is not expected to open for several years.
Visiting yachts are required to clear Customs at Hillsborough. This is accepted as clearance for Grenada as a whole and no further checking is required. There is a fee, payable at the time of clearing), that depends on the size of the vessel, the length of the proposed stay). Customs hours are 8-11.45am and 1-4pm, Monday to Thursday and an extra hour until 5pm on Fridays. Yachts are not allowed to anchor in the oyster beds in Tyrell Bay or within 200 metres of any beach. No animals are allowed into the country without an import permit. Vaccination records must be provided and a Government Veterinary Officer notified of your point of arrival and the expected time.
Horizon Yacht Charters, True Blue Bay, t 439 1000
Based at True Blue Bay close to the south-western tip of Grenada, Horizon Yacht Charters has a small fleet of good quality bareboats for charter.
Other alternatives are to pick up a yacht in St Vincent and sail it down (with the wind) to Grenada but there will be a collection charge if you don’t want to take it back to base. Try TMM in Blue Lagoon, St Vincent, t +1784 456 9608. Or you could charter a yacht from St Lucia, sail down to Grenada. Again there will be a fee for a skipper to return the boat to base.
Yacht & Marine Services
Grenada Marine, St David’s Harbour, t 444 6286, info@grenadamarine.com
GM’s beach bar, internet café, laundry, shower and rest room. Full service marina and boatyard. Home to Shipwrights Ltd, Island Water World and Grenada Marine Canvas.
Shipwrights Ltd, Grenada Marine, St David’s Harbour, t 444 1062, info@shipwrights.com
Specialists in the restoration of wooden yachts since 1972.
Island Water World, Lagoon, St George’s, t 435 2150/1 and Grenada Marine, St. David’s Harbour, t 452 1223, iww@caribsurf.com
Retailer and distributor of marine merchandise
Clarkes Court Bay Marina, t 439 2593, office@clarkescourtbaymarina.com
Badly hit by the hurricane and not yet fully operational, Oasis Bar and Restaurant, 24 slips, morrings, washroom & showers, laundry, telephone, fax and email. Anticipated re-opening March/April.
Spice Island Marine Services, True Blue Bay, t 444 4257/4342, simsco@caribsurf.com
Family owned and operated for 20 yrs. Rest rooms, washers & driers, free internet access, Budget Marine duty free chandlery, 70 ton marine travelift, sailmaking, rigging, yacht management, engineering and welding.
True Blue Bay Marina, t 439 1000
Mini-marina, water, email, full hotel service available and a good place to say. See True Blue Bay Resort The marina is managed by Horizon Yacht Charters (Grenada).
Grenada Marine Canvas, t 443 1047, dave@grenadamarine.com
Sailmaker upholstery, canvas work, rigging service
Johnny Sails and Canvas, t 444 1108, jsails@caribsurf.com
Regattas
Regattas are well worth attending if you are on island (or to make a special trip for). You might go as a group of friends, renting one of the charter yachts and entering the charter yacht division, but if you just turn up you should be able to get a place as crew. And then there are all the fetes or parties ashore afterwards.
The main regatta is the Grenada Sailing Festival, sponsored by Port Louis, which takes place at the end of January / beginning of February. Yachts from all the nearby islands and local workboats take part in five days of racing – from Junior Laser Class, through charter and cruising fleets and multi hulls - and partying. www.grenadasailingfestival.com.
If you wish to partipate in the sailing, Ondeck Sailing, www.ondeckoceanracing.com/caribbean/grenada-sailing-festival.htm, offer individual spaces for their full race/training package at around £,1,150 (or the equivalent in USD).
A new event, the Grenada Classic Yacht Regatta takes place on the third weekend of February and joins the flotilla of other Caribbean classics in a year, with the St Maarten/St Martin Classics in January and the Antigua Classics in late April. This four-day event, in cooperation with Fred Thomas of Shipwrights Ltd, will see three race days in and around St George’s and the Grand Anse Beach coast and the main race from St George’s Harbour to St David’s Harbour and back (with a stop off at The Water’s Edge, Bel Air Plantation). Entry costs US$4 per foot and is likely to include between 20 and 30 classic yachts, vintage yachts, schooners, wooden boats, and spirit of tradition – see www.classicregatta.com/Grenada.
Also look out for the Grenada Round the Island Easter Regatta, which is staged by the Grenada South Coast Yacht Club. Races are run over four days and it sees yachts from Trinidad whose crews come to participate in the races and of course the fetes, www.aroundgrenada.com.
