Grenada Travel Guide

Table of Contents Show

Welcome to the Taste2Travel Grenada Travel Guide!

Date Visited: April 2015

Last Revised: June 2026

Introduction

Welcome to Grenada!

Grenada is home to some of the friendliest people in the Caribbean. Wherever you go, you can expect a warm welcome and a big smile.

Fishing boats at Crayfish Bay.

Grenada is the most southerly of the Windward Islands. It lies a short boat ride south of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Grenada is also known as the “Island of Spice.” The country is one of the world’s largest exporters of nutmeg. In fact, it once supplied around 40% of the global market.

Location

Grenada lies in the Lesser Antilles. The country includes the main island of Grenada, as well as several smaller islands to the north.

It sits northwest of Trinidad and Tobago and south of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The three main inhabited islands are Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

Grenada’s main island measures about 34 km long and 22 km wide. Therefore, you can explore much of the island within a few days if you hire a car.

History

The indigenous Carib people lived on Grenada before the French arrived in 1649.

The French forced many of the island’s indigenous inhabitants to flee to neighbouring islands. They remained in control until the British took over in 1763.

The French briefly regained control. However, Britain eventually returned and ruled Grenada until the country gained independence in 1974.

Fisherman in St. Georges harbour, Grenada.

Grenada’s modern history also includes a turbulent period.

In 1983, a coup replaced the government of Maurice Bishop with a strongly pro-communist government. The US government became concerned about the situation. As a result, President Ronald Reagan ordered US troops to invade Grenada.

After a new government took power, US troops withdrew from the island.

Nutmeg is Grenada’s #1 export.

Today, Grenada has a population of about 110,000 people. The population includes people of African, East Indian and European descent.

Flag

The flag of Grenada.

The flag of Grenada features two yellow triangles at the top and bottom. Two green triangles appear at the hoist and fly sides.

A red border surrounds the design. It contains six five-pointed yellow stars. Three stars appear along the top and three along the bottom.

Another yellow star sits on a red disc in the centre. A nutmeg also appears in the hoist-side triangle.

Grenada adopted the flag in 1974, when the country became independent. A local Grenadian designed it.

The nutmeg symbol reflects the importance of the spice to Grenada’s economy and identity.

Currency

The Eastern Caribbean Dollar is the official currency of Grenada.

The official currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$).

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) is headquartered in Basseterre. It manages the currency and monetary system for several Caribbean countries and British overseas territories.

The member countries are:

Antigua & Barbuda
Grenada
St. Kitts & Nevis
Dominica
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The British overseas territories using the currency are:

Anguilla
Montserrat

The ECCB was established in 1983. Its main role is to maintain the stability of the Eastern Caribbean dollar and the region’s banking system.

Since 1976, the Eastern Caribbean dollar has been pegged to the US dollar.

US$1 = EC$2.70

Sightseeing

St. George’s

View of St. Georges, the capital of Grenada.

St. George’s is Grenada’s capital and largest city. The city has a population of around 4,500 people.

It sits on the slopes of an old volcanic crater and surrounds a beautiful horseshoe-shaped harbour.

One of the best ways to explore the city is to walk along the waterfront. This area is known as the Carenage.

Boat moored alongside the Carenage in St. Georges.

The Carenage is lined with bars, cafés, restaurants and shops. It is also a busy working harbour.

You can watch fishermen sell their catch while boats arrive, depart and undergo repairs.

St. George’s is compact, so you can see most of the main sights on foot in one day.

St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.

However, the city has experienced its share of destruction.

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan devastated St. George’s. Many buildings, including several important churches, suffered major damage.

Around the Island

Gouyave

Learning about nutmeg from a guide at the Belmont Estate.

Gouyave lies on Grenada’s west coast, north of St. George’s.

If you’re driving along the coast, make a stop at the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association.

Nutmeg laid out to dry at the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association.

The co-operative offers an interesting look at Grenada’s most famous export.

You can learn how workers process nutmeg before shipping it around the world. You can also watch the different stages of production.

A worker at the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association, sorting different grades of nutmeg.

The visit provides a fascinating insight into one of Grenada’s most important industries.

River Antoine Rum Distillery

Rum from the River Antoine distillery.

The River Antoine Rum Distillery is a must-see attraction.

Founded in 1785, the distillery still uses traditional methods. In fact, the basic technology has changed very little over the years.

A huge waterwheel crushes the sugar cane. The juice then flows into large holding vats.

Firing the vats of alcohol at the River Antoine distillery.

Workers fire the huge distilling pots by feeding wood into the furnaces. They also complete the bottling and labelling by hand.

