Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua (St. John’s)

Antigua was our least favorite Caribbean island along our cruise itinerary. We had opted for an excursion planned by the ship, which included a kayak tour through Mangroves, a stop at a snorkel spot, and a walking tour on Laviscount Island which operates as an animal sanctuary for, among others, the Aldabra Giant Tortoise.

A huge percentage of Antigua’s coastline is covered in Mangroves (several different species), so our tour began with a 30 minute van ride to Mercer’s Creek Bay on the east coast of the island. We boarded a powerboat and were taken to the makeshift docks where 20-30 kayaks were tied up and waiting. We paddled for maybe 45 minutes around a small island in the bay (the coastline covered with mangroves), and then re-boarded the powerboat to head to our snorkel spot. We saw minimal animal or plant life at the snorkel location, though it was nice to get in the warm water.

Our guide then showed us where their daily Stingray City tours go, to allow people to swim with Stingrays. Though not captive, these stingrays (reaching wingspans of what appeared to be 3-5 feet across) hang out nearby anticipating regular feeding.

Our final stop of the tour was on Laviscount Island where we fed giant tortoises and saw birds and iguanas which were unable to be re-released into the wild.

The locals we encountered (tour guide hired by the cruise ship, the van driver contracted by the guide company, the actual water tour operator, and the guide at Laviscount Island) all had a very Rastafarian vibe.

The town of St. John’s (which we only saw via the Van as we departed and arrived at the port), appeared rundown and dirty, with many individuals loitering on street corners and doorways. We opted not to explore on foot, and after our tour, re-boarded Explora to enjoy lunch onboard.