Soul food and soul searching. You may find everything you need to heal your weary soul while vacationing in Grenada. I certainly did. The Spice Island has rich volcanic soil. “Organic” and “locally grown’” have long been a way of life for Grenadians; we can learn from them as visitors. Your spice journey isn’t just sustenance but the key to understanding Grenada’s history — from foreign rule and the exploitation of natural resources to democracy, food security, and economic independence.
Some History
Food sustainability brought economic stability to a once impoverished nation. Former Prime Minister of Grenada, Maurice Bishop, said:
The right of freedom of expression can really only be relevant if people are not too hungry or too tired to be able to express themselves.
I wondered who Bishop was since Grenada’s airport bears his name. What I thought would be a quick Google search became a dive into a fascinating “rabbit hole” of the island’s political history. In short, Bishop advocated for Grenada’s autonomy by empowering the people through education and boosting industry centered around the country’s natural resources.
Although assassinated in 1983, it’s clear that Bishop’s spirit lives on in proud Grenadians. Their energy is like a warm Caribbean breeze. It glides through the rainforest from the highest point at about 2,000 feet, seeps gently through the clouds, flows majestically down the waterfalls, and into the ocean.
Many opportunities exist to explore and learn from the coral reefs to the highest peak. As a first-time visitor to this beautiful, unspoiled island, I was hypnotized and deeply rethought how I must travel.
Here are some places we visited.
Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park
Dive Grenada is a PADI 5* dive shop and BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club) resort located on Grand Anse Beach at the Mount Cinnamon Hotel (where we stayed). With over 100 years of combined experience, the staff passionately shares the best scuba dive sites in Grenada with their guests. Dive Grenada is in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame. They offer beginner, advanced, and specialty PADI courses and group or private scuba diving or snorkeling trips.
As a beginner snorkeler, I opted for the one-site snorkeling excursion to Grenada’s famous Underwater Sculpture Park. Jason deCaires Taylor, a British sculptor, installed Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park in 2006, making it the first in the world. Hurricane Ivan considerably damaged Molinere Bay in 2004, but the placement of textured sculptures made of pH-neutral cement allowed coral polyps to attach themselves. The park, in turn, drew snorkelers away from nearby fragile reefs that were regenerating into this mesmerizing tourist attraction.
Among the many sculptures, some of the most popular are “Christ of the Deep’” “Vicissitudes’” “The Lost Correspondent,” and “The Nutmeg Princess’” The latter is my favorite. To me, “The Nutmeg Princess,” conceived by Lene Kilde, is Grenada’s Venus who rises from the ocean floor with her arms stretched out towards the sky, holding the nutmeg, Grenada’s prized seed of rebirth.
Annandale Waterfall & Forest Park
Grenada is home to 18 waterfalls, and Annandale Waterfall & Forest Park is the easiest to reach by car from the capital of St. George’s. To enjoy this peaceful enclave, visit when the park isn’t crowded with cruise ship day-trippers. Although the waterfall takes center stage, the surrounding flowering plants and greenery set among a wall of rocks will take your breath away.
When I return, I hope to hike through the rainforest and see at least one of the more hidden waterfalls like Tufton Hall Waterfall and Mt. Carmel.
Grand Etang National Park & Forest Reserve
The Grand Etang National Park & Forest Reserve covers an area of 3,816 acres. Grand Etang means ‘large lake’ in French — the namesake of the 35-acre crater lake formed by an extinct volcano. The park comprises various elevations and terrains, home to abundant plants, flowers, animals, and birds.
A few Mona monkeys that typically stay hidden in the forest will walk alongside visitors heading to the small museum where you can learn more about the park.
Standing with my head literally in the clouds at 1,740 feet above sea level made this trip a wondrous pause that nurtured my nature-loving soul. That’s another reason to return with some hiking shoes!
Belmont Estate
Belmont Estate provides the perfect agritourism adventure for the chocolate lover! This 17th-century plantation offers visitors a “tree-to-bar” immersive experience. Learn about how cocoa grows, natural fermentation and drying processes, and organic and fair-trade certified chocolate manufacturing. The 300-acre farm is replete with trees, cocoa, spices, fruits, and vegetables. Belmont Estate’s history is fascinating, and the resilience, commitment, and passion to respect the environment are visible in all they do.
The Nyaks, an Indo-Grenadian family, purchased Belmont Estate in 1944. This purchase marked an interesting shift in its ownership history as they unprecedentedly acquired six large estates. To know more, here’s a great video.
If possible, plan a visit during harvest when the cacao fruit is ready to be picked. (Although the first week of June was an ideal week to visit sans cruise ship crowds and rain, we could only see the drying cocoa beans and chocolate processing area.)
Fun Fact: Did you know you can eat all three parts of the cacao fruit (shell, pulp, and beans)?
Pete’s Mystique Tours
A very special thanks goes to Pete of Pete’s Mystique Tours, who we hired for a private custom tour of the island. Although it is not an eco-travel excursion, Pete took us to Pearls Airport, Grenada’s first airport that is no longer active. It is an uncommon attraction, yet fascinating. Here is Grenada’s first airport before the March 13, 1979, revolution when Maurice Bishop became Prime Minister. In 1983, the United States invaded Grenada, and the destroyed remains of a Cubana Airlines passenger aircraft and Soviet Crop Duster sit in a small park.
Mount Cinnamon Resort: Commitment to Ecotourism
Like all travelers, the most essential factors in deciding where to stay include budget, amenities, and location. I chose Mount Cinnamon Resort because of its commitment to environmentally friendly practices like farm-to-table dining options, energy conservation, and green spaces. You can read more about Mount Cinnamon in my interview with the owner Barry Collymore.
The Spirit of the Grenadian People
Rebounding from a destructive hurricane is never easy, especially in a small country like Grenada. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 damaged more than 80% of the building structures. Then in 2005, Hurricane Emily hit — call it a “one-two” punch to the Spice Island’s economic growth. Those storms destroyed 90% of Grenada’s nutmeg plantations, causing the country to lose its number one position as the top nutmeg exporter to Indonesia.
To this day, the agricultural sector continues to recover. Thus, tourism and foreign direct investment are key to Grenada’s continued growth. How can we help as tourists? First, visit and experience this beautiful island not just as your port of call but stay longer. Second, enjoy the beautiful beaches, venture inland, and fully immerse yourself in Grenada’s natural sights, sounds, and aromas. Third, treat your tourist dollars as an investment in the local economy, even in the smallest ways. For example, choose to buy from small vendors, or businesses like taxi tour companies and offer a substantial donation to the nature preserves. Lastly, nurture this spiritual connection to the land and people, and continue this experience by returning or applying it to future travel.
“Development for many of us goes beyond high-rise buildings and fog-infested subways. What many of us value is time with family, time on the beach [and] just being at one with nature. What many of us value is our patrimony — that connection to our land and our cultural heritage. Development for many of us transcends the material to a spiritual connection. Development for us is linked to our imagination and creativity.” ~ Wendy C. Grenade, PhD, Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences at St. George’s University in Grenada.