Carriacou Regatta is a very lively event held in the run up to Emancipation weekend at the beginning of August. The sailing is of course fiercely contested and takes place between local crews from all along the Grenadines and as far afield as Antigua, in locally-built boats as well as yachts in their own classes. It is partially intended to keep the sailing traditions of the island alive. Carriacou has a long tradition of yacht-building, the techniques of which have been handed down over the generations from the island’s early Irish and Scottish ancestors. The week’s sporting and cultural activities also include local beauty pageants, Calypso shows, road relays, Tug o' War and walking the greasy pole. All in all there is a really festive and lively atmosphere, great family fun and suitable for those not taking part in the actual sailing. Also it can be combined with Grenada carnival, which takes place the following week. See a sample schedule of Races and Events. Also www.carriacouregatta.com.
Petite Martinique holds its own regatta at Whit bank holiday weekend. |
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Scuba Diving
The scuba diving in Grenada is mainly off the south-western peninsular of the island, both on the ledge to its south (before the seabed drops away into the deep channel between the Caribbean and South America) and to its north, where there are reefs in the lee of the island, off Grand Anse and up the calmer western coastline. There are some wrecks and drift dives, and although the diving in Grenada is not renowned among the Caribbean islands there is good variety and some nice reefs, with all the usual hard and soft Caribbean corals and a good variety of fish and other underwater life. The Atlantic coast is rarely dived because of the currents and the rough water. There is no decompression chamber on Grenada (though there are on Barbados and Trinidad).
Dive Sites
Reefs include Boss Reef, directly offshore from Grand Anse, Whibbles Reef (an advanced dive off Point Salines) and Molinière Reef (a shallow reef north of St George’s). This leads up to a wall at Grand Mal Point and in the other direction outcrops of coral at Dragon Bay and Flamingo Bay, which rise out of the grey sand.
The most famous wreck in Grenada is the Bianca C, a 600ft cruise ship that was destroyed by fire in St George’s harbour and then taken along the peninsular and sunk. Now it sits vertically on the seabed next to Whibbles Reef. It is a deep dive, but you can explore the upper decks. The size alone of the ship makes it a spectacular dive. Other wrecks include the San Juan a couple of miles south of the island, King Mitch, which lies on its side six miles to the south, and Shakem, a cement carrier that sits upright in 30 metres of water on the calm Caribbean side.
The dive companies do from time to time also make the long run to the north of Grenada where there are some offshore islands, the beginnings of the Grenadines. The shallow white sandy bottom in the Grenadines gives a brighter environment and consequently the colours are stronger. Islands where there is diving include Isle de Ronde.
Companies on Grenada offer scuba training from introduction upwards, including speciality courses such as rebreather diving and Nitrox mix. Dive Grenada on Grand Anse beach provides a fun, safe service with dive packages available through The Flamboyant Hotel. We also recommend ScubaTech for their consistent good service and technical diving packages. Read an article about Diving in Grenada.
Carriacou
The scuba diving in Carriacou is pretty good. Its name, originally written Kayryouacou apparently, reputedly meant ‘Island of Reefs’ and the island is surrounded by them. The island is set in shallow water with a sandy bottom and so the visibility and the colours are good. But because there is relatively little pressure from fishing, the fish life is also good.
Dive sites include the offshore islands in Hillsborough Bay, Mabouya, Sandy Island, Sister Rocks and Jack A Dan, where there are good corals and fish in relatively shallow waters, but there are also sites to the south of Carriacou, around Saline and Frigate Island. This is more advanced diving because of the currents from the open sea, but the corals and fish are spectacular.
The best dive operator is Carriacou Silver Diving, t 443 7882, based on Main Street in Hillsborough. In Tyrell Bay consider Lumbadive t 443 8566, a Beuchat dive centre, and Arawak Divers, t 443 6906.
