I first heard of Antigua years ago while planning my honeymoon. We ended up going to Aruba instead, but something about Antigua kept my attention for years after, and finally, on January 31st of this year- we went. Let me tell you.. it was worth the wait.
Antigua has the nickname "land of 365 beaches" so that should tell you all you need to know if you are a beach lover. However, outside of the beaches, there is so much more to this tiny island that sits in-between the Atlantic ocean and Caribbean sea. From a beautiful rainforest (and zip lining through it), historic sites, fantastic food, welcoming locals, cricket, and a ton of tiny islands to explore outside of the main island, this is a vacation destination that offers something for everyone.
Antigua is safe, so roaming around and exploring on your own is easy and unintimidating. We walked to a few restaurants at night and never felt unsafe. My husband even had a local show him a shortcut one day on his way to the supermarket.
The culture is a mixture of West African and British influences, and the locals are without a doubt, the kindest, most welcoming we have met on any island in the Caribbean. Nothing is too much, and they love meeting new people and sharing stories and the history of the island they are all so proud of.
So, with 365 beaches, Antigua has some bragging rights.
Of course within a week we couldn't see them all, but the ones we did see took our breath away. The blue of the water which almost glows will captivate you!
All of the beaches in Antigua are public, and some of them do have some beach vendors. Keep in mind, these are people who make their living selling items, so be kind. If you aren't interested, a simple "no thank you" is fine and they will move along. We had some great conversations with many of the vendors who we met, and their attitude didn't change if we didn't buy anything. We were never hounded or pressured, and honestly, hardly ever approached.
Many of the beaches are quiet and pristine, and many are busier (watch what day you go to the popular ones to avoid the cruise ship crowds) with beach bars and restaurants. Valley Church beach, Ffryes, Turners, Deep Bay, Dickenson Bay, Carlisle Bay are all beautiful, just to name a few. The island has many beaches that can only be accessed by boat, so if you can swing a charter while you are there, that is the best way to see the untouched beaches.
Of course within a week we couldn't see them all, but the ones we did see took our breath away. The blue of the water which almost glows will captivate you!
All of the beaches in Antigua are public, and some of them do have some beach vendors. Keep in mind, these are people who make their living selling items, so be kind. If you aren't interested, a simple "no thank you" is fine and they will move along. We had some great conversations with many of the vendors who we met, and their attitude didn't change if we didn't buy anything. We were never hounded or pressured, and honestly, hardly ever approached.
Many of the beaches are quiet and pristine, and many are busier (watch what day you go to the popular ones to avoid the cruise ship crowds) with beach bars and restaurants. Valley Church beach, Ffryes, Turners, Deep Bay, Dickenson Bay, Carlisle Bay are all beautiful, just to name a few. The island has many beaches that can only be accessed by boat, so if you can swing a charter while you are there, that is the best way to see the untouched beaches.
Our hotel was the incredible Sugar Ridge. This hotel is nestled into a hillside, not far from the beaches in the area. Offering a free beach shuttle, you could explore any of the beaches at any time. You could go to one in the morning, then another in the afternoon. We loved having this option. The hotel has a contract with 2 local beach bars, so they were staffed by a member of the Sugar Ridge staff. This meant that while we were on the beach, away from our hotel, we still had a staff member there to bring us drinks and food on the beach. You can't beat that! If you were all inclusive the food and drinks here were included. We were not all inclusive, so we just paid when we left each day.
Our hotel was a 5-7 minute walk to the Jolly Harbour area, where there were many restaurants, a supermarket, gift shops, pharmacy and of course, places to buy beer. So even if you felt a million miles away while staying here, the reality is you are actually in an area that has everything you need.
At the hotel, our room was clean, well laid out with a beautiful 4 post bed (very comfortable, too!), a small but modern bathroom, strong a/c, and a beautiful balcony with a private plunge pool and a view of the hills and the ocean. Watching the sunset from there in the evening was a treat. We couldn't have asked for better accommodations for our first trip to the island. The staff at Sugar Ridge are by far, the best we have met at any hotel, anywhere- not just in the Caribbean. Seriously, management at other hotels should send their staff here for training, that is how fantastic they are. We were welcomed with smiles and rum punch upon arrival, and had top notch service for the duration of our stay.
