Grenada | October 2026
Grenada has plenty to offer beyond its beautiful beaches and Friday was my opportunity to explore a little more of the island. After spotting a tour flyer at the hotel, I contacted Henry Safari and arranged a Grenada island tour. The tour ran from 9 AM to 4 PM, with pickup directly from my hotel and included Concord Waterfall, Diamond Chocolate Factory, River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery and Grand Etang Lake.
If you missed how my Grenada trip started, you can read about arriving in Grenada and my first day in Grand Anse.
I was looking forward to seeing more of Grenada, learning a little about its history and experiencing some of the attractions outside the Grand Anse area. Let me tell you, it turned out to be quite a full day! From watching traditional rum production in action to exploring the rainforest, there was a good mix of history, culture, food and nature.
If you’re considering booking with Henry Safari Tours, it’s worth checking out their Tripadvisor reviews. They have over 1,000 reviews and a 4.9/5 rating, so there are plenty of other traveller experiences to read before making your decision.
Exploring Grenada on a Henry Safari Island Tour
Our day started with pickup at the hotel, we headed towards town before continuing our journey around the island. We drove past The Carenage, where you can see the colourful houses scattered across the mountainside, before making our way through town. As we drove, our guide pointed out a church sitting at the top of a hill and shared an interesting piece of history. Back in the 1700s, when people didn’t have watches, someone would ring the church bell to let everyone know the time. Imagine having the responsibility of keeping the entire town informed of the time!
We also drove through the Sendall Tunnel, which was established in 1894. The tunnel was considered a milestone in the country’s development during the 19th century. It’s interesting how something that people now drive and walk through as part of their everyday commute has such a place in the island’s history. I always enjoy hearing these little stories during tours because they give you a better appreciation of the places you’re passing through.
Concord Waterfall in Grenada
Our first attraction was Concord Waterfall. Unfortunately, it had rained the night before, so the surrounding area was muddy, and I suspected the water would be quite cold. I decided to skip swimming and stick to taking pictures instead. On a sunny day, visitors can enjoy a swim in the waterfall, there are changing rooms available for those who want to take a dip.
Although I didn’t get into the water, it was still a nice stop and an opportunity to appreciate Grenada’s lush surroundings. The island is incredibly green, after rainfall, you really get to see just how vibrant the landscape can be. I would have preferred a little sunshine so I could enjoy the waterfall, but that’s the thing about travelling: you don’t always get to choose the weather. Sometimes you just take your pictures and keep it moving!
A Tribute to Mighty Sparrow in Grand Roy
As we continued our drive, we passed a tribute to Slinger Francisco, better known as Mighty Sparrow, in Grand Roy, St. John, Grenada. This is where the legendary calypso singer was born. Although he also resided in Trinidad and became one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most recognised calypso singers, his roots are in Grenada.
For anyone familiar with Caribbean music, Mighty Sparrow is a name that carries plenty of history. Seeing a tribute to him in his birthplace was a nice reminder of how connected the Caribbean islands are through music and culture. It’s easy to associate him with Trinidad because of his contribution to calypso, but this stop highlighted his Grenadian beginnings.
Visiting Diamond Chocolate Factory in Grenada
Next, we visited Diamond Chocolate Factory. Now, I’ve been to cocoa factory tours in the past, so I had a little expectation going into this one. Let me tell you, it was a bit underwhelming. They didn’t even have a cocoa bean to offer the attendees. Oh boy! To make matters worse, the production machines were switched off, so we didn’t get to see anything in action.
The tour started in the sorting room, where we got to see the cocoa beans and how they sort them according to size. We then moved into the production area, where the guide explained how the beans are processed into cocoa paste, chocolate, cocoa butter and oil. We were shown the different machines and their purposes, so there was still some information to take away from the visit, even though we didn’t get to see the production process happening firsthand.
After the tour, we headed into the gift shop, where visitors purchased the chocolate products and sample some of the chocolate before buying. I always appreciate being able to taste something before committing to a purchase, especially when visiting a local factory. However, because I’ve seen cocoa beans and more of the production process during previous factory visits, I felt this experience could have offered a little more. My rating for Diamond Chocolate Factory is 7/10. They should have really brought the cocoa pods out, lol!
Lunch at Jendie’s Restaurant in Sauteurs
After the chocolate factory, we headed to Jendie’s Restaurant on Main Street in Sauteurs, St. Patrick’s, for lunch. Lunch was included in the tour price, which was a nice addition, I ordered the fish meal. Should of ordered the BBQ but anyway.
After spending the morning driving around and visiting attractions, having a proper sit-down lunch was a welcome break. The view from the balcony made it even better, a little moment to relax before continuing with the afternoon’s activities.
