Antigua Archives | Rum Therapy

May 2, 2021May 2, 2021

Tropical Islands with the Most Amazing Blue Water

My husband started it. That is, my obsession with tropical beaches with water so blue that you can’t take your eyes off of it. I had always dreamed about experiencing this amazing hue, but hadn’t gotten the chance to see it in person. Until our honeymoon in Hawaii….

Well, let’s just say I was hooked from that first Hawaiian beach we laid eyes on. The clear, azure water was absolutely mesmerizing and just as amazing as I had pictured in my mind. Since then, we have been lucky enough to enjoy many, many other beaches in Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Bahamas. They’re all different and most are beautiful in their own way – but there’s still just something about that blue, blue water.

If you’re looking to find a tropical island to visit with incredibly blue water, here’s our list of 12 Tropical Islands with the Most Amazing Blue Water to start with. Are these the only ones? Heck no. As you can tell by the number of entries, it was very hard to narrow it down and there are so many more islands worthy of a mention. We could have actually named several entire island chains with incredibly blue water – such as the British Virgin Islands, Exuma Cays, Abacos, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Islands, etc…, but space prohibited listing them all. These are some of our favorites to date for the amazing blue color of their water. Be sure to leave a comment with your favorites below!

Find out more about many of these beautiful island destinations here!

US Virgin Islands – Buck Island, St. Croix

Turks & Caicos – Leeward Beach, Providenciales

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC.
All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

November 1, 2017May 29, 2019

Destination: Antigua

Destination Antigua! Do you like beautiful beaches?

Are you looking for your next island getaway? Here are a few things to know about Antigua:
~ Antigua, along with Barbuda, is an independent Commonwealth nation that lies in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Leeward Island chain. Other islands close by are Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis.
~ The beautiful island of Antigua is approximately 108 sq. miles , has a population of about 80,000 and is fringed by gorgeous beaches. 365 of them to be exact. One for each day of the year!

What to do on Antigua:
~ Enjoy a beach or two!
~ Take in the stunning view from the Shirley Heights overlook. If you visit Shirley Heights on a Sunday afternoon, you will be treated to the weekly Sunday BBQ with live music and a party that goes on into the evening!
~ Spend a day hiking and exploring the historic forts of Nelson’t Dockyard. Enjoy the views over lunch of the scenic harbor and beautiful boats!
~ Stop at a fruit stand in the southern part of the island and try an Antigua Black Pineapple – so sweet and delicious, or other locally grown produce!
~ Go shopping in St. John’s at the Public Market and the Arts & Craft Market for Antiguan products made by local artists.
~ Sample some delicious English Harbour Rum!

Some of the Best Beaches & Beach Bars:
~ Jolly Beach (west) Beach Bar: Castaways
~ Dickenson Bay/Runaway Bay (northwest) Beach Bar: Anna’s on the Beach
~ Pigeon Point Beach (south) Beach Bar: Bumpkins
~ Ffrye’s Beach (west) Beach Bar: Dennis Cocktail Bar
~ Turner’s Beach (west) Beach Bar: Turner’s Beach Restaurant
~ Half Moon Bay (east) Beach Bar: Harry’s Bar
~ Long Bay Beach (east) Beach Bar: Barrow’s Chill-Out Bar

There are many ways to experience the beauty of Antigua, but here are a few featured properties and cruises. Rum Therapy Vacations would love to help you plan and book your Antigua vacation! Ready to start planning? Email [email protected] for more information on any of these hotels, resorts or cruises, or to find one that would suit your needs even better!

Hotels:
Curtain Bluff Resort – 72 rooms on a dramatic bluff, this resort is surrounded by tropical gardens and two sandy beaches.
Carlisle Bay – this 5 star resort with a private beach is near St. John’s and will absolutely pamper you in tropical luxury.

All-Inclusive Resorts:
Jumby Bay Resort – this private island all-inclusive resort features two beaches, Jumby Bay Beach with pristine, white sand, and Pasture Bay Beach, an untouched wild beach set aside as a protected nesting site for the Hawksbill Turtle.

