GRENADA TRAVEL TIPS
A collection of important information that can make your trip more enjoyable.
Grenada is located in the Caribbean. The island is of volcanic origin and is divided by a central mountain range. It is the most southerly of the Windward Islands. Tropical rainforests, gorges and the stunning beauty of dormant volcanoes make this a fascinating and diverse landscape with some of the finest beaches in the world. Take a moment to brush up on the travel tips that will help you be more prepared for travel anywhere in Grenada.
GRENADA GENERAL INFORMATION
Area: 344.5 sq km (133 sq miles).
Population: 100,895 (2001).
Population Density: 292.9 per sq km.
Capital: St George’s. Population: 3,908 (2001).
Language: English.
Religion: Roman Catholic 64 per cent, Anglican 22 per cent, as well as other smaller Protestant denominations.
Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz.
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Government: Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Sir Daniel Williams since 1996. Head of Government: Prime Minister Keith Mitchell since 1995.
GEOGRAPHY: Grenada is located in the Caribbean. The island is of volcanic origin and is divided by a central mountain range. It is the most southerly of the Windward Islands. Agriculture is based on nutmeg, cocoa, sugar cane and bananas. Tropical rainforests, gorges and the stunning beauty of dormant volcanoes make this a fascinating and diverse landscape with some of the finest beaches in the world. Carriacou and some of the other small islands of the Grenadines are also part of Grenada.
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GRENADA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
A valid passport and return or onward ticket is required for all visitors. However, proof of citizenship bearing a photograph is acceptable from British, Canadian, and US citizens. A visa is not required from citizens of the US, Canada, UK, British Commonwealth, Caribbean countries (except Cuba), most European countries, South Korea, and Japan.
Visas are required. Click here for Visa Inforamtions
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GETTING AROUND GRENADA
Minivan buses are a good way to get around Grenada if you want to experience the rhythms of daily life - most blast calypso and reggae music and provide a hair-raising ride. Most buses leave St George's from the Esplanade bus terminal at the west end of Granby St. The two main minibus routes on Carriacou are between Hillsborough and Windward and Hillsborough and Tyrell Bay. Unfortunately most buses stop running in the early evening, and there are few services anywhere on Sunday. Some minibuses, however, double as taxis and are available for private charter. You can flag down a passing bus from the side of the road by simply sticking out your hand. To get off a bus, just yell out 'drop one'.
There are a number of local and international car rental agencies; most of the local agencies have small fleets and a minimum three-day rental period and you're probably better off dealing with the international companies. Visitors need to purchase a local driving license, available from the car rental companies; driving is on the left. Taxi fares are regulated by the government, though taxis can also be hired by the hour for sightseeing tours.
Cargo boats and catamarans run regularly between Grenada and Carriacou; a ride in an old-fashioned cargo boat can take three to four hours while the modern express catamarans take half as long but cost twice as much. Boats are available to several nearshore islands.
There is regular boat service connecting Petit Martinique with Grenada and Carriacou. This mile-wide island has one road along the west coast, but it is otherwise easy to get around on foot
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GRENADA DUTY FREE
Duty-Free: The following goods may be imported into Grenada without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 1l of wine or spirits.
Prohibited items: Narcotics; arms and ammunition; fruit and vegetables.
Note: Licensed firearms must be declared. A local licence can be obtained from the police.
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GRENADA TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Keeping abreast of both international and Grenada news while on island should not be too difficult, as Grenada is well connected through various mediums. Grenada telecommunications function as in the rest of North America, with a three-digit area code (473) used for direct long-distance dialing to and from the island. Using your personal credit card for international calling is a good way to avoid any hidden surcharges; phone card are also available to purchase through the main supplier of Grenada news and telecommunications, Cable and Wireless Grenada, in various denominations. These can be used from any phone on island. A temporary internet connection for your laptop is also offered by Cable and Wireless Grenada, ideal for even a short stay on Grenada. News, sports, and e-mail will be at your fingertips with this service, accessible from any location
For up to date Grenada news, visitors can tune in to one of four radio stations broadcast on island. Most accommodations also provide a combination of Grenada news and entertainment television, as well as international news through satellite hook-ups.
