Carriacou

Carriacou sits north of Grenada across a channel of reefs and cays, and it runs at a pace that makes the mainland look hurried: Hillsborough's single street, bays like Paradise Beach and Anse La Roche with barely a vendor, and Sandy Island offshore - a sliver of sand and palms in snorkelling-clear water. The island keeps West African heritage unusually intact through the Big Drum dance tradition and maroon ceremonies, and Windward village still builds wooden sloops by hand, launched with all-island celebrations. The Carriacou Regatta each summer fills the channel with working sail.

History

Amerindians came to Carriacou between 500 and 1000 AD and called it Kayryouacou, "the land of reefs". In 1656 the French turtle fisherman Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre became the first recorded European visitor, and the French colonised it first; the first census, in 1750, counted 199 people, and in 1763, near the end of the Seven Years' War, France ceded Carriacou with Grenada to Britain. By 1776 the island had 3,239 people, 3,153 of them enslaved, and in 1870 Stephen Joseph Perry led a British expedition here to observe a solar eclipse (Wikipedia, Carriacou).

Highlights

• Sandy Island - the bare sand cay reached by water taxi for snorkelling.
• Windward boatbuilding - wooden sloops built on the beach by hand.
• Big Drum tradition - the African-rooted dance and drum ceremonies.
• Paradise Beach and Anse La Roche - the quiet bays of the west and north.

When to go

January to May for the dry season; the August regatta is the cultural high point with racing and village festivity. Hurricane season requires flexibility - the island took serious damage in 2024's Hurricane Beryl and rebuilding continues, so check current conditions and support local businesses by coming.

Practical notes

Hurricane Beryl hit Carriacou hard in July 2024; recovery has been determined but visitors should arrive with patience for facilities still rebuilding - and spending here genuinely helps. The ferry crossing can be rolly. Nightlife is minimal by design. Big Drum ceremonies are community events first; attend invited, not intruding.

Nearby

Petite Martinique, the Tobago Cays across the border and Grenada by ferry.

Key facts