Holidays in Grenada

A visit to a spice plantation is simply a must on any holiday to Grenada. The island is like one giant garden, so it’s no surprise there’s plenty of plantations and gardens to wander. A trip to Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, the largest factory on the island, is our pick for a fascinating glimpse into how workers hand-pick and package Grenada’s most famous export. Aside from the aromatic spices, you can learn the basics behind chocolate making at Belmont Estate cocoa plantation and take in its organic farm, complete with wandering goats and chickens. Practically next door to Belmont is River Antoine Rum Distillery, the oldest functioning one of its kind in the Caribbean and the rum process it adheres to is largely unchanged since the 1800s, meaning you can sip a tiny slice of Grenada’s history!

A pioneering wonder that you simply can’t take your eyes off, divers flock to Grenada just to catch a glimpse of this modern marvel. The Underwater Sculpture Park in the shallows of Molinere Bay was created in 2006 by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor and was the first of its kind on the planet. Now, a gallery of over 100 sets of concrete sculptures are submerged here with newest additions to the growing wonder added in 2023, with everything from a circle of children holding hands to a man sat at a desk with a typewriter, along with the newest collection, The Coral Carnival, making for a captivating snorkel or dive. But it’s more than just art, with each installation acting as an artificial reef, encrusted in coral and teeming with tropical fish.

A short hop from the capital, St George’s, Annandale Waterfalls is like visiting a mini Garden of Eden. Alone, the 30ft Annandale Waterfalls is a dreamy cascade that you can admire while floating or swimming in its plunge pool, but when you consider the surrounding rocks dripping with ferns and enveloping lush vegetation, it’s like you’ve been dropped into an idyllic oasis. The accompanying spice and botanical gardens make for eye-popping jaunts into the jungle, soundtracked by the chatter of mona monkeys.

If you want to explore a truly wild slice of Grenada then head up, for the main island’s central highlands are home to the forested peaks of Grand Etang National Park. Mahogany and gommier trees tower over you on a number of walking trails that web the park, while the central crater lake is a lovely rest stop. Wildlife is abundant as mona monkeys, armadillos and mongooses slink through the undergrowth and it’s a particular haven for birds, too, with Grenada doves (the country’s national bird), Antillean crested hummingbirds and broad-winged hawks among those that fill its skies.

For a microcosmic taste of Grenada, the colourful market of St George’s is the ideal place to soak up its culture. Smiling locals oversee stalls heaped with fruit, vegetables and spices, your senses assailed with the collision of aromas hanging in the air. It’s worth a stroll for the exciting atmosphere alone, especially on a Saturday morning when it’s at its kaleidoscopic best. Make sure you pick up your own collection of spices, ready to carry on your Grenadian holiday in the kitchen at home…

No vaccinations are recommended for Grenada but it is regarded to have a risk of contracting the Zika virus. However, please consult your GP at least four to six weeks prior to travel for current advice.

The time difference is GMT -4 hours.

The flight time from London to St George’s is around 11 hours. British Airways flies three times a week with a quick touchdown in Saint Lucia, and Virgin Atlantic flies up to three times a week with a touchdown in Barbados.

The currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, although US dollars are also widely accepted.

British passport holders don’t need a visa to travel to Grenada.