But for rum lovers – here is what you can find.

There are 3 distilleries on the island – and if rum is your thing, then you’ll be in tasting heaven. Check out Clarke’s Court Estate for a wide range including the Old Grog label. At the River Antoine Estate you’ll be able to watch rum being distilled with the original machinery dating back to the 18^th century. They produce the Rivers rum range.  You may also want to check out Westerhall Estate for their Jack Iron label rum.

Look out for local bars, known as ‘rum shops’ where you can mingle with the locals.

Looking for something non-alcoholic?

Try the fresh ‘local’ juices. Either in the hotel or further afield you will come across:

• Mauby – made from the bark of the Mauby tree, and a little bitter for newcomers to it!
• Grapefruit
• Pineapple
• Soursop and lime
• Ginger beer
• Cherry
• Mango
• Guava
• Passionfruit
• Orange
• Lemon with ginger
• Sorrel
• Tamarind

We also make smoothies here at in the bar at Petite Anse and you’ll find a wide variety of cocktails to try on the menu.

Grenada offers a wide range of beverages, and with the tropical climate, you’ll need them to keep you refreshed and hydrated. And just one more thing.. the tap water is safe to drink – but if you prefer bottled water you will find it freely available.

With mountains, waterfalls, lakes, beaches and coastal areas to explore, you can find something that will suit your preferences and interest.

If you are going to take a walk that is more challenging, then it’s advised that you hire a guide. Guides know which route to take, even when sign posts are no longer in view and trails have become overgrown. They will point out interesting flora and fauna that would otherwise go unnoticed, or would leave questions in the mind of the non-native. They’ll also provide a helping hand, literally, if the trail gets tricky.

Hiring a guide also provides financial support directly to the community – which is much needed in Grenada since agriculture is no longer such a burgeoning business on the island. Always hire a guide that has a good reputation and let other people know where you are going.

Weather should play a part in your plans for walking. If you plan to walk on some of the more difficult trails, then you should know that heavy rain should not be ignored. It can cause landslides and flash floods in addition to swollen rivers. Tracks and trails can become hazardous, even more so if there are high winds too. Listen to local advice, if people advise not to go – then heed their advice.

There are several maps of local trails in the reception area of Petite Anse Hotel that you can take with you. Otherwise Philip can arrange a walking guide who can accompany you on walks that are further afield.

• pizza
• burgers
• pasta
• roti
• salads
• sandwiches & panninis
• daily specials

Max was born in Grenada and has worked his way into international culinary areas on board cruise ships and through his own ventures in the Caribbean. He’s well known forr his island food in addition to his Asian creations – which you will see once in a while on the menu.

We’re excited here to have him with us but we’re sorry to see Jamie go home. Looking back, Jamie gave us some wonderful menus and his wedding feasts were excellent. Thank you for everything and we will miss you, Jamie.

Looking forward, we know that we’ll enjoy what Max conjures up with the local produce and can’t wait for him to knock up some Oil Down (traditional Grenadian dish). Welcome onboard and here’s to a great partnership.

In the meantime, we’ll ask Max for a tasty recipe that we can share with you.

And don’t forget that we have a BBQ lunch every Sunday in our smoker/BBQ.

Kicking off on the Friday night with the opening ceremony, the festival runs for 2 further days finishing with a grand concert. You can also expect to see plays, storytellers, dance and traditional games and costume. Of course, the local cuisine will be part of the event.

This will only be the 2^nd time the Camerhogne Festival has been held, the first in 2010 as part of an initiative to recognise and keep alive the culture of the island. With lectures, exhibitions and demonstrations forming part of the festival schedule, there are opportunities to learn more about Grenada’s fascinating culture.

The festival has been dubbed with the byline of “Old Grenada, New Grenada, One Grenada” and is named Camerhogne as it was the name given to the island by the indigenous Amerindian inhabitants who were the first settlers on Grenada.

The 2^nd day of the festival will be costume day when everybody is encouraged to wear traditional costume and will play traditional games. Moko jumbie (walking on stilts) is bound to play a part.

