Called "the Spice of the Caribbean", Grenada truly deserves the name
with an abundance of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, with Grenada being a world
leader in the export of nutmeg. But it is not just for the agricultural products that
Grenada deserves the name "The Isle of Spice". Life on these islands has been
enriched by nature creating the natural elements for a perfect tropical Caribbean
vacation. Grenada is a tri-island nation consisting of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite
Martinique. These islands are located in the eastern Caribbean, just north of Trinidad and
south of St Vincent. The largest island is Grenada with a width of twelve miles (18 km)
and a length of twenty-one miles (34 km).
Within Grenada’s 133 square miles are mountainous,
volcanic terrain that gives rise to beautiful waterfalls and crater lakes plus
invigorating hiking through tropical rainforest. Another outdoor recreational activity
that can be a thrill of a Grenada vacation is river rafting on the Balthazar River. Along
the coast are sheltered coves and bays with stunning white, pink, gold and black sand
beaches. More than 45 beaches can be found on Grenada and they provide ample opportunities
for holiday beach adventures with brilliant blue water and wonderful coral reefs that are
ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving. For more relaxed outdoor holiday activities
visiting a spice factory can be an interesting experience. The Friday night Fish Fry at
Gouyave gives you an activity that exposes you to another side of Grenada's charming
personality.
Carriacou, lying north of Grenada, is smaller than Grenada and not as mountainous. With
fine natural harbours, Carriacou has a tradition of boat building and sailing. The
landscape encourages walking tours and hiking while the lovely sand beaches invite you to
swim in the sparkling blue water. The smallest island is Petite Martinique, which is 2.5
miles northeast of Carriacou. Both islands are perfect for day trips as they are easily
reached by ferry.
All this natural beauty on islands inhabited by only 108,000 persons makes Grenada a
wonderful Caribbean vacation destination, especially for outdoor recreational activities.
The beaches of Grenada are truly beautiful. From black sand to yellow gold to white
sand beaches, Grenada has variety. From beaches stretching for miles to small picturesque
bays to intimate coves, there is a range of beach types.
Some would argue that Grand Anse is the most beautiful beach in the
Caribbean. Certainly there can be no argument that Gran Anse is a spectacular beach, a
large 2.5 mile U shaped bay with blue green calm water that rolls gently with white foam
onto yellow gold sand. Backed by green hills that are dotted with colourful houses and a
view across the water of the capital St Georges, plus sailing ships lazily crossing the
bay, Grand Anse is wonderful.
If you can tear yourself away from these wonderful beaches, Grenada has other water
treasures of the fresh water variety. Grenada’s mountainous nature and pristine
environment gives rise to several waterfalls. Wherever you stay in Grenada, there is a
waterfall close by. For those staying in the St Georges/Gran Anse area the closest
waterfall is at Annadale, which is approximately 15 minutes drive from St Georges. The
road to the Falls is well signposted, but there are times when the angle of the arrows may
a little difficult to interpret. However as in any Caribbean country, getting to an
attraction is part of the fun. If therefore along the way you take a wrong turn and see a
little more of the country than you intended, that is part of the enjoyment of having an
outdoor adventure. One aspect of the wonderful nature of the Grenadian people is that
everyone is willing to give directions.
The Annadale Waterfall tumbles crystal clear over dark rocks to land in a large pool of
very cool water. The small complex surrounding the falls has several brooks running down
the hill to the base of the waterfall. There are nutmeg shell lined paths for visitors to
climb the hill and enjoy the view. The trees on the compound are labeled with the local
name, the scientific (botanical) name and the family name.
An interesting aspect of the journey to Annadale is that along the way you pass a
waterfall that the locals call the "small falls". The "small falls"
however appears bigger than the Annadale Falls but there is no bathing pool.
Concorde Falls are another waterfall that is reasonably close to St Georges being
approximately 45 minutes driving time. The road to that part of the island is good and
goes through areas with luxuriant green foliage clothing the hills. The Falls are easy to
find as there is a large sign on the main road pointing to the waterfall. From the Main
Road to the waterfall is approximately 3 kilometers and takes about 5 minutes to drive.
This waterfall is in the mountains and as you stand on the road above looking down at
the falls, there are mountain peaks towering above you. Around the falls tropical growth
springs from the soil in abundance, with towering stands of bamboo, nutmeg trees climb the
hills and in between mangoes, pomerac, grapefruit, avocado and banana dot the hillsides.
For the truly adventurous there is a larger waterfall that is approximately 45 minutes
hiking beyond the first waterfall. Known as Au Coin, this waterfall is bigger and taller
with a pool for swimming. A third waterfall in the Concorde valley is Fontainbleu which
cascades down a 65 foot cliff into a crystal clear pool and is approximately 2 hours
hiking up the mountain.
Some of the other fresh water treasures of Grenada are the Mount Carmel Falls which are
also known as the Marquis Falls. This waterfall, which is an easy 30 minute hike, is
located two miles south of Grenville and falls 70 feet into pools below. The Seven Sisters
waterfall requires a 45 minute hike that is worth every minute of the hike. Here multiple
waterfalls tumble down the river giving rise to the name Seven Sisters. The trip to the
Paraclete Waterfalls in St. Andrew is a 60 minute test of your love of hiking but the
falls are beautiful. You can also visit the Honeymoon Falls which requires a one hour hike
to the base of Mount Qua Qua in the Grand Etang National Park. A visit to Rosemont Falls
requires having lunch at the Rosemont Plantation, both of which are delightful. Other
water treasures are the Balthazar Falls, Victoria Falls and the Tufton Hall Waterfall.
Whenever you are in Grenada, tear yourself away from the wonderful beaches and have an
island adventure discovering Grenada’s fresh water treasures.
