IS A FULL-DAY ISLAND TOUR THE BEST WAY TO SEE GRENADA?
When we visited Grenada on a two-week Caribbean cruise, it was one of the islands we were most looking forward to. But once we started planning our day ashore, we quickly realised how difficult it was to choose the best way to experience it.
There were so many tempting options. A relaxed beach day, time exploring the capital, waterfalls hidden in the rainforest, chocolate factories, rum distilleries.
In the end, we decided the best approach was to book a full-day island tour with Henry Safari Tour, which promised to cover many of the island’s highlights in one day.
Below, we share our experience of seeing Grenada on a full-day tour and whether we think it really is the best way to discover the island if you have just one day, like we did.
You can find the details for the full day tour that we took in Grenada here.
First impressions of Grenada
There’s no mistaking where you are when you arrive in Grenada.
The colours of the national flag are everywhere. Painted on bus stops, kerbs, walls, and buildings. There’s a really clear sense of national pride.
The island itself is incredibly lush and green, far more tropical than we expected. In places, it reminded us a little of Costa Rica, with dense rainforest, winding roads, and dramatic scenery.
Why choose a full-day island tour?
One of the biggest benefits of a full-day tour is having a local guide. Our guide didn’t just drive us from place to place, he taught us about his island.
Over the course of the day, we drove through five of Grenada’s six parishes, learning about the island’s history, politics, and what it’s like to grow up here. That local insight alone made the tour worth it.
There’s also something deeply relaxing about handing over the logistics. No navigation or watching the time, and certainly no worrying about getting back to the ship on time.
Concord Waterfall
Our first major stop was Concord Falls.
This is somewhere we’d have struggled to reach independently. The road up is steep and winding and it really highlighted the value of being on a tour.
The waterfall itself was beautiful, set deep in the rainforest, and we had enough time to swim if we wanted to (which was very tempting in the heat).
Chocolate Factory
Next, we visited Diamond Chocolate Factory, home of Jouvay Chocolate.
We were shown the entire chocolate-making process, all done by hand using cacao grown on the island. It’s a slow, labour-intensive process, which made us appreciate every square even more.
The tasting was a highlight: 100% cacao, 80%, and some more unusual flavours – including one infused with nutmeg, which we bought immediately.
Lunch with a view
Lunch was served overlooking the sea, with a choice of fish, chicken, or a vegetarian option. It wasn’t the best meal of our trip, but it felt authentic and unpretentious.
Lunch gave us a nice chance to chat with our fellow tour passengers. About half were visiting Grenada on a cruise, like us, while the others were staying on the island.
Rivers Rum Distillery
After lunch, we headed to Rivers Rum Distillery, one of the most memorable stops of the day.
The tour was fascinating. Rum here is still made on-site using traditional methods, with some incredible old school machinery.
And then came the tasting. One of the rums clocked in at a staggering 75%. It was….something quite special.
Grand Etang National Park
Our final stop was Grand Etang National Park.
The crater lake was peaceful and pretty, though sadly we didn’t spot any monkeys, just a very friendly cat who seemed more than happy to pose for photos. Even so, it was a calm and fitting way to end a very full day.
Is a full-day tour of Grenada worth it?
For us, absolutely yes. What surprised us most was how much we enjoyed simply driving around the island. Our guide was worth his fee many times over, and hearing his personal stories made Grenada feel far more real.
Of all the islands we visited on our cruise, Grenada was the one that left us most eager to return. We also appreciated how mindful our guide was of cruise timings – we were back in St. George’s with time to explore before returning safely to the ship.
What to consider before booking
A full-day tour isn’t for everyone. There’s a lot of time in the car, and if you’re prone to motion sickness, you may want to come prepared (I was very glad I took a tablet).
There’s also no beach time, which we did miss. An hour for a swim would have been the icing on the cake but it also gave us a great excuse to return to Grenada. Not that we need one!
You can find the details for the full day tour that we took in Grenada here.
Alternatives to a full-day tour
If a full day feels like too much, a half-day tour could be a good compromise, allowing you to see a few highlights and still have time back in the capital. Although expect to pay a similar price to the full day tour.
Grenada is also brilliant for hiking, and if we return, that’s exactly what we’d do. Another popular option is river tubing, which looked like great fun.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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