Hermitage Bay – surround yourself in all-inclusive luxury! With tropical gardens and a white-sand beach, this intimate hotel is located on Antigua’s west coast.

Galley Bay Resort & Spa – this adult only all-inclusive faces a secluded, long, tranquil beach, and offers peaceful holidays for adults in West Indian-style beachfront rooms and Tahitian-style lagoonside cottages.

Cruise Vacations that make a stop in Antigua:
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, MSC, Disney, Crystal, Windstar

Are you ready to see Antigua? Email me at [email protected] to start planning your next vacation!

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

December 23, 2016July 26, 2019

Antigua and Barbuda Beach Bar Trail

Well this could come in handy!

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has released a Beach Bar Trail Map which highlights some of the best beaches and hotels on Antigua and it’s sister island Barbuda, AND beach bars – some of them well known and some local favorites.

Beach Bar Trail Map by Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
Click here for an expandable version

Some of these scenic bars are also a great place to sample authentic local cuisine and experience Antiguan culture. The inclusion of the hotels on the map makes it easy to see what beaches – and beach bars are in close proximity to where you will be staying.

Rum Punch at Dennis Cocktail Bar & Restaurant overlooking Ffryes Beach

How many of the beaches and bars on the map have you had a chance to visit? Tell us about it!

For more information on Antigua and other island destinations, be sure to check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

April 5, 2016May 29, 2019

Homemade Ginger Beer at Cloggy’s, Antigua

Recently, while in Antigua, we found ourselves exploring the dock, shops, amazing boats and sailing vessels around Falmouth Harbour in the Antigua Yacht Club Marina, and came across this sign.

Homemade Ginger Beer? Yes, please. We entered the second floor waterside establishment that also had an incredible view of the harbor, mega-yachts, sailing vessels and racing boats. The bar/restaurant’s name was Cloggy’s, and we were determined to sample the homemade ginger beer, even though it was only 10:00 in the morning.

We pulled up a stool at the bar and began chatting with the bartender, who was a bit distracted, trying to set up for the day, but pleasant and informative. We asked about the Homemade Ginger Beer and she mentioned that it was best sampled in a Dark ‘N Stormy. We agreed and ordered two.

We asked for a seat on the deck so we could check out the view of the harbour, but without a lunch reservation we were our of luck! So – they sent us to a small lounge on the deck where we could enjoy our beverage while checking out the…yachts.

How was the homemade ginger beer? Excellent! Such a strong gingery flavor and so different than the canned version we were used to. Reluctantly we paid our tab and moved on, determined to make a reservation to sample a meal at this on-the-water establishment the next time around. If you’re in the area – we recommend you at least sample the homemade ginger beer at Cloggy’s and check out the view of the mega-yachts and imagine racing on a boat like this…

Have you ever tried Homemade Ginger Beer? Have you ever been to Cloggy’s? Tell us about it!

Find Cloggy’s on our Antigua Map

To see more posts on Antigua and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

March 4, 2016May 29, 2019

9 Highlights of our Stay at St. James’s Club, Antigua

As soon as we were welcomed through the gates at the private, all-inclusive tropical hideaway, St. James’s Club on Mamora Bay, we knew we were going to enjoy our time at this charming Antiguan property.

We’d spent our first few days on Antigua relaxing in the tropical tranquility of the Verandah Resort & Spa – another Elite Island Resort and we had heard that St. James’s Club was equally as impressive, although each with their own appeal and personality.

In short – we had a wonderful, relaxing stay. There’s so much we could share (and hundreds of photos!) from our time there, but we’ll touch on some of our favorite memories of the resort through our list of “9 Highlights of our Stay at St. James’s Club, Antigua.”

1. Location.
St. James’s Club is located on the south end of Antigua and sits on a large peninsula between the ocean and Mamora Bay. Because of it’s location, it’s very private, there’s little traffic and the beaches are uncrowded.