Come along to the festival to learn about the heritage of Grenada, to help support and celebrate it’s life. The festival starts at 6pm in Low Town, Sauteurs. Here’s the Camerhogne Folk Festival schedule and we hope to see you there.

The Hawksbill Turtle

The eco regions of the Caribbean and of Grenada have been found to be richly diverse and play host to a wide variety of flora and fauna. From the reefs in the Caribbean Sea to the moist rainforests that are found in the Grand Etang National Park, there are several species that are close to becoming extinct. Here we share with you 5 that you can still find – but if you want to see them, you should make plans to ensure that you don’t miss them:

The species of Eleutherodactylus euphronides is a tiny tree frog that is endemic to Grenada and can be found in the higher rainforests. There are just 11 reptiles that are endemic to the eco region that runs from Dominica to Grenada with just one of these being a species that is endemic to Grenada.

The largest of the marine turtles, the leatherback turtle is a frequent visitor to Grenada and is known to travel over 10,000 miles per year for feeding and mating purposes. Just 15 minutes from Petite Anse Hotel is Levera Beach, the main nesting site for leatherbacks. This species is classified as critically endangered.

The loggerhead turtle is also highly migratory and plays host to over 100 species of plant and animal that are dependent upon its existence. It is recognisable by its large head and strong jaw and it’s shell is just 92cm which is half the length of the leatherback.

The green turtle has been subjected to high levels of chemicals in their waters and suffer from tumours and from getting caught in fishing nets. They have a relatively small head and can reach up to 150 cms long. They are black-brown or greenish yellow in colour.

The Hawksbill turtle (in pic) is the 2^nd least populous after the leatherback in terms of nesting females with just 8,000 estimated. As with other marine turtles, their existence is threatened by over collection of eggs, fishing nets and loss of feeding and nesting habitats. They are of similar size to the loggerhead and have a narrow beak, similar to that of the hawk bird of prey.

The beach at Petite Anse Hotel is visited by turtles and if you want to see and experience the fascinating egg laying with the leatherback turtle then we  can organise a turtle watching trip for you.

The island is just 30 minutes away from the hotel. The mode of transport for the journey is a fisherman’s boat. This all adds to the feeling that you are going to visit a real ‘Robinson Crusoe island’.

We’re not the only people who have recognised the beauty of the island. In the 1980′s the island was used as a commercial for the chocolate bar from the United Kingdom known as a Bounty bar. They used the coconut tree fringed beaches as a backdrop to promote their coconut filled chocolate treat. Check out the video of it.

Bounty Chocolate Advert on Sandy Island

If you’re interested in the flora and fauna of the Caribbean then you’ll be pleased to know that you’ll find hummingbirds, herons and a throng of Caribbean blackbirds on the island. You can also enjoy fantastic snorkelling over the wide reef that is located right next to the beach. The water is crystal clear and that pale blue that you only really ever see on television programs about holidays and travel.

So if you fancy a trip out to the island, then we can arrange it for you. You’ll be met by one of the local fishermen who will take you out to the island. As fishermen, they’ll be catching you a fresh fish and barbecuing it for you the natural way with fresh herbs and spices. We’ll be sending you with a picnic too and some drinks.

After trying a fresh coconut, picked freshly off a tree for you, you can enjoy the return journey to the hotel and ask to be dropped off on the beach.

The Sandy Island Trip is a favourite amongst our guests. We can also arrange picnics to local beaches.

Here are some flavours that you might find on the Petite Anse menu:

• coconut
• vanilla
• passionfruit
• mango
• golden apple
• soursop
• papaya
• chocolate
• mint
• banana
• nutmeg
• avocado

Occasionally we’ll even break out into the world of refreshing and tangy sorbets and you can enjoy flavours such as:

• papaya sorbet
• lemon sorbet
• lime sorbet

The restaurant at Petite Anse is known for good food with the influence of Europe and Asia. We grow our own produce in our kitchen garden or up at the owner’s plantation house lush gardens. What we don’t grow, we will source from trusted local suppliers who we know individually by name.

