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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Antigua - second half of July or August?

15 replies

pralinegirl · 07/02/2009 17:21

We're looking at going here in summer but having got DH's agreement am nervous about weather. St Lucia in july when we went before DS had quick rainshowers and only 2 days at most with more in 14. I thought antigua was less humid and drier. But am going only on google - which of the above times is likely to be better - is August cheaper for good reason?!

Also any ideas for reasonable hotels but with fab beach and decent food?

OP posts:

wotzy · 07/02/2009 20:16

Antigua is reported to be dryer than most Caribbean islands. I don't think you'd notice much difference between July and August in the humidity, temperature or rainfall.

I would suggest staying on the Caribbean side rather than the Atlantic, the sea will be calmer, and better for children and watersports. Most hotels are positioned in sheltered coves or on parts of the island, with beaches both on the Atlantic and on the Caribbean side.

Suggestions: Reasonable resorts, with All Inclusive or room only option, try the rex resort called 'Halcyon Cove', it's on a lovely beach at Dickenson Bay and child ages go up to 16 and 2 children can share with 2 adults in most room types (expect standard rooms). More plush, more expensive St James Club, only operate on an All Inclusive basis. Also, do not confuse St James Club with 'The Beach Club at St James' which is a separate wing of the St James?s Club Hotel. You can't use the St James Club's facilities when staying at the cheaper Beach Club.

If it is without children, Galley Bay.

If you need more help ask.

Original poster

pralinegirl · 07/02/2009 20:28

Thanks for that, but will it rain or be cloudy a lot or for big parts of the day? As a guess!

OP posts:

newpup · 07/02/2009 20:49

Hello. Watzy. We are staying at The Beach Club at St James in April and you can use all the facilities at St. James's Club.

KerryMumbles · 07/02/2009 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KerryMumbles · 07/02/2009 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wotzy · 07/02/2009 22:45

newpup, OK I take that back about shared all inclusive facilities. But, the Beach Club is owned by Vhols, so I guess you are on a Vhols holiday as no-one else sells the Beach Club. VHols guest staying at the Beach Club can use the facilities at St James, yes like the beach and pools but the evening dining is charged locally on all, but two days of the week if you go to St James Club to eat. Drinks at all bars in St James?s Club (including pool bars) will be chargeable at any time if you are staying in The Beach Club. That is what I was getting at. It's not the same as being on the all inclusive at St James Club where it is all included.

wotzy · 07/02/2009 22:52

Go when you want. Who would guess I'd be sat in sun for 4 days in the north west, when the rest of the UK has snow! Who knows how much cloud, or rain, or course there is a higher chance if you go low season in Jun - Oct, but then you might not get any bad weather at all. And you might get rain out there in Jan through to May. Especially islands that have rain forests because by the nature of the word rain forest, you can tell that they actually generate rain, in the forest.

Even if it is cloudy in the day, the chances are you'll get sunburnt.

newpup · 08/02/2009 09:14

Wotzy, you are right we are going with vhols

My friend stayed at the beach club recently and raved about it. The apartment has wooden steps from the veranda that go straight onto the beach. The photos were amazing. The restaurant at The Beach Club was fantastic apparently and you can eat 2 nights at restaurants in St James's. She had a ball and recommended it highly ( she is normally very fussy)

Did you have a bad experience there?

wotzy · 08/02/2009 09:57

I am sure you will have a brilliant time. Antigua is lovely. It will be hot hot hot, every day. And no I have no first hand experience of the Beach Club.

newpup · 08/02/2009 12:19

Thanks wotzy. Was a bit worried you were going to say you had an awful time there!

Have you stayed at St Jame's? It looks lovely. Can you recommend things to do in Antigua? I have heard there is a stingray sanctuary.

wotzy · 08/02/2009 14:32

Go on the tripadvisor Antigua/Caribbean forum where you'll get lots more info, or visit the The official website of the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism at www.antigua-barbuda.org

TBH if you take a boat trip out you might see some free range stingrays and lots of flying fish!

newpup · 08/02/2009 15:58

I love tripadvisor, actually looked up The Beach Club on there before we booked

Get the impression you are not telling me something

wotzy · 08/02/2009 16:15

lol. No, not at all....
I'm just not a beardy branson fan in general, conflict of business interests. I am sure anyone would be that same if for instance you were a local shop owner and had to put up with Tescos as the competition. That is all I am saying. Enjoy. So yes I do work in travel, but won't say anything else. I'm not on MN for work, I am here to rant and sometimes have a laugh!

newpup · 08/02/2009 16:32

lol at 'not a beardy branson'. I understand thank you. Was getting a bit paranoid then
Thought you were going to say you went and it was an awful mosquito invested hovel or something!!!

Thanks for the tip about the sting rays. My absolute favourite animals. We went to Discovery cove in Orlando and I was in heaven in the sting ray pool. When I was 16 I went to the Bahamas with my parents and came up close with a ray in the wild. It was utterly amasing. I just lay in the water quite still as this giant creature swept past me.

DH thinks I am mad as it might have stung me but it saw me and knew I was there. I made no attempt to touch it, just let it do its thing!

Sorry, bit carried away there! Perhaps I should go into the travel business am always raving about places and making recommendations to people ( don't worry I do not have a beard or a record label!!}

peasoup · 15/02/2009 21:40

Sting ray city in Antigua is great. You can paddle amongst the rays and stroke them and feed them. It's so gorgeous. You may not get to see rays diving or snorkling, unless you're lucky, so it's worth a trip to the Sting ray City tourist attraction. I think they're a very ethical outfit, conservation minded, etc, so it isn't a cruel spectacle, (The swimming with dolphin's experiene is, however! So avoid that one , if it still exists that is as I think there was a lot of protest about it.)
Pigeon Beach near Nelsons Dockyard is a lovely safe beach to play pn for the kids, with calm lapping waters, no waves, and a gorgeous beach cafe, though a lot of stuff closes in the summer so unsure if the cafe stays open. Nelson's Dockyard is really beautiful to look round and lots of cafes and shopsand heritage, and then you can take a little water taxi from there over to Galleon Beach which is also nice calm water.

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