2. The Royal Suites.
The St. James’s Club offers a variety of accommodations from regular guest rooms to 3 bedroom villas. Our accommodations during our stay? A Royal Suite, which featured a beautiful overlook of Mamora Bay, a private balcony, a large, well appointed room and a bottle of chilled bubbly to enjoy upon arrival. Cheers to that!

3. It’s All-Inclusive.
The all-inclusive plan allowed us to relax and enjoy all of the amenities (including non-motorized watersport equipment and lessons!), and all of the food and drinks we wanted without carrying around cash or worrying about the cost.

4. The Grounds.
The lush grounds are meticulously landscaped, tropical and great to wander through.

5. The Pools.
Although we normally gravitate to beaches, we found ourselves spending more time than usual soaking up the sunshine in and around one of the 6 beautiful pools on property.

Reef Deck Pool

Coco’s Pool

Tiered Pool

6. Dining Options
There are 4 restaurants on site – Rainbow Garden, Coco Beach Restaurant & Bar, The Docksider Grill and Piccolo Mondo, where you can enjoy an evening of fine dining overlooking Mamora Bay (there’s a surcharge per person for dinner at Piccolo Mondo). Between the 4, we had no problem finding a variety of cuisines and settings and some delicious options. In addition, there are 5 lounges and bars – AND a beach cart that drives around serving up beverages to those so relaxed and sun-kissed that they can’t make it to the nearest bar!

Dinner by the water at The Docksider Grill

Steak Salad for lunch at Coco Beach Restaurant & Bar

Rainbow Garden

7. The Resort Was Not Crowded
Even though we visited during high season and the large resort was fairly full according to staff, it never felt crowded. We appreciated the opportunity to find quiet spaces to relax and unwind, the restaurants were never overly noisy and we never had to wait long to use the watersport equipment. The only time it seemed busy was at night in the lounges when there was live music playing – and that’s when we appreciate a lively crowd!

Beach chairs on a dock overlooking Mamora Bay

Plenty of space to play – or just relax

Coco Beach

Watersports Equipment on Mamora Bay

8. The Staff
We had the chance to meet St. James’s Club General Manager Antoine Brown, an engaging man that has assembled a great staff that genuinely seems to care about making guests stay something special – and in our experience, the staff can make a huge difference in how you feel about your stay at a resort. Antoine sat with us and chatted about the history of the resort, the continued upgrades being made, amenities being added (a new 3,000 sq. ft. Fitness Center has opened since our visit) and an additional Antiguan resort that Elite Island Resorts has just taken over and are in the process of refurbishing! We saw Mr. Brown frequently during our visit, always greeting guests and staff and making sure everyone was satisfied.

9. Great Base
Although you never really need to leave St. James’s Club during your stay in Antigua because you literally have everything needed on property for a great and relaxing stay, the location is a great base for those, like us, who like to experience some of the island outside of the gates. You can rent a car at the resort for a day (or more) of exploration and we did just that, checking out the yachts in Great Harbour and Falmouth Harbour, sampling Antigua Black Pineapple at a roadside fruit stand and seeing some of the gorgeous beaches, such as Turner’s Beach, on the west side of the island.

Antigua Black Pineapple

There you have it – just a taste of the time we enjoyed at St. James’s Club on beautiful Antigua. Have you stayed at St. James’s Club or another Elite Island Resort? Tell us about it!

To find out more about St. James’s Club:

Visit their website: St. James’s Club
Find them on Facebook
Check out their tweets on Twitter
And see more photos on Instagram

Find St. James’s Club on our Antigua Map

To see more posts on Antigua and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

February 16, 2016May 29, 2019

Antigua Black Pineapple

Not long after we arrived in Antigua, we overheard a couple chatting about a species of pineapple grown on the island called the Antigua Black Pineapple.

We weren’t surprised that pineapple grew on Antigua – with it’s beautiful green, rolling hills, it appeared to be quite fertile. What surprised us was that we’d never heard of this species of pineapple that was said to be renowned for its crisp texture, low acid and high sugar content. In fact those that grow the Black Pineapple variety are said to choose quality over quantity to retain the extremely sweet taste in the golden yellow fruit. Touted, in fact, as the sweetest pineapple in the world! We wondered what it might taste like in a Frozen Pineapple Daiquiri, or perhaps a Pineapple Rum Punch? Anyway, we decided we had to try to find one and sample it.

