This post is a look back at a previous trip to Antigua. I have been a lover of travel for quite some time. My blog gives me an opportunity to share some of my travel experiences with others. This was a birthday trip. It seems like many moons ago…..this was back in 2009. I have taken several birthday trips over the years but this was a special trip because I was celebrating a milestone birthday. This was the year that I turned 35, so like I said it seems like many moons ago, as I will be turning 46 this year. My nephew was also celebrating a milestone birthday. This was the year he turned 21, so I planned a trip for us to celebrate. This was basically a rest and relaxation beach vacation.
Antigua is a beautiful Caribbean Island located in the West Indies. I am pretty random with selecting my vacation spots. I typically pick a place I want to go, do a little research online and then book the vacation. I knew I wanted to spend my birthday on the beach, but didn’t know where. I decided on Antigua partly because I like the name (it just kind of stood out to me) and because its not an island that I often hear a lot of people say they have visited. I like to walk to the beat of my own drummer and explore new things. I sometimes find it boring to go where everybody else seems to frequent. I guess I just like to do my own thing.
After deciding on the location I did my research and learned that the population of Antigua is predominantly black (over 90%) and English is the official language. I have traveled to many places where English is not the official language but I typically rely on English speaking tour guides when going on excursions and exploring. I have gotten lost in a couple of non English speaking countries a few times, but always managed find my way back. Nonetheless, going to an English speaking country is definitely a plus, it gives you one less thing to worry about. Next, I checked out the travel requirements. There was no Visa required and no required immunizations. The recommended immunizations included Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid, and I was current on those. After reading up on the island and viewing some pictures online I was sure this would be a great destination.
I decided to book our stay at an all inclusive resort. I booked a 4 night stay. My nephew’s birthday is on July 9th so that was the day of departure. The flight was approximately eight hours. We left St. Louis on a 6 am flight and arrived in Antigua that afternoon, a little after 2 pm local time. My birthday is on July 12th, which was our last night at the resort. We checked out the next afternoon on July 13th.
The ride to the resort from the airport is typical to what you have probably heard about other islands. It seems that the majority of the population lives pretty modestly. Once you get to the resort, the scenery is a breath taking. We were greeted with a welcome drink, to my recollection it was some type of fruit juice. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The resort that we stayed at was Jolly Beach Resort and Spa. Upon completion of a quick internet search in completing this post, I discovered that the resort has since been renamed to Starfish Jolly Beach . My nephew and I shared a room. The room was quite typical but comfortable. It was furnished with two beds and all the basics. There was a nice balcony with a view of the beach. The resort is in a nice location and served the purpose of a relaxing beach getaway quite well.
We enjoyed the amenities at the resort including dining, relaxing on the beach and partaking in some water sports.
Antigua provided a great experience. I returned home nice and relaxed with a sun-kissed glow. Antigua is definitely an island that I would recommend if you are in search of a Caribbean getaway.
