Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Antigua vs. Aruba

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Antigua vs. Aruba

Help ? Planning a July honeymoon. Have narrowed destination down to Antigua or Aruba. Have never been to the Caribbean. We are looking for an all-inclusive resort. Want a conbination of great night-life and option to be alone. Prefer an island that is safe, friendly and has great historical and landscape sights. I have read about both islands, but we can't seem to make up our mind. Thanks !!!

I can't speak for Antigua but have been to Aruba several times. I believe the Marriott can go all inclusive and is quite nice. Aruba is a desert island but the resorts are beautiful, the people friendly and safety is NOT something I worry about in Aruba.

If you like historical sites, Antigua is one of the BEST places to visit in the Caribbean! My husband is a big history buff, and that's why we chose Antigua! It was the HQ of the British Navy's Caribbean fleet back in the 1700s and there are still several old forts all over the island. The English Harbor and Nelson's Dockyard areas are beautifully restored and very historic. Also, the windmills from the old sugar plantations are neat, too. I highly recommend taking a tour from Bo Tours to see the sights. www.botours.com They drove us up to the tops of the mountains to see the forst there- wow! The official Antigua website: www.geographia.com/antigua-barbuda There are lots of all-inclusives to choose from, including Sandals, Time Out, St. James, Curtain Bluff, Hawksbill, etc. We stayed at the Rex Halcyon Cove and it was OK. Be sure and go out to some local restaurants. There are so many to choose from, and most are very good. Home was by far our favorite, and Miller's By The Sea was fun, too. Don't miss the Sunday night party at Shirley's Heights. It starts int he late afternoon with a steel drum band and BBQ, and after sunset, a reggae band takes the stage. The whole island shows up - wow! Have a great trip. I wish I was there now...

We have been to both. Both are nice. However Antigua is nicer. Aruba is like going to Vegas if Vegas had beaches. Antigua is the real island experience.

My wife and I have been to both Islands. They're both wonderful in their own way but the one thing that stands out is that Antigua has NO nightlife. We stayed at the Tamarjin in Aruba, its OK. If you can get a room at the Wyndham in Aruba it would be an amazing Honeymoon!

I operate a (small) beach-front hotel in Antigua which gets quite a few honeymooners and have never noticed that they are particularly interested in night-life!

Go to Aruba!!!! Plenty of sunshine, great snorkeling, lots of wonderful places to stay, good nightlife, casinos, and plenty of romantic places to go. For information about Aruba, go to: www.aruba-bb.com--- and --- www.visitaruba.com-- these sites have lots of information on places to stay, things to do, where to eat, etc. All inclusive resorts to consider: the Marriott (www.marriott.com/vacation club/AUAAO);the Radisson (www.arubaradi- sson.com); the Wyndham (www.arubawydham. com). The Holiday Inn offers a semi- all inclusive plan (there are some surcharges on certain watersports and on some meal entrees). Their website is at: www.holidayinn-aruba.com Aruba has great nightlife-- go to: www.arubaadventures.com for information on their Bar-Hopping Party Bus called the Kukoo Kunuku, the Tattoo Dinner Cruise and the Mi Dushi Sailing Adventures with a rope swing! Plenty of things to do at night: Carlos and Charlie's, Iguana Joe's, Mambo Jambo, the Havana Club, etc. are some of the popular bars and discos; casinos at the high-rise hotels; shows and revues; many of the hotels have theme nights which often includes buffet dinners and entertainment. Plenty of options to be alone: a table for two at a romantic restaurant; wine on the beach; a romantic moonlight sail; DePalm Tours offers a romantic Dinner Cruise (see www.depalm.com)in the evenings, sailing along the the coast with the city lights on..... You will find the people of Aruba very friendly who welcome the tourists to their island. Aruba is also considered one of the safer islands to visit. You can feel safe walking along the beach in the evenings (there is a boardwalk in the high-rise hotel area). All of the hotels I mentioned are in the high-rise hotel area. The Marriott is a bit more secluded and is the most northernmost hotel. At the VisitAruba site, you will find a hotel map. In the low-rise hotel area, located on Eagle Beach, the following resorts offer an all-inclusive plan: The Divi Mega Beach Resort (www.diviaruba.com) and her sister resort, the Tamarijn (link to the Tamarijn is at the Divi website). Both resorts are not fancy, but very casual and cost less than the high rise hotels. Two other resorts in the low rise hotel area, the Manchebo and the Bucuti Resorts, do not offer all inclusive meal plans, but they do offer other meal plans (see www.bucuti.com--and www.manchebo.com). These two resorts cater to adults and couples more. Although children are allowed, there are no children's programs offered. Thus you will see few children. The Bucuti and the Manchebo are located on Manchebo Beach which is part of Eagle Beach. These resorts have the good fortune to share a wonderful, beautiful, huge, wide, uncrowded beach with plenty of shade huts and palm trees to seek shade. To a small degree, this beach is topless optional. These resorts are very quiet and laid-back. There is very little history on this island; however touring the island will find some of the more turbulent yet awesome coasts with wildly pounding surf of its Atlantic coastline. I'm sorry this post is so long-- if you want more info, e-mail me at [email protected] JanGail