Our journey to find this Antiguan delight took us to the south end of the island to an area called Old Road – apparently known as the fruit basket of Antigua.

We’d been told to keep our eyes open for fruit stands on the side of the road and sure enough we found several – all prominently displaying their stock of the local delicacy.

We stopped at a stand called Clemie’s and made a bee-line to the pineapple, but were suddenly sidetracked by a luscious array of fresh fruits and vegetables, including bananas and mangos – all grown in the nearby the fields.

After chatting with a group of women sitting on the side of the fruit stand about how to choose a ripe Black Pineapple, we looked through the stock on hand and picked a good one – we hoped.

Since we wanted to sample the pineapple immediately, we said yes when asked if we would like it prepared.

We were handed a Styrofoam container with several toothpicks poked in the top to give us quick access to the delicious looking fruit. We popped a piece in our mouths and savored it. How was it? SO sweet and delicious! But you should really try one yourself – just to make sure you agree.

Want to find out more? Claremont Farms also offers a tour of their Antigua Black Pineapple fields that we unfortunately learned of after our return. Find out about it here.

Have you tried Antigua Black Pineapple? Tell us about it!

Find Old Road on our Antigua Map

To see more posts on Antigua and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

February 7, 2016May 29, 2019

Enjoying the Tropical Tranquility of The Verandah Resort & Spa, Antigua

Imagine sitting on your private verandah enjoying the sight of a beautiful blue bay and the ocean beyond, while listening to waves gently lap the shore with bananquits cheerfully chirping. Sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? Oh, it was.

This was just a part of what we experienced at The Verandah Resort & Spa during our recent visit to Antigua.

The Verandah Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive resort located on 30 lush acres on the eastern coast of Antigua. Comprised of private cottages and villas nestled in verdant landscaping, the surroundings create the feel of escaping to an oasis of tropical tranquility. Not pretentious at all, the resort has a Caribbean casual feel – with class.

Front entrance

From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed. We were presented with a glass of cold rum punch and a lavender scented towel for refreshment and after checking in, we were whisked away to our waterfront cottage to begin our stay.

Lobby

We loved the look and the relaxed vibe of the resort. There are walking trails interspersed between the lovely cottages and villas – all with their own private verandah and many overlooking the bay and ocean beyond.

The cottages are set apart from each other for privacy

Beautiful walking paths

One of the cottages

Our suite overlooked a beautiful blue bay and we absolutely loved sipping a cup of coffee every morning while enjoying this view…

The view from our “verandah”

There are two beaches on property – one that offers a variety of watersport equipment such as kayaks, SUP boards and Hobie Cats.

Watersports on the main beach

The other, referenced as “the quiet beach” by other guests we met, offers lounges interspersed in the palm trees, a sand volleyball court and a beach bar & grill called the Rasta Bar.

The “quiet beach”

In addition to the two beaches on property, there is another beautiful Antiguan beach within walking distance outside of the resort called Long Bay.

Long Bay

We appreciated the additional beach option and enjoyed looking through the small kiosks with local vendors behind the beach.

Not that you ever need to leave the resort. The all-inclusive package includes your meals and drinks,

non-motorized watersports, beach lounge chairs and umbrellas, pools and fitness room, tennis, mini-golf, shuffleboard, ping-pong and more.

18 hole miniature golf course

We especially enjoyed the evening entertainment at the main bar where guests would congregate to enjoy live music, drinks, and the company of other guests in the warm tropical breeze.

Enjoying the evening entertainment

And speaking of pools. Although we usually can’t be torn away from the beach, the Verandah had some lovely pools – a total of three, I believe, and the main one is huge and a beautiful focal point in the center of the resort.

Main pool

Adult only pool

The adult only pool was a nice touch we thought, for those not vacationing with children.

