Grenada, the "Spice Island," is known for its mountainous beauty and for some of the friendliest people in the West Indies. Grenadians speak English with a delightful calypso accent and will make your stay on their island home very special. Grenada's waterfalls, rain forest, volcanic crater lake, tiny villages, cocoa, nutmeg and banana plantations, sugar cane fields, rum distilleries, scenic hiking trips, pristine coral reefs teeming with vividly-colored tropical fish, and lovely beaches all make Grenada an excellent choice for those who like to discover off-the-beaten-track natural beauty and charm. Be sure to explore the crowded commerce of Market Square in the capital of St. George's early on a Saturday morning for fragrant local spices, exotic fruits and roasted cashew nuts just off the tree, or a hand woven straw hat or bag.



Grenada (pronounced "Grah-NAY-da") has a varied and absorbing past as seen in Carib Indian artifacts, ancient stone-walled forts and sugar mills, and old plantation estate homes where today lunch is served to visitors. But Grenada's modern-day watersports and excellent restaurants will also delight you. Grenada's history began with the Arawak, Carib and Ciboney Indians who journeyed by canoe from South America. Christopher Columbus first sighted Grenada in 1498, and between 1609 and 1783, the island was handed back and forth between the warring English and French. Grenada was clearly most influenced by its French past; the island's vocabulary today is richly peppered with French names for its villages, local fruits, vegetables and island flora and fauna. The island achieved its independence in 1974 from Britain. Today, flourishing medical and veterinary schools on Grenada attract students from all over the globe, mingling with world travelers arriving to savor Grenada's intriguing Caribbean flavor.



Agriculture still reigns in the green mountains and valleys of Grenada; local farmers grow plots of local fruits and vegetables and cash crops of nutmeg (this tiny island produces one-third of the world's nutmeg supply!), cocoa and bananas. Grenadians also harvest and package a large variety of fresh spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, vanilla, mace, turmeric, bay leaves and saffron - don't go home without a good supply of small handmade baskets of so-fresh local spices for all your friends. You can take fascinating tours of nutmeg and cocoa processing stations on Grenada.



Although Grenada was hit hard in 1994 by Hurricane Ivan and again by Hurricane Emily ten months later, when we visited this beautiful island in the fall of 2005, we were pleased to see that massive rebuilding had been underway. Many just-refurbished and upgraded hotels will reopen for the winter 2006 tourist season. Restaurants are open and have been welcoming their patrons for months. We saw brand new roofs on many, many homes, and Grenada was dressed in lush emerald green with new growth sprouting on trees and on local flora everywhere. Our Grenada villas fortunately emerged with minimal damage and have been receiving guests since early 2005. The southern part of Grenada, where all our vacation villas are located, has been almost completely put back together now, and villa and hotel guests are again returning to the island. On the island, local wits boast of "putting stick in de ground, and jump back quick," as Grenada's rich volcanic soil and warm climate generate an amazingly fast rate of growth. Plants do seem to leap from the soil, as Grenada's lush rain-forest natural beauty now continues to demonstrate.



Grenada's currency is the Eastern Caribbean (E.C.) dollar, which is converted at about $2.67 E.C. per U.S. dollar, but U.S. dollars are also gladly accepted everywhere. To enter Grenada, you must produce a valid passport, or two pieces of identification: you may present a government-issued photo I.D., plus your original birth certificate (or a certified copy). You must also show your return airline ticket. Getting to Grenada is easier than you think: US Airways, Air Canada, Air Jamaica/Delta, BWIA and American Eagle all fly to Grenada from major gateways in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. You can also fly into Barbados and catch one of the smaller feeder airlines to Grenada for a lower fare than the direct flights. But if you love the Caribbean and the West Indian culture, consider Grenada for your next island trip. You may start a real love affair with this multi-faceted destination.