We didn't eat much at the resort as the island has some really great dining options, but the nights we did eat at the Sugar Club, we were impressed- especially by the sushi! They had some great pasta as well, along with a Caribbean buffet night that was out of this world good (and I generally don't like buffets). Carmichaels at the top of the hotel has some of the best dining on the island, and even if you aren't staying at Sugar Ridge, I suggest you make the trip to eat there.
With 2 beautiful pools, beautiful views, a quiet secluded atmosphere and gorgeous well kept grounds (we loved how lush the grounds were, with many plants, flowers and little critters-we saw lizards, hummingbirds, butterflies and even a mongoose!)this hotel was perfect for us and would be great for those looking for a truly relaxing experience in paradise. I couldn't find a flaw if I tried.
Our hotel was a 5-7 minute walk to the Jolly Harbour area, where there were many restaurants, a supermarket, gift shops, pharmacy and of course, places to buy beer. So even if you felt a million miles away while staying here, the reality is you are actually in an area that has everything you need.
At the hotel, our room was clean, well laid out with a beautiful 4 post bed (very comfortable, too!), a small but modern bathroom, strong a/c, and a beautiful balcony with a private plunge pool and a view of the hills and the ocean. Watching the sunset from there in the evening was a treat. We couldn't have asked for better accommodations for our first trip to the island. The staff at Sugar Ridge are by far, the best we have met at any hotel, anywhere- not just in the Caribbean. Seriously, management at other hotels should send their staff here for training, that is how fantastic they are. We were welcomed with smiles and rum punch upon arrival, and had top notch service for the duration of our stay.
We didn't eat much at the resort as the island has some really great dining options, but the nights we did eat at the Sugar Club, we were impressed- especially by the sushi! They had some great pasta as well, along with a Caribbean buffet night that was out of this world good (and I generally don't like buffets). Carmichaels at the top of the hotel has some of the best dining on the island, and even if you aren't staying at Sugar Ridge, I suggest you make the trip to eat there.
With 2 beautiful pools, beautiful views, a quiet secluded atmosphere and gorgeous well kept grounds (we loved how lush the grounds were, with many plants, flowers and little critters-we saw lizards, hummingbirds, butterflies and even a mongoose!)this hotel was perfect for us and would be great for those looking for a truly relaxing experience in paradise. I couldn't find a flaw if I tried.
Sunday nights at Shirley Heights. Ask anyone what they suggest you do on a Sunday in Antigua and I am positive this will be the answer. We landed on a Sunday at 3 pm, rushed to the hotel to drop off our bags, then hopped in a taxi and made it in time for the sunset- which was even more beautiful than it looks in pictures. There is an entrance fee of $8 (USD) per person, and food for purchase once there. The jerk chicken was to die for! The rum punch here is strong, so be careful or you might end up like the lady we saw sleeping on the picnic table.
Grab your camera, and head to Shirley Heights to watch the sunset while listening to the steel drum band. This was a really special way to start our vacation, and I would say it is a must do for anyone who will be in Antigua on a Sunday. It gets a little crowded, but nothing unbearable. Even if you don't like crowds, the experience is 100% worth it.
Grab your camera, and head to Shirley Heights to watch the sunset while listening to the steel drum band. This was a really special way to start our vacation, and I would say it is a must do for anyone who will be in Antigua on a Sunday. It gets a little crowded, but nothing unbearable. Even if you don't like crowds, the experience is 100% worth it.
