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Darkwood Beach


seaox
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We are a group of 8 4 adults 4 teenages. Darkwood beach looks like a good day for everyone?

What is the best way to get there from the cruise port?

If anyone has any other suggestions we are open to all.

Thanks.

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10 hours ago, seaox said:

We are a group of 8 4 adults 4 teenages. Darkwood beach looks like a good day for everyone?

What is the best way to get there from the cruise port?

If anyone has any other suggestions we are open to all.

Thanks.

We were just at Darkwood beach last week. It was amazing!!!! The most beautiful beach. It would be perfect for adults and teens. We took a cab (van) from the port. I think it was 8.00/person, each way. Tell the driver what time to pick you up and he will be there. Great bar/restaurant, chairs and like I said an amazing beach. Enjoy

Edited by cathi007
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On 2/10/2019 at 12:30 AM, Russ Lomas said:

Walk 10-15 minutes and take the #22 bus there for only $1.50 per person each way.  $3 total per person is a lot better then $16 per person for a cab.

This is the way to get to Darkwood, I've been going here for well over 10 years, great beach actually we were at Turner's 2 miles down the same beach about 2 months ago. Valley Church, Turner's and Darkwood all the same beach. Take your pick, they're all great beaches.

 

Darkwood beach bar I was here in 2007/Nov. during a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that centered in Martinique, YEP walking to the bar to get another brewski admiring the smoke coming out of the volcano on Montserrat all hell broke loose, to say it was a very humbling experience would be disingenuous. MAJOR buzz kill!! Later Todd

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1 hour ago, TTEllis said:

This is the way to get to Darkwood, I've been going here for well over 10 years, great beach actually we were at Turner's 2 miles down the same beach about 2 months ago. Valley Church, Turner's and Darkwood all the same beach. Take your pick, they're all great beaches.

 

We are in Antigua next month.  Visited Darkwood last time.  I was considereing either Ffryes or Valley Church this time around.  Have you visited these two?  What was your opinion?  Shade trees?  Crowded?  Bars?  Washrooms?

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2 hours ago, Russ Lomas said:

We are in Antigua next month.  Visited Darkwood last time.  I was considereing either Ffryes or Valley Church this time around.  Have you visited these two?  What was your opinion?  Shade trees?  Crowded?  Bars?  Washrooms?

I have never heard of Ffryes Beach, Valley Church we drove right by it on the way from Turner's. 

 

Ok, here's my 2-cents on that, if you want something beside's Darkwood you can either keep going past Darkwood, hit Valley Church, Jolly, or go all the way to the end and hit Turner's Beach, it's the SAME beach. Darkwood is the first beach when you get to Turner's  your at the end. If I were you already having done Darkwood last year, I would find a tour or something and head over to Long Bay Beach, simply because Darkwood and Turner's are exactly alike.

 

 

If you want to stay on the same side of the island hit Turner's this time. Nice newer beach bar and restaurant than Darkwood, decent bathrooms, plus it's all by itself on the end of the beach, that's nice. EXACT same view from BOTH beaches pick any one of those beaches I just mentioned(except Long Bay) stand out on the beach looking straight out at the water, to your left at about 10 o'clock the mountain with the smoke coming out of it is Montserrat.  Hope that helps Todd

 

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3 hours ago, TTEllis said:

I have never heard of Ffryes Beach, Valley Church we drove right by it on the way from Turner's. 

 

Ok, here's my 2-cents on that, if you want something beside's Darkwood you can either keep going past Darkwood, hit Valley Church, Jolly, or go all the way to the end and hit Turner's Beach, it's the SAME beach. Darkwood is the first beach when you get to Turner's  your at the end. If I were you already having done Darkwood last year, I would find a tour or something and head over to Long Bay Beach, simply because Darkwood and Turner's are exactly alike.

 

 

If you want to stay on the same side of the island hit Turner's this time. Nice newer beach bar and restaurant than Darkwood, decent bathrooms, plus it's all by itself on the end of the beach, that's nice. EXACT same view from BOTH beaches pick any one of those beaches I just mentioned(except Long Bay) stand out on the beach looking straight out at the water, to your left at about 10 o'clock the mountain with the smoke coming out of it is Montserrat.  Hope that helps Todd

 

Ffryes is the beach between Darkwood and Valley Church Beach.  You are right, they all look very similar.  I would like to try a different beach like you said, but we will be traveling with three other families who have never been to Antigua before, so I think that Darkwood stretch of beach would be a safe bet to share with them.  I think we will try the Ffryes section this time around (or possibly even Coco beach).  Reviews of Turner's talk about all the cruise ship passengers stopping there on boat tours, so Coco may be the best for us.

