Pearls Airport

Pearls Airport sits on Grenada's northeastern coast, a few kilometers inland from the village of Pearls in Saint Andrew's Parish. Once the island's only commercial aviation link, it was replaced in 1984 by the modern Point Salines International Airport near St. George's. Today, the facility is abandoned but accessible — a fenced-off area that anyone can walk into for free. The runway remains intact, though potholed and cracked. Two derelict aircraft lie near the terminal, their fuselages rusted and gutted, frozen in place since the early 1980s. For visitors interested in Cold War history, Caribbean aviation, or just an unusual photo stop, Pearls offers a raw, uncurated encounter with a moment that reshaped the region.

Getting There

Pearls Airport is located about 30 kilometres northeast of St. George's, Grenada's capital and main hub. Driving from the city takes roughly 40 minutes via the Grand Etang Road (Route 1), which cuts through the central rainforest and offers views of the volcanic crater lake. Alternatively, the coastal route along the eastern shore via Grenville is slightly longer but scenic. There is no public bus service directly to the airport, but minibuses running between St. George's and Grenville can drop you at the Pearls turnoff. From there, it is a 15-minute walk or a short taxi ride to the airfield entrance. Taxis from St. George's cost around 60–80 Eastern Caribbean dollars one way; negotiate the fare in advance.

The entrance is unmarked but easy to spot — a gap in the fence beside the old terminal building. A rough dirt track leads onto the apron. Parking is possible on the grass verge. The site is open to pedestrians at all times, though visiting during daylight hours is strongly recommended because there is no lighting.

Inside the Terminal

Pearls Airport has no functioning terminal. The original building stands empty, its windows boarded or broken, the paint peeling. Inside, the check-in counters and baggage carousels are gone, stripped of anything valuable. The departure lounge is littered with debris. The floor tiles are cracked. The roof leaks. It smells of damp concrete and decay. This is not a place for comfort or services — there are no toilets, no food stalls, no staff. Travelers come for the experience, not the amenities.

The confirmed features are a wheelchair-accessible entrance (a ramp at the main door, though it may be partially blocked) and a wheelchair-accessible car park (a paved area near the entrance). The rest of the site is uneven and strewn with rubble. The runway is the main attraction: a 1,600-metre strip of asphalt that once handled DC-3s, DC-6s, and later BAe 146s. Now it is overgrown at the edges, with potholes large enough to trip in. The two derelict aircraft — a Beechcraft and a small commuter plane — sit near the terminal. Their metal skins are sharp, and the interiors are filled with broken glass, rusted wires, and bird droppings. Climbing inside is possible but requires extreme caution.

There is no security check or entrance fee. Visitors simply walk in. The atmosphere is one of abandonment — eerily quiet except for wind and birds. It feels less like an airport and more like a museum that someone forgot to maintain.

Pearls Airport and Upper Pearl

Pearls Airport is not a destination in itself, but it is part of a larger story that makes Upper Pearl worth visiting. The airport was Grenada's principal gateway from its opening in 1943 until the completion of the new airport in 1984. It played a key role during the 1983 US invasion of Grenada — code-named Operation Urgent Fury — when American forces used the airstrip as a staging area. The two damaged aircraft on the tarmac are relics of that period: one was destroyed by US gunfire, the other simply abandoned when the airport closed.

Upper Pearl is the local area, a rural district of rolling hills, cocoa and nutmeg plantations, and small fishing villages. Grenada is known as the "Spice Isle" for its nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. The nearby village of Grenville, about 10 minutes south, has a lively market and a protected harbor. Grand Etang National Park lies to the west, offering hiking trails through rainforest and a crater lake. The northeastern coast features black-sand beaches like Bathway Beach and the scenic Levera National Park, a protected wetland with a volcanic beach and a bird sanctuary.

For history enthusiasts, Pearls is a rare opportunity to see an entire airport — runway, terminal, aircraft — preserved in a state of arrested decay. It is a tangible reminder of the Cold War's reach into the Caribbean and the political upheavals that followed. The site is free, unregulated, and largely unvisited. On a quiet afternoon, you might have the whole place to yourself. That authenticity, free from gift shops or interpretive signs, appeals to those who prefer exploration over curation.

Be careful. The runway is potholed, and the aircraft wreckage contains sharp metal edges that can slice skin. Wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. Do not attempt to enter the terminal building — the structure is unstable. Scootering or cycling on the tarmac is possible, as the surface, though cracked, is wide and flat. Some visitors enjoy riding a scooter from one end to the other, but watch for debris.

Practical Information

Pearls Airport is open to the public 24 hours a day, though visiting after dark is not advisable due to the lack of lighting and unsafe surfaces. There is no staff on site, no phone number, and no official website. The airport has been abandoned for decades and is not maintained. Entrance is free.

Busiest times, based on anecdotal reports, are Monday at 9 pm, Tuesday at 10 pm, Wednesday at 9 pm, and Thursday at 6 pm — though these likely reflect patterns of local visitors rather than official hours. For a quieter experience, go in the morning.

To get the most out of a visit: read up on the airport's history and its role in the 1983 invasion before you arrive. Without context, the site appears as nothing more than a dilapidated strip of tarmac with broken planes. Understanding what happened here transforms it into a compelling historical marker. Allow 15 to 30 minutes for a stop — enough time to walk the runway, examine the aircraft from a safe distance, and take photographs. Do not touch the sharp metal or attempt to climb inside the wreckage without protective gloves and clothing.

One concrete piece of advice: bring insect repellent. The site is near wetlands and mosquitoes are active, especially in the late afternoon.