Tourist Places to Visit in Carriacou, Grenada, America

Tourist Places to Visit in Carriacou, Grenada, America

Carriacou is the largest island of the Grenadines archipelago and the second largest island of the country of Grenada in Caribbean. It is located in the north of Grenada Island and the south of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and neighboring Petite Martinique is located two and half miles away from Carriacou.

Geography of Carriacou:

Carriacou is geographically placed between 12°29′ N latitude and 61°28′ W longitude spanning over an area of 34 sq. km. High Point North is the highest point on the island located at an elevation of 291 meters. Carriacou enjoys a dry season from January to June and the rainy season from July to December.

The main settlements of Carriacou are:

Hillsborough (capital and largest city)
L’Esterre
Harvey Vale
Windward

History of Carriacou:

The Amerindians were the indigenous people of Carriacou who called it ‘Kayryouacou’ means ‘the land of reefs’. The first European to reach Carriacou was French, Pere du Tertre in 1656.

How to reach Carriacou?

Carriacou has its own airport located in Lauriston, the Lauriston Airport which is short distance away from the main settlement of the island, Hillsborough. Lauriston Airport is catered by SVG Air from and to Maurice Bishop International Airport in Grenada Island.

Natives of Carriacou use 15 seat buses to move within the island that operate from 7AM-5PM. The major jeep rentals in Carriacou are:

Martin & Wayne’s (Hillsborough)
Ade’s Dream (Hillsborough)
Quality Jeep (L’ Esterre)
Sunkey’s (Hillsborough)

Osprey is a well known small ferry boat in Carriacou that takes around 1hr 15mins to reach Grenada Island.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Carriacou:

Carriacou hosts 4 major cultural festivals such as Carnival (February), Carriacou Regatta (August), The Parang (Christmas) and Carriacou Maroon Festival (April). Traditional markets are ideal for local handicrafts purchase and island also houses modern shops all around.

Food corners in Carriacou are:

Slipway Restaurant
Kayak Kafe & Juice Bar
Hard Wood Bar and Snacket
La Playa Beach Bar and Bistro

Things to do in Carriacou:

Diving
Snorkeling
Festivals
Hiking
Mountain climbing

Tourist Attractions in Carriacou:

Belair National Park:

Belair National Park houses many plantation buildings and windmills from the French and English colonial period. It is also the site for the celebrations of Maroon Cultural Festival and Parang Festival. Teak and mahogany forests are worth watch here.

White Island Marine Park:

White Island Marine Park can be reachable by Water Taxi and it offers some great snorkeling experience at Grenada. Also tourists can explore coral gardens here and taste the local cuisine at the park.

Carriacou Museum:

Carriacou Museum is a renovated cotton gin mill in Paterson Street of Hillsborough and it exhibits Amerindian (earliest settlement) and British and French colonial era artifacts. It also features African section.

Other places of interest in Carriacou include:

Amerindian Well
Anglican Rectory Garden
Anse La Roche Beach
Botanical Gardens
Dumfries Historical Site
Hillsborough Bay
Ningo Well
Paradise Beach
High North Peak
Petite Carenage Beach & Mangroves

Best time to visit Carriacou:

From January to June (dry season) will be the best time reach Carriacou to enjoy the beauty of natural attractions and to participate in the regional festivals.

Accommodation options in Carriacou:

The quality hotel accommodation for tourists who visit Carriacou is in the capital city of Hillsborough with latest facilities and services. Other than facilities and services, hotels serve guest with mouthwatering Carriacouan dishes. List of major hotels and resorts in Carriacou is as follows: