A Weekend in Granada and Trinidad

Grandad was not a travel destinations on our radar. That is, until my sister visited the island and raved about her fabulous experience at the Sandal’s Resort located there. We decided to make it a destination for a summer getaway for our family in 2015.

I must say, this was David and my first time staying at a Sandal’s Resort and it totally lived up to the hype. The grounds were impeccable, the food was amazing and the service was truly a differentiating and memorable part of our stay. We spent most of the trip at the resort taking advantage of the amenities it provided.

We played botchy ball, beach and pool volleyball, and even went out on the resort’s boat for a half day snorkeling trip. The rest of the time we spent indulging at the restaurants and lounging either by the ocean or in the pool. I also enjoyed several Micheladas which the bar staff was happy enough to learn how to make. The other guest even started ordering them too! In the evenings, we enjoyed the nightly entertainment filled with singing and dancing.

We did venture out into the city one day for a tour of the city including a visit to a distillery and spice farm. The spice farm was truly a highlight of the trip. It was so interesting to learn about the agriculture of the island and see some of their most valuable exports up close.

Lastly, we enjoyed a sunset cruise around the island aboard a catamaran. This was such a great way to see the island. We always try to take a boat ride on vacation when possible.

Trinidad was not part of our vacation per se however, we had a long layover in the airport and we were feeling adventurous. So, we hired a taxi outside of the terminal to take us on a tour of the island. The island does not get many tourists so of course the taxi was happy to show us around his homeland. We ventured to the top of a mountain and I must admit the car ride was a little sketchy. Luckily, we made it to the top and were able to stop and take in the amazing natural beauty.

After a few photo ops, we jumped back in the car and headed to Maraca’s Bay. Maraca’s Bay was a very interesting place. On one side, there was an amazing bay and the other side consisted of lush dark green mountains. It was quite beautiful. And, then in the very middle was a row of food stalls serving Trinidad’s famous bake and shark dish. We decided to try this delicacy at Richard’s Bake and Shark. Wow! It was unlike anything we had ever tried before and it was absolutely delicious. We finished our shark, and then headed back to the airport for our journey home.