Chinatown - Carriacou & Petite Martinique, Grenada
Site Overview
Chinatown spreads off Frigate Island in the Sandy Island group: a friendly, well-decorated slope that falls from 8 m to 23 m and carries the dense, busy character its name promises. The coral standing is excellent for the Grenadines — stacks of sea fans, pillar and mountain sponges and clean hard growth — with a constant haze of reef fish working every layer of the slope. An 8 m shoulder to a 23 m base gives every diver their own comfort line down the same wall of coral. The site sits in Carriacou & Petite Martinique, one of Grenada's core dive areas, with water at 27-29 °C and typical visibility of 20-30 m. In the Sandy Island/Oyster Bed MPA off Frigate Island, a short ride from West Side or the charter moorings. Honest depth, honest coral, honest name — a working slope inside a well-loved marine park, and a favourite of the West Side regulars. Trade winds blow almost constant over the Caribbean, and it is their lulls and builds that set the daily diving schedule around Grenada. Water temperature stays in the high twenties year-round and the island sits outside the main hurricane belt, so the dive boats run twelve months a year.
Dive Briefing
“Drop on the shoulder and traverse the slope at your chosen contour; the guide works the fan forest at mid-depth where the fish traffic peaks. Depth management: plan the dive to a maximum of 23 metres and turn early. The sheltered Caribbean side is usually glassy, while the Atlantic-facing south coast runs with the trade-wind current that makes its drift dives so special. Ascend along the slope contour to the safety stop on the fan forest shelf. Newer divers can comfortably dive this site, staying within the range flagged by the guide. Several of Grenada's best waters are protected - the Grand Anse Marine Protected Area, the south-coast preserves and Carriacou's Sandy Island/Oyster Bed MPA all use mooring buoys and small user fees to keep anchors off the coral. Local operators hold the final say on which sites run each day, because a shift in wind or swell can change conditions between two bays.”
Location
Chinatown and 4 nearby dive sites in Grenada.
Signature Marine Life
Purple sea fans
Gorgonia ventalina
Best: January, February, March
Mountain sponges
Ircinia felix
Best: January, February, March
Coral-reef fish haze
Best: January, February, March
Green sea turtle
Chelonia mydas
Best: January, February, March
Nurse shark
Ginglymostoma cirratum
Best: January, February, March
Spotted hawkfish
Amblycirrhitus pinos
Best: January, February, March
Safety & Hazards
- Trade-wind chop on the exposed shoulder
- Depth creep on the 23 m base line
- Current along Frigate Island on tide swings
- Sea urchins in the sponge rubble
- Surface distance from the moored boat on the outer traverse
Traveler Notes
Who is this for?
A slope dive for all levels — the top is open-water easy, the base is a respectful 23 m line for advanced swimmers. The 8-23 m range suits divers of most certification levels. It combines naturally with the nearby Sandy Island gardens for a full morning in the MPA. The crevices, wreck rooms and sculpture plinths hold the usual Caribbean small life - damsels, blennies, shrimps and the occasional rare frogfish or black seahorse. Night dives on the shallow reefs and harbour wrecks turn up a completely different community of hunters.
For Non-Divers
Lauriston is easy to enjoy without a cylinder, and most operators run snorkel trips on the same bays. Several of Grenada's best waters are protected - the Grand Anse Marine Protected Area, the south-coast preserves and Carriacou's Sandy Island/Oyster Bed MPA all use mooring buoys and small user fees to keep anchors off the coral.
Quick Stats
Dive Logistics
- Lumbadive Carriacou
- Deefer Diving Center
- West Side dive operators
Photography Info
Best for: wide_angle, macro
Nearby Stay
Harley's Bay Villas & Spa
Harley Bay • 2km away
Mangrove Hotel
Hillsborough • 5km away