The highlights of the resort for us:

1. The suites. We loved the look and feel of the spacious individual cottages, each with a private verandah.
2. The resort doesn’t feel crowded. Although it was high season and the staff told us they were quite full, none of the amenities ever felt crowded. There were always available chairs on the beach and at the pool and the dining areas were fairly quiet – even though there were a good number of families with small children vacationing while we were there.
3. The walking paths. We love to explore and take in the surroundings and at The Verandah there are plenty of beautiful paths to walk. And, if you end up getting tired while walking or are in a particular hurry to get somewhere, wait at one of the golf cart stops and someone will be by to pick you up.

4. The grounds. The tropical grounds are beautifully landscaped.

5. The staff. Overall, The Verandah has assembled a top-notch staff that seems to truly care about their guests – and we truly appreciated their efforts.

A few tips if you decide to book a vacation at The Verandah Resort & Spa:

1. Consider booking a waterfront suite. We found it very relaxing to look at the water from our balcony everyday.

2. If you are traveling with a family or a small group, be sure to look into the 2 bedroom villa options.

3. Include a transfer to and from the airport in your travel arrangements if this is your first stay on Antigua. There are very few road signs on Antigua and if you have not visited before, it can be a challenge to find the resort – especially at night. The Verandah does, however, offer daily car rentals if you want to explore the island for a day.

4. Get dinner reservations for the Buccaneer and Nicole’s (extra surcharge) as soon as you can so you don’t miss out. We were only at The Verandah for 3 days and unfortunately missed out on experiencing The Buccaneer and Nicole’s because we didn’t plan ahead.

4. Consult the Tour & Excursion desk to find out what they offer. Although we’d rented a car for the week, we went through the Tour & Excursion desk to book a shuttle to Shirley Heights on Sunday afternoon for the BBQ and sunset party. It was a great way to experience Shirley Heights. We were able to enjoy the party, a few rum drinks and the company of other Verandah guests but didn’t have to worry about getting ourselves back to the resort.

5. Check out the other attractions nearby. Take the short hike to Devil’s Bridge, interact with stingrays on an excursion to Stingray City and explore Betty’s Hope Sugar Plantation to learn about sugar production and it’s role in Antiguan history.

We had such a good time at The Verandah Resort & Spa that we were almost reluctant to leave and head to the next resort, but were we glad we did! Stay tuned to find out about our visit to St. James’s Club, another wonderful Elite Island Resort, located on the southern tip of the island!

To find out more about The Verandah Resort & Spa:

Visit their website: The Verandah Resort & Spa
Find them on Facebook
Check out their tweets on Twitter
And see more photos on Instagram

To see more posts on Antigua and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

Copyright©Rum Therapy
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC. All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.

February 3, 2016May 29, 2019

Turner’s Beach, Antigua

Turner’s Beach, also known as Crab Hill Beach, is located on the sunny southwestern side of Antigua in a village by the name of Crab Hill.

It’s easy to find Turner’s while traveling south about 10.5 miles on the main road from St. John’s, and once there, you’ll most likely want to stay awhile.

Our first glimpse of Turner’s Beach took our breath away. Those beautiful shades of blue… The water was calm that day and warm and we spent a good part of a beautiful day walking the soft sand and floating in the water.

To the left (looking at the beach) there is a small path up a hill that you can take that gives you a great view of the entire beach. On a clear day, you can faintly see Montserrat in the distance.

There are umbrellas to rent if you wish, and an open air beach bar appropriately called Turner’s where you can leisurely enjoy a drink or a bite to eat with a view of the stunning beach

Turner’s beach can get crowded when there are a lot of cruise ships in port, so if you want to explore it on a quieter day, be sure to check the cruise ship schedule. We found one here (look for the click here prompt).

With 365 beaches to choose from, Antigua is certainly a beach lovers paradise and from the ones we’ve gotten to visit so far, we’d have to Turner’s Beach on our list of one of Antigua’s best beaches.

Have you been to Turner’s Beach in Antigua? Tell us about it!

Find Turner’s Beach on our Antigua Map

To see more posts on Antigua and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory