Getting Around Grenada

I adored the Reggae buses that travel the length and breadth of Grenada.

They have reggae music often pounding out, as they wind their way around their lovely island, knowing to within a millimetre the width and length of their bus. The drivers and fair collectors are lovely people, worth striking up a conversation if the bus is quiet. You can learn a lot about island life, how they have brought their beautiful island back from near destruction after Hurricane Ivan etc.

If you live a little off the track, the drivers are more than willing to take you right to your door - where in the WORLD would you get that service? I gave a tip to show my gratitude on the two occasions I asked for their help.

There are numerous buses - you have to know which one you want as they ALL want you to go in their bus!

No.1 Takes you from the airport area past Grand Anse right up to the bus station in St George's. I travelled this bus all the time as I stayed with Blue Horizons. The journey costs an extremely reasonable 2.50EC$.

No.9 (I think?! Addled with age clearly) took me from St George's all the way to Sauteurs via Gouyave and Victoria. A STUNNING drive of almost an hour and only 6EC$. BARGAIN!

I also took the cross country bus to Grenville via Grand Etang. The drop in temperature was so welcome as I was having a "hot" day!

The system is that when you want to stop, if you know your stop, you knock on the frame of the bus. If you don't know where you want to be let out, tell the fair finder or the driver.

You can sit next to the driver - that was my favourite place as the views are brilliant.

Each bus has a driver and a fare finder. The fare finder will check to see if anyone walking down the hill wants the bus, and will therefore wait for them, load their shopping, smile a flashy smile and close the door.

It's a fantastic experience to travel on the Reggae Buses. I am going to say however that out of probably 30 or more bus rides, I had one ride that genuinely scared me. I found out later some very helpful advice. If you don't like the speed at which your driver is travelling, which on this particular journey I really didn't feel safe, you can knock and ask to get out at the next stop. Tell them you don't like the speed and will wait for another bus.

4 more images

Driving on the island of Grenada is on the left. Roads are paved and in good condition. If you have never driven on the left, this is not too bad a place to try. Keep you speed down, especially around the many steep curves. There are not a lot of lines on the roads, so watch for oncoming cars.

You must obtain a local driving permit from either the traffic department at the Central Police Station on the Carenage. A driver's license must be presented and a fee of EC $30 paid. Most car rental firms also issue local permits.

There is approximately 650 miles of paved roads and most of the main roads are in good condition.

4 more images

If you don’t mind paying Taxi prices and want a quick scenic way to get around – then water taxis are for you! These colourful and fast motorboats run between Grand Anse Beach and St. George's harbour. You can find them only in one place on Grand Anse beach, near the vendors market. If you are coming off a cruise ship, just follow the signs. All of them are licensed to carry passengers and have proper safety equipment on board.

1 more image

"Passengers disembarking at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal exit directly through the newly opened Esplanade Shopping Mall and out to downtown St. George's, while passengers disembarking at the Inner Harbour, exit onto the picturesque Carenage waterfront, with its traditional architecture, shops and restaurants"

I'm probably wrong about this, but I can't recall any busses at all at Grenada. Easiest for us, when we wanted to go somewhere on land, was to take a taxi. There are both normal cabs, and then those big mini vans. Most of them sure doesn't look very modern, but they will take you wherever you want to go.
Roads aren't so good that you can go fast anyway, so just sit back an enjoy the ride with the taxi. As the island is a lot up and down you'll get some great views of the coast as soon as you go uphill for a while.

Prices aren't very cheap, but not expensive either. For the ride from the airport to our hotel outside Saint George's we paid 25 US dollar (for nine persons) which also would have been cheaper if we just had had some EC dollar instead.

Matthew Thomas taxi from the Calabash Hotel in St. Georges, was a great driver. He was there whenever we needed him. He provided us with his card which showed his cell phone number. Friendly and informative and always on call. One of the few drivers we could understand too!

A water taxi will take you from downtown to the beach at Gran Anse for US$2. Bus is cheaper, but the water route is more scenic. Here is the boatman gesturing as he tells of the Hurricane Ivan which hit the island in 2004, and took with him most of the roofs.

Take a water taxi as much as possible. At land taxi will cost $10 and a water taxi will cost $1.50 and get you there just as fast to some of your destinations. Another alternative is the local bus. It costs $1.