The tour includes samples of three different rums.

Be warned, though. They are very strong!

Belmont Estate

Cocoa beans drying at Belmont estate.

If you’re driving around the eastern side of Grenada, try to reach Belmont Estate around lunchtime.

The restaurant serves a generous buffet of traditional Grenadian food. It is a great place to sample local dishes.

However, tour groups often stop here for lunch, so the restaurant can become busy.

The estate remains in family hands. You can take a tour and learn about cocoa production, including the processing and drying of cocoa beans.

The on-site Grenada Chocolate Factory shop is also worth a visit.

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll find plenty to enjoy.

Grenada Beaches

Sunset seen through a piece of fern coral at Morne Rouge beach.

Some of Grenada’s best beaches lie in the southwest of the island, just a short drive south of St. George’s.

Grand Anse Beach is the main beach. It offers a long stretch of white sand, clear Caribbean water and excellent swimming.

You’ll also find hotels, dive shops and a small shopping mall nearby.

Further south, you’ll find the quieter Morne Rouge Beach.

It is just as beautiful as Grand Anse but usually feels more peaceful.

Morne Rouge is also one of the best places on the island to watch the sunset.

Sunset at Morne Rouge beach, one of the finest on Grenada.

Several hotels are located along the beach.

Scuba Diving

A camouflaged crab on a piece of brain coral.

Grenada offers excellent scuba diving.

One of the island’s most interesting dive sites is the Underwater Sculpture Park.

You can also snorkel here because the sculptures sit in only about 10 metres of water.

The park is just a five-minute boat ride from the dive shops on Grand Anse Beach.

Carriacou Island

View from inside a ruined windmill foundation on Carriacou Island.

Carriacou lies north of Grenada. It sits between Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines like a stepping stone between the islands.

Around 8,000 people live on Carriacou. Hillsborough is the island’s capital and main town.

Hillsborough is small enough to explore on foot. Most places are only about a five-minute walk from one another.

With a car, you can tour most of the island in a couple of hours. Alternatively, you can explore it on foot in a day.

Carriacou has a reputation for being one of the friendliest, healthiest and safest islands in the Caribbean.

It is certainly a pleasant place to spend some time.

Accommodation

Most accommodation on Grenada is concentrated in the southwest of the main island.

You will find hotels and guesthouses in St. George’s, as well as around Grand Anse and Morne Rouge beaches.

However, you can also find accommodation in other parts of the island.

If you plan to visit Carriacou, book ahead. Accommodation there is more limited.

You can book accommodation through Booking.com.

Eating Out

Grenada offers a wide range of restaurants.

You can find familiar international dishes, as well as plenty of fresh local seafood and lambi, or conch.

Callaloo soup is a popular local starter. This leafy vegetable soup is similar to spinach soup.

You can also find Chinese and Indian restaurants, as you can on many other English-speaking Caribbean islands.

Finally, don’t leave the Island of Spice without trying nutmeg ice cream!

Visa Requirements

Visa policy map of Grenada.

Visa requirements depend on your nationality.

Some nationalities need a visa to visit Grenada, so check the current requirements before travelling.

The countries highlighted in green and blue on the visa map can visit Grenada without a visa.

Getting There

Air

Grenada’s main airport is Maurice Bishop International Airport (IATA: GND).

The airport sits at Point Salines, about 8 km southwest of St. George’s.

It is Grenada’s main international gateway. Flights connect the island with destinations across the Caribbean, as well as the United States, Canada and Europe.

The airport is also the country’s main hub for regular international passenger flights.

The airlines listed on the original page include:

Air Canada Rouge – Toronto
American Airlines – Miami
British Airways – London Gatwick
Caribbean Airlines – Barbados, Port of Spain and St. Vincent
Delta Air Lines – Atlanta
InterCaribbean Airways – Barbados, Georgetown and St. Vincent
JetBlue Airways – New York JFK
LIAT20 – Castries
Sunrise Airways – Antigua and Castries
Virgin Atlantic – Barbados and London Heathrow

Sea

Cruise Ship

Cruise ships regularly visit Grenada. The island is one of the established cruise destinations in the southern Caribbean.

Most cruise ships dock in St. George’s at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal.

International Ferry Services

Grenada does not have a scheduled international ferry service.

However, during my visit, I travelled by speedboat from Carriacou to Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The two islands are only 15 km (9 miles) apart.

Local speedboats can sometimes be arranged at the dock in Carriacou.

From Union Island, the Jaden Sun ferry provides a daily service to Kingstown, the capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The ferry also stops at several islands in the Grenadines.