We will be stopping in St. John's Antigua for a day in December as part of a crusie. So how best to use our time? Any good snorkling? A nice hike? Other ideas?

If I had only one day on Antigua, I would want to hire a taxi to go out to Harmony Hall to spend the day. It's a wonderful Italian restaurant (and small b&b) on a cliff overlooking the water, with the remains of an old sugar mill that has been converted to the bar, a small gift shop, and a lovely art gallery all on site. You can order several courses for the luncheon or just sample a few. The price of lunch includes transport on their private launch out to Green Island, a nice place for snorkeling and sunbathing. I'm not sure if they provide any snorkeling gear or not, as I always bring my own.

December is a very busy time for Harmony Hall and reservations would be essential if this sounds like a good way to spend the day. It's on the opposite side of the island from the cruise ship port, so you would get a nice little island tour on your way there & back. Probably close to a 45 minute drive, each way.

Snorkeling from shore on Antigua is somewhat limited. When the surf is calm and there haven't been any storms, it's pretty good from the beach at Long Bay. There are a couple of beach bars there and a place to rent beach chairs and snorkel gear. There's also the Beach House at the Long Bay Hotel, which deducts the cost of your beach chair from your bar tab or lunch tab.

Want to people watch? Check out Dickenson Bay on the northwest coast, not far from the port. You can walk along the beach, which is truly lovely, and visit with locals and tourists. No snorkeling at all from this beach.

There are some nice hikes not far from the port in St. John's. I've not been on them, but a friend has raved about them. Some of them incorporate the ruins of old forts that used to guard the harbor. check out www.antiguanice.com for more info on the hikes.

If the schedule is right, you could catch a cricket match. They have a really nice pitch near the airport and they're in the process of building one for hosting the World Cup in 2007.

You can also take a snorkeling day sail with Wadadli or Kokomo Cats. These are pretty much party boats when the cruise ships are in town. Free flowing booze, lively music, buffet lunch, and probably about 1.5 hours to snorkel.

Eli's Eco-Tour might be a better choice if you want to emphasize the snorkeling. He takes small groups out in kayaks, gives a nice overview of the flora and fauna of the area, and there's lots of time for snorkeling. As I recall, a bagged lunch is included.

There are tons of things to do with only one day. It just depends on your style and how much money you're willing to spend. Please let me know if you have more questions.

www.botours.com

We did a day tour with them and really enjoyed it. They will pick you up from the cruise ship dock, take you all over the island, feed you a wonderful homemade lunch, and give you an experience you'll truly enjoy!

Wow - thanks for the ideas, this is very helpful. How do I contact some of these folks, do they have web addresses or do I contact them once I get off the boat?

Harmony Hall is www.harmonyhall.com if you want to find their phone number or email to call ahead for reservations.

Eli's Eco tour info can be found on the Antigua-nice.com website. Same with Wadadli and Kokomo Cats.

And no doubt the cruise ship will pre-arrange several excurions. They will be more expensive than if you book on your own with a company, but the cruise booking will guarantee the ship will wait for you if something delays your return. Booking on your own, you have to absolutely make sure you're back in plenty of time.

If you just want to take a taxi tour of the island, just grab one from the queue at the pier and negotiate a rate for the time.

Nelson's Dockyard is a very nice place to explore on Antigua, but on cruise ship days it's absolutely mobbed. If you don't want to go the most crowded place on the island, stay away from here.

If you get back to St. John's town with plenty of time to spare, take a look around the town and check out St. John's cathedral or the very small Antigua & Barbuda museum that has done a good job on a miniscule budget.

Try Hemingways for a great meal right downtown. Second floor open balcony overlooking the street, great fun, fantastic food, always friendly staff. If you like to simply hang out at a more intimate smaller beachfront property your cruiseline can set you up with a trip to the Beachcomber.