Grenada Travel Guide

Grenada is a small tropical island nation located in the south eastern Caribbean Sea, 145km north of Venezuela and to the northwest of Trinidad and Tobago. The main island Grenada, neighbouring islands Carriacou, Petit Martinique and a handful of other tiny islands make up the smallest country in the western hemisphere, with an area of only 344km². Grenada consists of volcanic islands with rich soil and mountainous interiors. Mount St Catherine on the main island is 840m high, with beautiful rainforests and waterfalls, giving way to mangroves and white sandy beaches on the coast. Grenada is known for its diversity of environments, plants and animal life.

Grenada was inhabited only by indigenous Carib Indians when Christopher Columbus visited in 1498. The British and French made a number of attempts to colonise the area until the French succeeded and settled Grenada in the 17th century. They developed sugar estates, and brought in many African slaves to work on the islands. Grenada then came under the control of Britain in 1762, with further expansion of the sugar industry, and later cacao, which became the main export crop in the 19th century. Grenada gained autonomy in 1967 and full independence from Britain in 1974.

Known as ‘The Spice of the Caribbean’ or ‘The Spice Isles’, Grenada produces around one third of the world’s nutmeg and is renowned for its cultivation and export of other sweet-smelling spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger. The islands boast breathtaking natural beauty like Grand Anse Beach, one of the 45 unspoilt beaches on Grenada, and crater lakes with crystal-clear blue water. St George’s, the capital city of Grenada, has one of the prettiest harbours in the whole Caribbean. There are countless pristine options for snorkelling, sailing, diving and swimming, and towns that brim with the picturesque charm of colonial architecture and the welcoming smiles of the laid-back locals. The smaller islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique have even more relaxed lifestyles, and are popular with those tourists who really want to unwind.