Wadadli Living
Taking a page out of a local’s guide to the little Leeward Island of Antigua
The sovereign island state of Antigua & Barbuda stands out amongst the cast of Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean for laying a very unique claim. On paper, Antigua is legally home to 365 beaches. That’s right. This little junction along the seam where the Atlantic Ocean kisses the Caribbean Sea has conjured up a slice of paradise for every single day of the calendar year.
Antigua means “ancient” in Spanish, titled as such by Christopher Columbus to venerate the Santa Maria de la Antigua icon found in the Seville Cathedral. But before Antigua was ancient, it was “our own” or Wadadli according to the indigenous Guanahatabey people, which were eventually swallowed up by the invading and much more aggressive Arawak and Carib tribes from neighboring islands. And with the conclusion of our awfully brief history lesson, let’s find out what Wadadli living is all about.
Step 1:
Rent a car at the airport. Nothing that sits too close to the ground.
Step 2:
Turn off all email and text notifications.
Step 3:
Put on a bathing suit.
Now, sail fast and live slow.
Antigua Sailing Week:
In the spring, yachts journey from all across the globe to historic English and Falmouth Harbours to participate in an internationally renowned sailing event. This year will mark Antigua’s 53rd Sailing Week – to be held from the 25th of April to the 1st of May. Hailing from humble beginnings, this regatta has developed to become recognized as one of the leading yacht racing events in the Caribbean and one of the most prestigious worldwide. The drinks flow generously amongst onshore and offshore onlookers aboard spectator boats paralleling the racers throughout this week of adrenaline inducing battle. The anticipation at sea is palpable and the vibes on land are unmatched.
VinoJoe:
It’s no secret that I’m a breakfast whore. If I could maintain a healthy-ish lifestyle solely off of this sweet and savory category, I absolutely would. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll enjoy centrally located VinoJoe’s famous plate-sized pancakes and side of local fruit on any given weekday throughout your stay. The espresso to compliment them also exceeds expectation. I can’t speak for their wine on weeknights, though I don’t doubt the owner’s general offerings of palatable excellence one bit.
Antigua Rainforest Zipline Tours:
Roll down your rental’s windows. You’d be doing yourself a huge injustice to not feel the cool forest air tickle your forearms. Or feel the pockets of sunshine penetrating the canopy’s broad leaves while enjoying the lengthy ride along Fig Tree Drive. It’s one of the smoothest roads to be found on a little island never short of potholes. If feeling unusually adventurous, make a pit stop at Antigua’s only ziplining platform along the way. Antigua Rainforest Zipline Tours drops guests into the island’s lush, tropical foliage at a metered speed allowing you just enough time to take it all in while still feeling the rush of the wind in your hair. The smells, sights, and sounds of the jungle are always exhilarating. All the more so from a harness suspended in mid-air.
www.antiguarainforest.com
Darkwood & Turner’s Beach:
Heading south out of St. John’s bustling center, there’s a lot to take in along Valley Road as it crawls the length of the island’s western shore. You’ll be sure to pass more sheer bluffs and glistening beaches than you can count. And nowadays, you’ll also be graciously asked to heed the Sea Turtle Crossing signs along the way. Darkwood and Turner’s beaches were two of my personal mainstays throughout my childhood visits. Montserrat’s active volcano, just 27 miles southwest of Antigua, can be clearly seen from Turner’s on a cloudless day. During the on season, the restaurant and bar options covering the distance between both beaches are plentiful. Stay just long enough on either stretch of sand to catch the legendary sunset and avoid the sand flies.
Nelson’s Dockyard:
In the early 18th century, English Harbour was recognized by the British Royal Navy for its strategic importance. Because of its position at the island’s southern end, it served as a critical vantage point for monitoring French naval activity. It was also found to be the only harbour within the Eastern Caribbean large enough to accommodate naval ship repairs. The accompanying dockyard, thereby, grew in prominence throughout the century only to inherit British Admiral Horatio Nelson’s surname in honor of the years he spent on island enforcing British colonial law.
Today, Nelson’s Dockyard stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and provides a boon of sightseeing opportunities from hiking trails in the hills all the way down to Fort Berkeley seated just at the harbour’s mouth. Just down the road is Falmouth Harbor, which is home to a personal favorite because of its equally faultless positioning. Overlooking the sailboats and old wooden fishing vessels, Skullduggery Cafe is a popular stopover for coffee and a quick bite.
From St. John’s, English Harbour is a one way shot down winding All Saints Road. And that obnoxiously bright pink and green roadside stand along the way? Stop there. Sweet T’s Ice Cream Parlour and Snackette probably boasts some of the creamiest homemade ice cream in the Milky Way. A lofty statement, I know, but there’s never been a truer truth. It’s the perfect fix at the end of a long, hot day.
Sheer Rocks:
On the island’s west coast lies what can only be appropriately categorized a lover’s paradise. Cocobay Resort is an adult’s only, all-inclusive playground dotted with over 60 pastel-colored private cottages boasting pastoral charm. Dramatically situated atop a rocky bluff, the property claims an incredible panoramic view of Valley Church Bay and includes all of the amenities necessary to curating the perfect romantic getaway. Like natural stone “plunge pools,” which are really just privately sized infinity pools, positioned to face west and catch the sun before it dips below the horizon in the evening. You can clink to that.
