Grenada

Getting there & away

Sea

Cruise ship

Grenada is a port of call for numerous cruise ships. They dock at the purpose-built pier just north of the harbor in St George’s, Grenada Island.

Water taxi

If the ferry schedule doesn’t work into your plans or the thought of a bumpy, open-ocean crossing in a motorboat appeals, there is the water taxi option. It will cost you about US$75 for the 40-minute journey from Carriacou to Union island. Ask around at the waterfront for a suitable driver and be sure to trust your instincts when it comes to evaluating someone’s seafaring skills.

Yacht

Immigration (open 8am to 3:45pm Monday to Friday) can be cleared on Grenada Island at Spice Island Marine Services (444-4342) on Prickly Bay, or at Grenada Yacht Services (440-2508) in St George’s. Most yachts anchor in St George’s in the nearby lagoon. If for some reason you decide not to clear immigration at one of the marinas, you can get all of the necessary stamps at the police station in St George’s.

On Carriacou, clearance can be made in Hillsborough.

Whether you’re a salty sea dog or a lifejacket-toting land-lover Horizon Yacht Charters (439-1000; www.horizonyachtcharters.com; True Blue Bay Marina) will set you up with the boating holiday you’re looking for. Seeing Grenada by sea really is the way to go and this crew can help you do it. You can arrange to have a crewed yacht, where all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Or you can get your hands dirty, swing it yarrr and hit the high seas as captain of your own private pirate ship.

Moorings (444-4439; www.moorings.com) bases its yacht-charter operation at Secret Harbour, and Sea Breeze Yacht Charters (444-4924) is at Spice Island Marine Services in Lance aux Épines.

The most frequented anchorages are along the southwest side of Grenada, including Prickly Bay, Mt Hartman Bay, Hog Island and True Blue Bay.

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Water

Ferry

The MV Jasper is a boat service that runs between Carriacou and Union Island (EC$20, one hour) in St Vincent & the Grenadines. It departs from Union Island every Monday and Thursday at 7:30am for Carriacou. It returns at 12:30pm on the same days.

You could also try hopping on one of the various commercial ships that haul goods back and forth between Union Island and Carriacou or Petit Martinique, Grenada, or pay a water taxi (EC$100 to EC$150) for the bumpy 40-minute ride.

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Entering the destination

Entering Grenada

All visitors should present a valid passport and an onward ticket, or sufficient funds to support your stay.

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Air

Point Salines International Airport (GND; 444-4101, 444-4555; fax 444-4838) has car-rental offices, an ATM, wi-fi, pay phones and a restaurant. A tourist office booth is in the arrivals section before you reach immigration.

The following airlines fly to/from Grenada from within the Caribbean and further afield:

Air Jamaica (439 2093; www.airjamaica.com)

American Eagle (444-2222; www.aa.com) San Juan

British Airways (444-1221; www.ba.com) London

LIAT (440-5428; www.liatairline.com) Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, St Vincent

Virgin Atlantic (439 7470; www.virgin-atlantic.com) London

Carriacou’s Lauriston airport is a modest affair with a single ticket counter for all flights. Prime Travel (443-7362) has a desk at the airport and can help with ticket sales, car rentals and other travel essentials.

SVG Air (444-3549; www.svgair.com) has private air charters and scheduled flights to Grenada, St Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Mustique, Union Island, Palm Island, Petit St Vincent, Martinique, Dominica, St Lucia and Barbados.

Sometimes, if all flights are fully booked, it is possible to organize a group and split the cost of a charter flight to/from Carriacou – contact Prime Travel for details.

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