A 400-acre plantation that dates back to the late 1600s, Grenada’s Belmont Estate allows visitors a glimpse of traditional Caribbean farming. The estate was founded on sugar and coffee and now grows spices such as nutmeg and cloves, and the neighboring Grenada Chocolate Company showcases the transformation of cocoa beans into chocolate.
At Belmont Estate, it’s not unusual to see people stomping barefoot on piles of cocoa in a large copper pot. “Dancing the cocoa,” done to remove unsightly residue from the exterior of freshly grown cocoa beans, is just one tradition that lives on here and a highlight during tours of the plantation. The on-site restaurant serves authentic Grenadian cuisine.
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Remember to bring insect repellent since the farm tends to attract mosquitoes.
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Chocolate and spices are available for purchase on-site.
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The estate’s petting zoo featuring goats makes this a family-friendly attraction.
Belmont Estate is located about an hour through Grand Etang Forest from Grenada’s capital of St. George’s. From St. George’s bus terminal, take bus 6 to Grenville and then bus 9 to Hermitage; ask to be dropped off at Belmont Estate. Guided tours typically include round-trip transportation.
For foodies, the beginning of June is a good time to visit the estate, when the Grenada Chocolate Festival celebrates all things cocoa. In general, you will encounter the biggest crowds in Grenada from January through April, while you will find the cheapest rates in the summer and fall, though September and October are peak hurricane season.
Located about 50 minutes south of Belmont Estate, La Sagesse Nature Center boasts peaceful beaches and guided tours, but the biggest attraction is its bird-watching. The feathered creatures flock to the estuary’s mangroves, scrub, cactus, and salt ponds. Accommodations, including a colonial-style manor house and cottages, are also on the property.
