Grenada Travel Guide: What to Do, Budget and Best Time to Go

The Spice Isle of the southern Caribbean, where nutmeg scents the markets of Saint George's, rainforest hides a crater lake, and the sea stays at 27°C year round, well south of the main hurricane track.

Why visit Grenada?

Grenada packs a mountainous rainforest, working spice estates and reef-sheltered beaches into a small island, without the crowds of the Caribbean further north. It also sits south of the hurricane belt, which makes it a favourite refuge for cruising sailors during hurricane season.

What to see in Grenada?

Saint George's and the Carenage

The capital is built around the Carenage, a horseshoe-shaped harbour lined with colourful buildings and overlooked by Fort George. The Saturday morning spice market is the best moment to pick up genuine Grenadian nutmeg, still supplying roughly one in five nutmegs consumed worldwide. Half a day covers the town, plus the national museum housed in a former 18th-century French barracks.

Grand Anse and the southwest coast

Grand Anse stretches 3 km of white sand just south of the capital, the classic base for a beach stay. Offshore, the Molinière Underwater Sculpture Park gathers around sixty submerged statues at shallow depth, open to snorkellers as well as divers. Allow 3 to 4 nights to enjoy the beach at a relaxed pace, mixing morning swims with an afternoon snorkel trip before sunset over the water.

The tropical interior and the spice route

Grand Etang National Park, at 530 m elevation, hides a crater lake ringed by rainforest and a trail network including the climb to Mount Qua Qua, a 2 to 3 hour round trip. Along the way, cocoa and nutmeg estates can be visited in half a day, often paired with a waterfall such as Annandale or Concord, both good for a swim under the main cascade.

The east coast and River Antoine

Grenville, the island's second town, and its market give a less touristy view of the country, about 45 minutes by road from the capital. Nearby, the River Antoine distillery has run on a waterwheel for over two centuries to produce an agricultural rum that clears 70 percent proof, among the strongest in the Caribbean, best tasted sparingly and never on an empty stomach.

Carriacou and Petite Martinique

The Grenadian state also includes two satellite islands, reached by fast ferry (about 1.5 hours) from Saint George's. Carriacou, the larger of the two, offers the Sandy Island sandbar and traditional boatyards where wooden schooners are still built by eye. Petite Martinique, quieter still, has almost no tourist infrastructure: a choice for those seeking isolation, not a day trip. Further north begins the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chain, reachable by boat for anyone wanting to extend the island-hop.

Cities to visit in Grenade

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Grenade in pictures

Not to be missed

The sites that alone justify a trip to the Spice Isle.

The Carenage

Saint George's historic horseshoe harbour, best explored on foot between colourful facades and street stalls.

Grand Anse Beach

3 km of white sand south of the capital, the island's best-known and most accessible beach.

Grand Etang National Park

A crater lake at 530 m elevation, the starting point for rainforest hikes.

Molinière Underwater Sculpture Park

Around sixty submerged statues, visitable by snorkel or scuba.

River Antoine Distillery

The oldest rum distillery in the Caribbean still turned by a waterwheel.

Sandy Island, Carriacou

A tiny sandbar islet ringed by reefs, reached by water taxi from Hillsborough.

Belmont Estate

An organic cocoa plantation where you can follow chocolate-making from pod to bar.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Grenada affected by hurricane season?

The island sits just south of the Atlantic hurricane belt and is rarely hit directly, unlike islands further north in the Caribbean. Cruising sailors often shelter there from June to November for that reason.

Do you need a boat to visit the Molinière underwater statues?

No, the park can be visited by snorkelling from a boat or by scuba diving, since the statues sit at shallow depth. Several dive centres around Grand Anse run half-day trips there.

How long does it take to reach Carriacou from the mainland?

About 1.5 hours by fast ferry from Saint George's, or roughly 20 minutes by light aircraft. Book ahead in high season, December to April, when seats on both fill up fast.

Is Grenada's Spicemas similar to Trinidad's carnival?

It shares the same spirit, with costumed parades and music, but on a much smaller scale. It runs in mid-August in Saint George's and stays more authentic and less touristy than the region's larger carnivals.

Can you visit a nutmeg estate without a guided tour?

Yes, several cooperatives such as the one in Gouyave can be visited freely during the day for a small entry fee, with staff demonstrating traditional nutmeg drying and sorting on site.

Is Petite Martinique worth visiting on a short trip?

It takes a real time investment with no major sight to see, home to just a few hundred residents and no tourist infrastructure. It suits trips of two weeks or more rather than a short stay.

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