Grenada Travel Guide : Food, hotel, Cost, Weather & geography, History, language, culture, things to see and do and how to reach

You can find about travel advice such as public places & services, best restaurants, activities, sightseen and other key facts of the Grenada .

Grenada is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and several small islands which lie to the north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines. It is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its size is 348.5 square kilometres (134.6 sq mi), and it had an estimated population of 112,523 in July 2020.[8] Its capital is St. George's. Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops.

Coordinates: 12°07′N 61°40′WBefore the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, Grenada was inhabited by the indigenous peoples from South America. Christopher Columbus sighted Grenada in 1498 during his third voyage to the Americas. Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from resident Island Caribs, French settlement and colonisation began in 1649 and continued for the next century. On 10 February 1763, Grenada was ceded to the British under the Treaty of Paris. British rule continued until 1974 (except for a brief French takeover between 1779 and 1783). However, on 3 March 1967, it was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State, and from 1958 to 1962 Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies, a short-lived federation of British West Indian colonies.

Independence was granted on 7 February 1974 under the leadership of Eric Gairy, who became the first Prime Minister of Grenada of the sovereign state. The new country became a member of the Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth as Head of State. In March 1979, the Marxist–Leninist New Jewel Movement overthrew Gairy's government in a bloodless coup detat and established the People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), headed by Maurice Bishop as Prime Minister. Bishop was later arrested and executed by members of the People's Revolutionary Army, prompting a U.S.-led invasion in October 1983. Since then, the island has returned to a parliamentary representative democracy and has remained politically stable.

Foods in Grenada : 

(1) Oil Down : 

Oil down is Grenada’s national dish, so pop it at the top of your list of foods to try. The iconic, one-pot stew is a staple for locals, featured at festivals, parties, and gatherings within the community. It’s a simple, comforting dish that’s packed full of flavor with salted meat, chicken or fish, dumplings, coconut milk, turmeric, vegetables, and breadfruit as the main ingredients.

(2) ried Bake and Saltfish : 

When it’s breakfast time in Grenada, it’s time for fried bake. Bakes are a type of bread that’s fried until golden brown. You can choose from an array of side dishes, such as cheese or sausage; however, saltfish fried with tomato, onion, and herbs are among the most popular.

(3) Lambie Souse : 

Dining on delicious, fresh seafood is one of the best things to do when you cruise to Grenada, and a local favorite is lambie souse. Lambie is the name for conch, and it’s the star ingredient of this particular dish. Conch is tenderized and slowly cooked with a mixture of lime juice, onion, garlic and hot pepper, to create a soupy, seafood meal that’s also a fantastic source of protein.

(4)  Callaloo Soup : 

The dasheen leaf is an ingredient found throughout the Caribbean, and it’s used to make callaloo soup, which is a fixture of Grenada’s food menus. The leafy green soup boasts a creamy texture, thanks to the coconut milk, and it’s great as a starter or a quick snack at any time of day.

(5) Pelau : 

Pelau is a hearty chicken and rice dish that’s perfect for satisfying your hunger pangs after a fun day of sightseeing and shopping in Grenada. This savory, one-pot meal typically includes cooked beans, carrots, celery, red sweet peppers, brown sugar, and coconut milk.

Weather & geography in  Grenada   :
Grenada climate is sunny and tropical, averaging 80°F, with dry and rainy seasons. The dry season, January through May, is more comfortable; with cooling trade winds and occasional showers. The rainy season, June through December, has a more humid climate and moderate-to-heavy rainfall, which varies considerably each year. Temperatures drop in the evening, making it pleasantly cool. Sunrise is at 6:30 am and dusk varies between 6 and 6:30 pm, according to the time of year.

Grenada, volcanic in orgin, is referred to as the "Isle of Spice." The most southerly of the Windward Islands, it is situated between 12°N and 61°W, 90 miles north of Trinidad and southwest of Barbados. It is roughly oval shaped, 21 miles long, and about 12 miles wide. The three-island nation includes Carriacou, largest island in the Grenadine chain, and neighboring Petit (pronounced "Petty") Martinique. Grenada comprises 133 square miles of rugged, mountainous terrain, with lush tropical rain forest and little lowland. Its central mountains rise about 2,000 feet above sea level. More spices per square mile are grown here than in any other place in the world. The clear, clean air is sometimes fragrant with their aroma.Carriacou has an area of 13 square miles and has similar geographical characteristics but lower elevations (nearly 1,000 feet). Petit Martinique, with a population of 700, has no tourist facilities but is famous for boat building.

Per day Cost in Grenada :
You should plan to spend around EC$640 ($237) per day on your vacation in Grenada, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, EC$134 ($50) on meals for one day and EC$35 ($13) on local transportation.

History of Grenada :

The history of islands of Grenada in the Caribbean, part of the Lesser Antilles group of islands, covers a period from the earliest human settlements though to the establishment of the contemporary nationstate of Grenada.First settled by indigenous peoples, by the time of European contact it was inhabited by the Caribs. British colonists killed most of the Caribs on the island and established plantations on the island, eventually importing African slaves to work on the sugar plantations.Control of the island was disputed by Great Britain and France in the 18th century, with the British ultimately prevailing. In 1795, Fédon's Rebellion, inspired by the Haitian Revolution, very nearly succeeded, taking significant military intervention to quell. Slavery was abolished in 1833, and in 1885, the island's capital, St. George's, became the capital of the British Windward Islands.Grenada achieved independence from Britain in 1974. Following a coup by the Marxist New Jewel Movement in 1979, the island was invaded by United States troops and the government overthrown. The island's major crop, nutmeg, was significantly damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Language in Grenada :
Grenada's official language is English, though a variety of dialects are spoken by its 107,000 citizens. Among the most widely used is (French) Patois, which combines English.

Culture of  Grenada :

Grenada's French colonists brought their culture, as did the African slaves they brought across the Atlantic for agricultural work. The combination of these cultures is what you will find on this island. Indians have also influenced the island culture in more recent years.With the passing of the Slave Trade Act 1807 by the British Parliament and the subsequent Abolishing of Slavery, indentured labor from India was procured at a very large scale.The first ship, named Nickor Jeremiah, departed from Calcutta, India on January 27, 1857 and arrived a few months later on May 1. In all 3,206 East Indians arrived in Grenada by 1885. Only 380 of them returned to India. The Indians made many contributions to Grenada. Indian Arrival Day was celebrated in 2007 on the 150th anniversary, for the first time since the centenary celebration in 1957.The Indians later on assimilated with the existing Africans, Europeans and other ethnicities intermarrying with each other. This very much influenced the culture and cuisine of Grenada.

Place to visit in Grenada :
(1) Grand Anse Beach

(2)  St. George's

(3) Fort Frederick

(4) Spice Tours & Tastings 

(5) Carenage

Hotel in Grenada :
(1) Sea Breeze Hotel Grenada

(2) Radisson Grenada Beach Resort

(3) Silversands Grenada

(4) Petite Anse Hotel & Restaurant

How to reach in Grenada :
LIAT provides flights into Grenada from most Caribbean islands along with connections to international flights from Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia and Trinidad. Caribbean Airlines offers flights between Grenada and Trinidad. SVG Air provides daily flights to and from Carriacou's Lauriston Airport.

Travel Guide for Grenada : Food, hotel, Cost, Weather & geography, History, language, culture, things to see and do and how to reach. – Published by The Beyond News (Travelling).