Friday 25 January 2013

Gem of the Caribbean: Grenada


The Caribbean is a sun seekers dream, warm all year round with numerous islands and beaches looking out at clear seas. However, it can be hard to choose the island that is right for you. Grenada is a real dream of an island. It is situated in the south of the Caribbean, close to the shores of South America and Trinidad and Tobago. The island possesses one of the best beaches in the world, Grand Anse Beach. This beach is a few miles long and possesses wonderful white sands and crystal clear water.
 
The Legendary Grand Anse in later afternoon
Author Varun Kapoor Image courtesy of wikipedia


Grand Anse is not overdeveloped like many famous beaches in neighbouring islands, but it still has amenities. There is a range or hotels, from high end through to more affordable. There are also some great places to eat and drink in the area.

The majority of tourists in Grenada come from the US, UK, Canada and neighbouring countries. However, the numbers are generally not as high as on the neighbouring islands, which makes for less crowds on the idyllic beaches.

The food in Grenada is varied due to the mixture of the people. The majority are of African-Caribbean, but there is also a sizeable minority of Grenadians of East Indian origin. There is also small number of Grenadians of French or English origins, due to Grenada’s history as a British and French colony. This means that there are excellent creole dishes, combining the various cultural influences that came to the island. You can also get great curries and rotis from the island’s Indian culture.
The island is volcanic, so it has steep mountains in the centre of the island and some beautiful remote waterfall, which can provide a perfect break swimming in sea water. The volcanic soil is hugely fertile, so this makes the scenery very green and fruits are abundant.

Grenada is one of the world’s largest producers of high quality nutmeg and mace. This is why the island is often referred to as the Island of Spice. There are also many cocoa plantation that produce very high quality cocoa. Near to Grenville on the Island’s east coast, there is a great plantation to visit called the Belmont Estate. This estate has a lovely colonial feel, with a large restaurant serving high quality local food. You can also sample some of the cocoa, cocoa balls and chocolate.

                                                                Grenada's Nutmeg
                                                              Author Brocken Inaglory
                                                              Image courtesy of wikipedia

Fish is another attraction to Grenada, on Fridays you should visit the west coast town of Goyave. Here there is a special event in the streets called Fish Friday. Here are the local varieties of fish are sold in a street market. There is a real party atmosphere with soca bands and live music.

If you are looking for an exotic break or winter sun, look no further than Grenada.

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