This document provides details about the author's visit to the La Source resort in Grenada. It describes the resort's amenities such as its private beaches, spacious rooms, all-inclusive meals and drinks, and holistic spa. It highlights activities in the area including hiking in the Grand Etang Forest and visiting a rum factory, waterfall, and cocoa plantation. It shares messages exchanged between the author and her boyfriend during her stay, expressing enjoyment of the resort's tranquil and romantic setting.

1. we visited for cancer cure
research. Look out for Mona
monkeys, opossums and
armadillos. Telfor is also the uncle
of British actor/writer/director
Noel Clarke.
■ Spend a day in capital St
George’s, admire the yachts in the
marina and bag some bargains in
the market. Climb up to 18th
Century Fort Frederick for an
amazing 360-degree view. End the
day with dinner at BB’s Crabback
for fine Caribbean fare including
jerk pork, conch shell meat and
divine pumpkin fried with
cinnamon (www.bbscrabback.com).
■ Visit the newly opened Spice
Basket cultural centre
(www.spicebasketgrenada.com). It
houses a museum about the island
and its heritage – as well as
Grenada’s cricketing prowess –
and there is also a bar and
restaurant which serves great rum
punch while steel drums, folk
dancing and calypso entertain.
Return home via one of the
island’s many rum shacks – mini
convenience stores on the side of
the road that also serve shots of 78
per cent (or more) strength rum.
■ Discover the island’s produce of
spices and chocolate. Why not try
Gouyave Nutmeg Station
processing plant. The island is the
world’s second largest supplier of
nutmeg and mace – the lacy red
covering on the shell. Then visit
the Grenada Chocolate Company
where a guide will explain the
process from the plucking of the
cocoa pod to the final product you
can buy in the co-operative
company’s shop. There is also a
restaurant on site.
■ La Source also runs several
tours including the four-hour
Garden Tour taking in various
gardens and nurseries and the
Spicy Half Day Tour including St
George’s, Gouyave Nutmeg Station
and Grand Etang rainforest (both
tours US$60 (about £37) per
person.
Or you can stay on site for a
daily schedule of activities
including water volleyball,
boxercise, golf, tennis, walks and
bike rides.
Gym staff members include a
former Grenadian boxing champ.
Wrap it up with a romantic dinner
on the beach at La Source for
US$250 (about £155) per couple
which includes Champagne and
lobster thermidor.
While I’d personally prefer a
livelier resort, Grenada is an ideal
introduction to the Caribbean
islands and La Source a perfect
retreat for those in need of
rejuvenation and tranquillity.
SS
O SOME of the text
messages between my
boyfriend and I over the
course of my stay in Grenada
went something like this:
I was only there for four nights but
already I found my special place on
the private beach of La Source resort
in Grenada. The beach bar –
emanating lilting reggae and dub
music – was within striking distance
and the clear waters of the lagoon
and ocean beyond were a few steps
away – it was like swimming
through jade.
La Source is located on the
southern tip of Grenada, known as
the Spice Island, and 12 degrees
north of the equator – so attention to
sunburn is essential. The island has
a population of 110,000 and is just
133 square miles.
A white limousine greeted us at
the airport – our bonkers but fun
transport around the island for the
rest of our stay – and drove the five
minutes to the resort.
The beaches here – wonderfully
dubbed Pink Gin and Magazine
(proper names Pingouin and
Magazin) – are for guests only and
uncrowded; there is plenty of room
for everyone both on the sand and in
the hotel lounge areas. Children are
not allowed on the resort (heavenly).
Empty nesters with a new lease of
life and some honeymooners are
dotted around this all-inclusive place
– the only in the region to include
dives (qualified divers get three free
dives), spa, yoga and tai chi as part
of the stay. They also have a Learn
to Dive programme for newbies keen
to explore the island’s 22 wrecks.
Rooms are spacious, decorated in a
fresh, colonial style with huge, hip-
height beds – the tallest I’ve ever
slept in so you can overlook the sea –
big bathrooms and top quality
service and attitude from staff make
it a pleasure to stay. (Special
mention to the lovely lady who
battles the heat to merrily cook your
morning eggs in the open kitchen
whichever way you like them and
the superior frozen strawberry
margaritas made by the bar staff.)
The resort’s Oasis Spa has 17
treatment rooms providing
massages, reflexology, mud wraps,
acupuncture and the usual beauty
salon services. I highly recommend
the spicy Grenadian body scrub – my
limbs were still glowing the next
day.
La Source’s holistic theme is
carried into the food. It has four
restaurants and three bars all
serving impressive, fine dining
meals in the evening and light bites
in the daytime. And solo travellers
who don’t want to dine alone are not
forgotten – there is a special table
set aside for singletons hosted by an
activity co-ordinator.
You may choose to just lie back on
the beach after an early morning go
at tai chi in the sand and yoga in the
garden pavilion but the island is ripe
for exploring.
Here are my top five things to see
and do in Grenada:
■ Hike around Grand Etang
rainforest with sparky guide Telfor
Bedeau. Telfor is a mere 71 years old
but has the heart of a teenager. He’ll
keep you amused with his playboy
tales while taking you through
muddy passes and steep climbs and
introducing you to the wonders of
the forest’s trees and plants –
scientists were taking samples when
WATER WONDER: Annandale Falls
COOLING OFF: Sarah
takes a dip in the lagoon
A HIKE YOU’LL LIKE: Telfor Bedeau proved an entertaining guide for Sarah
Gorgeous source of
rest and relaxation
Making the
most of your
time off
sarahdave@
trinitysouth.co.uk
getaway
FACTFILE
■ Sarah stayed at La Source resort in
Grenada. Visit theamazingholiday. com.
■ Seven nights in Grenada with Virgin
Holidays, including scheduled flights
with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick
direct to Grenada, accommodation at La
Source on an all inclusive basis with
transfers included, starts from £1,627.
■ Prices are per person based on two
adults travelling and sharing a standard
room, on departures on May 12, 2011,
but for other dates visit
virginholidays.co.uk, call 0844 557 3859
or visit one of Virgin Holiday’s 50 stores
in Debenhams and House of Fraser
stores.
■ The resort is also due to offer Yoga
Diving available at no extra cost from
May for those PADI-qualified. Plus
workshops in life coaching and psychic
healing (May and November) and
Pilates (October) are scheduled with
two-week resident experts.
■ For more visit
www.grenadagrenadines.com.
What’s the hotel like? x
Gorgeous. I wake up and go
2 sleep wi the waves
crashing outside. x
What did u do 2day? x
Went to a rum factory for
breakfast, admired a
waterfall, hand-fed some wild
monkeys and helped out at a
cocoa plantation. xx
Did u enjoy your spa
treatments? x
Amazing. Havn afternoon tea
by the pool now. Just been
swimming in the lagoon.
Curious crabs and fish check
u out. Miss oo. x