The town is one of the biggest fishing towns in Grenada. It’s also known across the island as an entertainment town and is the venue for the weekly ‘Fish Friday’. This fun event is held every Friday evening when it’s possible to sample the fishy dishes and entertainment that the town lays on for locals and tourists alike.

Gouyave also celebrates Fishermans’ birthday on an annual basis on June 29^th with a musical carnival atmosphere and more seafood than you can imagine!

The fish caught off the coast at Gouyave are plentiful and varied. Tuna, swordfish, mahi mahi, snapper, marlin and flying fish are hauled in every day and available at any one of the eateries in the town for a good price. A good lunch prepared with local seasoning, cooked in a variety of ways and can be enjoyed for as little as $5 USD or less.

Located on the west coast of the island, the streets are narrow and you’ll most likely find yourself going around the one way system when looking for somewhere to park for Fish Friday. Alternatively a taxi from the hotel won’t cost much or there is a car park in the centre of the town that charges just a few dollars for the evening.

Towards the south of the town there is the Dougaldston Estate, which was originally one of the largest plantations on the ‘spice isle’ when it came to cocoa and bananas. The estate is open for tourist visits and you will find several photo opportunities here.

Another attraction close to Gouyave is the nutmeg pool. For many years, this nutmeg processing plant was the largest building on the island. During a visit you will learn more about the preparation process that takes place before shipping the flavoursome spice all over the world.

Gouyave is definitely worth a visit if you want to see and experience a fun and lively town with a choice of bars. If you have a penchant for fish – then you won’t go hungry here!

Welcome to David Beach (pronounced as ‘Darvi’ Beach).

David Beach is easy to reach from Petite Anse Hotel, just a 5 minute drive up the road or just 20-30 minutes if you prefer to walk. On the way, you’ll most likely pass a family of goats and see some extraordinary trees such as the cocoa tree. I say ‘extraordinary’ as these aren’t commonplace in the colder climes, and if that is where you are visiting from – then I think you too will enjoy the experience. To think that one of the world’s favourite indulgences comes from the orange/red pod hanging down is quite amazing.

To reach the beach, you’ll need to take the road away from Sauteurs (as if you were going to travel down the west coast of the island). You will then be able to take a turn down a concrete road on the right. Follow it along, as it will turn into a trail. Drive for perhaps another half a mile and you will be able to walk down a hill to the beach.

David Beach is approximately a third of a mile long, and makes up the bay. There are a handful of fisherman boats on the beach. The slope of the beach is fairly gentle and on the day that we went, the waves were too.

If you head down to the far end, and walk up the steps you can reach another beach that is definitely worth a visit.

If you would like to take a picnic with you, Petite Anse can prepare you one for your beach trip.

If you aren’t staying at the hotel, but are just passing through, then take a look at David Beach. It’s a pleasant spot and somewhere that you can leave any stresses and strains behind as you enjoy the gentle lapping waves on the sandy shoreline.

Image attributed to Rawitch. Click image for info.

Recipes at Petite Anse are prepared from fresh local produce including herbs and vegetables from our own kitchen garden. Our menu is influenced mostly by European and Caribbean dishes, but you will find the occasional entry from Asia!

Our kitchen garden has been in operation for several years, however it was recently relocated from the Plantation House where Philip and Annie live, closer to the hotel kitchen in order to make it more of a convenience for the chef and his culinary team.

We harvest what we need – a few items at a time, or if we have a glut then we’ll make up a big batch of something. We try to plant enough for us to use but not enough to be over run. We are most likely to get a glut of seasoning peppers or hot peppers – which can be used to create our own pepper sauce.

The herbs are used for all cooking including stuffing fish, sprinkling on our home made bread and using in sauces and salads.

In our kitchen garden we grow:

• tomatoes
• celery (Caribbean style)
• parsley
• dill
• thyme
• tarragon
• garlic
• chive
• basil
• coriander
• rocket
• mustard leaf
• chicory
• lemon grass
• pak choi
• English sorrel

In addition to the kitchen garden we grow watercress in our stream that we add to salads and sauces.

To find out more about what we serve in the restaurant, you might want to take a look at our Typical Menu at Petite Anse or even our Top 10 Foods to Try posts.