Taxi to Ardastra Gardens vs. just doing Carnival's Adastra/site seeing tour

We have been to Nassau several times and I looked at the Ardastra Gardens & City Tour description and review. Ardastra looks like a nice place to go to but a lot of the reviewers were saying that they wished they had more time there.

I'm trying to decide between just sucking it up and doing the tour through Carnival for security reasons (no chance to miss the ship and we are two females only), or just getting a taxi to take us there.

If anyone has done this by taxi can you please tell me how far away Adastra is from the pier and how much it costs? And also, how do I get another taxi back to the pier? Call someone from my cell?

Any advice/thoughts here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

We were at Ardastra Zoo this past February, and it was very nice. Personally, I haven't heard anyone say that they wish they had more time there. It is a small zoo, with a feeding the parrots time and a parade of the Flamingos. Both take about 1/2 each. The rest of the time you can just wander about, viewing the animals that are in cages and some are wandering about. I would say 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours MAX is what is needed here. Even with kids, you'd be hard pressed to spend more time here.

I would definitely avoid doing a ship's tour here. Unless there were others things that are also on the agenda, this can be done very, very easily on your own.

We are both seniors and we decided to walk there from the dock. it is about 1 1/2 miles. Not a bad walk, but, in my initial review I said that if I had to do over again, I would opt for the #10 bus. As for a taxi, the rates are pretty much established, but I don't know what they might be. We did take the b us back to town. The bus is $1.25 (I believe) PP and will let you off about a couple of blocks away. It will be easy to get a taxi to take you there, but getting back, I simply don't know. You could ask the driver to pick you up in a couple of hours, or get his phone number, call him to come and get you, or walk the couple of blocks to the main road and take the bus back to town. The drivers are very accommodating and will stop for you if they see you want to get on. They are clearly marked with a #10.

Cheers

Len

We were at Ardastra Zoo this past February, and it was very nice. Personally, I haven't heard anyone say that they wish they had more time there. It is a small zoo, with a feeding the parrots time and a parade of the Flamingos. Both take about 1/2 each. The rest of the time you can just wander about, viewing the animals that are in cages and some are wandering about. I would say 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours MAX is what is needed here. Even with kids, you'd be hard pressed to spend more time here.

 

I would definitely avoid doing a ship's tour here. Unless there were others things that are also on the agenda, this can be done very, very easily on your own.

 

We are both seniors and we decided to walk there from the dock. it is about 1 1/2 miles. Not a bad walk, but, in my initial review I said that if I had to do over again, I would opt for the #10 bus. As for a taxi, the rates are pretty much established, but I don't know what they might be. We did take the b us back to town. The bus is $1.25 (I believe) PP and will let you off about a couple of blocks away. It will be easy to get a taxi to take you there, but getting back, I simply don't know. You could ask the driver to pick you up in a couple of hours, or get his phone number, call him to come and get you, or walk the couple of blocks to the main road and take the bus back to town. The drivers are very accommodating and will stop for you if they see you want to get on. They are clearly marked with a #10.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Thanks so much for replying! As far as not having enough time there, the reviews were from people who had done the Carnival Ardastra Gardens & City Tour. Quite a few of them had mentioned that they did not have enough time at the Ardastra portion of the excursion.

As I said, you would need about 2 hours to see and do everything at the zoo. If Carnival isn't allotting 2 hours for the zoo, then I can see the complaints. The feeding the parrots and the march of the flamingos only go on 3 times a day, so if Carnival isn't there for those things, it's on them. Once again it is very easy to do on your own and for a much cheaper price.

http://www.ardastra.com/

Cheers

Len

Ardastra is about a mile and a half from the port. I found this chart of Nassau taxi rates: http://www.bahamas-treasures.com/bahamas/Nassau_Taxi_Fares_2004.html I'm just not sure if Ardastra is considered Downtown or Cable Beach.

It is super-easy to get there on your own. No reason to take the ship's tour. What are your hours in port?

As I said, you would need about 2 hours to see and do everything at the zoo. If Carnival isn't allotting 2 hours for the zoo, then I can see the complaints. The feeding the parrots and the march of the flamingos only go on 3 times a day, so if Carnival isn't there for those things, it's on them. Once again it is very easy to do on your own and for a much cheaper price.

 

http://www.ardastra.com/

 

Cheers

 

Len

Ok, thanks for the link.

Ardastra is about a mile and a half from the port. I found this chart of Nassau taxi rates: http://www.bahamas-treasures.com/bahamas/Nassau_Taxi_Fares_2004.html I'm just not sure if Ardastra is considered Downtown or Cable Beach.

 

It is super-easy to get there on your own. No reason to take the ship's tour. What are your hours in port?

Thanks for the link. We will be there from 10am to 6pm. Haven't clicked on the link yet, but how would I get back? Do taxis just "wait" around Ardastra for fares?

Thanks for the link. We will be there from 10am to 6pm. Haven't clicked on the link yet, but how would I get back? Do taxis just "wait" around Ardastra for fares?

