Getting around Grenada: minibuses, taxis, driving and ferries

Grenada is small: about 34 km long and 19 km wide, with the airport, Grand Anse and St George's all within 20–30 minutes of each other. Minibuses cover that south-west corridor cheaply in daylight. For waterfalls, rainforest and the east coast, take a taxi, an island tour or your own car. Carriacou needs the ferry or a small plane.

Numbered minibuses run fixed routes, most usefully between St George's and Grand Anse and along the south coast. They leave when full, so waits are short at peak times and longer in the middle of the day. Pay the conductor in cash as you go; fares are set by zone, roughly EC$2.50–10.

Driving is fast, music is loud, and service fades after dark. Treat a late-evening minibus as a bonus, not a plan: take a taxi instead. Sunday service is thin.

Taxis are not metered in the usual sense; agree the price and the currency before you get in. The airport to Grand Anse is about US$20–25, and a half- or full-day island tour with a driver runs about US$100–150. This is the easiest way to reach the interior, where buses are slow and infrequent.

For a group of three or four, a taxi often costs about the same as a rental car for a single day and removes the parking and hairpin-driving problems. Drivers know the spice estates, waterfalls and viewpoints, and can wait while you walk.

You drive on the left. Roads are narrow, steep and often unlit, with potholes and goats at the edges; the island loop is doable in a day but tiring. Rental cars cost about US$50–70 a day, and you also need a local driving permit, about EC$60, usually arranged by the rental company.

Fuel stations are concentrated around St George's and the south-west; fill up before heading east or north. Drive defensively, use the horn lightly on blind bends, and avoid unfamiliar roads after dark.

The Osprey ferry links St George's with Carriacou in about 2 hours, with Petite Martinique roughly 30 minutes further. It has run most days again after Hurricane Beryl, but schedules change with weather and maintenance, so confirm the day's sailing before you build plans around it. One-way fares are about EC$80–90. Winter swell can make the crossing rough.

Small planes fly GND to Carriacou (CRU) in about 20 minutes for about US$100–150 one way, with tight luggage limits. If your time is short or the sea is up, this is the better call.

Tap water is treated in most areas, though many visitors drink bottled, especially on Carriacou where cistern water is common. Toilets are found in restaurants and beach bars rather than on the road. Sundays are quiet, and some hotels close in September–October, so transport and eating options thin out together.

Tipping: restaurants often add 10% service, with 5–10% extra if not; tour drivers expect about 10%. Carry small notes for buses and tips.