And fear not, proud members of the lonely hearts club. There’s a public catalogue-worthy infinity pool you’re more than welcome to once a bar tab’s been opened. Dare to venture a little further into this oasis and you’ll also stumble upon (as we did) the chic Sheer Rocks Restaurant and Bar. Are the tapas pricey? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. I implore you to try…just try. To imagine a multi-level driftwood wraparound balcony protruding off of a rocky outcropping into the sea bound by little beyond bougainvilleas and strings of incandescent bulbs lightly swaying in the breeze. Breathtaking. That’s Sheer Rocks. You’re paying for an atmosphere and view only second to that found at Shirley Heights. Go alone and you might just fall in love with yourself for taking you.
www.sheer-rocks.com
Dickenson Bay:
Dickenson Bay’s waters are always reliantly calmer than those found on the island’s south side. While Sandals Resort claims a large portion of Dickenson Bay beach’s long stretch of sand, I’d say their next door neighbor Ana’s has won the title of “most fun” stretch. With waterfront seating and colorful cabanas for parties bringing their appetites or intent on paced day drinking, it’s family friendly by day and adult ready by night. Ana’s On the Beach, doubling as a restaurant and art gallery, has perfected the craft of cocktailing. That’s no surprise when you dabble in both realms of food and drink and art equitably.
One of my guilty pleasures for a fairly inexpensive midday burger and fries accompanied by a cold Stag (obviously) is rustic Coconut Grove Restaurant & Bar nestled right between Siboney Beach Club’s hotel rooms and private cottages. They also lay claim to a sliver of Dickenson Bay beach although taking a dip at either end is never frowned upon. This local waterfront bar epitomizes tranquil y tropical. For me, at least. Stick to Ana’s if you’re seeking something a bit more upbeat and upscale.
Adventure Antigua:
Adventure Antigua, run by third generation native Eli Fuller, offers no run-of-the-mill guided tour experience. Having grown up adventuring through the island’s North Sound by boat, Eli’s Adventure Antigua boating tours offers guests just that coupled with robust history lessons, guttural laughs, and memorable limes (if the complimentary rum punch intake is tempered). With tour offerings including the Xtreme Circumnav, the Eco Tour, and the Antigua Classic Yacht, he’s managed to appease all three tiers of comfort levels guests might seek skimming across Antigua’s stunning waters. Although I was incredibly torn between all three, we secured a last minute booking for the Xtreme Circumnav, which makes a pit stop at Stingray City and includes a Robinson Crusoe style lunch buffet on one of the outlying islands of the captain’s choice. The best advice I can give you besides remembering to pack that sun blocker? Be prepared to make friends.
Happy Heights:
Happy Heights is Antigua’s only guided tour provider that aims to familiarize visitors with the island using their god-given bipedal machines. Owner and lead guide Nicholas Hart is a true native that has amassed over 10+ years of experience hiking over and under Antigua’s hilly real estate while learning about its historic significance and floral and faunal makeup along the way. Having blazed many of his own trails or repurposed abandoned ones, visitors now have access to at least four rendezvous ranging in distance from 1 to 5 miles of varying difficulty. We tagged along on the Desmond/Carpenter’s Rock Trail at $60 USD per person because I’d heard so many phantasmagorical rumors surrounding a stop along the way called Mermaid Gardens. We were not disappointed.
Half Moon Bay:
I don’t care where you’re staying. Antigua is only 11 miles at its widest point making it, therefore, impossible to swing the “it’s too far” argument. Half Moon Bay is about a joy ride away, but easily holds bragging rights to the most stunning white sand beach of the alleged 365 to be found on the island. Why is it called Half Moon Bay, you ask? It’s shaped like a crescent moon making it absolutely dreamy even in shape. The waters entering the bay occasionally come in a bit rough, but there are calmer pockets behind the barricade that the interior coral reef tract provides. Climb your way across the cliffside at the very end of the beach and cover yourself in the natural clay. It’s the ever available free facial all of the locals know to take advantage of. And last but not least, the wooden and palm frond framed beach bar that greets you as you enter the parking lot is extremely deceptive in appearance. The seafood offerings, like the lobster rolls, and homemade sauces whipped up in that tiny ducked off kitchen are to die for.
Trade Winds Hotel:
If you took a wrong turn and ended up halfway down J. Hadeed Street, you may have unwittingly happened upon a beautifully stark white hotel nestled amongst a forest of bougainvilleas. Everything about Trade Winds Hotel is lovely, quaint, and inviting with only 50 rooms available for the booking year round. The full-bodied brunch menu and breathtaking view available at their Bayhouse Restaurant & Bar on a Sunday morning is one of the island’s locally best-kept secrets. Enjoy a morning cup of their French-pressed house blend and freshly baked breads while listening to the morning chatter of the native bananaquits as they flit from feeder to feeder along the balcony railing. Hummingbirds occasionally appear, too. Swan diving off of said railing and disappearing into the valley below. Be sure to call ahead and reserve a table in advance for the best seats in the house.
Shirley Heights:
Your last Sunday evening should provide you the opportunity to see everyone you befriended throughout your weeklong stay and a postcard worthy view of the historic English Harbor. Hosted every Sunday without fail and as close to the Milky Way as possible is one of Antigua’s most reliable limes. Climb your way through the winding hills to Shirley Heights, a former military lookout, for a night of dance, drink, and steel drums. Check stargazing off the list if the skies are forecasted to be clear. And, most importantly, come hungry. The dinner spread includes jerk chicken, pork, ribs and the like and all the traditional trimmings as well as equally mouthwatering hotdogs and cheeseburgers for those that prefer not to veer too far off the beaten path. Warning: the rum punch is true to its name. And the energy from the steel pan orchestra is infectious. You’re guaranteed to have a night for the books.