Accommodation in Grenada and Carriacou which is particularly suitable for divers is as follows: | The Flamboyant Hotel
A friendly independent hotel set above the excellent Grand Anse beach in the South of Grenada. Flamboyant has both hotel rooms and self-catering accommodation in an attractive hillside setting with lovely views of the island. Easy-going atmosphere with excellent service and value. | Swallow Villa
Luxurious and stunning three-bedroom villa with views over L’Anse aux Epines beach and bay. Walking distance from the beach, Scuba-Tech diving and fine dining at the Calabash Hotel. Excellent choice for a wedding, good for elegant entertaining. | True Blue Bay Resort & Marina
A collection of colourful cottages set on a hillside above a calm bay on the south coast of Grenada. There are 39 rooms in apartments and villas, and two swimming pools, but the lively heart of True Blue is the restaurant and bar, which sit on a deck down on the waterfront. | The Calabash Hotel
One of the nicest, long established hotels in the Caribbean. Small and refined, with just 30 suites in modern two-storey cottages set in a semicircle around lawns and gardens and the beach. An enclave of calm and privacy in a lively part of the island. Understated beachfront elegance, with great food and wine. British owned and run. | Ginger Lily
A two-bedroom villa with a private swimming pool set on its own headland overlooking Hillsborough Bay on Carriacou, Grenada's largest Grenadine island. Ginger Lily is a comfortable and modern holiday home that uses some quite grand traditional Caribbean design. Fascinating Iguanas live in the grounds. | Yellow Bird
A pretty two-bedroom villa set just above the sea on the delightfully dozy island of Carriacou, Grenada's smaller sister island in the Grenadines. Painted in bright Caribbean colours, Yellow Bird is small and quite simple, a classic holiday hideaway with lovely sea and sunset views |
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Security
Visitors to Grenada should take sensible precautions, as you would anywhere in the world nowadays, including the UK or the USA. Do not forget all the normal rules just because you are on holiday. Do not leave doors or windows open at night or when you go out during the day or leave valuable items visible from outside the house or hotel room. Do not leave items visible in your car. Do not leave valuables unattended on the beach and avoid beach walks, swimming or walking alone after dark. If driving at night, do not stop for anyone that you don’t know.
Carriacou
Despite the island’s easy-going nature, security of property has been an issue on remote beaches in Carriacou for several years. You are advised not to take any valuables with you to the beach. From the point of view of personal security the island is fine. |
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Service Charge/Tipping
All hotel accommodation rates attract a service charge, usually 10%, which will be added to your bill. When combined with the hotel tax (8% GCT), this can make quite a difference to the eventual price of your holiday, so if you are booking direct, then you should factor it in to your calculations when pricing it.
Tipping for good service is always appreciated. In restaurants, check the bill, but a minimum of 10% should be added.
In private villas and apartments, service is not included so all members of staff including the ground staff should be tipped on your departure. Check with the local property manager for guidance.
STOP PRESS - As of 01 February 2010 the 8% GCT will be replaced by a 10% VAT for all types of holiday accommodation and scuba diving - this 10% VAT is also payable on service charges. A standard rate of 15% VAT will apply to all other services including car hire and tours. |
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Shopping
Grenada has the usual mix of international brands of jewellery and clothing that are brought into the island to be sold to tourists (and locals as well), but it also has a good range of more original local products. The most famous of these are their spices and these are on sale in any number of places, but you will also find good local art and some crafts. For shopping on Carriacou, see below. Local produce can be found in the following shops:
Tikal Arts & Crafts, Young St, St George’s, t 440 2310
Hand-made batik art fabric.
Art Fabrik, Young Street, t 440 0568
Watch a local artisan sit at a wax table and craft the original material for batik clothing and accessories. Established in 1986. Open Monday–Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm and Saturday, 9am–1pm.
Yellow Poui Art Gallery, Young Street, t 440 3001, yellowpoui@caribsurf.com
Art by locally born artists and others who have come to live here, hand-painted walkable carpets. Look out for Grenadian work by Cato, Joseph Brown, Lisa Herrara and form Carriacou Canute Calliste (who is internationally famous). Works by adoptive Grenadians Susan Mains and Trish Bethany is also very popular. Open Tuesday–Friday, 9.30am–3.30pm; Saturday, 9.30am–1pm, by appointment on Sunday, Monday and after hours.
Imagine Boutique, Grande Anse, Carenage, t 444 4028
West Indian handicrafts from natural materials.
Marisa McAfferty, Fontenoy, t 415 8824 533 4582
Stained glass sculpture, sells at Harrods
John Pivott, St Paul’s
Grenadian painter who also works with wood and bamboo. It's possible to visit his workshop. Ask Rebecca at Maca Bana Villas.
Arawak Islands, Frequente Industrial Estate, t 444 3577, arawakislands@caribsurf.com
Local products made from spices produced on the island, both for medical use and also in food. Delicious spicy soaps and other cosmetic goods. You can visit and see a demonstration of products being made.
De La Grenade Industries, St Paul’s, t 440 3241
Award winning maker of jams, jellies, and liqueurs.