 

I looked into Long Bay and it seems nice as well, so we will keep that in the back of our minds as an alternate in case the water Caribbean side of the island is rough that day.  Have you done Long Bay before?

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2 minutes ago, Russ Lomas said:

Ffryes is the beach between Darkwood and Valley Church Beach.  You are right, they all look very similar.  I would like to try a different beach like you said, but we will be traveling with three other families who have never been to Antigua before, so I think that Darkwood stretch of beach would be a safe bet to share with them.  I think we will try the Ffryes section this time around (or possibly even Coco beach).  Reviews of Turner's talk about all the cruise ship passengers stopping there on boat tours, so Coco may be the best for us.

 

I looked into Long Bay and it seems nice as well, so we will keep that in the back of our minds as an alternate in case the water Caribbean side of the island is rough that day.  Have you done Long Bay before?

 

6 minutes ago, Russ Lomas said:

Ffryes is the beach between Darkwood and Valley Church Beach.  You are right, they all look very similar.  I would like to try a different beach like you said, but we will be traveling with three other families who have never been to Antigua before, so I think that Darkwood stretch of beach would be a safe bet to share with them.  I think we will try the Ffryes section this time around (or possibly even Coco beach).  Reviews of Turner's talk about all the cruise ship passengers stopping there on boat tours, so Coco may be the best for us.

 

I looked into Long Bay and it seems nice as well, so we will keep that in the back of our minds as an alternate in case the water Caribbean side of the island is rough that day.  Have you done Long Bay before?

Long Bay is on the other side of the island it's quite a drive, but totally worth it if you plan on spending the day. I drove a scooter I rented from Cheke's Scooter rental in 2007 there, was turned away at the entrance by security guards because Paul McCartney and his family had the entire beach rented for a whole week. Really, turned around and went back to Darkwood and got hit by an earthquake, go figure. Went back to Long Bay 2 months ago, it's awesome. You get to see what the pirates saw 200 years ago, not much has changed.

For you with that many folks I would definitely keep it to Darkwood, Jolly, Turners(yes lots of ship tours) or anywhere along that stretch of beach you can't lose, those beaches anyone of them in all due respect to the other islands, those beaches are hard to beat always a place to eat and get a drink, sand and water incredible. Hope that helps Todd

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26 minutes ago, TTEllis said:

 

Long Bay is on the other side of the island it's quite a drive, but totally worth it if you plan on spending the day. I drove a scooter I rented from Cheke's Scooter rental in 2007 there, was turned away at the entrance by security guards because Paul McCartney and his family had the entire beach rented for a whole week. Really, turned around and went back to Darkwood and got hit by an earthquake, go figure. Went back to Long Bay 2 months ago, it's awesome. You get to see what the pirates saw 200 years ago, not much has changed.

For you with that many folks I would definitely keep it to Darkwood, Jolly, Turners(yes lots of ship tours) or anywhere along that stretch of beach you can't lose, those beaches anyone of them in all due respect to the other islands, those beaches are hard to beat always a place to eat and get a drink, sand and water incredible. Hope that helps Todd

Thanks for the advice.  I will put Long Bay on the list of places in Antigua to go to one cruise.  Like I said, if the Caribbean side is rough that day, Long Bay should be a good option.

 

I use the public bus system in Antigua.  #22 will take us to the west coach beaches for $1.50 each and for the same price it looks like I could grab the #33 to get out to Long Bay beach.

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1 hour ago, Russ Lomas said:

Thanks for the advice.  I will put Long Bay on the list of places in Antigua to go to one cruise.  Like I said, if the Caribbean side is rough that day, Long Bay should be a good option.

 

I use the public bus system in Antigua.  #22 will take us to the west coach beaches for $1.50 each and for the same price it looks like I could grab the #33 to get out to Long Bay beach.

