Charles Duncombe - Holidaysplease

Antigua – So much more than 365 beaches....

When I was in short trousers at travel agency school learning about countries of the world I had to recite a hundred times “Antigua has got 365 beaches, one for every day of the year.”

When you speak to a travel agent today I bet it’s one of the first things they mention.

However on my recent trip to Antigua I soon realised that there is so much more to do on this amazing island. In 5 short days I did everything from feeding giant sea creatures to flying straight at an active volcano....

Day 1 – Kayaking at “Paddles” Kayaking

I thought what better way to ease yourself into a busy trip than splashing around in the mangroves surrounding Antigua?

We joined Conrad at Paddles Kayaking (http://www.antiguapaddles.com) who took us on a fascinating trip around the south east coast of the island. Conrad is an eco-evangelist (without the beard and strappy sandals!) who took great care in explaining how important the mangroves are to both the human and animal population of Antigua. It was fantastic to see the clear waters they help produce and the sea life swimming underneath my kayak.

I must confess our relaxation was broken slightly when Conrad challenged the other dozen kayaks on our trip to see whether they could beat me back to the pontoon. I felt like a sea captain being pursued by an armada of Caribbean pirates as we raced back!

Luckily we had some of the mandatory rum punch and banana cake (made by Conrad’s wife) to bring some life back to my legs.

Day 2 – “Ziplining” in the Antiguan Rainforest

Antiguans are some of the nicest people on the planet and so it was a great surprise to find some who like throwing tourist from the tops of trees. Quite why I agreed to be their next victim I’ll never know...

As I arrived at the Rainforest Canopy Tours (http://www.antiguarainforest.com) all I could hear from the forest were shrieks and screams. Not the most encouraging sign I thought.

However  I was told that that 20-30 well trained staff would help make sure that I would be swinging around the jungle like Tarzan after a double espresso in just 10 minutes.

I was strapped into my waist harness so securely that I probably won’t have children again ..... and that was fine by me. I stood at the first tree a good 100 ft from the valley below was clipped on to the double wire safety line and given a friendly push. I did my first zip like a true man .... with my eyes closed!

After that I “zipped” from tree to tree 9 times culminating in the “screamer” which is a massive 328 feet long and 300 feet high. By the time I did it I was so used to zipping that I had managed to open my eyes! With your eyes open and looking down you feel like putting your underpants over your trousers and pretending to be superman flying across the valley below. It was fantastic!

Then at the end I was one of the first ever people to take part in their new ride called the fan drop. I won’t say too much about it apart from it involves you jumping off a cliff with nothing more than an oversized desk fan to save you!

Day 3 – Helicopter trip around volcanic Montserrat

I must confess I am a pretty confident flyer. I believe all the statistics about it being the safest form of transport. However even my super logical brain starts to have doubts when you are flying straight towards a volcano spewing steam and ash thousands of feet into the air!!

We arrived at Caribbean helicopters (http://www.caribbeanhelicopters.com) in good time for a full safety briefing. I didn’t know what safety equipment you get when you fly at a volcano. I was expecting asbestos underpants as opposed to the yellow life vest I was actually given!

We took off from the helipad near Fort James and it was exhilarating straight away. You can see the take off on Youtube at Helicopter Tour Montserrat & Antigua  

We dramatically swooped over the large cruise ships moored in at Heritage Quay and spent 15 minutes flying over the brilliant blue waters between Antigua and Montserrat. We saw the volcano almost immediately as there was a column of bright white smoke soaring into the sky. I remember thinking that a distance Montserrat looked like a giant bonfire burning wet leaves.

We arrived and circled the volcano for around 20 minutes weaving in and out of the mountains and smelling that unique sulphur smell. The sheer scale of the volcano was jaw dropping. I also enjoyed the contrast of the brown volcano against the lush green surrounding hills. Volcano ash happens to be one of the best fertilisers in the world. Just a bit dangerous to collect that’s all!

The other fascinating aspect of the trip was seeing the old city of Plymouth that had been engulfed by an eruption in the late 1990’s. Seeing cars and houses perfectly preserved in mud was a truly unique experience.

Day 4 - Sting Ray City

When I was told I had a lunch date with a 5ft tall female that loves calamari I started to get excited. When I was then told it was going to be a sting ray I wasn’t quite so sure!

We arrived at Sting Ray City (http://www.stingraycityantigua.com) and were given a pretty uncomplicated safety briefing. I say uncomplicated because sting rays are pretty placid creatures. The main thing you need to remember is not to step on them and also to feed them underneath rather than at the top where their nose is. Otherwise you may get the reaction you would expect if you have just shoved some fish up someone’s nostrils!

After 10 minutes in the motor boat we arrived at the site and saw what looked like large black dustbin lids circling around the boat. We tentatively got in and immediately saw (and felt!) the sting rays weaving in and out of our legs.

I dare anyone on the planet not to release a shriek when a string ray brushes up the back of your legs. Yes I admit I was one.

I wanted to take it further on this first date and so one of the tour guides handed me a 5ft wide ray that seemed to be stroked into a semi-hypnotic state. Apparently the rays “sleep” if you hold them gently enough under their “wings”.

The date went well as it started to nuzzle up my chest! I then gave it some squid, declined the ensuing kiss and politely let the next person enjoy the experience. It was more of a speed date than a proper date but still highly fun!

One thing that I thought was particularly great about this trip was that there was a nice reef for you to snorkel around afterwards. In just 4ft of water I was amazed at the amount of sea-life we could see. Also as it was raining when we visited and our enjoyment was not dampened in any way, I can recommend this experience if you find yourself with a day that has wet weather forecast.

Day 5 – Segway Tour

Having done 4 days of strenuous activity I was excited by the thought of being driven around on space age vehicles. “Segways” are two wheeled vehicles which transport you around, keeping you balanced no matter how wobbly, shaky or drunk you are!

We arrived at the Segway office in St Johns (http://www.segwayantigua.com)  and were greeted with a friendly smile and a refreshing drink.

After a safety briefing we stepped onto these futuristic machines that seem to defy the laws of gravity ... as they remain upright despite only having two wheels.

I wouldn’t say we went quick learners as we had the speed of a procession of elderly people on futurist shopping scooters!

After a short road trip we arrived at one beach and tourists started to photograph us. I was tempted to say “Yes, we are from another planet and we mean you no harm!”

During the tour we visited James Fort which was set up by the British to help protect the island. There were some fantastic buildings and cannons which looked amazing with the volcanic island of Montserrat in the background.

We had some fresh fruit and water before we were allowed to “do our own thing” in the Fort grounds. We zoomed around like a visually impaired motorcycle display team!

When the instructors had seen enough “near misses” for their insurance policy we headed back to base. You can see part of our journey back on youtube at Segway Tour Antigua

It was a great way to end five fabulous days in Antigua.

However I am very tired.... now where is one of those 365 beaches......

About the writer:- Charles Duncombe, is an Antigua Holidays expert at travel company www.holidaysplease.co.uk

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