Best Beach for Day

[agem19]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are looking for a beautiful beach to spend a few hours at in Feb.

We will be on the Serenade of the Sea's and would like a beach that is beautiful.

Can you take a bus or is the only means of transportation is by cab?

 

Any suggestions on where to go for some local shopping?

 

Thank you.

Sue

[babyblueyz]

Here is an all inclusive resort that accomidates crusie passengers for the day, We have booked already for this resort look at some photos looks great!! Google "JollyBeach Resort Antigua"

Just got an email back with the pricing here is what they sent me,

 

Day Pass Rate with a Special offer: With 10 or more persons, you will receive a 10% discount

OPTION 1

-Valid 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

-Includes full breakfast, house brand beverages, lunch, water sports (non-motorized)

-Price: US$75 US$67.50 per adult

US$45 US$40.50 per child for children 3-11 years, 12yrs & above- adult price

 

OPTION 2

- Valid 10:15a.m. - 5:00p.m.

-Includes continental breakfast, house brand beverages, lunch, water sports (non-motorized)

-Price: US$60 US$54.00 per adult

US$36 US$32.40 per child for children 3-11 years, 12yrs & above - adult price

 

I’ve copied in our Front Office Manager – Joyce Seaforth and Leroy John-Baptiste, Assistant Manager. Should you wish to proceed with a reservation, please be sure to make direct contact with either individual.

Thank you so much for your interest and we sure hope that we can welcome you to our side of paradise!

Regards, Patrice

 

We just called and reserved the days passes, It looks fantastic and perfect for our varied age groups as we have 10ppl travelling together.

 

Can not wait!!!

[Bags1967]

I can recommend Darkwood beach, pure white sand and crystal blue waters. It's about a 35 min ( very bumpy !!) ride from the port terminus. It's right by the roadside and it's easy enough to pick up a taxi (we paid $8 US per person one way) at the beach.

 

If you want an 'all inclusive resort type' beach then this won't be for you but there are loungers and parasols available - although I don't know the price as we didn;t use them. Try the chicken sandwich - arguably the best I've ever tasted !

[CincyCruiser22]

Here is an all inclusive resort that accomidates crusie passengers for the day, We have booked already for this resort look at some photos looks great!! Google "JollyBeach Resort Antigua"

 

Just got an email back with the pricing here is what they sent me,

 

Day Pass Rate with a Special offer: With 10 or more persons, you will receive a 10% discount

OPTION 1

-Valid 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

-Includes full breakfast, house brand beverages, lunch, water sports (non-motorized)

-Price: US$75 US$67.50 per adult

US$45 US$40.50 per child for children 3-11 years, 12yrs & above- adult price

 

OPTION 2

- Valid 10:15a.m. - 5:00p.m.

-Includes continental breakfast, house brand beverages, lunch, water sports (non-motorized)

-Price: US$60 US$54.00 per adult

US$36 US$32.40 per child for children 3-11 years, 12yrs & above - adult price

 

I’ve copied in our Front Office Manager – Joyce Seaforth and Leroy John-Baptiste, Assistant Manager. Should you wish to proceed with a reservation, please be sure to make direct contact with either individual.

Thank you so much for your interest and we sure hope that we can welcome you to our side of paradise!

Regards, Patrice

 

We just called and reserved the days passes, It looks fantastic and perfect for our varied age groups as we have 10ppl travelling together.

 

Can not wait!!!

 

Do you know how far this is by taxi from the cruise port? We want to go to Jolly Beach Resort for the day as well! Did you call the phone number on the website? Thanks!

[Lard Greystoke]

How far is jolly beach from the cruise terminal?

 

Just going on memory, but I believe about six or seven miles. It's on the west coast, south of St John's.

[DougYWG]

Jolly Harbour would be about a fifteen-minute ride from the port under normal conditions.

[kevinmm]

Hi.

It seems like we're going on the same cruise and ship as you. I think we will be just down the hall and one deck lower than you.

Antigua apparently has the best beaches in the Caribbean, with "Half Moon Bay Beach" being the best reviewed of all the beaches.

Half Moon Bay is straight across the Island from the port, but there doesn't seem to be a ship excursion to Half Moon Bay.

I would like to find out if there is a tour to Half Moon. If we decide not to hop in a cab to get there, we will likely end up on one of the 3 to 5 hour ship excursions to Runaway Beach near the port.

Half Moon Bay, Dickenson Bay and Runaway Beach are ranked the top 3 beaches in Antigua, respectively.

