Grenada

Grenada is known as the Spice Isle because of the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and cocoa grown on its hills. A nutmeg even appears on the national flag. The capital, St. George's, wraps around a horseshoe-shaped harbor and is often called one of the prettiest towns in the Caribbean.

Grand Anse Beach, just south of the capital, stretches about two miles along calm water. Offshore at Molinere Bay, the Underwater Sculpture Park, opened in 2006, was one of the first of its kind in the world. The country also includes the smaller islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

Maurice Bishop International Airport has direct flights from North America and the UK, plus regional service. From Jamaica, most trips connect through Trinidad, Barbados, Miami or another regional hub.

Jamaicans, as CARICOM citizens, can generally visit without a visa for short stays, but check before you go.

Grenada feels like a smaller, gentler version of Jamaica: English-speaking, green and hilly, with rainforest, waterfalls and friendly villages, but with far less tourist hustle. You can drive around the whole island in a day.

Food lovers will enjoy the national dish, oil down, a one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat, dumplings and vegetables cooked in coconut milk. Chocolate is a growing industry, and estates like Belmont offer tours from cocoa tree to finished bar. The biggest party of the year is Spicemas, Grenada's carnival, in August.

Photo: cwi.aida via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

• Snorkel or dive the Underwater Sculpture Park at Molinere Bay.
• Spend a day at Grand Anse Beach.
• Hike to the Seven Sisters Falls or swim at Annandale Falls.
• Tour a spice or chocolate estate, such as Belmont Estate or the Gouyave nutmeg station.
• Join Fish Friday in the fishing town of Gouyave for street food and music.
• Take the ferry to Carriacou for quiet beaches like Paradise Beach.

January to May is the dry season. Spicemas takes over in August.

Most hotels are in the southwest, near Grand Anse Beach and the Lance aux Épines peninsula, close to the airport, restaurants and the capital. St. George's itself has a few small hotels in historic buildings with harbor views. For something quieter, look at guesthouses around Grenville or Sauteurs on the north and east coasts. On Carriacou, small hotels and guesthouses around Hillsborough and Paradise Beach are perfect for a slower pace.

• Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD)
• Language: English
• Driving: left-hand side
• Best for: food lovers, divers, hikers and travelers wanting a relaxed, friendly island

Inland, Grand Etang National Park has a crater lake and trails to waterfalls like Seven Sisters. Grenada sits near the southern edge of the hurricane belt, but it has still been hit by major storms, including Ivan in 2004 and Beryl in 2024, which devastated Carriacou.