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GRENADA BUSINESS PROFILE
Economy: Grenada’s agricultural economy is centred on the production of spices. The principal exports are nutmeg, cocoa, bananas and sugar cane. There are extensive timber reserves but exploitation is being strictly controlled to prevent deforestation. The fishing industry has grown in recent years and now generates one-sixth of export earnings. There are thought to be some oil and gas deposits off the southern coast of Grenada, and attempts to locate them continue. Industry is confined to production of nutmeg oil and rum, as well as drinks, paint and paper. Tourism (particularly stopover and cruise-ship visitors) has developed gradually since the mid-1980s but the industry is now the island’s leading foreign exchange earner. This has, to some extent, eased the depressed condition of the economy which has suffered from the general low level of world commodity prices during the last 10 years or so. Grenada has also developed a sizeable financial services industry in recent years, but has fallen foul of global efforts to tighten regulation.
The other main source of income for the island has been remittances from the estimated 100,000 Grenadians working abroad, mainly in the USA, Canada and Europe. Grenada also relies on foreign aid from the USA, the UK, Canada and the EU. This has declined in recent years and the Government has been looking elsewhere (including Libya) for financial support. The UK and the USA are the island’s main trading partners. Grenada is a member of the Caribbean trade bloc, CARICOM (website: www.caricom.org), and the Organisation of East Caribbean States (website: www.oecs.org).
Business: All correspondence and trade literature is in English. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1600.
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GRENADA SOCIAL PROFILE
Food & Drink: Local specialities include seafood and vegetables, calaloo soup, crabs, conches (lambi) and nutmeg ice-cream. Most hotels and restaurants offer international cuisine, serving a large variety of tropical fish and English, Continental, American and exotic West Indian food. A local company supplies a wide variety of local fruit juices and nectars. The local rum and beer, Carib, is excellent. Bars are stocked with most popular wines and spirits, including various brands of whisky, rum and brandy.
Nightlife: Home to the vibrant calypso and reggae music, Grenada offers a good mix of local and international restaurants and bars. Many resorts provide night time entertainment, such as discos, organised shows and cabarets. The Regal Cinema has recently been refurbished and hosts many multi-cultural events as well as showing films.
Special Events: Grenada’s annual carnival in August involves colourful street parties, steel bands and calypso competitions. There are several yachting and fishing events throughout the year; in addition, public holidays are usually accompanied by some form of special celebration. For full details of events, contact the Grenada Board of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Grenada in 2005:
Jan 21-5 Spice Island Billfish Tournament. Jan 28-Feb 2 Grenada La Source Sailing Festival, Grand Anse Beach. Feb 7-9 Carriacou Carnival. Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day Festival. Mar 24-29 Grenada Round-the-Island Easter Regatta. Apr 11-20 Grenada Classics Festival, cricket festival. May 14 Whitsuntide Athletic Games. Jun 29 Fishermans' Birthday Celebrations. Jul/Aug Carnival 2005. Jul 29-Aug 1 Carriacou Regatta. Dec Carriacou Parang Festival.
Social Conventions: Local culture reflects the island’s history of British and French colonial rule and, of course, the African cultures imported with the slaves – African influence is especially noticeable on the island of Carriacou in the Big Drum and in Grenada with the Shango dance. The Roman Catholic Church also exerts a strong influence on the way of life. Local people are generally friendly and courteous. Dress is casual and informal but beachwear is not welcome in town.
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GRENADA CURRENCY/MONEY
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, and 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Note: The East Caribbean Dollar is tied to the US Dollar.
Currency exchange: Barclays Bank, Grenada Bank of Commerce, Grenada Co-operative Bank, National Commercial Bank and Scotia Bank are all found on the island.
Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa and other major cards are accepted by most shops, car hire companies and hotels. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Travellers cheques: Widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
GRENADA SHOPPING
Special purchases include leather crafts, jewellery, spices, straw goods, printed cottons and other fabrics. There are a number of duty-free shops selling quality goods from all over the world. A vendors market has now opened close to the Grand Anse Beach with 82 vendors offering various goods and services. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600, Sat 0800-1300. Supermarkets are usually open Mon-Sat 0900-1900.
GRENADA TAX & TIPPING
There is an 8% Government Tax at hotels and restaurants. Most also add a 10% service charge. Additional gratuities are at your discretion.
