The Attractions of the Island

Carnival is in August of each year and has something going on throughout the week.

Renowned for its creativity, colour and unique cultural character, it is one of the island’s biggest annual festivals. The festivities begin in July with the opening of various Calypso Tents where locals sing calypso and compete for a chance to compete on the big stage of the National Calypso Monarch Competition. There are also School Calypso competitions called Junior Calypso Monarch and Junior Soca Monarch shows, where the young cultural talent of Grenada is presented for everyone to appreciate. The celebrations gain momentum in early August with cultural presentations and calypso shows each night of the week and the nights are filled with the sound of steel bands rehearsing their uplifting, unique music for the upcoming Panorama competition.

Grenada’s Sailing Festival takes place the last week of January each year.

It is a lovely experience shared and enjoyed by locals and holiday makers alike, the event attracts sailing enthusiasts from all over the world, and features several days of regattas and races and a day-long craft market and street festival.

Gouyave Fish Friday.

For a glimpse of true island culture and entertainment a visit to this Friday night party is unmissable. Gouyave is the fishing capital town of Grenada, and on Friday nights the roads are closed off and the streets filled with stalls selling fish cooked in every manner possible  fried, grilled, sautéed, stewed, kebabs! There is also steel bands playing and music on every corner. Well worth the journey!! But it is a journey !!

Parks, Natural Sanctuaries and Wildlife Preserves.

1/9 of Grenada’s land mass is preserved in parks, natural sanctuaries and wildlife preserves and are well worth taking the time out to experience them. These range from the magnificent Grand Etang Lake and Rain Forest to Levera National Park to the tranquil intimacy of the La Sagesse Estate – which includes a magnificent ‘Robinson Crusoe’ style natural beach, with a low key restaurant serving delightful food.

Waterfalls.

Grenada has a plethora of fabulous waterfalls, with only a few of them known to the general public. You can choose between a gentle stroll through a well tended garden to get to Annandale Falls; or, if you are feeling very energetic, a 20 minute hike through the rain forest to get to the Seven Sisters and Honeymoon Falls and several others. Grenada’s list of waterfalls are many, including- Concord Falls, Annandale Falls, Royal Mount Carmel (Marquis) Falls, Seven Sisters Falls, Paraclete Falls, Tufton Hall Falls, Rosemount Falls and Rosemount Plantation House (privately owned and only available if viewing the Plantation House), Victoria Waterfall and Honeymoon Waterfalls.

Tours & Plantation Houses.

There are an abundance of tours available, ranging from activity tours including Sailing in the Grenadines, Dolphin & Whale Watching, Jeep Tours, Catamaran Cruises including sunset cruises and even a full moon cruise, on Rhum Runner offering a cruise along the coast with rum punch , BBQ , Calypso and Soca music. Hiking and Diving (including the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean as well as an underwater volcano) to interesting educational tours of places like Dougladston Estate where you will be introduced to most of Grenada’s spices, you will be led to a table where you will be invited to ‘scratch ‘n sniff’ the leaves of a succession of twigs (warning: you need more than two hands to do justice to all the different leaves) and then you will be asked to guess what the different spices are! And Belmont Estate which changed from its original sugar production to nutmeg and cocoa, and takes you through it’s history. Or for a more indulgent tour visit Helvellyn House which is reported to be ‘a watering hole about as far north as you can go without getting your feet wet’ with inspirational Caribbean food with a wide appealing variety of tastes and views of the Grenadines in one direction and Sauteurs, the North Coast and beyond in the other direction.

Carriacou & Petite Martinique.