Grand Anse gets the attention, but the south-west tip of Grenada is a series of small bays separated by rocky points, each with its own character. Some sit beside the airport runway, some are fronted by a single hotel, and one, La Sagesse, is a sheltered bay on the windward side of St David parish that feels a long way from the hotel strip.
This directory covers the beaches most visitors and residents use on the south coast, how to reach them and what to expect when you get there. Facilities change, beach bars open and close and new developments appear, so treat it as a working guide and confirm anything that matters, such as food or chair rental, before you rely on it.
Morne Rouge Bay (BBC Beach)
Where. The next bay south of Grand Anse, over Quarantine Point. Locals often call it BBC Beach, after a beach bar that once operated there.
What it is like. A shorter, deeply curved bay with calm, clear water and a sandy bottom. The headlands on either side shelter it well, and it is often a degree calmer than Grand Anse when there is a swell. The sea is good for floating and for children who can already swim.
Facilities. There are usually a few beach bars and loungers for rent. It gets lively on weekend afternoons and for occasional events, and quiet on weekday mornings.
Access. Turn off the main road between Grand Anse and the airport. Route 1 buses pass close by; ask to be let off at the Morne Rouge junction and walk down. Parking near the sand is limited.
Who it suits. Families, swimmers and anyone who wants Grand Anse conditions without the length or the crowds.
Magazine Beach and Pink Gin Beach, by the airport
Past Morne Rouge, the road climbs towards Point Salines and Maurice Bishop International Airport. Two beaches sit close to the western end of the runway. Magazine Beach is a long, open strip facing the Caribbean, with good sand, a beachfront restaurant or two and a mix of hotel guests and residents. It catches more wave action than Morne Rouge, especially in the winter swell months, so check the water before letting young children swim.
Pink Gin Beach, a short distance away, is a small, tidy bay fronted largely by a resort but open to the public along the shore. Its appeal is its compactness: sheltered water, soft sand and planes passing low overhead on approach, which some visitors love and others find noisy during the busier flight times.
Both are a short taxi ride from the airport, which makes them popular for a last swim before an evening flight. Without a car, you can take a bus towards the airport area and walk the final stretch, but the road has little shoulder, so walk facing traffic and keep children close.
Lance aux Epines and the bays near the marinas
Lance aux Epines (usually pronounced locally as "Lance-a-peen") is the peninsula east of the airport, lined with villas and residential roads and flanked by Prickly Bay and Mount Hartman Bay, both busy yacht anchorages. The beach along its western shore is narrow in places but calm, with a relaxed residential feel and views across Prickly Bay to boats at anchor.
This is not a beach for a full day of swimming; the water near the anchorages carries more boat traffic, dinghies and the occasional outboard fuel sheen, and the sand strip comes and goes. It is, however, a good place for an evening swim followed by a drink at one of the marina-side bars, and it is the most practical beach for people staying in the south-coast villas or on a boat.
If you swim near the anchorages, stay close to shore, wear a brightly coloured cap if you go out any distance and keep clear of dinghy channels. Dinghy drivers do not expect swimmers in the middle of the bay, particularly after dark.
La Sagesse: the south-east escape
Where. On the south-east coast in St David parish, reached by the road that leads off the main eastern route through the parish. It takes around half an hour to drive from Grand Anse, depending on traffic.
What it is like. A wide, sheltered bay framed by headlands, with a salt pond and mangroves behind the beach and dry woodland on the slopes. It faces the Atlantic side of the island but an offshore reef and the shape of the bay calm the water on most days. Expect more natural surroundings and fewer people than anywhere on the south-west tip.
Nature. The salt pond and mangroves attract herons, egrets and shorebirds, and the bay is one of the better birding spots on the south coast. Walk quietly along the edge of the pond in the early morning for the best sightings.
Facilities. Historically there has been a small inn and restaurant at the beach, and resort development has been under way in the area. Check what is open before you go and bring water and snacks in case nothing is.
Who it suits. People who want a quieter day out, birders and anyone combining a beach with a drive through St David.
Which cove for which kind of day
A first swim after arrival. Morne Rouge. It is close to most south-coast accommodation, sheltered, and has enough going on to buy a drink and a snack without planning ahead.
A last afternoon before a flight. Magazine or Pink Gin. Both are minutes from the terminal, so you can keep an eye on the clock and change at a beachfront restaurant before heading to check-in.
An evening swim and sundowner. Lance aux Epines or the beaches near the marinas, where the yachting crowd gathers at the end of the day and the light over Prickly Bay is at its best.
A slower day with nature. La Sagesse. Combine the beach with a walk around the salt pond and a drive through St David villages on the way there or back.
A rough-weather fallback. When winter swell is running, Morne Rouge usually stays swimmable after the more open beaches have become choppy. If even Morne Rouge is breaking hard, take it as a day for a walk rather than a swim.
Somewhere near town with no car. Morne Rouge again, because Route 1 buses pass close to the junction. The airport beaches are harder to reach on public transport.
Practical points and pitfalls on the south coast
The south coast is compact, but conditions and access vary more than people expect. Keep these points in mind:
- Swell exposure varies by bay. Morne Rouge and Pink Gin are the most sheltered; Magazine and the open stretches nearer Point Salines catch more of the winter ground swell.
- Access paths can be informal. Some beaches are reached by short tracks between properties. Use established paths and do not cut through private gardens or hotel grounds.
- Roads lack pavements. The airport and Lance aux Epines roads are narrow and busy at commuting times. Walking with children is safer early or late in the day.
- Shade is not guaranteed. The smaller bays have only a few trees, and loungers with umbrellas go first on weekends.
- Manchineel grows on some coves. Learn to recognise its small green fruit and shiny leaves and do not stand beneath it in rain.
- Theft from cars happens. Never leave bags visible in a parked car at a quiet beach.
- Development changes things quickly. A beach bar that was open last season may be gone, and new resort works can change access routes. Confirm before you rely on facilities.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Morne Rouge and BBC Beach?
They are the same place. Morne Rouge Bay is the official name, and BBC Beach is the nickname many residents use, taken from a beach bar that once traded there. Taxi drivers and bus conductors will understand either name.
Which south coast beach is calmest for swimming?
Morne Rouge Bay and Pink Gin Beach are usually the calmest because headlands shelter them on both sides. Magazine Beach and more open stretches near Point Salines get more waves, especially when winter ground swells arrive between November and March.
Can you swim at La Sagesse?
Yes. Although it is on the south-east coast, the shape of the bay and an offshore reef calm the water on most days. Look at conditions before you swim, stay inside the bay rather than near the headlands, and avoid swimming alone on quiet weekdays.
Is there a beach close enough to the airport for a last swim?
Magazine Beach and Pink Gin Beach are both minutes from Maurice Bishop International Airport. Many travellers spend a final afternoon there before an evening flight, often using a beachfront restaurant as a base for bags and a change of clothes.
Are the beaches in front of resorts private?
The shoreline is treated as public, so you can walk and swim along the beach in front of resorts. Resort loungers, pools, bars and toilets are for guests or paying customers, and you should reach the sand by public paths rather than through hotel grounds.
