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Grenada
Secluded beach idylls - Where to enjoy sand, palms and sea all to yourself
Have you been dreaming of having a palm-studded beach all to yourself? – Where the only traces of human life are your own footprints in the sand? – Where there is no sound to be heard except the rush of the waves? – Grenada’s south-eastern coast conceals more than a dozen such Caribbean paradises, hidden away in dramatic tropical fjords – usually accessible only over bumpy roads or on foot. If you know how to find them...
By Bernhard Grdseloff
By Bernhard Grdseloff
One of many hidden beaches on Grenada's south coast...
...which you can only access on foot.
Mangrove safari by kayak
Grenada’s extremely jagged South Coast is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean. Slender tongues of land project far out into the sea, enclosing long, narrow bays. The banks of these tropical fjords are lined with mangroves; their calm emerald green waters teeming with life.
“Almost half of all of the sea life in the Caribbean can be seen here: fish, crayfish, crabs and turtles,” says Mosden Cumberbatch, who organises kayak safaris into this mysterious world. “The aerial roots of the mangroves are popular brooding sites, because they are a source of both protection and food.”
Heading east along the coast, the bays gradually change character. The colour of the waters shifts from green to blue and the mangroves give way to sandy, palm-studded beaches. Small, unpaved roads turning off towards the sea from the main road can take you closer to some of these idyllic sites.
“From there you follow the fishermen’s footpaths along the coast,” reveals Eveline Vogel, operator of the wellness lodge on a pristine beach near Crochu. “There’s another beach behind every green strip of land, and 99% of the time you’re completely alone out there.”
The price of solitude: no cocktail service on the hidden beaches. On the other hand, “sometimes you meet fishermen who invite you to share fresh fish soup,” says Vogel. And if you do run low on fluids, the shady palms you’re lying under are laden with coconuts – full of refreshing milk...
Leaving the beach umbrellas & deck chairs behind
The best places from which to start out for the hidden beaches on Grenada’s south-eastern coast:
La Sagesse: Turn south from the coastal road at the sign for La Sagesse Nature Centre; park by the restaurant and proceed east on foot.
La Tante: From the coastal road, take the right turnoff at “La Tante,” heading south, and drive all the way to the beach. Walk westward (through the hotel construction site).
Crochu: Turn south at the “Café Junction” and follow the unpaved road to the wellness lodge on a pristine beach.
There are 3 lovely beaches to explore in either direction (east or west). Guided excursions upon request.
Mangrove safaris by kayak: “First Impressions” (tel. 4071147) organises guided kayak tours into the world of the mangroves, combined with exploring the uninhabited Hog Island. Half-day excursions about US$ 50. Starting point: Clarks Court Bay Marina.
“Almost half of all of the sea life in the Caribbean can be seen here: fish, crayfish, crabs and turtles,” says Mosden Cumberbatch, who organises kayak safaris into this mysterious world. “The aerial roots of the mangroves are popular brooding sites, because they are a source of both protection and food.”
Heading east along the coast, the bays gradually change character. The colour of the waters shifts from green to blue and the mangroves give way to sandy, palm-studded beaches. Small, unpaved roads turning off towards the sea from the main road can take you closer to some of these idyllic sites.
“From there you follow the fishermen’s footpaths along the coast,” reveals Eveline Vogel, operator of the wellness lodge on a pristine beach near Crochu. “There’s another beach behind every green strip of land, and 99% of the time you’re completely alone out there.”
The price of solitude: no cocktail service on the hidden beaches. On the other hand, “sometimes you meet fishermen who invite you to share fresh fish soup,” says Vogel. And if you do run low on fluids, the shady palms you’re lying under are laden with coconuts – full of refreshing milk...
Leaving the beach umbrellas & deck chairs behind
The best places from which to start out for the hidden beaches on Grenada’s south-eastern coast:
La Sagesse: Turn south from the coastal road at the sign for La Sagesse Nature Centre; park by the restaurant and proceed east on foot.
La Tante: From the coastal road, take the right turnoff at “La Tante,” heading south, and drive all the way to the beach. Walk westward (through the hotel construction site).
Crochu: Turn south at the “Café Junction” and follow the unpaved road to the wellness lodge on a pristine beach.
There are 3 lovely beaches to explore in either direction (east or west). Guided excursions upon request.
Mangrove safaris by kayak: “First Impressions” (tel. 4071147) organises guided kayak tours into the world of the mangroves, combined with exploring the uninhabited Hog Island. Half-day excursions about US$ 50. Starting point: Clarks Court Bay Marina.