Beach Confusion??

Hi Cruisers.

We have never been to Antigua and lucky for us, it is one of our ports of call on an upcoming Celebrity cruise..

I have been looking at information overload and getting confused..So please help me sort it all out.

Could you recommend a beach to go to on Antigua for 4 adults to do on our own and why?

Is Valley Church and Jolly Harbor the same place???

What is the best mode of transportation? bus or taxi?

Is there anything to be concerned about in Antigua ( crime etc)

Many thanks in advance..

Bee

The beaches are beautiful in Antigua so yes recommend that for 4 adults. I have been to Jolly Beach and Valley Church. Both are great choices, but can get busy on cruise chip days so be aware. Both have restaurants and facilities, chair rentals, etc. Valley Church has more trees for "natural" shade.

Bus vs Taxi. Really personal choice. Both work. I'd go taxi having done the bus last time. While the bus is certainly cheaper, it's also more hassle. Even with great directions there's always some unknowns that can create unnecessary anxiety. But if you're up for an adventure and don't mind taking 20-30 minutes extra time each way, then go for it. I wasn't concerned for my safety on the bus, but it was very crowded and not as comfortable as a taxi.

Have a great day!

BeeSkip,

I agree with you. Picking a beach to go to in Antigua is very confusing - there seems to be so many things to consider - guess it would be with 365 to choose from though ;).

I agree with everything Tracy said.. we have also been to Jolly Beach as well as Valley Church Beach and have taken the bus both times. $32 for two people in a taxi each way is a bit much. The bus is $1.50 each and it's about half an hour drive from the bus station for either beach.

We enjoyed Valley Church a bit more than Jolly but they are both beautiful. As mentioned, they can be crowded depending on how many ships are in port that day. The walk from the bus to Valley Church was definitely shorter.

Have fun no matter what you decide. :)

With 365 beaches in Antigua it's easy to get confused! :D

We normally take a sailing catamaran excursion which takes us to some beach or other that is hard to reach except by water.

We've found the water to be very clear & blue and the sand, soft & sugar white.

Don't miss going to a beach in Antigua! :)

LuLu

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Hi Cruisers.

We have never been to Antigua and lucky for us, it is one of our ports of call on an upcoming Celebrity cruise..

It's a nice island for beaches. White sands, electric-blue skies, palm trees....

I have been looking at information overload and getting confused..So please help me sort it all out.

Could you recommend a beach to go to on Antigua for 4 adults to do on our own and why?

Ffrye's and Darkwood are south of Valley Church. I know from experience they are also nice. The west side has a series of excellent beaches.

Is Valley Church and Jolly Harbor the same place???

Valley Church is to the south, and closer to the main road.

What is the best mode of transportation? bus or taxi?

Taxi more expensive, probably quicker. You can also walk from one beach to the other, along the main road. You would work up a thirst.

Is there anything to be concerned about in Antigua ( crime etc)

Crime exists, but is not exactly rampant. It's a question sometimes of wrong time, wrong place. A month ago someone got shot in my front yard. Nothing to do with me, two strangers got in an argument and it happened to be there. I suppose the bullet could have gone through the window and hit me. It didn't. I slept through the whole thing.

Many thanks in advance..

You are pretty much guaranteed to like Antigua.

We have been to Darkwood Beach and it was absolutely beautiful. The beach is a beautiful stretch of soft white sand and the colour of the water is incredibly turquoise!! There were not a lot of people on the beach and there are chairs and umbrellas available for rent. I think at the time it was $5 for a lounge chair and $3 for an umbrella but prices may have changed.

We took the bus since a bit of extra time to save a bunch of money was definitely attractive. They wait until the bus is full before they leave so bring your patience to wait a bit. Some folks on our bus were literally hollering at the driver that they wanted to leave. Things do not move at a North American pace on the islands and you just have to go with the flow. We look at it as all part of the travel experience.