River Antoine Estate: Grenada’s Traditional Rum Distillery
Now, this was one of my favourite stops of the day! After lunch, we visited River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery, we arrived at just the right time. All the workers returned from lunch, and as our tour started, the machines got going. Unlike the chocolate factory, where the production machines were switched off, we were actually able to see the rum-making process happening right in front of us.
The entire production process is done organically. Water comes down from the mountain to power a water wheel, which turns the cane juicer. The workers cut the sugar cane using cutlasses, we were offered pieces of the freshly cut cane to taste. Delicious! I must say, over the years, I think the cane isn’t as sweet as it was when I was a child. Anyway, we watched as the sugar cane went through the presser twice, extracting the juice. Once the cane had been squeezed, someone wheeled the leftover cane outside into the sun to dry.
How Rum Is Made at River Antoine Estate
The guide explained that many years ago, the cane juice used to be stored in barrels. However, with the traditional barrel-making craftsmen dying out and fewer people supplying the barrels, the production process changed. Instead, the juice is boiled at different temperatures. We got to see the workers moving the liquid from one pot to another before it was transferred into concrete wells, where it sits for days to go through the fermentation process.
Once the juice has fermented and developed that familiar alcoholic smell, it moves through pipes into two large pots for the next stage of production. The guide explained the evaporation and condensation involved in completing the distillation process. After the rum has cooled, it goes into storage containers underground, where the temperature is much cooler.
I had one rather silly question during the tour. I asked whether the employees taste-test the rum! The guide said that they don’t taste-test it anymore because they have tools to measure the alcohol percentage. Fair enough, I suppose. Imagine having to taste-test rum all day as part of your job!
How Strong Is River Antoine Rum?
One thing that really stood out during the tour was the alcohol percentage of the rum. The local Grenada version is 75% ABV, which is 150 proof, while the export or international version is 69% ABV, or 138 proof. The export version is adjusted slightly lower to comply with airline restrictions relating to liquids above 70% alcohol.
After the tour, we were offered samples and this is where things got entertaining. I think one guy on the bus with us took four shots, homeboy yapped nonstop all the way back to Grand Anse! LOL. I was thoroughly entertained by the time we made it back.
My rating for River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery is 9/10. If you’re visiting Grenada, I would definitely recommend adding this experience to your itinerary. Getting to see the traditional production process in action made this one of the highlights of my day.
Visiting Grand Etang Lake in Grenada
Our final major stop was Grand Etang Lake, a freshwater lake located within a volcanic crater. The guide explained that the lake is used by locals as a water source, so activities such as bathing and fishing are not allowed. The surrounding scenery was beautiful, with water and greenery stretching as far as the eye could see. We were right in the rainforest, surrounded by the kind of lush vegetation that makes Grenada such a beautiful island to explore.
There is also a hiking trail at the lake, but oh my, I saw the stairs and immediately declined! I was quite happy admiring the scenery without taking on a hike. However, I did join in on the monkey fun. Another tour group was at the lake, and the driver called down two monkeys using bananas. We were able to get some pictures, which made for a pretty cool experience. I wouldn’t advise anyone to interact with wild animals without someone who is familiar with them and knows how to handle the situation safely, but it was certainly an unexpected moment during the tour.
After spending some time enjoying the scenery and taking pictures, we headed back towards the hotel. It had been a full day of driving, sightseeing and learning about different parts of Grenada, and I was ready to put my feet up.
Up next in my Grenada travel series: A Slow Saturday in Grenada: Grand Anse Beach and Getting Around Without a Car.
Is the Henry Safari Grenada Tour Worth It?
I enjoyed having the opportunity to explore different parts of Grenada in one day without having to organise transportation between all the attractions myself. The tour gave me a mix of history, nature, local food, chocolate and traditional rum production, which made for a varied itinerary. Not every stop was equally impressive, but that’s part of travelling. The chocolate factory could have offered a little more, and I would have enjoyed Concord Waterfall more if the weather had cooperated, but River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery and Grand Etang Lake were definitely highlights for me.
If you’re visiting Grenada and want to experience more than just the beaches, a full-day island tour is worth considering. It gives you an opportunity to see different parts of the island, learn from someone familiar with the area and visit attractions that you might not otherwise fit into your itinerary. For me, River Antoine was the standout experience, especially because we arrived while the workers were actively producing the rum. And after a full Friday of exploring, I was more than happy to spend Saturday doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the beach!
Planning Your Own Grenada Island Tour?
If you’re interested in exploring Grenada with Henry Safari Tours, you can visit their official website to learn more about their available excursions. You can also browse their Tripadvisor reviews, where you’ll find over 1,000 traveller reviews and feedback from people who have experienced their tours.
I’d recommend comparing the available itineraries to see which experience best suits your travel plans. The full-day tour I took was a convenient way to visit several attractions around Grenada without having to arrange separate transportation for each stop.
