No to Darkwood beach

I was excited to try a new beach in Antigua and saw that Darkwood got some good reviews so I was disappointed by this beach. The facilities are not great to say the least. The wooden structure with basically a tarp over it ( think cheap palapa) that are constructed to be so short as to keep hitting your head when getting up! We waited forever to get our lunch and had to ask them about our food twice before we got it and then the pulled pork sandwich didn't offer much. The beach was ok but nothing compared to Valley church beach which is close by. The bathroom is disgusting ! Changing rooms are outhouse like and rickety. The cab we got going back actually stopped at valley church beach and it was even better than we remembered. The facilities are so much better while retaining a sweet clean restaurant and nice umbrellas and loungers Anyway, presently to n the Anthem of the Seas and just want to give you an honest opinion Wish we would have gone back to valley church beach. Also, snorkeling was non existent and believe me, I looked.

Thanks for the information. Will be there next week and was trying to decide between Valley Church and Darkwood. Appreciate the tip!

Sharon

Thank you for the review. Since I may need a back up plan if my tour does not run, I was actually considering this. Not any more.

There used to be a nice beach restaurant called O.J's near Darkwood. Was that where you were?

Thought I would add this to your post as I did not include beach names in the title of my previous post.

We had intended to go to Darkwood Beach as read about on these boards. However, the drivers do not seem too interested in taking you there. A British group from the P&O ship Azura was looking for 2 more people to go to Valley Church beach so we decided to join them. I knew I did not want to do Jolly Beach. A very fun ride and conversation with the Brits. We all decided on a return meet time of 3 pm with the same taxi driver. We did not pay until we got back to the port. $32 round trip for two. When we got to the beach, it was not too busy. We were walked way down to the right side as you enter the beach. At first I was a bit concerned that we were taken so far down the beach (around 9:20am) but by noon the middle part of the beach was packed so good choice. I also read a review about Darkwood from last week and it did not sound good. (poster's) So maybe the locals are correct. A local woman was talking us into Valley Church said that the facilities are much nicer at Valley Church. We split an order of Coconut Shrimp- probably the biggest coconut shrimp I have even had. Delicious too. So guess Valley Church was a great choice. I would say get there early and decide with the group before hand what time you want to come back.

Pictures are beautiful from there.

This was a Monday so Jacqui O's was not an option.

Thanx for the info. We head out in a few weeks and Darkwood was one of our two we were thinking about. Might have to try Valley Church.

I've thinking of Valley Church now as well. Do you know if they have chairs to rent instead of loungers? I have someone going with me that is older and would not be able to sit on the lower loungers. Thank you!

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A British group from the P&O ship Azura was looking for 2 more people to go to Valley Church beach so we decided to join them. I knew I did not want to do Jolly Beach. A very fun ride and conversation with the Brits. We all decided on a return meet time of 3 pm with the same taxi driver. We did not pay until we got back to the port. $32 round trip for two.

I'm on Azura in a couple of weeks, could you tell me how this works please? Do you just walk along the pier and is there someone there organising groups and waiting until they are complete or is it done some other way?

Also are there any tour kiosks outside the pier, if we were thinking of doing a tour as well as getting a taxi to a beach? And if so are these any good? We are there overnight so would like to do different things each day.

Thank you

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I'm on Azura in a couple of weeks, could you tell me how this works please? Do you just walk along the pier and is there someone there organising groups and waiting until they are complete or is it done some other way?

 

Also are there any tour kiosks outside the pier, if we were thinking of doing a tour as well as getting a taxi to a beach? And if so are these any good? We are there overnight so would like to do different things each day.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

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Try going to your Roll call and see if someone is interested.

I'm on Azura in a couple of weeks, could you tell me how this works please? Do you just walk along the pier and is there someone there organising groups and waiting until they are complete or is it done some other way?

 

Also are there any tour kiosks outside the pier, if we were thinking of doing a tour as well as getting a taxi to a beach? And if so are these any good? We are there overnight so would like to do different things each day.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

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Overnight? Add cocktails and dinner at Jacqui O's to your bucket list. Book well in advance.

Try going to your Roll call and see if someone is interested.

Thanks, yes I am on the role call. DW and I have different ideas about holidays. I like everything planned in advance, DW likes a more relaxed approach. Can't blame her, after all this is the Caribbean if you can't be laid back in the Caribbean . . .

So we have agreed a couple of things we really want to do and have booked tours, but she is looking for a 'walk along the pier and go with the flow' experience where we haven't book tours (or can easily catch a water taxi). When I read the message to which I replied (sorry didn't mean to hijack OP thread), I thought this sounded just what DW was looking for.

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Thanks, yes I am on the role call. DW and I have different ideas about holidays. I like everything planned in advance, DW likes a more relaxed approach. Can't blame her, after all this is the Caribbean if you can't be laid back in the Caribbean . . .

 

So we have agreed a couple of things we really want to do and have booked tours, but she is looking for a 'walk along the pier and go with the flow' experience where we haven't book tours (or can easily catch a water taxi). When I read the message to which I replied (sorry didn't mean to hijack OP thread), I thought this sounded just what DW was looking for.

 

 

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So you have a plan for not having a plan??? :'):'):') Is it a secret non-plan plan?