Grenada Dive Trip Planning: Seasons, Travel and Tips

When to go

Grenada has diving all year, and the water stays around 26 to 29 °C (79 to 84 °F). The weather has two main seasons:

• Dry season, roughly January to May: sunnier days, less rain and usually calm seas on the west coast. It's the busiest time for visitors, so book diving and rooms early.
• Rainy season, roughly June to December: short, heavy showers are common, and the water is at its warmest. Heavy rain can reduce visibility near the shore for a day or two. Prices are often lower and the dive boats quieter.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November. Grenada lies near the southern edge of the hurricane belt, so direct hits are less common than further north, but they do happen: Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Beryl, which hit Carriacou in July 2024, both did serious damage. If you travel in these months, buy travel insurance that covers storms and watch the forecasts.

Getting to Grenada

Grenada's Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) is at Point Salines on the southwest tip of the island. It has direct flights from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom in season, and connections through other Caribbean islands. The airport is only a few minutes' drive from Grand Anse and True Blue, where most dive centers and hotels are, so you can be on a boat the morning after you land.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Check the official Grenada government or tourism information before you travel. Your passport usually needs to be valid for your whole stay, and you may be asked for a return or onward ticket.

Getting around

• Driving is on the left. Roads are narrow, steep and winding, and you'll need a local driving permit as well as your licence to rent a car.
• Taxis are easy to find at the airport and hotels. Agree the fare before you set off.
• Minibuses run along numbered routes and are a cheap, lively way to get between Grand Anse and St. George's.
• Dive centers often pick up guests from nearby hotels. Ask when you book.

To reach Carriacou, take the ferry from St. George's or a short flight. The Carriacou scuba diving guide has the details.

Money, language and power

• Currency: the Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged to the US dollar. US dollars are widely accepted, and cards work at most hotels and dive centers.
• Language: English.
• Power: 230 V with UK-style three-pin sockets. Bring an adapter and check your chargers.

What to pack

• Exposure protection: a 3 mm wetsuit or a skin. Some divers like a 5 mm for several deep wreck dives a day.
• Your own mask and computer, so you know they fit and work. A computer is essential for the deep wrecks.
• A surface marker buoy (SMB) and a whistle for drift dives on the south coast.
• A dive light for the wrecks and night dives.
• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and a light rash guard for boat rides.
• Your certification card and logbook, plus a nitrox card if you have one.

Flying after diving

Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommends waiting at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive, and at least 18 hours after repeat dives or several days of diving, before you fly. After a dive that needed decompression stops, wait at least 24 hours. These are minimums for divers with no symptoms. That applies to the short flight to Carriacou too. Plan a non-diving last day: it's a good time to visit St. George's and the Carenage, walk up to Fort George, see a nutmeg processing station, swim at Grand Anse beach or hike to the waterfalls in the Grand Etang rainforest.

How many dives to plan

A week in Grenada gives room for eight to ten boat dives, with a day off before you fly. A good mix is two or three wreck dives, a morning at the underwater sculpture park, and the rest on the Grenada dive sites along the west and south coasts. If you're new to diving, plan your course first: see learn to dive in Grenada.