Grenada charter guide

CLIMATE & GEOGRAPHY

CHARTER GUIDE

Despite having it all – rainforests, waterfalls, mangroves, white and black beaches, coral reefs, sunshine and spice – Grenada has remained a destination that is off the beaten track and not yet spoilt by large scale development and commercialisation. High rise buildings are banned – a traditional building code decrees that ‘a hotel cannot be taller than a coconut tree’. It is a place that attracts the nature lover rather than the party-goer, and is ideal for those who like snorkelling, sailing, fishing and hiking, or doing nothing more invigorating than lolling on a beach under the sun.

The island Grenada is one of three that make up the eponymous independent nation, the other two being Carriacou, the largest of The Grenadines, and Petite Martinique, the smallest inhabited island in the Windward Islands. Known as the ‘Spice Island’, Grenada has more spices per square mile than anywhere else in the world – namely cloves, cinnamon, mace, cocoa, tonka beans, ginger and nutmeg – and their fragrance hangs on the air. The locals will tell you that if you drop seeds anywhere you’ll have an instant garden and attesting to this is a verdant jungle of palms, oleander, bougainvillea, purple and red hibiscus, crimson anthurium, bananas, breadfruit and ferns.

Although volcanic in origin, Grenada’s volcanoes – apart from one active undersea volcano to the north – are long since extinct, their slopes covered in rainforest and craters now lakes – the Grant Etang Lake and Forest Reserve is one of the best examples, while birdwatchers favour the shallow Lake Antoine. Hiking trails crisscross the area through breathtaking scenery and past stunning waterfalls. On Carriacou, miles of abandoned roadways can be explored by hikers or cyclists, along with the intriguing ruins of plantation houses, windmills and fortifications.

Grenada’s coastal areas are equally spectacular with a variety of picture perfect beaches, from the 3 kilometre long Grand Anse Beach to the more secluded beaches of the east coast, which are only accessible by four-wheel drive … or boat, plus mangroves to kayak and bays to snorkel. Snorkellers will delight in the reefs that encircle Carriacou ‘land of many reefs’, while for divers Grenada offers the largest wreck in the Caribbean and an underwater sculpture park.

Itinerary 5 days of spice and adventure in Grenada and Carriacou Spices, chocolate and rum are just some of Grenada's more delectable draws; add to that heady mix pretty beaches, jungley mountains and wondrous waterfalls for a perfect cruise

Feature Calivigny Island – the Caribbean island with a superyacht accessory Coming complete with its own superyacht, the Caribbean's newest private island resort resolves that quandary over whether to opt for beach or deck

Fact file Grenada fact file All the useful bits and pieces you might need to know for a cruise around this island and adjacent Carriacou from the Carenage to carnivals and from spice-shopping to hurricane havens