When we travel, we’re not much for tours. We rent a car and explore the island on our own, relying upon historical markers, maps, and conversations here and there. However, when I take a tour, like we did on the island of Grenada with Mandoo Tours, I question why we don’t do tours on every trip. Mandoo was a wealth of information and a great conversationalist, and showed us places on the island we might have never seen on our own.
Knowing that COVID would limit our ability to see Grenada, I decided to book a tour. Mandoo was recommended by the staff at Spice Island Beach Resort, and after reading all the glowing reviews online, I reserved three spots on the Eastern Route island tour, with stops at Annandale Falls, Grand Etang, Grenville Nutmeg Station, River Antoine Distillery, Lake Antoine, and Bathway Beach. I selected this tour because I knew I wanted spices, rum, and waterfalls.
When Mandoo greeted us at Spice Island, he gave us the unfortunate news that several sites were still not open to visitors due to COVID, but he would make sure we got the full experience we were looking for on the island. Mandoo did not disappoint. In fact, we got a wonderful taste of the island and we know that we want to return one day to see even more.
St. George’s Overlook
Mandoo did a full circle of the island. He was always open to any requests and knowing that I was a photographer, set me up with some beautiful shots. We started out the tour headed toward St. George’s with a stop for a beautiful view overlooking the port and Fort George.
Concord Falls
On my list of “must see” attractions on Grenada was waterfalls. Not all the islands we visit have waterfalls, and in fact, most do not. I had a bucket list item to swim in a waterfall and this was the perfect opportunity. Concord Falls is centrally located on the island and just a short distance off the main road. After you make your way down to the steps to reach the waterfall, and enjoy some time in the water, don’t forget to stop in the gift shop for a great selection of spices and other souvenirs.
And I did make it in for a swim!
Lake Antoine
Lake Antoine is a crater lake, formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. The lake was formed 12,000 to 15,000 years ago during the final stage of volcanic activity on Grenada. The lake is 20 feet above sea level and now occupies an area of 16 acres.
Bathway Beach
Bathway Beach is a gorgeous stretch of sand on the northeastern tip of Grenada. There are shade trees, picnic tables, food vendors, and changing rooms available, so you could spend your entire day here. The surf appeared to be a bit more rigorous than we had seen on Grand Anse Beach, so proceed with caution. However, the views of the ocean and the small islands offshore (Sugar Loaf, Green Island, and Sandy Island) were worth the trip.
Belmont Estate
Belmont Estate is a 17th century plantation, offering visitors a chance to see the farm and gardens, and enjoy lunch at the onsite restaurant. The big draw for me was the cocoa processing factory. Rather than join a tour, we walked around and then headed to the gift shop to collect some delicious souvenirs for our family and friends.
Villages
We traveled around the entire island, past farms, through the villages, and with a few stops at local establishments. Color is everywhere on this island, from the roadside stands with wide varieties of fruits and spices, to the residences and commercial buildings, and even roadside guardrails.
Mona Monkeys
Armed with some of those sweet bananas, we headed off to find some Mona monkeys. Mona monkeys are found in western Africa, and found their way to Grenada on slave ships. They are incredibly fast, and were able to snatch and consume the bananas we offered in a blur.
The Island of Spice
Even though COVID closed down our visit to the nutmeg processing plant, Mandoo made sure that we discovered the spice for which the island was famous. When we stopped to visit the waterfall, Mandoo pulled over to the side of the road to show us the nutmeg trees up close. Nutmeg trees are huge, growing to 65 feet in height. They reach maturity in about 25 years, and can produce fruit for 60 years. The fruit cracks open when ripe, revealing the brown whole nutmeg inside, wrapped in the red mace. Grenada is the second largest supplier of the world’s nutmeg, just behind Indonesia.
Nutmeg may be the spice which made the island famous, but this is not a one spice island. Everywhere we turned, there were fruit trees and plants. Grenada is known for its chocolate, and cacao could be seen everywhere.
On the drive, we stopped at this farm, and were given samples of sorrel, reminding us of our welcome cocktail at Spice Island Beach Resort.
Along the way, we had a great conversation with Mandoo about how things have changed over the years, the challenges facing the country, and island life. One thing we see with our travels is how we are all very much the same, although we may be distant in miles.
Although COVID threw a monkey wrench into our plans for an Eastern route tour, Mandoo made sure we had a full day and were able to see the entire island. It certainly shows that Grenada has so much to offer and that one trip to the island is simply not enough.