Beyond Grand Anse:
Grenada's Rainforest, Reefs and Sister Islands

Grenada's tourism centres on Grand Anse, and its property market follows it. The rest of the island, and its two sister islands, are very different and worth seeing before a purchase decision.

Grand Etang and the waterfalls

In the central highlands, Grand Etang National Park preserves rainforest and nutmeg groves around Grand Etang Lake, which fills the crater of an extinct volcano at about 530 metres. Swimming in the lake is not allowed, but a short walk around its shore is easy, and Mona monkeys live in the park. From near the park entrance, a hiking trail leads to Seven Sisters Falls, a series of cascades where a swim is welcome. One guide quotes a small entry fee of about EC$5, which may have changed. Annandale and Concord Falls are easier to reach.

The Underwater Sculpture Park

At Molinere Bay on the west coast, the Underwater Sculpture Park has more than 75 sculptures designed to support living reefs, and it can be snorkelled or dived. Off Carriacou, a newer park called A World Adrift opened in 2024, with 30 boat sculptures by the artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Travel guides call the first the world's first underwater sculpture park, a claim worth treating as a travel-site line.

Spice and chocolate

Grenada is known as the Spice Isle, and two stops show why. Belmont Estate in the north is a working plantation, described as about 300 years old, with a tree-to-bar chocolate tour and a restaurant. At Gouyave, a fishing village on the west coast, the three-storey nutmeg processing station handles about three million pounds of nutmeg a year, according to one listing, and visitors can watch the process. On Friday nights, Gouyave turns into a street party known as Fish Friday, with grilled seafood, steel pan and drinks.

Carriacou and Petite Martinique

Carriacou, Grenada's larger sister island, is about a 90-minute catamaran ride or a 20-minute flight from the main island. It is much quieter, and Sandy Island, a small sand cay off its coast, is a protected marine area. Petite Martinique, the smallest of the three islands, has a fishing-village atmosphere. These islands are not simply a smaller version of the mainland, and the lifestyle and development articles earlier in this series note the difference.

Why this matters for a buyer

Most of Grenada's property activity sits in a corridor from Grand Anse to True Blue and Lance aux Épines, covered in our guide to the best areas to buy in Grenada. Time spent in the highlands, on the west coast or on Carriacou shows what the rest of the island offers, and whether a quieter base would suit you better. Opening arrangements, fees and ferry or flight schedules change, so check them before you go.