Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

We just got back from Antigua and it is a great island. The natives are >> >genuinely friendly and will do anything for you. Hopefully you will have >as >> >much fun and adventure as we did. We have been all over the Caribbean and >> >Antigua is a gem! I will recommend restaurants, places to go and people >to >> >see: >> > >> >Restaurants: >> > >> >Coconut Grove, Paddy is the owner. We had drinks with him for about 40 >> >minutes while we waited for our reservation which ran late. He bought the >> >drinks! What a wonderful man. This is one of the most romantic dinner >> >settings you can imagine. Right on the beach, the surf rolls up about >five >> >feet from your table. The food was outstanding, DO NOT MISS IT. This is >a >> >high end restaurant, the bill for 6 of us with a lot of alcohol and 3 >Cuban >> >cigars came to $350.00 US. Thats pretty reasonable. If you go make sure >to >> >tell Paddy Scott and Lisa from the Tradewinds via Boston sent you. >> > >> >Chez Pascal, Best French restaurant on the island. Food was superb and >> >ambience was to die for. Very quaint, high up on a mountain. Ask to sit >> next >> >to the pool outside- you'll love it here! This is a bit more expensive >but >> >well worth it if you like fine dinning. >> > >> >Julianes, voted best restaurant in Antigua. We really liked Julianes for >> >there outstanding food and service. They wait on you hand and foot. Yet >> >another quaint restaurant. Great presentation and priced about the same >as >> >Coconut Grove. I would do this restaurant third if you can. >> > >> >Don't go to Chutney's or Millers. Try to get to Home Restaurant. We >wanted >> >to but didn't have enough time. >> > >> >Catamaran, there are 3 to choose from. We went on the Wadadli Cats. It's >> the >> >biggest and offers shelter if it should rain and when you have to go >> through >> >the Atlantic stretch ( very rough, but fun if you dont mind a roller >coaste >> r >> >ride ). Speak to Jean Claude at Sea Sports on Dickensons Bay or call >him. >> >You can trust Jean Claude, tell him you want free tee shirts like Scott >and >> >Lisa and the Boston group who stayed at the Tradewinds or you wont go! >Hes >> a >> >great guy and his staff are equally as good. We went on a Tuesday. Thats >> >because his employee "Mouse" the happy Antigian goes every Tuesday - what >a >> >character. They picked us up at 9:30am and took us snorkeling around >> 11:30am >> >till 12:15pm. Then they served lunch and took us to Green Island for a >fun >> >beach thing till around 2:00. We then sailed completely around the island >> >and got back about 5:30pm. What a great time! Total cost $75.00/person, >> >includes all your food and alcohol. >> > >> >Jolly Roger pirate ship, also book through Jean Claude. If you want to >let >> >loose and party and maybe drink to much........this is the place to do >it. >> >It's a four hour booze cruise and dance fest. We had a blast. >> > >> >Shirley Heights, on SUNDAY! Best time you'll have. your taxi driver >> Sammy) >> >will take you first on a tour to Devil's Bridge and then on up the >mountain >> >about 1000 feet or so. There you will see the best sunset and view of >your >> >life. They have a steel band from 4-7 and then a party starts at 7:30- >> 10:30 >> >with a reggae band. Get there early, around 4-4:30. They also have a big >> >barbecue. We had the best time there. Get ready for fun! >> > >> >Sammy ( yellow bus ) taxi driver, we wanted to take him home. We used him >> >night and day exclusively. He took us for tours and gave us the history >of >> >the island, often for free. He would just ask for a tip. We took care of >> >Sammy because we could count on him and he was honest. Try to find that >> from >> >a Caribbean taxi driver, can you say oxy moron. I'll give you his #'s: >> >Cell: 268-464-6007, Home: 268-462-2540. Call him to set up your transport >> >from the airport and tell him we sent you. >> > >> >Wow, my fingers are tired. Beaches, Royal Antigen beach, Turner and >> >Dickenson Bay were all nice. >> > >> >I hope this helps, let me know how your trip went. When are you leaving? >> > >> >Good Luck, Scott and Lisa. Thanks for the good recommendation. I am glad that you enjoyed it at my watersports and the guys (Mouse&Clinton included) send a big and warm Hello. Anyone coming to Antigua, and need anything concerning watersports or any type of boat trip, contact me(Jean-Claude) at my email address([email protected]) or telephone me at 268-462-3355. Hope to hear from you soon. Bye Scott and Lisa. Tell the others hello for me. Yours truly, Jean-Claude