Grand Anse Beach

[OutSyder]

We will be in Grenada in feb of 2007. Is Grand Anse Beach a good choice to spend the day at? I understand that we can catch a water taxi from where the ship docks to the beach area. Where do we catch the water taxi from? How much is it? Once we are ( 6 of us) at the beach are there chairs for rent?

Change facilities and showers?

[denboy]

Grand Anse can be reached easily by either water or road taxi from near the cruise terminal. They will drop you off by the vendors market where there are washroom facilities at the bottom end. There are also chairs for rent on the beach here (I think they charge 5USD per chair)

[Kim]

Our first time in Greneda was quite the experience. We took the water taxi to Grande Anse Beach. Before getting in the boat, I asked if we get off at a pier and was told "yea". As we approached the beach, we were told to take our shoes off because we had to jump in the water!! Was only shin deep, but didn't expect it. We were brought to a really beautiful beach but the second we had ONE foot in the water off the taxi, we were surrounded by vendors trying to sell this or that or get us to come to their section of chairs. It was so intense I told them I just needed to catch my breath and get my bearings before I could make up my mind where I wanted to sit. As we walked along this beautiful beach, they still would not let up....following us until we gave an answer. It was overwhelming to say the least. We decided on a place to sit. Not cheap but I can't remember how much because we did alot of beaches on this cruise, although this was the most we had paid for chairs and umbrellas. As we finally tried to sit and re-group, over come the vendors asking us to only see them for our drinks.....it was barely 9 am!! Then came the strolling guitar player followed by 3 hairbraiding women and then the blind crippled man followed by more vendors selling spices and bracelets and then the drink vendors flashing menus and it would start all over again with the same ones coming over and over. We politely said no thank you until we couldn't take it any longer. It ruined our day totally. We tried to find the restroom, but it was no where in site. I was afraid to go by myself thru the market as a bunch of guys where under the tree in back of us smoking pot. Beleive me, we really loved this beach but it was total overkill on the vendor's part. They drove us out. We sat in our chairs repeating "no thank you" turning our heads left to right.....that's how bad it was. Forget any shut eye.......after the first two hours I didn't bother to even answer them anymore. I just ignored them until my husband said he couldn't stand it any longer and we had to leave. Packed up the kids and all the stuff and off we went. All the money we paid for the taxi and then the chairs was wasted.

The best advise I could give is, if you do decide to go to Grande Anse, pick a spot on the beach that is not in the center of things. Walk to the end where the vendors will not be as thick. It's such a shame, because it put us in such a mood, we didn't even want to shop at the market near the ship. And I never did get my spices that I really wanted.

[LA_FadeAway]

Geez, what a nightmare! Thanks for the warning. I wonder if it's always been that way or if it's gotten worse due to Ivan. I bet a lot of people lost their jobs after that.

[GloriaF]

We went on a private tour with Mandoo in Grenada, and ended up at Grand Anse Beach ~~ but our experience was so different!

 

We did see the water taxi leaving, and it is just a smallish fishing boat loaded with people, and it did leave from the beach. We were glad we had chosen a private tour of the island with Mandoo instead!!

 

We spent the entire day being driven in an a/c bus with a knowledgeable and courteous native thru the island, stopping at a waterfall, the rain forest, the spice farm, seeing the monkeys, tasting the bananas, etc and ended up on the same beach ~ all for $45pp and then we were taken back to our ship. The beach was almost deserted of beachgoers and vendors by the time we arrived (probably 2:30ish), and it was beautiful. Mandoo showed us where the restroom was inside the bar/restaurant and said he would be waiting for us in the restaurant. Some vendors did approach, but not many, and when we told them we didn't bring $ with us they left us alone. We snorkeled near the rocks, but the sand was disturbed due to a storm they had recently and vision was not good. Our group totalled 12, and some of us sat on the beach, while another group floated in the water. It was very peaceful and beautiful.

 

So, two ways to spend the day in Grenada ~~ we loved the island and the people and came away with a totally different perspective.

[lukes]

We to recently visited Grenda (Dec 27) and took a water taxi to Grande Anse beach. Having checked it out on this site I knew we would be dropped off at the edge of the beach and all wore our crocs in anticpation. Our two water taxi drivers were excellent though and gave us a history of the Island on the trip over and also gave some heads up as to what to expect on the beach and where to head to best avoid all the vendors. However we probably didn't go far enough in the direction they indicated as we were also swarmmed by the vendors. You are right we barely stepped ashore and they were there with chairs etc. Though our stay wasn't as bad as yours there was a steady stream of vendors all day. This was definitely not a beach where you would get any rest. It was too bad as this was one of the most beautiful beachs, with extremely warm waters. I think my 19 old got it worst as she stayed on the beach while the rest snorkled. She had two vendors practically fight in front of her as to who was going to get us drinks, yet we no intention of getting any anyways. Of course the economy is extremely poor and made worst by the recent hurricane. Once back on the ship we talked to a few friends we had made who are very experienced cruises and had been to the Island before. They took a water taxi to the next beach over, I don't remember the name, and this beach was much quieter with very few vendors, and our friends did relax and rest on this beach. Now they tell us. However I think everyone must experience this beach if only once. Too bad it ruined your day. It wasn't the quiet beach day we were hoping for but we stilled enjoyed the day.

[Kim]

Could it have been Mourne Rouge Beach that your friends went to that was quieter?

[lukes]

I am sorry I don't recall the name of the beach. I just know that it was the next beach over, in the same direction as Grande Anse just one over and the water taxi did go there.

[Arubalisa]

Hi Kim- my brother and the kids had the same experience on the same day...

[UKRosie]

I did nt heed the warnings on this forum about the pedlars on Grand Anse Brach as I honestly did nt think they would bother us but I must say they were a complete nuisance. We walked quite a way along it so we were nt in the thick of things but we must have had a pedlar every 2 minutes for one and a half hours non-stop. From hair-braders to massages to bar staff they pester you all the time. When I fell asleep they moved up closer to me and spoke in a louder voice in order to wake me up. The worst were the buskers who looked like beggars and played giutars very close to you and would nt leave till you gave them some money. It spoilt what would have been a lovely beach.

[Carolyn R]

I did nt heed the warnings on this forum about the pedlars on Grand Anse Brach as I honestly did nt think they would bother us but I must say they were a complete nuisance. We walked quite a way along it so we were nt in the thick of things but we must have had a pedlar every 2 minutes for one and a half hours non-stop. From hair-braders to massages to bar staff they pester you all the time. When I fell asleep they moved up closer to me and spoke in a louder voice in order to wake me up. The worst were the buskers who looked like beggars and played giutars very close to you and would nt leave till you gave them some money. It spoilt what would have been a lovely beach.

 

There is a way to have a peaceful day on this beach. Put yourself in the hands of one of the renters of the chairs and umbrellas. If you tell them you do not want to be bothered with vendors they will fend them off.

[laceyjane]

We rented chairs and umbrellas and even bought a bucket of beer way before we were ready to drink it all from the same vendor so we supposedly wouldn't be bothered/approached from others. Well that idea did not work at all for us-not at all.