Dot’s Plaza, next to the Nutmeg on the Carenage, t 440 2389
Local and Caribbean hand-painted shirts, tops, and dresses. Different cottons form Jamaica and Trinidad.
The Vendors’ Market on Grand Anse is a collection of shops in a purpose built building. They offer spices, jewellery beach and light clothes and other souvenirs. The best days are when the cruise ships are in.
Shopping Centres are generally open daily from 8am to 4pm, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays:
Le Marquis Mall, Grand Anse
Contains Big Bamboo - for swim/surf ware, The Grenada Computer Store Ltd, Fig Leaf boutique, t 439 1824, a hairdresser, The House of Tobacco, Cell Mate, Pet Shop, DVD Universe, Nick’s Donuts and restaurants Le Chateau, La Boulangerie, Carib Sushi and a Wine Bar.
Spiceland Mall
Video Arcade, Art Gallery, Hairdressers, Real Value Supermarket (opens on Sundays), Adonis Menswear and Gitten’s Duty for perfumes and make-up.
Excel Plaza
Fruit and vegetables, easy parking. Body Image Health Centre, video Rental, 25 screen cinema, two dress and shoe shops for women, B Mobile, Cable and Wireless, hairdressers, health and wellness pharmacy.
Supermarkets
Real Value, Spiceland Mall, Grand Anse
Food Fair, Carenage and Grand Anse
Foodland, Market Square, St George’s, and Lagoon Road
Markets
All Caribbean islands have their market and Grenada’s main market in St George’s is one of the liveliest. It is fun to visit to see all the produce on display. It is usualy presented with great care, almost artistically. You’ll find the unmistakable scent of spices pervades the air and the colourful fruit and vegetables, home grown and probably organic, are such a treat to see. Guess what – fresh fish, too, eyes still glistening, straight from the sea. Markets include St George’s, where the stalls are set in the open air and in the traditional in old buildings on the Esplanade side of the town and Grenville, which is sheltered in colonial style buildings and includes an array of local foods and confectionary. There are also markets in Victoria, Gouyave and Sauteurs in the north of the island.
Carriacou
The possibilities for shopping in Carriacou are limited although for such a small island some shops are unexpectedly good. Alcohol is particularly cheap here as it is all sneaked in. People come over from Grenada to stock up on their drink.
Ted Tuson, Tyrell Bay, t 414 8355, designsteeleye@yahoo.com
In his studio workshop he produces wooden furniture, decorated wooden boxes and lampshades made from calabash gourds. Will make to order.
GG Designs, overlooking Tyrell Bay
Calabash and plain tiles are decorated with bright colours in a variety of designs.
Fidel Productions, Paradise Beach, t 443 6185, www.fidelproductions.com
Set in a bright green shipping container on Paradise Beach, Fidel sells a range of souvenirs including t-shirts and jewellery from Mojos, calabashes from GG Designs, handmade soaps from Arawak Island, and rasta hats and belts from Greens Collection. All items are locally made.
There are two supermarkets on Main Street, Hillsborough, Ade’s Supermarket below the guesthouse and Bullens near the pier. Bullens, t 443 7468, also has a pharmacy, which is open form Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm and until 2pm on Saturdays for the dispensing of prescriptions. You can also get fresh fruit and tropical vegetables in the market to the rear of Ade’s Dream Guesthouse. It is open every day except Sunday. |
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Solo Travellers
Travelling single in the Caribbean, so often usually a land of couples, can feel quite exclusive, and particularly for women travellers who may find themselves posted into the corner of the dining room. There isn’t a huge singles' scene in Grenada, so you shouldn’t go there for that, but if you are looking for a quiet getaway, then the island’s small and idiosyncratic hotels (across the price range) will welcome you and make sure that you are looked after, left alone when you want and joined in when that is what you would prefer.
A couple of the inns in Carriacou are small and extremely personable, which means that they will look after a solo traveller well. Try the Green Roof Inn.
