dventure Guide to Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines Cindy Kilgore & Alan Moore HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC. 130 Campus Drive, Edison NJ 08818 732-225-1900, 800-255-0343, fax 732-417-0482 Contents Introduction 1 History 1 Early Peoples 1 Development 3 Modern Times 3 The Land 5 Climate 6 Animals 7 Island Birds 8 The People 10 What’s in a Place Name? 12 Water Adventures 13 Scuba Diving 13 Snorkeling 14 Land Adventures 15 ST. VINCENT 17 Introduction 17 When to Go 19 Getting Here 21 By Air 21 By Sea 23 Customs & Duties 24 Entering 24 Leaving 25 Tipping 25 Medical Services 25 Pharmacies 25 Communications 26 Internet 26 Telephone 26 Postal Services 26 Banks 27 Electricity 27 Getting Married 27 Holidays & Festivals 27 Carnival 29 Island History 31 The Caribs of St. Vincent 31 The Caribs Under British Rule 33 After Sugar 36 Independence 37 Coat of Arms 37 iv n Contents The Flag 37 Getting Around 38 By Car 38 By Motorbike 39 By Bicycle 39 By Bus 39 By Taxi 39 Tour Operators 40 Sightseeing 42 Kingstown 42 The Leeward Highway 47 Barawally 49 The South 52 Montreal Gardens 53 The Windward Highway 55 Volcanoes 56 The North 57 Shopping 58 Scuba Diving 60 Snorkeling 61 Dive Operators 61 Sailing 62 Yacht Services & Ports of Entry 64 Deep Sea Fishing 66 Deep Sea Fishing Charter Specialists 66 Where to Eat 67 Restaurant Directory 67 Kingstown 68 South Coast 70 Leeward Coast 74 Windward Coast 75 Where to Stay 76 Accommodations Directory 76 Kingstown 78 South Coast 80 Windward Coast 86 Leeward Coast 87 After Dark 88 THE GRENADINES 89 Introduction 89 Bequia 90 Introduction 90 Getting Here 93 By Air 93 By Sea 94 Contents n v Police, Immigration & Medical Services 94 Internet & Telephone 95 Postal Services 95 Banks 96 Tour Operators 96 Taxi Drivers 96 Buses 96 Car Rental 98 Exploring Bequia 98 Scuba Diving 104 Dive Operators 105 Sailing 105 Sail Operators 106 Yacht Services 108 Fishing 109 Fishing Operators 110 Shopping 110 Where to Eat 113 Where to Stay 120 Accommodations Directory 120 Villa Rentals 127 After Dark 128 Mustique 129 Introduction 129 Getting Here 132 By Air 132 By Sea 133 Car Rental 133 Exploring Mustique 133 On Foot 134 On Wheels 134 Tours 134 The School & Mustique Library 136 Scuba Diving 137 Dive Operators 138 Snorkeling 138 Shopping 138 Where to Eat 140 Where to Stay 142 Accommodations Directory 142 After Dark 144 Canouan 145 Introduction 145 Getting Here 148 By Air 148 vi n Contents By Sea 149 Internet & Telephone 149 Banking 150 Exploring Canouan 150 Scuba Diving 152 Dive Operators 152 Shopping 152 Where to Eat 153 Where to Stay 154 After Dark 157 Tobago Cays 158 Introduction 158 Getting Here 159 Exploring the Tobago Cays 160 Where to Eat 161 Where to Stay 162 Mayreau 162 Introduction 162 Getting Here 164 Money Matters 164 Exploring Mayreau 165 Sailing 167 Shopping 167 Where to Eat 167 Where to Stay 169 After Dark 170 Union Island 171 Introduction 171 Getting Here 172 By Air 172 By Sea 174 Internet & Telephone 174 Travel Agents 175 Taxi Drivers 175 Car Rental 175 Bike Rental 175 Exploring Union Island 176 Scuba Diving 178 Dive Operators 178 Diving in Palm Island 178 Diving in Petit St. Vincent 178 Diving in Mayreau 178 Diving in Tobago Cays 179 Sailing 181 Yacht Services 182 Contents n vii Fishing 182 Shopping 182 Where to Eat 183 Restaurant Directory 183 Where to Stay 185 Accommodations Directory 185 After Dark 188 Palm Island 189 Introduction 189 Getting Here 190 Exploring Palm Island 190 Shopping 192 Where to Eat 193 Where to Stay 194 After Dark 195 Petit St. Vincent 195 Introduction 195 Getting Here 197 Exploring Petit St. Vincent 197 Beach Trees 198 Adventures 199 Shopping 199 Where to Eat 199 Where to Stay 200 GRENADA 201 Introduction 201 When to Go 203 Getting Here 203 By Air 203 By Sea 204 Cruise Ships 204 Customs & Duties 207 Embassy 207 Tipping 207 Medical Services 208 Communications 208 Internet 208 Telephone 209 Postal Services 209 Banks 209 Electricity 210 Getting Married 210 Holidays & Festivals 211 Carnival in Grenada 213 viii n Contents Island History 214 Caribs’ Leap 214 Slavery 215 Fedon’s Rebellion 216 Emancipation 217 Invasion of 1983 220 The Flag 221 Coat of Arms 221 Getting Around 224 By Car 224 Car Rental 224 By Bicycle 226 By Bus 226 By Taxi 226 By Ferry 226 Cruising Permit 227 Tour Operators 227 Sightseeing 229 St. George’s 229 Forts 233 Exploring the Island 234 Nutmeg 234 Plantations 237 Rum Distilleries 241 Bay Gardens 244 Adventures on Land 246 Hiking 246 Waterfalls 250 Beaches 251 Golf 253 Triathlon 253 Hashing 254 Horseback Riding 254 Adventures on Water 254 Scuba Diving 254 Dive Operators 256 Deep Sea Fishing 257 Whale Watching 258 Whale Watch Operators 260 Sailing 260 Sailing Tours 261 Yacht Services 262 Shopping 262 Supermarkets 266 Store Hours 266 Where to Eat 267 Restaurant Directory 268 Contents n ix Grand Anse & Morne Rouge 270 Grand Anse Road, The Lagoon & St. George’s 273 Point Salines, True Blue Bay & Lance Aux Epines 276 The Southeast 278 The Leeward Coast 279 The North 280 And finally... 281 Where to Stay 281 Accommodations Directory 282 The Southwest 284 Point Salines, True Blue Bay, & Lance Aux Epines 290 The Southeast 294 The Leeward Coast 296 The North & Windward Coast 297 After Dark 298 GRENADA’S GRENADINES 299 History 299 Carriacou 300 Introduction 300 Festivals 302 Getting Here 303 By Air 303 By Sea 303 Police, Immigration & Medical Services 304 Yacht Services 304 Tour Operators 304 Car Rental 305 Bike Rental 305 Exploring Carriacou 306 Beaches 309 Scuba Diving 310 Dive Shops 311 Where to Eat 311 Restaurant Directory 312 Where to Stay 313 Accommodations Directory 314 Villa Rentals 318 After Dark 319 Petite Martinique 319 Introduction 319 Getting Here 320 Exploring Petite Martinique 321 Snorkeling 322 Where to Eat 323