Antigua
Hi Everyone! We've just returned from nearly two weeks in Antigua. The first several days were on the island, and the final week was on a charter sailboat. So I will make one post about the island, and a later post about charter boat sailing.
Antigua and Barbados is an independent country in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. It was Jen's first visit there, but I visited Antigua for a port visit back in 1992 or 1993 when I was in the Navy. It was one of my most memorable port visits in the Navy because we happened to arrive during their celebration of Carnival and Emancipation Day (end of slavery). I was treated to a parade of steel drum bands and elaborate dresses!
This visit was much more subdued. Instead of touring the island (we knew we would see a lot on the sailboat the following week) we decided to simply relax at a resort. We stayed at the Admiral's Inn and Gunpowder Suites in English Harbour on the southern end of the island.
English Harbour is a UNESCO-listed location known for it's colonial history and sailing culture. Although we were quite lazy during our stay there, we did take time to walk around the area and kayak around the harbor. Some of the primary attractions include:
Nelson's Dockyard - This dockyard has continuously operated since it was established in the 18th century. Admiral Horatio Nelson famously was stationed here which how it got it's name. It now has restaurants, a museum, and shopping, as well as boat services.
Galleon Beach - A beautiful beach offering nice sand, warm water, and some decent snorkeling.
Shirley Heights - A historic military lookout site overlooking the harbor with great views of the island and the ocean. It's famous for it's sunset party on Thursday nights where you can go to watch the sunset and listen to a steel drum band. We went up there for one of the Thursday night sunsets from the sailboat and it didn't disappoint.
Here's a link to a video of the steel drum band we saw at Shirley Heights: https://youtu.be/dow4v8VhQZY
We spent most of our time poolside at the hotel. Admiral's Inn and Gunpowder Suites offered very nice rooms, a great pool, and two restaurants overlooking the water. It was a little pricey, but we decided to treat ourselves while we were there.
We also tried a few restaurants and waterside bars in the area, all of which we could walk to. One of their common cocktails on the island was a Rum Old Fashioned. Similar to a whiskey old fashioned, but using rum instead of whiskey, and some added lime juice. I sampled several from different establishments! 😀
We tried several restaurants during our stay and we were not disappointed. All of the restaurants served good food and had great service. We had jerk chicken, sushi, Mahi sandwiches, and even some pizza.
We also went during the "offseason" on Antigua. We were very surprised that the restaurants were mostly empty. Apparently the busy season starts in November after hurricane season when numerous boats and other tourists visit the island. Antigua is considered the sailing capital of the Caribbean with its numerous sheltered harbors, steady trade winds, and sailboat support services.
Overall, Antigua was a great visit. Not a lot of "action" during the off season, but some nice beaches and restaurants, and the residents are very friendly. It's a little more expensive compared to US prices, but that was to be expected on an island.
After 4 nights of relaxation, we headed to Jolly Harbour to meet our friends and board our charter sailboat. More on that soon in our next post.
Thanks for following us, and safe travels on your summer vacations!
Peace and Love,
Mike and Jen
