ANTIGUA
We decided to try two hotels out during our visit, staying at the Jolly Beach Resort on an all-inclusive basis for five nights in the area of Jolly Beach Harbour. This is a great location and you can walk along the lovely stretch of white sand to the harbour area, where there are fabulous boats and yachts, moored up by waterfront apartments and villas. It is also very close to the local golf course if you fancy nine or eighteen holes.
We travelled around by hiring a driver and people carrier and he took us to other parts of the island. We went to the famous Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour where there was a very interesting museum on site, which was well worth seeing. The driver then took us up to Shirley Heights - go on a Sunday after 4pm and you can watch the sunset over the Caribbean sea and dance away to the steel bands, enjoying a barbecue and drinks, plus a stunning setting with amazing views. They charge $8 US to get into the area after 4pm, but you can go in before and there is no charge. It does get really busy, so get there early to get a good seat by the cliff edge.
We then moved on to the Sandals Grande Hotel in Dickenson Bay, another fantastic beach, not quite as deep as the Jolly Beach, but still good. We stayed in the Mediterranean Village which is the part to Caribbean Village on the resort. It was a lovely setting boasting nine restaurants, a huge pool with a swim up bar and lots of other pools dotted around the complex.
On one of the days we went on a catamaran trip, which was on the Wadadli Cat (this is the original name for Antigua). We did a circumnavigation of the island - what a day! We snorkelled by one of the islands off shore and then enjoyed a delicious lunch served by the crew, with rum punches flowing. They pick you up on the beach and you get to see some of the other hotels and their beaches as you pick up and drop off other guests.
We had a great holiday and would not hesitate to go to Antigua again.
