Discovering Grenada, Dune Buggy Adventure Tour

SarahGuiler

8 years ago

It may seem like just a small island in the Caribbean, but don’t let its size fool you. In the “Spice Island” of Grenada, winding roads and lush forests transport you to another world. We immersed ourselves into the depths of the nation’s rain forests, waterfalls and stunning coastline views with a dune buggy adventure tour. If you’re visiting Grenada, this is one of the best ways to see the magical and captivating scenery of the country.

Coasting through the Island

We booked our trip through Island Routes at our resort, Sandals La Source. Other guests from the hotel joined us for this group excursion, which takes about five hours total. Our day began with our dune buggy guides leading us to a strip of rough terrain where we could have some fun.

We followed others as we bounced up and down the dirt hills and tore up the the road.

Then we were led to a forest, winding throughout its rocky paths. At the end, we crept up a steep hill where we were greeted by the coastline.

The views were beautiful throughout the journey, but this was one of my favorite spots, simply because we were right next to the ocean.

Following some photos, we were led onto the main road next. We followed each other, soaking in the beauty of the island. We passed the citizens of Grenada, who greeted us with smiles and waves as we passed by. I took in all the views of the breathtaking scenery that forms the island.

Plunging cliffs, ceaseless tropical palms, and lush blooming flowers were some of my favorite elements of the country’s landscape.

Throughout our ride, the guides led us through various locations including; Mt. Hartman, Clarkes Court Bay Marina, Morne Jaloux Ridge, Beaulieu and Constantine. One of the best stops was looking out toward the ocean over Calivigny Island.

This island is known for its extravagance and celebrity guests such as Justin Bieber and the Kardashians. Villas here can cost $165,000 per night! After stopping for some photos, we got back into our buggies and made our way closer to our final destination, the Annandale Waterfall.

We ascended the island and stopped once more to see the view from the top. This location seemed to capture the entire island, stretching all the way out towards our resort. I don’t know the exact location to say specifically where this stop was, but I’m sure glad we stopped there. Finally, we made our way into Annandale’s lush rain forest, each turn bringing us closer to the waterfall.

It got muddy very quickly as we rolled through these wet forest paths, splattering mud all over our dune buggy. As we weaved through the paths, the scenery became even more beautiful.

Pink pine-like needles sporadically covered the forest floor, and I found them to be even more beautiful than some of the flowers. I later found out they are from a French Cashew tree dropping its blooms.

The closer we got to the falls, the more I thought we drive off the edge of a cliff. Though the paths was clearly laid out in front of us, it definitely felt like we were in another world compared to some forests I’ve been in the past. It was a long, picturesque journey to this spot, which made it even more exciting because we were deep into the wild forest.

Annandale Waterfall

When we reached the waterfall, we were greeted by a man with a monkey that we could hold for a small fee. Scotty and I decided to do it, but it didn’t last long. The monkey seemed like it was in a bad mood. I would be too if I was on a chain.

The steps down to the falls were even prettier than our ride down. You could see the waterfall peaking through the trees as we approached. Scotty and I decided to swim in the refreshingly cold water and dip underneath the waterfall.

It was smaller than I imagined, but perhaps this was coupled with the fact that the last one I had seen was the enormous Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica. Either way, it was beautiful in every way.

Note: Be careful if you are swimming and planning to go underneath the waterfall. The rocks are very slippery and hard to climb. It’s important to bring or wear water shoes so you don’t slip. I almost fell multiple times!

After our visit at the Falls, we strapped back into our buggies and headed back towards the base. Our ride back was a little shorter, but still scenic as we witnessed the sunset on the island.

Grenada’s Coastline and Beaches

Grenada’s coast and beaches are unique in the fact that they combine both rocky areas and walk-able beaches. I found it to be similar to St. Kitts in this aspect, and it made for a beautiful scene as you explored the island.

Close to Sandals La Source was a long stretch of soft, sandy beach. On the other side, you could only walk so far as you reached rocky beach and a carved out mountain jutting out the side of the property.