On Grenada you will be well looked after in the following accommodation: | The Flamboyant Hotel
A friendly independent hotel set above the excellent Grand Anse beach in the South of Grenada. Flamboyant has both hotel rooms and self-catering accommodation in an attractive hillside setting with lovely views of the island. Easy-going atmosphere with excellent service and value. | Coral Cove Cottages
A small group of well-priced cottages and apartments tucked away above a very pretty beach in a quiet corner of L’Anse aux Epines, the popular area on the southern coast of Grenada. Very quiet, good for independent couples and young families. | Bogles Round House
A secluded garden hideaway with three self-catering cottages in Bogles, a 5 minute bus ride to Carriacou island’s only town, Hillsborough. Bogles Round House offers great value bed and breakfast in relatively simple Caribbean family vacation cottages. Excellent restaurant | Bel Air Plantation
Romantic hideaway with heaps of old Caribbean charm, set in 18 acres in a secluded bay on Grenada’s southern shore. Villas and cottages ranged around the hillside overlook the shorefront with its small beach, each stylishly furnished with original artwork. Good for solo travellers, women alone and weddings, excellent restaurant, special diets catered for. | True Blue Bay Resort & Marina
A collection of colourful cottages set on a hillside above a calm bay on the south coast of Grenada. There are 39 rooms in apartments and villas, and two swimming pools, but the lively heart of True Blue is the restaurant and bar, which sit on a deck down on the waterfront. | The Calabash Hotel
One of the nicest, long established hotels in the Caribbean. Small and refined, with just 30 suites in modern two-storey cottages set in a semicircle around lawns and gardens and the beach. An enclave of calm and privacy in a lively part of the island. Understated beachfront elegance, with great food and wine. British owned and run. | Petit Bacaye Cottage Hotel
Petit Bacaye is simple but it is a Caribbean classic. Well-presented rooms are set in palm thatched cottages in a charming secluded fishing bay hidden away on Grenada’s southern shore, well off the beaten path. Lovely, dozy atmosphere under the palms. A slice of barefoot paradise. Romantic, hinting at holistic atmosphere. Good for solo travellers, couples as well as occasional families. | Maca Bana
A lovely collection of one- and two-bedroom villas in bright Caribbean colours set on a secluded cove in the south of Grenada. Romantic and very comfortable, with all mod cons and a fantastic view from your private deck. Also the lively Aquarium Restaurant. Art and cooking classes, beauty treatments and massage therapy, yoga and pilates. | La Sagesse Beach Resort
A classic Caribbean hideaway set under huge palm trees in its own lovely secluded cove on Grenada’s southern shore. Just a handful of rooms in a traditional Great House and a new block with a beach bar (which sees a passing trade of people in the know), on a very pretty light grey sand beach. A designated nature reserve. |
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Spas
Grenada is not that advanced in its spas. Only two hotels have purpose-built spas. Spice Island Beach Club re-opened with an excellent, brand new facility and will offer a day pass to outsiders. At La Source (which will remain closed well into 2006) you will find the Oasis, which you can visit on a day pass at EC$220, which also includes food and non-motorised sports. You should book appointments in advance because guests take precedence over visitors.
Other hotels may have a dedicated massage room, or a massage therapist who can come to your room. Reflexology and Reiki are also available. Have a look at our Complementary Health section above.
Carriacou
There are no formal spas on the island or on Petite Martinique, but it is possible to have a massage in your room. Try Beverly Penny, Carriacou, t 415 1388, who is based in Hillsborough.
The following places to stay are best if you have an interest in spa services: | Spice Island Beach Resort
An elegant beach hotel, among the Caribbean’s finest, set on Grenada’s most famous beach, Grand Anse. Spice Island has a stylish but relaxed atmosphere, with contemporary beachfront suites and secluded pool suites standing in a sandy garden, top-notch dining, a purpose-built spa, a children’s centre and watersports. A classic Caribbean beach wedding venue. | The Calabash Hotel
One of the nicest, long established hotels in the Caribbean. Small and refined, with just 30 suites in modern two-storey cottages set in a semicircle around lawns and gardens and the beach. An enclave of calm and privacy in a lively part of the island. Understated beachfront elegance, with great food and wine. British owned and run. | Petit Bacaye Cottage Hotel
Petit Bacaye is simple but it is a Caribbean classic. Well-presented rooms are set in palm thatched cottages in a charming secluded fishing bay hidden away on Grenada’s southern shore, well off the beaten path. Lovely, dozy atmosphere under the palms. A slice of barefoot paradise. Romantic, hinting at holistic atmosphere. Good for solo travellers, couples as well as occasional families. | Maca Bana
A lovely collection of one- and two-bedroom villas in bright Caribbean colours set on a secluded cove in the south of Grenada. Romantic and very comfortable, with all mod cons and a fantastic view from your private deck. Also the lively Aquarium Restaurant. Art and cooking classes, beauty treatments and massage therapy, yoga and pilates. |
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