The Costs Nobody Budgets For on a Grenada Trip

Most travellers budget carefully for the obvious items: flights, accommodation and a couple of tours. It is the second layer of costs that causes the end-of-trip surprise, the taxes added to a restaurant bill, the permit fee at the car hire desk, the marine park charge on a snorkel trip, the night surcharge on a taxi, and a steady trickle of card fees from your home bank.

None of these is unusual or unfair, and most are small on their own. Together, they can add ten to twenty per cent to a trip that looked well planned. This guide lists the extras that commonly appear on a Grenada holiday, roughly how much they amount to, and how to account for them in advance. Amounts are indicative; rates are set by government, banks and individual businesses, and can change, so confirm them before you rely on them.

Taxes and charges on bills

VAT. Grenada charges value added tax on most goods and services. The standard rate has been 15 per cent, with a lower rate applying to hotel accommodation. Many shops include VAT in displayed prices, but some restaurants and hotels quote prices before tax.

Service charge. Many restaurants and hotels add a service charge, commonly 10 per cent. It appears as a separate line on the bill and is distinct from VAT. Where both are added on top of menu prices, the total can be around a quarter higher than the numbers on the menu.

Hotel add-ons. Accommodation listings vary in what they show. Some include taxes and service; others add them at checkout. A few properties also charge resort-style fees for facilities. Ask for a total, including everything, before you pay a deposit.

How to plan for it. When estimating restaurant spending, add 25 per cent to menu prices unless the menu states that taxes and service are included. When comparing hotels, compare final totals rather than nightly headline rates.

Getting around: permits, surcharges and fuel

If you hire a car, you will need a temporary local driving permit in addition to your home licence. Car hire firms can usually issue it at the desk, and it can also be obtained from the police traffic department. The fee has been in the region of EC$60, roughly US$22, but check the current amount. It is a one-off payment per driver, so adding a second driver doubles it. Collision damage waivers, deposits held on your card, and fuel, which is priced by the government and often costs more than in North America, add further to the headline daily rate.

Taxis in Grenada work on published fares for common routes, set by the authorities, but those fares often carry extra charges: a surcharge for night journeys, typically after about 6pm or later, extra for additional luggage, and higher rates for waiting time. A short hop that seemed cheap at lunchtime can cost noticeably more after dinner. Always agree the full fare, and the currency, before setting off. Route buses avoid most of these costs, but they run less often in the evening and on Sundays, which is precisely when visitors tend to fall back on taxis.

Activity extras that are easy to miss

Marine park fees. Snorkelling and diving at the Underwater Sculpture Park and nearby reefs takes place within the Molinière-Beauséjour Marine Protected Area, where a small user fee applies. Carriacou's marine protected areas, including the area around Sandy Island, also charge fees. Operators may include it in the price or collect it separately.

Entrance fees. Grand Etang, Annandale Falls, Seven Sisters, the estate tours and the rum distilleries all charge their own fees. A driver's tour price usually excludes them, so a day with five paid stops can add a noticeable sum per person.

Waterfall jumpers and guides. At Annandale and some other falls, local divers jump from the rocks and ask for a tip afterwards. Informal guides may also offer to lead you on trails. Decide in advance whether you want the service, and agree any fee first.

Equipment hire. Snorkel gear, beach loungers and umbrellas at hotel beaches, and kayaks or paddleboards are often charged separately, particularly if you are not staying at the property.

Photos and videos. Some boat and dive operators sell photo packages at the end of the trip. Pleasant, but optional.

Tips, card charges and other small leaks

Tipping is customary for good service in Grenada, though not obligatory. Where a restaurant bill already includes a service charge, many people leave a little extra for excellent service or nothing more. Tour drivers, guides and boat crews are commonly tipped around 10 to 15 per cent of the tour price, and a small tip for housekeeping is appreciated. Over a week of tours and boat trips, tips can add a significant amount, so include them as a line in the budget.

Card costs are invisible until the statement arrives. Many cards charge a foreign transaction fee of around two to three per cent on every purchase, plus fees for cash withdrawals, and local ATMs may add their own charge. Choosing to be charged in your home currency at a card terminal, rather than in EC dollars, usually means a worse exchange rate as well. A card without foreign transaction fees, used carefully, removes most of this leak. Check your card terms before you leave home rather than discovering the charges afterwards. Mobile data is another: roaming charges from overseas networks can be high, and a local SIM or eSIM from one of Grenada's mobile operators is usually much cheaper for a week of maps and messages.

Bigger costs worth planning for

Some costs are not small, and they are better faced at the planning stage than discovered on the island:

• Travel insurance with medical cover. Grenada has a general hospital in St George's and private clinics, but serious cases may require medical evacuation to another country, which can be extremely expensive without cover.
• Weather disruption. During the June to November hurricane season, a storm can cancel flights or ferries and force extra nights. Insurance and flexible bookings soften the cost.
• The Carriacou trip. The ferry or flight, accommodation and water taxis to beaches on the sister island add a meaningful sum and are often left out of the first draft of a budget.
• Baggage fees. Regional connections through Barbados, Trinidad or other islands may have stricter allowances than long-haul flights, and extra bags cost money on each leg.
• Overweight souvenirs. Rum, chocolate and spices are excellent gifts but heavy, and duty-free allowances at home still apply to alcohol.
• Sunscreen, insect repellent and medicines. All are available locally, but often at higher prices and with less choice than at home.

A quick method to build the extras into your budget

Rather than tracking every possible fee, use simple percentages and fixed allowances. The method takes a few minutes and gives a more honest total than any headline price:

1. Add 25 per cent to any restaurant estimate based on menu prices, unless taxes and service are clearly included.
2. Add the driving permit fee and fuel to any car hire quote, plus the cost of a second driver's permit if needed, and remember the security deposit held on your card until the car is returned.
3. Add entrance fees for each paid stop on your tour plan, per person, and the marine park fee for each snorkelling or diving day if the operator does not include it.
4. Set aside 10 to 15 per cent of tour and boat costs for tips.
5. Allow three per cent of all card spending for fees unless your card has none.
6. Add a contingency of around 10 per cent of the total for taxis, weather changes and the unexpected. If you finish the trip without touching it, it pays for a good last dinner.

Frequently asked questions