Oh you have tons of time! You don't need to worry about missing your ship. :)

The more I think about it, the more I think that Ardastra is considered Downtown. That means a taxi would be $8 for 2 people (plus tip). I'm not sure if there will be many taxis outside Ardastra but if you walk back down to the main road (West Bay Street) and across the road to the Fish Fry, there will be plenty of taxis. When we ate at the Fish Fry last month, we must have had a dozen taxi drivers ask us if we needed a ride.

You can also catch the #10 bus back to town for $1.25 a person.

We spent about 2 hours at Ardastra. Saw the Marching Flamingos- fun.

We would take a taxi and arrange for pick-up. (We did walk to the bus stop-but it was a bit of a hike.)

When you add the cost of a taxi and the cost of Ardastra, is it still much more to take the tour? The tour includes seeing quite a bit of the city?

We spent about 2 hours at Ardastra. Saw the Marching Flamingos- fun.

 

We would take a taxi and arrange for pick-up. (We did walk to the bus stop-but it was a bit of a hike.)

 

When you add the cost of a taxi and the cost of Ardastra, is it still much more to take the tour? The tour includes seeing quite a bit of the city?

The tour is $49.99 and does include some of the city. Not sure how much.

We spent about 2 hours at Ardastra. Saw the Marching Flamingos- fun.

 

We would take a taxi and arrange for pick-up. (We did walk to the bus stop-but it was a bit of a hike.)

 

When you add the cost of a taxi and the cost of Ardastra, is it still much more to take the tour? The tour includes seeing quite a bit of the city?

But the OP is saying that she heard Carnival doesn't give them enough time at the zoo, maybe to see both attractions.

It won't be any fun if they are hurried out of the zoo when there are shows going on.

Cheers

Len

I have gone there twice, and walked. It was supper easy to find. Just get the free map. Basically you walk to Junkanoo beach, from there its another 10-15 minute walk to Astarda Gardens. They charge 16 bucks to get inside The Astarda Gardens.

Dont know when you are cruising. I am taking the tour (two senior woman) becasue I will feel safer. I have taken the 10 out to Melia, but our ship didn't leave at 5. This time we are leaving Nassau at 5. I will be there in two weeks and will come back to comment regarding time spent. If you cruise before me, will you please post and tell us what you decided?

Dont know when you are cruising. I am taking the tour (two senior woman) becasue I will feel safer. I have taken the 10 out to Melia, but our ship didn't leave at 5. This time we are leaving Nassau at 5. I will be there in two weeks and will come back to comment regarding time spent. If you cruise before me, will you please post and tell us what you decided?

We are cruising next month. I am grateful for all of the information others have given to me to help me to decide what to do. I think we will end up opting for the tour. I'm a little hesitant still to do it ourselves. I don't want to be stranded. I'm happy others have managed to do it on their own and I guess I'm not that brave....yet!

Have a great cruise.

Have a great cruise.

Thank you so much!

We are cruising next month. I am grateful for all of the information others have given to me to help me to decide what to do. I think we will end up opting for the tour. I'm a little hesitant still to do it ourselves. I don't want to be stranded. I'm happy others have managed to do it on their own and I guess I'm not that brave....yet!

Totally understand! You should do what makes you comfortable. I just got back from flying solo to London and everyone on the London boards said take the regular train, not the Gatwick Express, because it's cheaper. But I did what I thought would be the simplest and easiest for me, being in an unfamiliar place by myself. Maybe next trip when I know what to expect, I'll be more brave. :)

If you do decide to do it on your own, it really only takes a few hours to see the zoo. Leave the zoo by 4 o'clock and you'll have no trouble at all getting back to the ship in time. Don't miss the lorry parrot feeding. If you're one of the last people with apple left, you'll end up with 4 or 5 birds on you. They are so pretty and colorful.

When we were there in January, DH and I walked to Ardastra, took our time looking at all the animals and watched the flamingos march- maybe 2 hours- then one of the staff (Tiffany) called a cab for us. For $8, we were were dropped off across from the pier.

If we should walk to the Ardastra Gardens, and decide to take the bus back, I understand it will cost $1.25. Do we have to have the "exact" change, or will they give you back change in American money?

If we should walk to the Ardastra Gardens, and decide to take the bus back, I understand it will cost $1.25. Do we have to have the "exact" change, or will they give you back change in American money?

They don't like to give change so we just give the driver $3 for the 2 of us. Easier than carrying around quarters. :)

As I said, you would need about 2 hours to see and do everything at the zoo. If Carnival isn't allotting 2 hours for the zoo, then I can see the complaints. The feeding the parrots and the march of the flamingos only go on 3 times a day, so if Carnival isn't there for those things, it's on them. Once again it is very easy to do on your own and for a much cheaper price.

http://www.ardastra.com/

 

Cheers

 

Len

Wow. You are right. $16.00 admission!!!