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Grenada, Caribbean

Caribbean

Grenada

City overview

Grenada is a three-island nation at the southern end of the Windward Islands — Grenada itself, plus Carriacou and Petite Martinique — known as the Spice Isle for the nutmeg and cocoa still grown across its interior. Rainforest, a crater lake and waterfalls sit within half an hour of the beaches, and the horseshoe harbour at St. George's is among the most photographed in the Caribbean. Jewish life here is recent and centres entirely on the Chabad Jewish Center of Grenada, founded in True Blue in 2013 by Rabbi Boruch and Chaya Rozmarin. It serves around twenty-five resident families alongside several hundred Jewish students at St. George's University, and runs the country's only kosher kitchen, kosher shop and Shabbos table.

Getting Around

Public transit

Privately run minibuses are the local bus network.

Each carries a numbered zone sticker showing its route, and a conductor rides along to take fares and help passengers on and off. Buses run roughly 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday to Saturday, with a much thinner Sunday service, and fares run about EC$2.50 to EC$6.50 depending on distance. The main terminus is at the Esplanade in St. George's, and the Grand Anse route is the one most visitors use.

Rideshare

No international rideshare app operates in Grenada, so private taxis fill that role.

They are unmetered, so agree the fare before you get in. Airport transfers are handled by the Grenada Airport Taxi Association and the Progressive Airport Taxi Union from the rank outside arrivals, and hotels will arrange a driver for the day. Water taxis cross between The Carenage in St. George's and Grand Anse Beach, which is quicker than the road at rush hour.

Car rental

Rates run about US$50 to US$75 a day, with better rates on longer hires, and the minimum age is 25.

Visitors need a local Grenadian driving permit, which costs EC$60 and is issued at the Central Police Station on The Carenage in St. George's; most rental companies will obtain it for you at pickup. Grencar Rentals, Dabs Car Rental and Carib Car Rentals all operate on the island. Driving is on the left.

Airport

Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) sits at Point Salines on the island's south-western tip and is Grenada's only international gateway, with direct service from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and across the Eastern Caribbean. It is unusually close to where visitors stay: about five minutes' drive to True Blue, ten minutes to Grand Anse and Morne Rouge, and fifteen to twenty minutes into St. George's. Arrivals has a taxi rank with fixed zone fares, car rental desks and an ATM dispensing Eastern Caribbean dollars. Carriacou is served separately by Lauriston Airport (CRU) just outside Hillsborough, a short Twin Otter hop from Grenada, and Petite Martinique is reached by ferry from Carriacou.

Good to know

Best time to visit

January through April is the dry season, with the steadiest sunshine and lowest humidity, while September and October fall at the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Insider tips

Prices are quoted in both currencies and US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, but you will usually do better paying in Eastern Caribbean dollars — change from a US note is given at a rounded rate. Buses and roadside vendors want small EC notes. Friday night in Gouyave is Fish Friday, when the fishing town closes its streets for a food market, and Wednesday nights bring a similar street lime to Grenville. If you are buying rum to take home, note that River Antoine's overproof bottling is 75% alcohol and exceeds airline carriage limits — buy the lower-strength version to fly with. Travellers keeping kosher should plan the food side before arriving rather than after: the Chabad kitchen works on 24 to 48 hours' notice, has a US$50 minimum, and its Friday delivery run finishes in the early afternoon, so a Shabbos order placed on a Thursday evening is already too late. Sockets are UK-style Type G at 230V, though many hotels fit a 110V shaver or USB point as well.

Safety & emergency

Grenada is among the calmer Caribbean destinations and most visits pass without incident, with serious crime uncommon in the south-western resort areas. Ordinary care still applies: keep valuables out of sight and unattended bags off the sand at Grand Anse and Morne Rouge, stay off unlit beaches and back roads after dark, and agree a taxi fare before setting off, since meters are not used. Sea conditions differ sharply by coast — the sheltered south-west is calm, while several beaches on the windward east and north coasts have strong currents, no lifeguards and no facilities. Driving is on the left, roads are narrow and steep inland, and pavements are scarce outside town. Police: 911. Fire: 911 or +1 473-440-2112. Ambulance — General Hospital: 434. Ambulance — Princess Alice Hospital: 724. Ambulance — Princess Royal Hospital: 774. Coast Guard / Marine: 399 or +1 473-444-1931. Police Rapid Response: +1 473-439-1231. General Hospital, St. George's: +1 473-440-2051. Princess Alice Hospital: +1 473-442-7251. Princess Royal Hospital, Carriacou: +1 473-443-7400.

Local time

4:06 AM

+4 hrs from NYC

Plug

Type G

230V

Currency

Eastern Caribbean Dollar

Kosher map of Grenada

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Frequently asked about Grenada