Willy wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We are a couple in our 50's that loves the Caribbean and after going
> to Aruba, Antigua ,St Lucia, Cancun, and the South Pacific we are
> very enthusiastic about visiting Grenada around next April/May.
>
> We plan to stay on Grand Anse Beach as we like calm and clear
> beaches, and it seems that Grenada is a lovely place to visit, but
> our concern is regarding safety, the Frommer's guide and others
> advice about armed robberies and muggings and we must know better
> before making reservations.
> Questions=
>
> We are planning to stay on a clean and safe hotel on Grand Anse
> Beach, we live in Southern California and we understand perfectly
> that crime does not necessary occur everywhere, but how Grenada
> compares with the safety we enjoy when in Aruba and Antigua (for
> example)?
> We like to walk around the beach, the town and to go to dinner even
> late in the night, but not extreme adventures, dangerous activities
> nor drink or drugs, and we don't want to be worried and have to be
> alert like for example people must when visiting Jamaica.
>
> We'll appreciate any good info about this, and we also welcome any
> advice regarding not too expensive hotels along Grand Anse Beach.
>
> BTW: what about The Flamboyant?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Willy.
I don't think your personal safety should be a big issue in Grenada, given
normal precautions on your part.
We visited in 2000, when the island was devastated by storm waters from a
distant hurricane while we were there. One day there was a Grand Anse
Beach, and the next day there was the Grand Anse disaster zone, with all the
sand washed up into the hotels, waterfront restaurants turned into rubble,
and etc. We were staying kind of around the corner on Morne Rouge Bay, and
had little damage other than some broken boats and debris washed up on the
beach. We were quite unaware of the trouble just over the hill.
We stayed at the Gem Holiday Beach Resort, and thought it was a great deal.
The rooms are actually apartments - living room with wrap-around deck in
front, a kitchen and the bathroom in the center, and bedroom in back. It's
perfectly comfortable if not posh, and the beach bar/restaurant serves up
great seafood (probably other things as well). There's a small supermarket
just down the hill, and we bought breakfast fixings there and made our own.
The beach at Morne Rouge is arguably nicer than Grand Anse, but that depends
on what you're looking for. The surf is nil, but the sand is untrampled and
the water is a beautiful blue.
In general, Grenada is a laid back little island. On our first walk down to
the beach we saw some guys around 20 who my wife thought looked sinister,
but they were genuinely friendly and showed us all the free edibles hanging
from low branches, talked up their island and the best things to see. They
gave us a better welcome than the very friendly desk clerk.
Taxis are pricey, but there are shared vans that go everywhere and are
dirt-cheap.
The local garlic will go thru the roof of your mouth and out the top of your
head just like the strongest horseradish. It's great, but you never had
anything like it. It will clear your siuses for a year.
Mandoo is a man you want to find. He's a cab-driver/tour guide of the first
order, and took us on probably the best day tour ever.
St George is a compact town with a lot of restaurants. There are tourist
places, but most are local. The food can be fiery hot, so if you're not
familiar with something be sure to ask. We missed out on the Grand Anse
experience because of the damage, so had most of our meals in town or at the
hotel. Some downtown places were also washed away.
St George has some shopping, mainly the spice market, but there are little
shops in the areas around the waterfront with art and crafts. It's not a
mecca for any particular thing that I can recall, but the spice market has
some packaged up items that are neat. I'm still grating 'fresh' nutmeg from
our visit in 2000, and it still has flavor.
Looking back over your post, you might do well to google on Mandoo Grenada
for his email, and share your concerns with him. I think that once some of
those guidebooks print a warning, they never retract it.
I still see the warnings about the VW taxis in Mexico City harboring
murderers in the back seat, but the passenger front seat was removed from
all of them at least 10 years ago and there is no place to hide. Still, the
warning persists, and they tell you to use a taxi stand. Well guess what?
Taxi stand guys can read, so now they put you in a 'safe' cab at 20 to 50
times what it would cost if you just flagged one, and they won't TELL you
what it's going to cost, nor will the driver turn the meter on.
I suppose it's buyer beware like usual, but if you go to Grenada you're sure
to like it.
Keith
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