Groves of nutmeg and cinnamon, endless rum and seductive chocolate are the backdrop to this flavour-packed and sunny Caribbean island. As it's added to the UK's 'green list' we find out how to make the most of it.
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Why go to Grenada?
An underrated gem of the Caribbean, Grenada is an unspoilt natural paradise with an incredibly fascinating history and an intoxicating gastronomic offering: spices, tropical fruits, seafood, rum and some of the world’s finest chocolate are all produced here. Just 12-degrees north of the equator, it remains refreshingly free from mega-resorts, has a low crime rate and offers an authentic Caribbean experience that’s fairly rare these days.
Located at the southernmost tip of the Windward Islands around 100 miles north of Venezuela, the tri-islands of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique enjoy the warm Caribbean Sea to the west and the fresh Atlantic to the east. Sitting outside of the hurricane belt, it's a firm favourite with sailors looking for a safe spot to winter their yachts but still benefits from the rainy season, which contributes to the abundance of produce growing on its volcanic slopes.
Getting to Grenada
Grenada is linked to North and South America, Europe and the Caribbean with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic both running direct services from Gatwick. This is a slight misnomer, as you usually park up for a quick stop in St Lucia for an hour while passengers get on and off the plane, but there's no need to disembark. From there it's 40 minutes until you land at Maurice Bishop International Airport, located right at the southern tip of the island. In total it’s a 10.5 hour flight so you can dodge the jet-lag: if you’re travelling from the UK, Grenada is only five hours behind BST, so get an early night on your first day and you’ll be right as rain.
For more information about the island and how to get here see Pure Grenada.
Getting around Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique
Where to stay on Grenada
Low-cost yet lovely: Travellers on a budget can do no better than the Seabreeze Hotel, which is a short hop away from Grand Anse Beach. A small but friendly place with the most Instagrammable pink exterior, the lovely owner Lotte and her staff will go above and beyond to make your stay wonderful. All the rooms have air con, a tv and a kitchenette and there’s a shared outdoor kitchen for guests to make coffee and simple meals.
Affordable blow-out: For those able to spend a bit more, Grenada does luxury effortlessly. The boutique Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel does the full swan-shaped towels and petal-strewn beds routine to a T. The pool and outdoor space is paradise and the food is incredible making it perfect for a romantic getaway.
Eco-friendly self catering: For a superb self-catering option stay in one of the 32 guest houses at the eco-friendly Blue Horizons Garden Resort. Perched on the gentle slopes of St George’s you’ll have access to over six acres of lush tropical manicured gardens and sea views of the white, powdery sands of Grand Anse beach.
The ultimate Grenada itinerary
Festivals
Chocolate festival
Every year in May the Grenada Chocolate Festival celebrates the world renowned tree-to-bar organic cocoa industry, held at fascinating and beautiful locations across the island.
A packed programme of events introduces you to the three main chocolate factories on the island: the prestigious Belmont Estate, Crayfish Bay’s ethical DIY plantation where the farmers keep the profits from everything they produce on the land, to the revered Grenada Chocolate Factory, whose late founder Mott Green was the first to import the technology for production of chocolate in Grenada.
The stories you’ll hear are inspiring and life affirming, as the people share their personal journeys out of poverty and passion for for the work.
Finally, of course, you’ll get to eat more fine chocolate than you’ve probably ever eaten before.
This is a wildly different beast from your average bar of milk; it’s a gourmet gastronomic experience. Even the cocoa beans, which grow side-by-side with banana palms and nutmeg trees in the fertile volcanic soil, are considered some of the best in the world.
You’ll learn during demonstrations and talks how to make chocolate and sample it in many different guises from sweet, lychee-tasting cocoa beans straight off the tree to smoky roasted cocoa nibs and refreshing cocoa tea. Best of all, you’ll do guided tastings – very much like a fine wine tour – where you’ll learn to appreciate some of the flavour notes in this sensational chocolate.
As the last blast in the Caribbean carnival circuit, you can pretty much guarantee that this celebration of Grenadian music and culture is going to be a belter.
Usually held on the second Monday and Tuesday in August, Calypsonians, steel pan ensembles, so called ‘Fancy Mas’ bands, perform and compete for the colourful revellers who dance all day and night in bright colours and elaborate costumes.
Unlike other carnivals in places like Barbados who charge hundreds of dollars for exclusive closed events, most of the Spicemas sound systems throw free parties in the street and on the beach, and you can bring your own food and drink.
Map of Grenada
Main image: Peter Krocka/Shutterstock