Travel tips in Grenada

CUSTOMS
Visitors 18 years and older can bring in duty free one bottle of wine or one litre of spirits and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.

For more information call the Customs and Excise Department at 473/440-2239 or 440-2240.

Also see the section in General Info: Illegal items.

IMPORTING ANIMALS
To import a dog or cat you must obtain an import permit and provide a health certificate and a rabies vaccination certificate. For more information contact the Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture at tel 473/440-2708 or 440-3078.

GETTING THERE
BY AIR
Flights arrive at Point Salines International Airport (airport code GND; tel 444-4101), which is located five miles from the capital, St Georges. Inter-island flights to Carriacou land at Lauriston Airport (tel 443-6306).

Airlines that service Grenada include Air Canada (tel 888/247-2262), Air Jamaica (tel 800/523-5585), American Airlines/American Eagle (tel 444-2121), British Airways (tel 800/744-2997), BWIA West Indies Airways/Caribbean Airlines (tel 800/538-2942), Caribbean Star (tel 439-4444), Condor (tel 49-0/180 5 707202, Germany), Conviasa Airline (tel 444-4732), Golden Caribbean/Excel Airways charters, LIAT (tel 440-5428), TIA 2000/Trans Island Air 2000 (tel 246/418-1654, Barbados) and Virgin Atlantic (tel 439-7471).

Note: The phone numbers listed above are local access numbers unless otherwise stated.

BY CRUISE
Cruise ships dock at the port in St Georges or in Hillsborough, Carriacou.

Cruise lines that call on the island include Aida Cruise, Celebrity Cruises, Club Med Cruises, Costa Cruise Line, Croisieurope-Alsace Croisieres, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, EasyCruise, First European, Fred Olsen & Co, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Ocean Village Cruises, P&O Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Sea Cloud Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises, Swan Hellenic, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and Windstar Cruises.

BY PRIVATE YACHT
Upon arrival in Grenada you must check in with customs at one of the following ports of entry: Grenada Yacht Services (GYS), St Georges; The Moorings, LAnse aux Épines; Spice Island Marina, Prickly Bay; Grenada Marine, St Davids Bay; or Grenville. In Carriacou check in with customs at the Hillsborough port. Customs and Immigration offices are generally open Mon-Thurs 8am-11:45am and 1-4pm (Fri until 5pm) and on the weekend from 9am-1pm.

You will need to take three copies of your crew and passenger list; immigration cards for crew and passengers landing; ships, stores and health declaration; a port clearance from your last port of call; and official identification for crew and passengers, such as a valid passport or birth certificate. You are required to pay an entry fee (EC$50-EC$150) based on the length of your vessel.

Anchorage is available in most bays and inlets. Customs and Immigration can provide you with an updated list. Yachts are prohibited from anchoring within 200 metres offshore of beaches and anywhere in the Grand Anse Bay area, in The Carenage or by the oyster beds in Harvey Vale, Carriacou.

GETTING AROUND
BY CAR
There are plenty of car rental agencies on the islands. Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters can also be rented. Roads are generally in good condition, but are narrow, steep and winding.

To rent a car you will need a local driving permit, which you can purchase for EC$30 at the traffic department at the Central Police Station on The Carenage and at most car rental agencies. Ensure you bring your valid drivers license from home. Drivers must be 21 years or older.

Driving is on the left. The use of seat belts is mandatory.

CAR RENTALS (country code 473)
Carriacou: Ades Dream Rental, 443-7317; Barbas Auto Rentals, 443-7454 or 443-8167; Martin & Waynes Auto Rentals, 443-7204; Quality Jeep Rentals, 443-8307 and 407-2928; Sunkeys Auto Rentals, 443-8382

