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by Barbara Penny Angelakis
Like an aquatic organism rising from the lush Caribbean Sea floor straining to reach the light, the naturally fish-shaped island of Grenada lifts its face towards the sun. The island of Grenada, along with its sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique, make up the tri-island state known as Grenada. Sitting at the base of the Grenadines, the southern most Caribbean chain just north of Venezuela, the island of Grenada is a land of contrasts. The west coast rests in the Caribbean Sea while the east coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. It boasts a profusion of perfectly pristine white, black and tan sand beaches but just as many mountain peaks, waterfalls and forest preserves. The island is the second largest worldwide producer of spice and the captivating fragrance of flowers of every shape and color scent the air. The inhabitants are a hardy people, mounting an astounding recovery from the almost total destruction of a direct hit by hurricane Ivan in 2004, but despite the hardships of the past few years, interact with any Grenadian and you will be rewarded with twinkling eyes and brilliant smiles.
Whether your taste runs to spending hours sitting on an impeccably clean beach watching the rolling surf playing tag with the sand or luxuriating in the warm, gentle, crystal-clear waters at one with nature,  Grenada can provide! If your taste runs towards soft adventure, Grenada offers some of the best age and skill appropriate, snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities in the Caribbean. Perhaps you prefer hiking in rain forests or swimming in mountain pools; this island can provide that as well. Want to get married in a beachside service with all the trimmings, or have a vacation that’s family friendly? In fact, whatever your dream consists of, Grenada stands ready to deliver. For up-to-date information, contact the Grenada Board of Tourism www.grenadagrenadines.com
I had the pleasure of visiting Grenada in early December and staying at the  luxurious Spice Island Beach Resort, situated directly on Grand Anse Beach www.spiceislandbeachresort.com (see review in Hotels & Resorts section), touring the island, and dining al fresco at wonderful restaurants whose culinary creations frequently consisted of fresh daily catch from the sea, locally grown produce and renowned island spices.
The evening we arrived, we dined at the beachside open-air Aquarium Restaurant www.aquarium-grenada.com. Chef Ulrich Kühn and his wife, artist Rebecca Thompson, own The Aquarium and the luxury Maca Bana Villas clinging to the hillside just above the restaurant. The secluded, fully appointed, Maca Bana Villas feature all amenities, spectacular vistas and one of the best kitchens on the island. Ulrich and Rebecca met and fell in love in Grenada and decided to make it their home. Artwork and paintings by Rebecca cover the walls of The Aquarium and her deep love and connection to the island and its people are apparent in her work as is Ulrich’s artful devotion to the use of local ingredients in his innovative cooking, melding West Indian and European traditions.
Next morning we got an early start on touring the island with Mandoo Tours, the award-winning guide whose knowledge and experience, especially on navigating the twisting country roads, is unsurpassed www.grenadatours.com.  Following the coastal road north from Grand Anse Beach, first stop is St. George, the capital city of Grenada and also the most populated of the six parishes that make up the island, along with St. John, St. Mark, St. Patrick, St. Andrew and St. David. St. George’s is a bustling harbor town that plays host to the many cruise ships that access the horseshoe-shaped inner harbor through a modern port, build close to the harbors entrance. It’s also the site of the massive development project of Port Louis Village and Marina www.portlouisgrenada.com The spectacular natural deep water harbor, formed out of a submerged volcanic crater, is being enlarged into a world-class marina to accommodate yachts up to 300 feet long with supporting services, accommodations, entertainment and housing complexes extending up into the hills surrounding the port. Grenada is an unspoiled and underdeveloped island that is about to undergo a boom in tourism thanks to the efforts of the international developer Peter de Savary. Port Louis is only one of his many projects that is hoped will provide financial investment, positive  development, and local employment opportunities. All the projects are being closely monitored by the government to insure that equal benefit extends to the island and its people.
Driving up the coastal road past spectacular scenic forests, we arrive at Concord Falls and an opportunity to cool off in the refreshing mountain waters before heading to the historic Dougaldston Spice Estate, the major producer of spice on the island. Here we are greeted by knowledgeable Catherine D’ Joseph who describes the process from plant to table. Grenada is the world’s second largest producer of spice after Indonesia, producing cloves, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cocoa, nutmeg, and mace. Catherine described how the plantation has  been using ecologically sustainable farming techniques for hundreds of years and long before there was a phase to describe the process. Once the spice has been extracted, the shells and plants are used to create utensils or nurture new plants and trees, insuring that nothing is discarded or wasted.
Continuing on to another historical site with a far less pleasing narrative then spice production is Leapers Hill. The tale told is that during the French invasion of 1650 the Carib Indians that survived the attack choose to leap to their deaths from the cliffs just north of the town of Sauteurs onto the rocks below to avoid their uncertain fate from capture. The spot is now immortalized by an exhibit and a miniature model of a Carib Village.
 Grenadians exhibit a deep respect for their history and culture, and the Morne Fendue Plantation House www.mornefendueplantation.com is another example of honoring the past while looking towards the future. Set in a beautiful garden with a spectacular view of the surrounding mountain peaks and sea below, is the 300-year-old stone plantation house. You can still sleep in the brass bed that Princess Margaret slept in during her 1953 visit to the island but if your tastes lean more toward the modern, there is a new complex of modest rooms next to the old plantation house. We had lunch on their open-air pavilion overseen by Jean Thompson, the owner and gracious hostess of Morne Fendue, before heading out to Lake Antoine in St. Patrick’s parish. The fresh water lake is actually a 16-acre crater of an extinct volcano.
Next stop; the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Caribbean; the River Antoine Rum Distillery. River Antoine Rum has been in continuous operation since 1785 and still makes 150 proof rum, in a labor intensive, unmechanized factory. Holding on to the traditional manufacturing process of the past, insures product quality control and continuing local employment for generations of loyal employees. The bad news is that this high-proof rum is allowed to be sold only to the local population to be consumed on the island, with a modified, lower-proof rum made for export and sale to visitors. The good news; both versions are offered to sample on site. Caution must be taken when navigating the winding country roads leaving the distillery, especially since Grenada follows the English fashion of driving on the left side of the road.
 Crossing the island from the northeast to the southwest coast, we pass through the Grand Etang National Park, and pause for a chat with the friendly monkeys that make it their home, before returning to Grand Anse Beach and dinner at Flamboyant Hotel & Villas www.flamboyant.com. Our charming host for the evening was Lawrence Lambert, Managing Director of the property. The restaurant, hotel, and villas have breathtaking seaside views and amenities for every need. Once again we found ourselves wined and dined at a beachside open-air restaurant so close to the sea that you could hear the gentle waves lapping at the shore throughout the meal. Live music, an extensive wine list, fresh local ingredients and sparkling company all contributed to a delightful evening capped by a walk on the beach back to our hotel.
Resting, relaxing and just hanging out were the order for the next few days and the weather cooperated by providing an azure blue sky, fluffy white clouds, cool sea breezes and sun, sun, sun… just as it had since we arrived. One of the dinners we enjoyed was at La Belle Creole at the Blue Horizons Garden Resort. The hotel rests in almost seven acres of manicured tropical gardens with every kind of tree, plant, and flower providing a colorful and fragrant home to 21 species of indigenous birds. The hotel has self-contained units complete with all amenities for  a comfortable few days of bird watching or for longer-term accommodation. Our host for the evening was Arnold D. Hopkin, Owner and Manager of La Belle Creole Restaurant and Blue Horizons Garden Resort www.grenadabluehorizons.com. Many of the menu choices served at the restaurant are recipes modified from Mr. Hopkin’s mother, who was a pioneer in substituting native ingredients in the European dishes she prepared, first for her family, and later for the Inn that grew out of the family home at Ross Point. Her influence continues to this day in unique combinations of native grown products and spices such as the Horizons Devilled Seafood appetizer. Fresh caught seafood is cooked in puff pastry with callaloo (a native grown green leaf with a distinctive taste) and cheese sauce, topped with a parmesan-and-breadcrumb crust and baked… delectable.
Grenada is still an unspoiled oasis in a sea of heavily developed and overcrowded islands. Given the physical beauty, the glorious weather, the warmth of the people, and the luxurious accommodations, it is soon to be the new hot spot in the Caribbean. Don’t wait… go now.
© January 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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