Grenada

Grenada is an island country on the southeast of the Caribbean Sea and forms the part of the Lesser Antilles. The state is located on the island with the same name and also occupies the territory of the Grenadines. Trinidad is 120 km to the north of Grenada. The capital city is Saint George's.

The country has a maritime sub-equatorial climate. All the year round, the temperature does not drop lower than +25°C. The wet season lasts from June to October. In the mountains, there is much more precipitation than on the coast. From June to October, the hurricanes typically occur. The dry season is from January to May and it is the best time for visiting Grenada.

The official language is English and more than half of the population are the Catholics.

Grenada is a destination for those who like beach holidays. The best beaches are the Grand Anse beach and the Morne Rouge beach. The Grand Anse beach is believed to be the most beautiful. In Grenada, the waters are covered with coral reefs and there is a very diverse marine life. On the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, one can find dozens of sunken ships which attract divers. The waters in Grenada are suitable for snorkeling and fishing, surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

The tourists can go biking and enjoy the beauty of the nature. In the hotels, there are beauty salons offering spa services.

Get in

By Plane

There are no direct flights between CIS countries and Grenada. The British Airways offers transit flights to Grenada with a stop in London. The flight will take about 14 hours. The tourists can also fly with Lufthansa and Condor with a stop in Frankfurt. The duration of the flight is the same.  

Visa

The tourists from EU and CIS countries can travel and stay in Grenada visa-free for 90 days. They should have a valid international passport, tourist voucher and documents confirming financial sufficiency.

Customs

The customs legislation of Grenada allows import and export of national and foreign currency in any amount. 

The tourists can take tobacco and alcohol for personal use.

It is strictly prohibited to import in Grenada:

• fire arms (to bring in a sporting gun, a tourist needs to have a special permit from the local police);
• vegetables, fruits, meat and meat products;
• samples of soil and plants.

One can bring in the pets provided that there is a Good Health Certificate issued by Grenada Pet Clinic and Vet Service.

Cuisine

This country is rich in natural resources and does not depend on the imported food. Its national cuisine was under a great influence of the Africans, Indians and French. The staple foods are yams, manioc, breadfruit, sweet potatoes and beans. 

Every tourist should try a traditional dish Oil Down which is a stew of breadfruit and salt-cured meat.

Grenada is a global leader in producing spices. The most popular spice produced in this country is nutmeg. They add it both to meat and fish dishes and to desserts as well.

Many meat dishes are lumped together under one name Kapallu. Among the exotic meat dishes is grilled iguana or a fillet of armadillo stewed with vegetables and spices. The locals usually serve potatoes and rice as a side dish. When it comes to soups, we recommend a turtle soup.

Grenadian cuisine is rich in seafood. The tourists will be served a fish mixture Staffed Jack, crabs and oysters, baked scallops Lambi and a local specialty – caviar of the sea urchin.

In Grenada, they have a very  good rum which they make according to old recipes without using any modern technologies. If you like beer, you should try local Carib.

A cocktail painkiller is extremely popular among the tourists. It is made of rum, coconut flesh, orange juice and nutmeg. 

In the restaurants of Grenada, they gave a great variety of imported alcoholic drinks. 

Money

The official currency in Grenada is East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) which is equal to 100 cents. The locals pay with the bank notes from 5 to 100 dollars and coins from 1 to 25 cents.

The tourists often pay with US dollars. In some stores, you can see two prices. One is in US dollars and the other in the local currency. To pay with US dollars outside the capital city is a bit difficult.

You can exchange the currency at banks, in exchange offices, hotels and large restaurants. Banks offer the best exchange rate.

You can pay with a credit card in large rent services agencies, hotels and restaurants. You can cash traveler's checks at any bank. We recommend having checks in US dollars. 

Details of interest

Sightseeing in Grenada

Three sites in Grenada are candidates to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• Saint George Historic District is going to be inscribed on the UNESCO list according to a cultural criterium. On its territory, the tourists will see the Christian churches and colonial buildings of the 17th and 19th centuries.
• The system of fortification of Saint George’s is also a cultural site of the city. The fortifications were built by the French colonists in Saint George's Bay in the 18th century.
• The Grenadines island chain that is part of Grenada and an independent state Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These islands have a volcanic origin and today this is the most popular place for divers and those who like beach holidays.

The tourists should not miss a chance to see the natural beauty of Grenada.

• The Grand Etang National Park and the Forest Reserve is known for its bottomless lake in the extinct volcano.
• An amazing waterfall Seven Sisters on the territory of the Grand  Etang National Park. The walking routes to the park are laid through a tropical forest and nutmeg plantations.
• The highest waterfall in Grenada is the Royal Mount Caramel Falls which is two miles from the city of Grenville.
• The tourists will see the symbol of the country Grenadian dove in the Grenada Dove Reserve.
• In the La Sagesse Nature Center, the tourists can see a national heritage of Grenada. This is a nameless cliff with petroglyphs created by the first settlers of the island.
• In the Jessamine Eden Botanic Garden, the travelers will see a minuscule hummingbird and the blossoms of jasmine.
• The fans of scuba diving will be impressed by the Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. On the bottom of the sea, there is an installation depicting various episodes from the world history.
• The Jenny Island is famous for its purest waters and an underwater volcano.

Grenadian Souvenirs

To remember your travel to Grenada, we recommend buying these souvenirs:

• spice sets;
• pottery and textile;
• souvenirs with the image of the Grenadian dove;
• figurines made of rare species of trees which grow only in the Caribbeans;
• leather souvenirs and crafts from sea shells.
• hand-made soap.