[cruisegal58]

how is the snorkeling at jolly beach? love to snorkel! cindy

[holdon216]

Anyone with more info on Half Moon Bay beach?? Dont really want to spend the $$$ for a day at an all inclusive when i can eat all i want on the ship!!! Seeing i payed for it. Anyone know if you can just go to Jolly beach and not get into the whole one day pass thingy???

[holdon216]

Kevin, They are ranked the "top three beaches" by whom??? I have heard Darkwood beach is very, very nice!!!! Plus you can take a bus there for 1.50pp.

[cruissett]

Kevin, They are ranked the "top three beaches" by whom??? I have heard Darkwood beach is very, very nice!!!! Plus you can take a bus there for 1.50pp.

 

 

Where and how do you get the bus??? Is it exact change and does the bus take US $$

[holdon216]

Cruiss...Don't quote me on this. It is just info i have read here on CC.

You take a 10minute walk to the local bus terminal it is bus #22...so i have read. I have also read that the taxi was 30.00 each way. HMMM ??? I am going to look more into the bus ride for 1.50pp. Sounds like a deal to me.

[Irish90Cruiser]

There are 366 beaches on the island so quite a few to choose from. We've gone out to Long Bay Beach on the east side of the island twice. It's beautiful and not overly crowded as it's pretty far from the port-30 min taxi ride. It has a nice beach bar with bathrooms to change in. The ride out there is interesting, passing through a couple villages with goats and chickens roaming the streets. I've read on here, and our driver said that Darkwood Beach on the west side of the island is also very nice.

[cruissett]

Many years ago we stayed a week on the island. Rented a car for 1 day and yes, the island is beautiful. A couple years ago we just took a cab to one of the beaches close by. Beautiful clear water. We leave on the Explorer on the 15th, may try one of the beaches mentioned in the posts but really don't want to spend a fortune on the taxi, and DH wants shade which not too many of the pictures show.

 

Thanks for the info

[shecht]

I'm on the Seranade of the Seas as well...1st cruise ever, can't wait!

[teresapink]

Aaggrrgh! I am so confused !

We are trying not to spend a ton of money on an excursion in Antigua, like Jolly Beach Resort, though it looks gorgeous! What we would like is a beach that has food, chairs , umbrellas and jet skis for the teens. What would be the best choice not too far from the ship and not ridiculously crowded?

 

T :)

[teresapink]

Also- is there a "public" area of Jolly beach?

T

[LBnJake]

We've done Dickenson Bay beach about 3-4 times already, have considered others but keep coming back because it is so nice and reasonable for a great beach day. What you describe is all there, but it does get somewhat crowded by around mid-day. It is a beautiful beach and very reasonable to get to from the ship.

[swom]

how is the snorkeling at jolly beach? love to snorkel! cindy

I'd like to know this also. I'm like Cindy, LOVE to snorkel!!!!!

[cruisegal58]

some people r talking about vally church beach, sounds great but, if the bus stops to let us off on the way to darkwood, how do we get back to the ship? there is not a bus stop from what i am reading..and it says do not walk to darkwood the road is bad?? cindy

[teresapink]

we were always thinking Dickinson but some photos I've seen look crowded and the beach looks small-----I didn't want to head out at 8am that day so I'm afraid we won't get chairs-we are 8 people!

 

T

[DougYWG]

Actually, Dickenson is the biggest beach on Antigua that I can think of. Go with it. It takes me 15 minutes to walk end-to-end. It may look narrow but it is wider than all the others. I see people praising Half Moon so I went to visit again on Saturday. Man, is it narrow! Dry sand between water's edge and the greenery is the width of one lounger. For a dwarf.

[GrantH2O]

I was at Darkwood Beach on 27 February 2009 via Sunshine Tours (sailed on Carnival Victory.

 

Darkwood Beach was very pretty with soft sand and turquois waters. The swimming was nice, but there was a decent wave break very close to shore and only some submerged rocks (right side of beach facing the water), so the sand was churned up causing low visibility. So we didn't attempt to snorkel much (there wasn't much to see anyway).

 

There is a good beach bar where we sampled the local Wadadli Lager.

 

The chairs were all rented out, but we caught some shade under some mangroves.

 

The drive back from the beach to the ship was around 20 minutes.

 

 

 

 

[ROBERTEVANOVER]

Hi Lb,

 

Is there a great beach bar at Dickenson's Bay? Last time we went to Runaway, this time it is between Darkwood (leaning to that one) and Dickenson.

[DougYWG]

On Dickenson you have a choice of Coconut Grove, The Beach or Sneaky Pete's. I would think the bars at Halcyon Cove would sell you a drink too. Does Tony's Watersports do food and drink? Don't know. There's also Sandals but you can't get in. Or you can stop in at the Village Store (Antigua Village parking lot) and buy your own out of the fridge.