Cilia from neighboring Trinidad and Tobago wrote Grenada Beaches to ask an interesting question. The question in essence sums up the challenge that many business travelers to Grenada face… How to squeeze in some fun in the sun, and still get your work done?

Here’s Cilia’s situation:

Like myself, many people I know travel for work or study and are unable to participate in the day activities. They come back home having seen nothing but the conference hall and eat hotel food. In [date removed] I will travel for a conference at Grand Beach Hotel. I will stay there and will check in on Friday afternoon and leave on Monday midday (I have classes to teach on Thursday evening and Monday evening at home [Trinidad] so I cannot go early or stay extra time.

I imagine that the conference will go on up to as late as 6 pm each day.

• How can I still enjoy Grenada?
• Also, how can I move around without paying $40-$60 US for a hotel taxi to take me to town etc?

Below is my response (slightly edited).  Because she is tied up in conference every day,  everything has to be scheduled around her sessions.

My Response:

1. Grand Beach Hotel is on Grenada’s most popular beach — Grand Anse Beach — so that will cover your beach side of things. You can take an early morning dip before the conference starts, or relax in the evening after the conference. Friday after you check in is also a good option.




2. Grand Beach hotel is located right off the busiest bus route.
   
   

   ********Side Note*********
   This is true for many of the hotels in the Grand Anse area, not only Grand Beach. It’s a 5 or 10 minute walk to get to the main road, after which you will have several buses to choose from.
   ***************************

   There is bus stop right at the entrance/exit to Grand Beach. Catch the bus there and it takes you right into St. George’s. A 15 minute drive that will cost you about EC $2.00. Compare that to a US$40 taxi.

   You can explore every inch of St. George’s in a couple hours, if you plan it properly, and don’t dilly dally. Walk along the Carenage, visit the museum, visit Fort George, and pick up a few Souvenirs while you move about.

   Another option is to catch a bus early Saturday morning to St. George’s, and head over to the market. You’ll have sufficient time to get back for the start of your conference.

3. Gouyave Fish Friday is always fun. But it is a little out of the way. Ask your hotel front desk if they organize trips to Fish Fridays. Local tour companies are also a good option to inquire about. Finally, I heard Le Phare Bleu hotel, organizes a boat excursion up to Fish Friday. Give them a call to verify if this is true. Sounds like fun if you are not too scared of boats.




4. There are several Restaurants at other hotels along Grand Anse Beach, and many others within walking distance. One of my favorite hangouts is Rick’s Cafe right across the street from Grand Beach Hotel, and at the back of the Grand Anse Shopping Center. Good bites, and great ice cream.

Getting Around at Night

If you plan to do anything late evening/night (Club Karma maybe?) or out of the way, then you cannot escape taking a taxi. The safest bet is your hotel taxi, but they will charge you a lot.

If you are a savvy traveler (my guess is… you are), then while exploring St. George’s you can make contact with a taxi driver, and set things up for later. If you are uncomfortable with this then DO NOT do it; make alternate plans or use a hotel recommended taxi.

So Cilia (and anyone else) I hope this helps a bit. Grenada is safe enough to explore, and have some fun even with a tight business schedule. Always be aware of your surroundings, and do not take unnecessary risks, like walking by yourself, late at night, in poorly lit areas.

Kindest Regards
Gooch

How about you?

Any tips for the Grenada Business Traveler to squeeze in some fun? What will you try to (or must) squeeze in on a business trip to Grenada? Leave us your comments below.

One of Grenada’s most popular scuba dive shops is Native Spirit Scuba, located in Grand Anse on the grounds of the Grenada Grand Beach Hotel. The diveshop is owned and operated by a Adrian (Sarge) and Rahel.

Sarge, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, is an expert on the Grenada Diving scene,so I thought it would be worthwhile to pick his brain on typical concerns/questions that a prospective Grenada Scuba Diver might have.

If you have never dove in Grenada before you will find the answers to these question very helpful when researching a dive shop, and planning your trip.I hope you get some benefit from it.

1. What is the typical visibility? – 60 – 80 ft
2. What is the typical water temp during the year? – 27 – 28 degrees celcius
3. How long is the typical boat ride? – About 10 minutes
4. Is there shore diving? – Yes, there is shore diving, but not a lot. The reef at Flamingo Bay is shore accessible, also Dragon Bay from which you could swim into the next bay “Moliniere” to dive the Under Water Sculpture Park. Once you are a certified diver you can rent tanks from us.
5. What unique and exciting creatures are to be seen? – eagle rays, moray eels, turtles, sharks, lobsters and all Caribbean reef fishes, also a variety of corals
6. Is there any wreck diving? – There are many wrecks, including the “Bianca C” which is the largest cruise ship wreck in the Caribbean, 200 m long.
7. Do you have NITROX? – No
8. How many divers to a boat typically? – 2 – 10 divers, depending on season.
9. How deep is the average dive? – 60 ft
10. What experience level do you recommend for the dives? – different experience levels for different dive sights; for people without any experience, they can do a discover scuba course, which gets them to dive within 2 – 3 hours on a shallow, beautiful reef ( 40 ft). The discover scuba dive can be credited torwards the open water certification course.
11. How healthy are the reefs? – Most are in great condition
12. How adundant is the fish life? – There are fishes in abundance
13. What certifications do you recognize (e.g. PADI, NAUI, SSI)? – We are a PADI dive centre, but recognize all of the other certifications.
14. Do the boats have rinse tanks for camera
    gear? – Yes
15. Can you rent camera gear? –
    No, but we offer to take pictures and videos which you can purchase
    afterwards
16. Can I get certified on the island? –
    Definitely, right here with us; anything from open water diver all the
    way up to dive master. We also offer referral courses and scuba
    reviews( including one dive ) for those who haven’t been diving for
    several months or longer.
17. Do you offer specialty classes? –
    yes, we do deep diver, boat diver, drift diver, multilevel diver, night
    diver, underwater naturalist, wreck diver