More Photos

AMAZING ANTIGUA

I have been a huge fan of the Caribbean for as long as I can remember and have spent many an enjoyable holiday either cruising round the area or at a single destination. For many years Barbados held the top spot in my affections but having visited Antigua numerous times, I would say, in my opinion, it now shares that No 1 position.

They say Antigua has 365 beaches – one for every day of the year. I don’t know how true that statement is but it certainly has an awful lot of them and they are all beautiful. Being a bit of a “beach bum” beaches are very important to me when I am on holiday and are often a source of great disappointment. Living close to Bournemouth with its lovely fine golden sandy beach, I always make comparisons when I am abroad and there are not many places which can offer better. Antigua can – time and time again!

Contrary to popular belief, the atmosphere on each Caribbean island is very different as are the personalities of the locals. In general, in Barbados the people are quite outgoing, very friendly and very welcoming whereas in Antigua they are much more reserved but once you get to know them, are equally friendly. The islands, though, are very different with Antigua being less developed and having less of an infrastructure. By and large, the hotels are in isolated areas with no “resort” amenities such as shops or restaurants close by and to go outside the hotel you are reliant on either the hotels own transportation or taxis, as there is not a reliable public bus service. This is why the “all inclusive” concept is so popular.

Car hire is a great way to get around the island and to explore some of those many beaches and historic sites (such as Nelson’s Dockyard) but beware the roads are not excellent and road signs almost non-existent, which can make for a very interesting day out! We once got a puncture in the middle of nowhere and had to call the car hire company because there was no jack in the boot. We had no idea where on the island we were, other than a general sense of where we were aiming for and the lack of road signs did not help us one little bit. Miraculously the car hire company found us and were able to help us on our way!

There are also a wide range of boat-trips with stops for snorkelling and swimming in the crystal clear waters surrounding the island. St Johns, the island capital, it also well worth a visit for all your souvenir shopping – but be sure to avoid it on the days the cruise ships visit as it is total chaos. It has several market areas and bartering is expected. The same vendors will come around the beaches trying to sell their t-shirts and sarongs. My experience is that you can get a better bargain on the beach than in the market.

My favourite beaches are the beautiful Dickenson Bay, home to the 3* Rex Halcyon Cove hotel and also Sandals , and Jolly beach – not surprisingly home to the Jolly Beach Hotel, but there are many others on which you can while away relaxing days whilst topping up the tan.….and plenty of super hotels to suit all tastes.

Spoil yourself – you won't regret it!