GRENADA SECURITY & HEALTH
The Grenada medical school is famous for a number of reasons. Most will remember it as the scene of "Operation Urgent Fury" in 1983, in which several thousand US Marines descended on the island to evacuate American students studying at the Grenada medical school, part of St. George's University, during an unstable political period in Grenada. Those days have past and today the Grenada medical school is known for providing the island with extremely qualified professionals in the medical field. The Grenada medical school lures local residents as well as students from distinguished schools across the globe, many of whom end up working in one of five public hospitals, private hospitals, and private clinics located across the island.
Visitors to Grenada have just a few things to beware of while vacationing here. The biggest health concern on Grenada involves the powerful tropical sun that beats down daily. Proper protection, including sunscreen and avoiding long hours in the sun, are suggested in order to prevent sunburn and sunstroke. In terms of security, Grenada is afflicted with the same minor issues present on most Caribbean island. Travelers should take logical precautions like keeping valuables in view at all times and avoiding deserted streets or beaches at night.
There is a General Hospital in St. George's, a smaller hospital in Mirabeau on the east coast, and one in Carriacou. Private clinics and doctors can be found throughout the islands.
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GRENADA DRIVING
To obtain a local driving permit, a bona fide driver's licence must be presented at the traffic department at the Central Police Station on the Carenage. The cost is EC$30.00. ( US$12.00). Most car rental firms also issue local permits. There is a network of approximately 650 miles of paved roads and most of the main roads are in good condition. Please note that driving is on the LEFT. As a service to the visitor the Travellers Guide Map and St. George's Street walking map can be ordered online.
GRENADA CLIMATE & CLOTHING
Climate: Tropical. The dry season runs from January to May. The rainy season runs from June to December. The average temperature is 28°C (82°F).
Clothing: Attire on Grenada is casual. Swimwear and short-shorts are appropriate only on the beach, not in town. In the evenings, men and women tend to dress up a little--especially in the larger hotels and resorts. Jacket and tie is sometimes required, mostly in the finer resorts and restaurants during the winter season.
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GRENADA SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
Watersports: Grenada’s best-known white-sand beach, the Grand Anse, is complemented by several others, notably those on neighbouring Morne Rouge, the deserted beaches on the southern coast and Levera Bay, which is also a favourite surfing spot. Apart from in the sea, swimming is also possible at several of the islands’ rainforest pools and lakes, many of which are formed by waterfalls, such as the Annandale Falls and the Concord Falls. Diving and snorkelling can be practised widely, with the Grand Anse beach being the starting point for many diving trips to the nearby reefs and islands. Most dive sites are easily accessible from the coast. Some of the best are Molinière Reef, located approximately 5km (3 miles) from St George’s; Martin’s Bay, close to Grand Anse, also a popular snorkelling spot; and Channel Reef. The neighbouring island of Carricou, part of the Grenadines, is known as the ‘island of coral reefs’ and offers ideal diving conditions, with a rich marine life. Yachting is also extremely popular and a number of major yacht races and regattas are held throughout the year, notably the January Sailing Festival (lasting five days) and the sailing regatta in Tyrell Bay on Carricou. Particularly popular sailing destinations in the area include the Grenadine islands Sugar Loaf, Green Island and Sandy Island. A variety of small and large craft may be hired. Contact the Grenada Board of Tourism for details. Visitors can also make boat trips on traditional wooden schooners, which is a popular way to cross the 5km- (3-mile) distance between the islands of Carricou and Petit Martinique.
Walking: The Grand Etang National Park and Forest Reserve contains numerous marked trails. The road to the park passes by the northwestern edge of Mount Sinai (703m/2306ft), with its beautiful crater lake, the Grand Etang. The park contains a wealth of interesting flora and fauna, and there are spectacular flower displays depending on the season. Another volcanic crater lake, Lake Antoine, is located in the Levara National Park, a well known destination for birdwatching. The La Sagesse Nature Reserve, located in the south, is a protected bird sanctuary with several rivers, mangroves and salt lakes.
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GRENADA TIME ZONE
Grenada is in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone, one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and four hours behind GMT. Grenada Time Standard Time is GMT-4
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