GRENADA TRAVEL REPORT.

  

Punctual as never before leaves from ET Joshua Airport in Arnos Vale (St. Vincent), located about 2 km south of Kingstown, the capital of St Vincent, at 06.45 my Plane no. 560 of the LIAT Airline Company to Grantley Adams Airport (Barbados), (ticket price including taxes: USD 132.86, for 2 flights: St Vincent - Barbados and Barbados - Grenada).

 

Free drinks and snacks are not served on the plane.

 

I therefore arrive at 7.30 am, at Grantley Adams Airport (Barbados), located about 20 km south-east of Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. There are 5 hours of time zone, compared to Italy. I remain in the transit area for 5 hours.

 

Punctual as never before from Grantley Adams Airport (Barbados), located about 20 km south-east of Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados at 12.35 my plane no. 727 of the LIAT Airline Company in the direction of Maurice Bishop Airport in Calliste (Grenada), (ticket price including taxes: USD 132.86, for 2 flights: St Vincent - Barbados and Barbados - Grenada).

 

A visa is not required to enter Grenada for tourism purposes and for a period not exceeding 90 days. It is sufficient to be in possession of a passport, with at least 6 months of residual validity at the time of entry into the country. Sometimes you are asked for a return or onward flight ticket and hotel reservation.

 

It is necessary to fill out a form to be delivered to customs, part of which must be returned when leaving the country.

 

There is no bank to change money at the airport, but you can withdraw cash with an ATM or credit card.

 

The currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC $), but American Dollars (USD) are accepted everywhere (Hotels, Buses, Taxis, Shops, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Ferries, etc.) American Dollars (USD), even if using the latter. these are considered with the following value 1 USD = 2.5 EC $ instead of the official rate which is 1 USD = 2.7 EC $.

 

In Grenada, the official language is English.

 

In Grenada, driving is on the left and is driven by Minivans, which have written on the windshield containing the route number and the final destination, from 5.30 to 19.00. You pay the attendant before getting off. Minimum fee: 2.5 EC $. Many drivers drive like crazy.

 In Grenada I slept in the cheapest accommodation on the island, the Cozy Hut, located in Sans Souci, in Saint George's, in the upper part of the city at a cost of 48 USD per night for a double room with bathroom (booking via the booking website. com). To reach it on foot from the center of Saint George it is necessary to walk uphill for 20 minutes first along Lucas Street for about 1 km and then turn left into Sans Souci Street and walk for about 500 meters, until you find the obvious Cozy Hut sign.

 

Keep in mind that there are no minivans between the airport and the capital but the number 1 theoretically arrives as far as the town of Calliste less than 2 km away and therefore you can either walk or take a taxi. I found an unofficial one that only asked me 5 EC $ to get to the bus terminal at Saint George's. To return to the airport from the capital, Minivan n. 1, which as illustrated above should stop 2 km before the airport, took me right in front of the airport, asking me, however, 10 EC $.

 

If you want to visit the island of Grenada well, you can go around it by public transport in one day, starting in the morning at 7.00 and returning at 20.00.

 

From the well organized bus terminal of St George, the capital of Grenada, located in Melville Street, in the north - west of the city, take a minivan to Willis (2.50 EC $ - 20 ') and get off after about 20 minutes at the crossroads for the Annandale Falls. The entrance of the same is only 100 meters away. on foot.

You pay the attendant before getting off. On this route the bus frequency from 6.00 to 19.00 is very high.

 

The Annandale Waterfalls are open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.00 and on Saturday and Sunday from 9.00 to 17.00. The entrance ticket costs 5.35 EC $. The falls are less than 5 minutes walk from the entrance.

 

Once you have visited the falls, from Willis take a minivan to St George and get off after about 5 minutes at the crossroads on the main road connecting the capital to Grenville (2 EC $ - 20 ').

 

From here, wait for one of the many minivans headed for Grenville and get off at the entrance to the Gran Etang Forest Reserve (3 EC $ - 20 '). Keep in mind that the wait can be quite long because the many minivans coming from the capital are full and therefore do not stop to pick you up.

 

To visit Gran Etang Forest Reserve, you must go to the visitor center which is open daily from 8.00 to 16.00 and pay 5.35 EC $. The beautiful Etang lake is only a 5 minute walk from here. Then you can hike in any length you want.

 

Then from the Gran Etang Forest Reserve visitor center, wait for one of the many minivans headed to Grenville (5 EC $ - 30 '). The road is very winding.

 

Get off downtown and visit the beautiful town of Grenville, located on the east coast of Grenada.

 

Then from Grenville, take one of the many minivans to Sauteurs (4 EC $ - 30 '). The road is very winding.

 

Go down to the center and visit the beautiful town of Sauteurs and its beautiful bay, located on the north - eastern tip of Grenada.

 

Then from Sauteurs, take one of the many minivans (no. 5) bound for St George and get off in the beautiful town of Victoria (3 EC $ - 30 '). The road is very winding. Remember that the last race is at 18.00.

 

Go downtown and visit the beautiful town of Victoria, located on the west coast of Grenada.

 

Then from Victoria, take one of the many minivans to St George and get off at the beautiful fishing village of Gouyave (2.5 EC $ - 15 ').

 

Get off downtown and visit Gouyave, located on the west coast of Grenada, with its beautiful beach.

 

Then from Gouyave, take one of the many minivans coming from Victoria to the St George bus terminal (5 EC $ - 40 '). Remember that the last race is at around 20.00.

 

The beautiful City of St George can be easily visited on foot. The top is the Bay called “The Carenage”. A wonderful view of the same can be enjoyed by going up to Fort George open every day from 7.00 to 17.00. Admission 5 EC $.

 

Another beautiful panorama can be seen from Fort Frederick located 2km east of the City. It is open every day from 8.00 to 17.00. Admission 5 EC $.

 

If, on the other hand, you want to visit the south - west part of the island, take minivan no. 1 for Calliste and get off after about 15 minutes near The Lime roundabout (2.5 EC $ - 20 ') and then walk for a few tens of meters and take a minivan directed to the peninsula of L'anse Aux Epines and then get off near Prickly Bay. (2.5 EC $ - 5 ').

 

If, on the other hand, you want to go sunbathing and swimming on the most famous beach of the island, from the well organized bus terminal of St George, the capital of Grenada, located in Melville Street, in the north - west of the city, take the minivan n. 1 to Calliste and get off after about 10 minutes near Grand Anse Bay (2.5 EC $). From there the aforementioned long beach is less than 5 minutes on foot.

 

If, on the other hand, you want to visit the beautiful Island of Carriacou, which is always part of the state of Grenada, keep in mind that every day at 9.00 (8.00 on Sunday), the ferry of the Osprey Company leaves from the east pier of Carenage in Saint George's. towards Hillsborough, the capital of Carriacou. The trip takes about 2 hours. Keep in mind that the same ferry returns the same day leaving at 15.30 from Carriacou. Tickets can be purchased from one hour before departure, before boarding. Price: one way, EC $ 80, round trip EC $ 160.

 

In Carriacou, there is a public transport service by minivan, but if you intend to visit the island independently, you can rent a bicycle from the tourist office, located opposite the Hillsborough ferry pier, which is almost certainly will make a phone call to find the bike. The rental price for a mountain bike is 25 EC $ per day. Deposit to be left in cash is 50 USD. Keep in mind that many roads are uphill.

 

The most interesting things to see in Carriacou apart from the Capital Hillsborough are: the Villages of Bogles and Windward and the beautiful beach of Paradise Beach.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2017/11/traversata-dei-caraibi-da-nord-sud.html