Another thing I would consider a "must do" in Antigua, is D Boat! This is something unlike anything you will find anywhere else. This is a retired oil tanker turned into a waterpark and party boat, where you can slide down a huge waterslide into the ocean, or jump off the plank..and it's just as awesome as it sounds. D Boat offers packages where for a very reasonable price you can go and spend an afternoon on the boat, with an open bar and lunch included. The food on the boat was great and our bartender, Joel, was the master of all bartenders. I would ask him to make me a different drink each time, and each drink was somehow better than the last. He wasn't shy with his pours, either! He also made us some special shots to have right before we left after our day with them. Aside from the waterpark and open bar, you can also snorkel or go check out the tiny island next to D Boat that is completely covered in shells. All of the activities are monitored by staff to ensure safety, so your fun isn't ruined by an injury.
So if you want an activity that isn't offered anywhere else, this is it! Spending an afternoon onboard with the fantastic crew was one of the highlights of our trip.
So if you want an activity that isn't offered anywhere else, this is it! Spending an afternoon onboard with the fantastic crew was one of the highlights of our trip.
If you are looking for something guided instead of venturing off on your own, Tropical Adventures Antigua has a wide variety of tours and excursions, and the company is great to book with. We did two while on the island, the mystic catamaran lobster lunch cruise and the island safari gold tour. Both were phenomenal! The lobster lunch cruise includes 2 beach stops and a delicious bbq lobster lunch towards the end of your trip. Captain Andy was hilarious and the crew were all very accommodating and knowledgeable of the island.
The island safari gold was a half day tour of the island in an air conditioned SUV. We explored old forts, churches, the cricket stadium, Betty's hope, the rainforest, Nelson's dockyard and so much more! We learned an incredible amount of history from our guide, and saw things we never would have been able to on our own. Our guide, Kenrick was so good at his job, he made the day informative, and fun! He even stopped on the side of the road so I could buy one of the famous Antigua black pineapples from a fruit stand because I had mentioned I wanted to try one. Truly a great experience and such a good option if you want to see as much as the island as possible in one day.
The island safari gold was a half day tour of the island in an air conditioned SUV. We explored old forts, churches, the cricket stadium, Betty's hope, the rainforest, Nelson's dockyard and so much more! We learned an incredible amount of history from our guide, and saw things we never would have been able to on our own. Our guide, Kenrick was so good at his job, he made the day informative, and fun! He even stopped on the side of the road so I could buy one of the famous Antigua black pineapples from a fruit stand because I had mentioned I wanted to try one. Truly a great experience and such a good option if you want to see as much as the island as possible in one day.
Finding good dining options in Antigua is about as hard as finding snow in Canada. There seem to be endless restaurants and they are all amazing. I am a fairly picky eater and consider myself to be somewhat of a foodie (those who follow me on instagram know this, I am sure) and I didn't have a bad meal while in Antigua.
My personal favorite, was Sheer Rocks. Sheer Rocks is located at the CocoBay resort, but visitors not staying at the resort are able to enjoy it here. We came here twice, once for lunch, and once for dinner. Both times the food, service and views were incredible. Do yourself a favor and when you make your reservation, reserve one of the day beds. I thought to myself while sitting there sipping my pina colada and watching the sunset, "this must be what it feels like to be Beyoncé!"
My personal favorite, was Sheer Rocks. Sheer Rocks is located at the CocoBay resort, but visitors not staying at the resort are able to enjoy it here. We came here twice, once for lunch, and once for dinner. Both times the food, service and views were incredible. Do yourself a favor and when you make your reservation, reserve one of the day beds. I thought to myself while sitting there sipping my pina colada and watching the sunset, "this must be what it feels like to be Beyoncé!"
You may have been able to figure it out from reading this entry, but Antigua may just be my favorite island. I'm not sure if it was the way we were so welcomed by the locals, or the jerk chicken that puts all others to shame, or maybe it is the beaches with the bluest water I have ever laid eyes on.. but there is something about Antigua that begs me to go back. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Antigua, or any of the places mentioned in this blog to travelers looking for the ultimate Caribbean experience. This trip was flawless, and I know yours would be too.
As the saying goes, "the beach is just the beginning".
As the saying goes, "the beach is just the beginning".
