Fun things to do in Grenada

Grand Etang National Park & Forest Reserve is located high up in the mountains of the island's interior. It is definitely one of the highlights on Grenada. The forest was greatly damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Fortunately, it has quickly regrown.

With miles of trails, the rainforest around Grand Etang Forest Reserve is Grenada's most popular area for hiking. Along the way are lookouts and fishing streams. On a clear day you'll have wonderful panoramic views. The flora includes mahogany trees, ferns, and tropical flowers. You'll find many species of birds, frogs, lizards, and possibly the Mona monkey as well.

Hikes range from easy to rigourious. Excellent guides (both books and human) are avialable through the Forest Reserve.

Grand Etang Lake is 36-acres big and its water fills the crater of an extinct volcano 1,740 feet above sea level. Legend has it that the lake is bottomless. When we were there the lake was shrouded in fog and the usually cobalt blue lake was grey. On a nice day it's a good spot for a picnic.

The information center has displays on local wildlife and vegetation and a forest manager is on hand to answer questions. The walkway to the information center is lined with musical entertainers and vendors selling spices and souvenirs.

Please see my Grenada travelogues for additional photos.

Annandale is one of Grenada's smaller falls but it's accessibility makes it one of the most popular. It's a short drive - about 15 minutes - from St. George's. A garden of flowering plants and labeled trees, such as nutmeg, line the path to the falls.

A mountain stream cascades 40 feet into a pool surrounded by exotic vines and lush vegetation. A trail leads to the top of the falls. This is a lovely, peaceful, cool spot for swimming and a picnic!

An Interpretation Center, shops, and restrooms are available.

Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. $1 admission.

Please see my Grenada travelogues for additional photos.

Since Grenada is known as the "Isle of Spice" it makes sense to check out one of the spice processing plantations. Which one you visit will likely depend on how much time you'll be on the island and what else is in the area. It worked out that we would visit Dougladston Estate.

Dougladston was a working spice factory in the 17th century. Although spices are still grown and processed the old-fashioned way here (technology-free), Dougladston is primarily a museum of the spice industry. The building has definitely seen better days but it's still interesting to learn about the spices and the workers do a good job of interacting with the visitors. It's a hand-on experience.

Attached to the building are huge drying trays on rails. This allows for the trays to be pushed under the building it it rains. What is drying on the tray depends on the time of year. While we were there it was cocoa (yes, I know cocoa is not a spice).

Once inside the building you are led to a table to 'scratch and smell' various leaves while trying to guess what the different spices are. You won't recognize them all! You'll hear how the spices are harvested, processed, and what they are used for.

You can wander around inside the building and see some of the old fashioned equipment. Outside you can see trees with cocoa pods. It's a very pretty location.

You can also buy some fresh spices here.

No admission fee. Hours: Weekdays 9-4

Please see my Grenada travelogues for additional photos.

On the basis of glowing recommendations from cruisers on the cruise critic boards (who usually give good advice) we booked a tour with Mandoo. It was very disappointing. His vehicle was a good sized bus so there was a lot of people running to get a window seat and the usual delays getting on and off the "bus".

There were hardly any opps for photos - he seemed to drive right by whatever it was we wanted to photograph - so much so that it became a running joke by the end of the tour. But the worst were his soapbox political speeches - the last one lasting for 20 minutes from the last stop all the way to the ship. We really didn't need to hear his tirade against China, Japan, etc. or any of his political beliefs - totally inappropriate.

Such a shame because Grenada was such an interesting island. Next time, I'll get a private taxi or rent a car!

A unique and charming new attraction is coming to Grenada! Beginning December 2010, Grenada Discovery Train will start to operate a charming and unique trackless tourist train in the center of St. Georges.
This will be the first and only sight seeing train in Grenada.
The train will perform several trips during the day on daily basis in the town of St. George. It will be passing through parts that are off the beaten track and therefore bring tourists and local merchants in these parts closer together.
At the same time passengers on the train will get background information on St. George, its history, people, culture and general "couleur locale", whilst enjoying the town, busy street life, architecture and fabulous vistas.
Look out for this unique and trully charming new attraction that will be an added value to the advantages that St. George already has to offer.
DON'T MISS THE TRAIN

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Found in Hermitage, St Patricks, The Grenada Chocolate Company is just amazing.

Out of the tiniest building, they produce 1000 bars of the most delicious, entirely island-sourced chocolate.

Edmund is one of the many delightful people who work at the factory. It is very rare to be allowed into the actual factory area these days due to it slowing production, but I think I was one of the luckiest women on Grenada.

I had a guided tour with another huge fan, the lovely David who was also my willing tour guide and driver.

My single regret was that, having been suffering from Nasal Polyps for some long time, I had to take David's word for the sumptuous smells coming out of the factory.

It's a must visit ... their website is fantastic, and the Belmont Estate is the logical place to go next (it is, in and of itself, one of the Wonders of Grenada) where they have cocoa beans drying and an amazing video for you to watch to learn about the process without interrupting it.

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LaLuna Hotel, at the very furthest driveable road from Grand Anse Roundabout, is my idea of a heavenly Yoga Retreat.

The hotel is absolutely sublime, but I wasn't staying there, I stayed at Blue Horizons who helped me discover where I could find a regular yoga practice.

There are daily yoga or pilates classes on offer, in the most amazing, unforgettable setting.

From Kundalini Yoga with Kia to Vinyasa Yoga and Yin Yoga with Lindsay, Hatha Yoga with Lesley and something I had never heard of called Forest Yoga which I also tried one day.

I walked to LaLuna most days as the exercise helped warm me up for some pretty challenging asanas at times I can tell you! But that was no reflection on the girls teaching, just on me having over worked for too long and got stiff and crusty in every way.

I couldn't recommend LaLuna higher for a wonderful, deeply relaxing yoga practice. Wendy, Bernardo, you have created Heaven.

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We didn't know we were making the trek to Seven Sisters when we got off the ship in the morning but our companions certainly did as they chose it, the other woman in our group was the poster child for what NOT to wear on a hike to Seven Sisters. Her brand spanking new white tennies were coated in reddish brown mud by the time we were through and we were all waiting for her to slide down the hill on her butt in her cute white mini skirt! They do provide you with walking sticks which are essential to getting down the hill and back up the hill in a totally upright position.

The reward for the climb down through the rainforest is a dip in the cool waters of the pools beneath the waterfalls, some other people were jumping in from the lower fall but I waded in like the sane person I am. The jump from the bottom waterfall isn't really that high and people that were doing it said that it looks higher than it really is. I didn't see anyone jumping from the taller waterfall but apparently there are people who do that and ask for tips later.

The hike takes about 30-45 minutes each way and the climb is fairly steep, if it's recently rained the mud makes it messy and slippery. Wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting dirty and are appropriate for hiking, wear a bathing suit under your clothes (no place to change) and don't be too cool to grab a walking stick when you pay the $2 fee to hike there.

We only saw the two falls in the photo but there are apparently seven in total if you do the whole trail which takes about 3 hours according to one person's account.