bp32305

This time the arrangement with the ship was better - for the Do it Yourself tour. You can walk to everything easily from the main square. I felt we wasted time getting the group together as well. The map the tour gives you is easy to follow - everything is aroung the square. You can choose to rest on a park bench , eat, shop etc... We were there the first week of February. There is quite a big craft area at the dock area as well.

There are many tour operators in the main building who are selling tours to Antigua. There were 10 of us in a vac and it was OK. The pricing was $ 40 each for the adults and $ 20 for the children. There was a couple from Oklahoma that actually took a local bus for $ 3 each ( they are called chicken buses there ) . I wish I had done this or taken the Antigua on your own tour. There is alot to see there. A lovely place really. The drive is OK - similar terrain to Costa Rica - fairly dry though and there was an activie volcano. What I do not like is when they drop you off to "shop" on the way - or at a craft market. We had enough information to go on our own. There are many small restaurants that are great for having a cerveza or snacks that are around the square or on the street with the arch. We had very little time - about 1 hour - due to the "shopping" schedule. I really had zero interest the Jade Museum.The hotel/ monastery/ convent is a lovely place to visit though. The local beer is Gallo but there are other good ones as well. It would have been $ 150 for a taxi for the four of us for the day if we had wanted. There were many taxis outside the port area. Lot's of shopping at the port as well for those that wanted to shop. Very nice square in Antigua - many local vendors and thousands of pigeons.