Grenada Charter Yachts are wide and varied. With more yachts basing themselves there every year!
It has surprised me that this stunning area of the Caribbean has been slow to catch on for yacht charter guests. To me, it is like the Virgin Islands was almost 30 years ago. And a natural next progression once you have sailed the Virgin Islands.
Grenada and The Grenadines almost have to be considered in the same breath. They are so close in the distance, like the relationship between the US and the British Islands. Many charter guests fly into Grenada and take in Grenada and the Grenadines on one yacht charter vacation. Although the Grenadines have 32 islands and Grenada has several, you will only see them some at a time!
The first time I was in Grenada or The Grenadines was in the early 2000s. The next time was in 2018 and then in 2023. We did several yacht charters down there in summer at the time. My memory of those charters is in no particular order:
Not So Highlights from my 2001 Yacht Charter in The Grenadines
Fighting with the flies in Bequia
Being hassled by the Boat Boys
Being hassled by the fruit and vegetable vendors
Going down south to avoid hurricanes only to have to find a place to tie up for a storm (yes, during charter)
Torrential rains and Italian clients who kept on insisting that our boat was not the one the charter broker booked them on.
Before Port Louis Marina was built (yes, it was that long ago!) In Grenada, being scared to go ashore in the town
Trying to find sodas, the clients wanted at a reasonable price.
Highlights from my Grenada & Grenadines Yacht Charters
SCUBA diving off Young Island and finding old bottles from the 1700s.
Climbing to the top of Young Island for the beautiful view, that I could not climb them today.
Tobago Cays. Before there was anchoring or SCUBA restrictions, it was just about the most beautiful place I had seen in the world.
Mustique. Simply because one has to go there (yes, it was expensive still then)
Finding Erikas Yacht Services in Union Island and getting INTERNET! You should see how they have grown today!!! (!)
Buying a piece of Scrimshaw on Bequia for my husband
The Many Dolphins played in your wake between St Vincent and Bequia. I had never seen so many at one time.
The Beaches are spectacular.
I Love that it IS the Caribbean was 25 years ago.
Love the friendly, warm people.
As you can tell, my experience was a mixed bag. We did not ever venture too far inland away from the water (my mistake, as you will learn).
Grenada Charter Yachts- Go back in Caribbean Time.
The great news: It is still the Caribbean of 25 or more years ago, and on this trip, I discovered my ranking of things I liked and bothered me had changed.
Maybe I was looking at the Grenadines and Grenada from fresh, older eyes, eyes that had not already been strained from probably doing 30 weeks of a charter in the ten months preceding it. With age comes wisdom.
The Southern Caribbean has “grown-up” some, and after IVAN (a rare hurricane hitting it, category 3 in 2004. Typically, Grenada is just about out of the hurricane belt), billions of aid poured into the island over time, and they used it to rebuild correctly. The result shows in Grenada. It is simply stunning.
Bequia Beach Hotel
St George, Grenada
Two summers ago, in 2018, I visited the Charter Yacht Show put on in Grenada.
We had an opportunity to visit and board 18 yachts doing charters, either full-time or part-time, in Grenada, and with it being a small show, it was relaxed (too relaxed, I found out after the first day when I realized I better pick up the pace!).
We could view the bareboat fleet bases and the stunning new Glossy Bay Marina in Canouan.
These are some of my favorite restaurants in Grenada.
Victory Bar at Port Louis Marina. Victory Restaurant’s claim to fame is Grenada’s #1 thin-crust pizza, which I can attest to. I had it many times while visiting charter yachts at Port Louis Marina.
The Aquarium The ambiance with the beach setting is something you don’t want to miss. We had a bonfire on the beach before dinner.
Belmont Estates: This plantation dates back to colonial rule in the 1600s! It has kept Grenada’s history amazingly alive.
Our mouthwatering soups, appetizers and buffet of traditional fish, chicken, beef or mutton, savories and local vegetables dishes are created with fresh ingredients from our vegetable garden and just the right amount of local herbs and spices to create a truly appetizing meal.
Dive into a culinary adventure with our signature items – callaloo soup, papaya salad, goat cheese salad, our own home-made ice cream featuring flavors such as coconut, bergamot, cinnamon, and delicious punches and juices made with fruits from our estate. Top off the meal with sumptuous chocolate delights made from own organic chocolate.
The restaurant at Blue Lagoon Hotel (try the seafood buffet on Saturday nights)
Blue Horizon Resort: I stayed here before our charter and loved the hotel and its employees, who readily smiled for me.
Southern Caribbean Itineraries
An ideal itinerary for the Southern Caribbean, in my mind, would be to Fly into either St Lucia or St Vincent, stay overnight, take a ferry down to Bequia or a quick few minutes flight, spending a couple of days being pampered at the Bequia Beach Hotel, and then board your yacht.
Take in all the islands between Bequia and Grenada. Depart back home in Grenada and spend a couple of days on land before flying home.
Or, fly into Grenada and take a charter from there going up to the Grenadines if you only have a week, although ten days would be better.
A ten-night itinerary on the yacht would do it, or seven on a boat and a few days on land, either end of your Grenada Vacation.
Go. Make your plans and go. Trust this long-time Yachting Professional. Ask me for help. Anytime is good. Many of the charter yachts from the Virgin Islands relocate to Grenada and The Grenadines from July through October.