Yes, Long Bay is the ocean, the day we were there weather was great. Nice waves!! LOTS of people great vibe. 2 for $5 Caribe's ice cold. Pretty much the same thing at Turner's Beach Bar. 2 for $5 Caribe's??!! Can't beat it all day long!! Turner's is nice that's probably why a lot of tours go there. Btw I didn't see much shade you have to rent a palapa like you do at Darkwood. That's not bad.

 

If I wasn't driving and this is totally to each his own, but on Antigua from now on(I don't do scooters or drive on islands anymore I can now pay people to do that for me) but I'll never do another tour unless I bring my own alcohol whatever that may be. I want to mix my own drinks on the bus!!🙄😊 You nice people don't drink like I do.:classic_huh:

If I'm going to sit on a tour bus with you nice folks(tour buses are new to me) and ohh and ahhh on all these lovely islands I have to have a bloody Mary ALL DAY LONG, a good one!! Love Caribe's on the beach, in the bus it's bloody Mary's all the way. Public buses on Antigua never a problem only way to get around on the island besides a full blown tour. 

If I can be of any help please just ask, I wouldn't know anything if it wasn't for these boards and for the people on them. Have fun on Antigua which ever beach you pick it's no lose. Take care Todd 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

We will be in Antigua in September off Freedom OTS.  My hubby were there on our honeymoon 12 years ago and I remember taking an open air van to a beach but don't remember the name.  We are looking for a place a 9 and 12 year old will enjoy and this place looks like it has an aquapark?  I can't find any ideas on pricing though.  Anybody know?

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2 hours ago, jerzeynurse said:

We will be in Antigua in September off Freedom OTS.  My hubby were there on our honeymoon 12 years ago and I remember taking an open air van to a beach but don't remember the name.  We are looking for a place a 9 and 12 year old will enjoy and this place looks like it has an aquapark?  I can't find any ideas on pricing though.  Anybody know?

Website is https://www.facebook.com/Swash-Water-Park-1656377034480622/

 

A recent post on TripAdvisor says that it is $30 for one hour for an adult.  Far too pricy in my mind.  Our local indoor waterpark only charges about $16 for an entire day and they have a flowrider.  I will avoid Darkwood just so my kids don't see this thing and beg to go on it.  We will do one of the other pristine beaches in Antigua instead.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 2/10/2019 at 12:30 AM, Russ Lomas said:

Walk 10-15 minutes and take the #22 bus there for only $1.50 per person each way.  $3 total per person is a lot better then $16 per person for a cab.

Just thought I would update my quote from back in February since we were in Antigua again a week ago.

 

We got off the ship, kept to the right side to avoid the main street where all the cabbies tend to hang out and walked on the parallel Redcliffe, or Nevis  We only got asked about taking a tour 3 or 4 times, opposed to the 30-40 time we walked the main drag.

 

A polite "No thanks" and we made the turn to the right on Market Street.  Within 10-15 minutes we were at the bus station (keep to the right on Market Street when you hit the fork in the road at the Meat Market) and just ask someone which is the 22 bus.  We loaded up and the driver even took us right down the road (off the "official" bus route) to Ffryes Beach).  Paid $1.50 each and had a great time at Little Ffryes (a lot less busy than Ffryes and fun snorkeling to the rocky point to the left - not great coral, but millions of small fish).  The driver said he would come back to the same point at 2:30 for us but we did not see him.  We walked up to the main road of the bus route (5 minute walk), waited about 10 minutes and two #22 buses came by.  Flagged one down, paid $1.50 each and were back in town in about 20 minutes later at the bus station.

 

For anyone who is willing to walk a little and wants to save money when going to the beach, this is the way to travel in Antigua.

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On 3/1/2019 at 8:52 PM, jerzeynurse said:

We will be in Antigua in September off Freedom OTS.  My hubby were there on our honeymoon 12 years ago and I remember taking an open air van to a beach but don't remember the name.  We are looking for a place a 9 and 12 year old will enjoy and this place looks like it has an aquapark?  I can't find any ideas on pricing though.  Anybody know?

I saw the "aquapark", yes it's on the north end of Darkwood Beach, in all due respect I wasn't really sure what to think of it. Looked fine for younger children, not sure what it cost's to use this thing didn't do much for me, kinda looked out of place. Not trying to be negative but it just didn't fit. I would assume it's in response to the popularity of Darkwood Beach. Too each his own. Todd

 

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