St Georges: Alexanders Car Care Centre & Rent-A-Car, 435-0131; Archies Auto Rental & Advantage Rent-A-Car, 439-0086 or 439-0089; Avis (Spice Isle Rentals), 440-3936; Azar Auto Rentals, 414-2911 or 415-2011; B Thomas & Sons, 439-3309; C Thomas & Sons Car Rental, 444-4384 and 405-7386; Chris & Nicky Vehicle Rental, 443-2881; Dabs Car Rentals, 444-4116; Davids Car Rentals, 444-3399; Dollar Rent-A-Car, 444-4786; Eze Rentals, 444-3263; Ezee Rides, 408-7119; Fas Car Rentals, 443-2293; General Rent-A-Car, 440-2894; Indigo Car Rentals, 439-3300; Jerrys Auto Service & Rentals, 440-1730; L&A Rentals, 444-4984; Maitlands Motor Sales & Rentals, 444-4022; McGuires Auto Rentals, 444-5989; McIntyre Bros, 444-3944; MCR Car Rentals, 440-5398; MGS Motor Rental, 407-1757; Michaels Bus Service & Car Rentals, 444-3781; Nedds Rental & Services, 440-5599; Radars Car Rental, 439-2553; Raymond Transport Service, 440-5443; Reggies Car Rental, 440-6374; St Johns Auto, 443-2296 and 405-5496; Sanvics Jeep & Car Rentals, 444-4753; Spice Isle Rentals (Avis), 440-3936 and 403-4226; Strikes Auto Rental & Sales, 444-2534; Sunshine Tours & Rentals, 444-4296 or 444-2831; Y&R Car Rentals, 444-4448

Elsewhere on Grenada: Gabriels Rental & Taxi Service (St Davids), 443-2304; Wontees Payless Car Rentals (Grenville), 442-6913

BY TAXI
Taxis are identified by the letter "H" on their license plate (meaning for hire). They are available for island tours as well as regular taxi service. Verify the fare with the driver prior to departing.

TAXI SERVICE
Carriacou: Linky Taxi & Tour Service, 406-2457 or 443-7566

Grand Anse: Grenada Hotel Taxi Association (Ramada Hotel Park), 444-4882; Grencab, 444-4444

LAnse Aux Épines: Boat Yard Taxi Service, 444-1703; Grenada Marina Taxi Association, 444-1703; Martins Marina Taxi Service, 444-3640

Elsewhere on Grenada: Best Cab (Springs), 435-4792 or 406-6641; Grenada Airport Taxi Association, 444-4925; Grenada Taxi Owners & Drivers Assoc, 440-2414 (Burns Point) and 440-3731 (Lucas St); Grencab (Grenville), 442-4444; Radars Car Rental & Auto Sales (Maurice Bishop Hwy), 439-2553

BY BUS
Public minibuses have the letter "H" on their license plate (meaning for hire) and always have a driver as well as a conductor. In St Georges there are bus stops, but elsewhere you can flag them down from the side of the road. To get off just knock on the roof. They generally do not operate on Sun.

Minibuses generally operate 7am-7/8pm between the Grand Anse hotel area and St Georges. The fare is about EC$2. Buses returning to Grand Anse congregate at the bus station near the Esplanade at the end of the Sendal Tunnel. They depart when they are full. There is another central bus terminal located at Market Sq. Buses operating to/from outer laying areas are fewer and may stop running as early as 4pm. On Carriacou they stop running around 5pm.

WATER TAXI SERVICE
Carriacou: Carriacou & Petite Martinique Water Taxi Association (Kim Bethel), 443-7787 and 404 0279; Snaggs Water Taxi, 443-8293

BY FERRY
Osprey Lines (tel 440-8126) operates regularly scheduled ferry service between Grenada and the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

Between The Carenage (St Georges) and Carriacou the trip takes 70 minutes aboard the Osprey Shuttle and 90 minutes aboard the Osprey Express. Ferries depart The Carenage at 9am and 5:30pm Mon-Fri, 9am Sat and 8am and 5:30pm Sun. They depart Carriacou at 6am and 3:30pm Mon-Sat and 3:30pm Sun. The fare for adults is $140 return or $70 one way, and for children 12 years and under $80 return or $40 one way. The fare between Grenada and Petite Martinique is $70 one way.

Between Carriacou and Petite Martinique, ferries depart Carriacou at 10:30am and 7pm Mon-Fri, 10:30am and 3pm Sat and 9:30am and 7pm Sun. From Petite Martinique they depart at 5:30am and 3pm Mon-Sat and 3pm Sun. The fare for adults is $40 return or $20 one way, and for children 12 years and under $20 return or $15 one way.

Fares and schedules are subject to change.

BY AIR
SVG Air/St Vincent Grenada Air (tel 444-3549, Grenada; 443-8519, Carriacou) offers regularly scheduled and charter services between the islands.