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All about Grenada Grenada the southernmost of the Windward Islands, lies 100 miles north of Venezuela and is the largest island (21 x 12 miles) of a three-island nation - Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique (not to be confused with Martinique). This now politically stable member of the British Commonwealth has a population of just under 100,000. |
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A stunningly beautiful, verdant island with incredibly varied countryside, Grenada
is a wonderful place to explore. Travel from the dry land in the south, to the fantastic
white sweep of sand of the famous Grande Anse beach, to the mountainous centre rising
to 2700 feet, to the rain forest, hidden waterfalls and onto the wild waters of
Bathway beach in the north.
The "Spice island", Grenada is still sleepy, not a place for the dedicated party goer! More spices are produced here per square mile than any other place in the world. The air is perfumed with the soft scent of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. The people are friendly, full of smiles and a very handsome race. Their capital, St. George's is the prettiest in the whole Caribbean with precipitous, narrow streets and pastel coloured houses with wrought iron balconies topped by red tiled roofs. |
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Things to bring
Beach towels, the thinner the better, snorkels, old shoes for walking to the island, favourite tea or coffee, small torch. Clothes Very casual. Shorts, T-shirts, sarongs. Lightweight jersey for evenings in winter months. No topless or nude sun bathing. No bathing costumes for walking around town. Long sleeved lightweight tops and trousers for the evening. Old pair of canvas shoes for walking around the bay to the island. Health No vaccinations needed. Mains water is drinkable. The main hospital and the private hospital are in St. George's. Voltage 220/240 volts same as in U.K. with square pin plugs. Security Grenada is one of the safest of the Caribbean islands. Please help to keep it that way by leaving your valuables at home. It is simple beach living at Petit Bacaye. Telephone Telephone calls within the island are free. Long distance calls can be made by credit card. We are unable to put them on the bill. Most mobile phones work but use is banned in the bar and restaurant. Internet access only in emergencies: internet cafés in St. George's Driving On the left…! If you hire a car it should be a four-wheel drive jeep. We use Marcus Gabriel (gabrental@hotmail.com) and 'Y & R Car Rentals ( y&r@caribsurf.com). When booking mention you are staying at Petit Bacaye Cottage Hotel. Budget £200 per week. We recommend that on your first visit you should take a taxi to the hotel and ask the hire company to deliver your vehicle to the hotel when you want it. Be sure to take your driving licence with you as you will need to show this in order to purchase a short term Grenadian driving licence E.C. $30 ($12 U.S.). Taxis (which we can arrange) from the airport to Petit Bacaye cost around E.C. $60 ($25 US). Public Transport Lots of mini buses, very cheap…very fast. From the top of the drive. A departure tax of E.C. $50 per person is payable at the airport. (US$ or Sterling equivalent accepted) |
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Climate
Average temperature - winter 82F degrees and in summer 86F degrees. Lovely to visit year round. The hills in the centre of the island receive 160 inches of rain a year. The 'wet' season officially runs from the middle of June to November. It is probably fairly accurate to say that it rains at some time in 10 days out of 30 during the 'dry' season and 20 days out of 30 during the 'wet'. Rain usually comes in short sharp bursts - lovely and cooling - often at night. Because of the constant tradewinds there is little humidity. Grenada had not been hit by a hurricane since ‘Janet’ in 1955, but in September 2004 was badly damaged by ‘Ivan’ (category 4). ‘Emily’ (category 1) followed in July 2005. The island is well recovered and looking beautiful once more. |
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Currency
EC (Eastern Caribbean) dollars and American Dollars. The $EC ( EC dollar) is fixed to the US dollar at 2.7 $EC to 1 $US (approximately $5.0 EC to the pound). Be sure to establish whether the price being quoted is in $EC or $US. Credit cards are widely accepted. Banking Hours 8am to 2pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 4pm Friday. Cash machines dispensing local currency are available outside most banks. There is a cash dispenser at the airport and another on the Carenage in St. George's. Airport - 'Port Salines' Port Salines International Airport on the south-western point of the island can handle the largest commercial jets for both day and night landings. The airport is about 20 minutes by car from Petit Bacaye. |
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