Looking for an island honeymoon to relax with your significant other? Consider an Antigua honeymoon! From pristine beaches and adventure activities to fabulous, all-inclusive resorts, it’s an ideal place for a romantic trip.
This guest post is by Sara, the blogger behind Big Adventures with Little Feet. She, her boyfriend, and their two sons have spent many winters in Antigua and know the best things it has to offer couples. This post has affiliate links.
Why consider an Antigua island honeymoon?
Antigua, a jewel of the Caribbean, offers a romantic haven for couples. The island paradise boasts 365 Antiguan beaches, promising a serene sunset every day of the year. It’s an ideal honeymoon spot for water lovers. However, it also caters to those seeking thrills with activities like hiking, zip lining, and scuba diving.
Opt for a winter visit between December and April for a drier climate and escaping hurricane season. No matter when you go or what you want to do, choosing Antigua for honeymoon and romantic trips is a fabulous idea!
10 Things to Do for the Best Honeymoon Antigua Offers
1. Spend a day on the beach, followed by a sunset dinner.
As a couple on a romantic trip, find a stunning beach for a sunset view, then savor a meal afterward. Renting a car in Antigua will give you the freedom to explore at your own pace.
There’s a wide array of beaches to choose from, all different in their own way. Therefore, try a variety to make the most of your beach experience. And remember, always carry snorkel gear. Who knows, you might spot turtles and rays!
Here are a few places to enjoy the beach and dinner:
- Valley Church Beach is perhaps one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Antigua. It has white sand and turquoise waters and usually isn’t too busy. The restaurant, Sheer Rocks, is one of the most luxurious restaurants on the island with impeccable service.
- Runaway Beach is a very relaxing and calm beach located just around the corner from Dickenson Bay, one of the busiest beaches in Antigua. After sunset, Casa Roots is a fantastic restaurant to try that serves amazing quality local ingredients to prepare dishes that combine French and West Indian cuisine.
- Galleon Beach is a popular favorite beach. It is a stunning bay with yachts moored up in front and some of the top snorkeling on the island just moments away at Pillars of Hercules. Loose Cannon is a great combination of Ibiza-style beach vibes with tasty food. Owner Colin has Michelin stars at his restaurant back in England.
Considering a honeymoon to Antigua? Be sure to head to one of the beaches for a relaxing time on your romantic trip.
2. Book a romantic couples’ massage.
There’s nothing more relaxing as a couple than indulging in a massage. It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy a therapist working out tension at the start of a vacation. As a result, you’ll feel very relaxed. It’s important to maximize relaxation when you travel as a couple.
Most resorts in Antigua offer couples massages, and some, such as Royalton Antigua, offer an on-the-beach massage service, which is divine!
3. Zipline through the Antiguan rainforest.
There are only so many massages, sunsets, and romantic meals that some couples like to enjoy. In fact, many couples love to indulge in adventure activities together during a romantic trip.
The zipline course in Antigua is brilliant fun as you go from one part of the tropical rainforest to another. If you’re up for an extra adventure, book the tour that includes the ziplines and aerial walkway.
There are plenty of beautiful Antigua honeymoon spots for couples to enjoy on a newlywed trip.
4. Take a helicopter ride during your Antigua honeymoon.
If ziplining isn’t exciting enough for you and your significant other, strap in for an adventurous helicopter ride. What a cool thing to do as a couple in Antigua!
From the skies, you can really get a good feel for the size and feel of the island, including seeing the beautiful reefs from above. ]To give you an understanding of what you are looking at, your pilot will also act as an in-the-air tour guide.
What is really incredible about flying is looking down over the beautifully clear seas and seeing animals, such as stingrays, from above.
5. Swim with stingrays on your romantic trip.
Animal-loving couples will enjoy getting up close and personal with nature by swimming with stingrays. Stingray City is the perfect place to book your excursion. Watch stingrays as they gracefully glide in the water right next to you as you snorkel and swim.
Another interesting aspect is that you’ll get to hold a stingray, which is an amazing experience as a couple in Antigua. The guide will explain to you how to hold them carefully and keep them in the water, as it’s important that they stay wet.
Planning a honeymoon to Antigua? Make sure to swim with stingrays, which is an unforgettable experience.
6. Take a local cooking class together.
To learn more about the culture in Antigua, take a local cooking class. It’s the perfect way to take some local flavors and inspiration home with you. Nicole’s Table is a fabulous place to book your first culinary experience. Be sure to taste jerk-flavored food in their All About the Jerk class.
7. Drive around Antigua in a dune buggy.
Sure, you could rent a car or jeep or hire a taxi, but why not mix things up by taking a dune buggy?
Dune buggies offer off-road excursions across Antigua. You and your partner will take in some of the top sites, including Betty’s Hope, Devils’ Bridge, and Long Bay Beach. You will have a great time on the tour and get a different view of the island as you race about.
The best honeymoon Antigua offers is one that includes thrills like dune buggy rides across the sand.
8. Go sailing around the island of Antigua with your partner.
One of the best honeymoon experiences you can have in Antigua is to sail around and view the beautiful bays and beaches from the sea. Some of our favorite spots to sail include Carlisle Bay and Green Island.
There are several ways to get onto the water when you come to Antigua. One option is to take a tour of the island on a boat such as those organized on the Wadadli Cats or Xtreme Circumnav.
Wadadli Cats is good fun as it’s a party boat with good food and punchy rum punch. Alternatively, the great thing about Xtreme Circumnav is that it goes around the whole island. Additionally, it stops at Rendezvous Beach, which is an off-the-beaten-track paradise on the south coast of Antigua.
Alternatively, you could charter a private sail or motor yacht to take you wherever you want to go. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to go snorkeling, as you can find secluded spots to have to yourself. Head to Green Island, where you can often spot turtles swimming by the moored yachts.
Add sailing to your Antigua honeymoon itinerary. The waters are beautiful, and you just might spot turtles if you go snorkeling.
9. Dance the night away at Shirley Heights Lookout.
If you like music and dancing, then Shirley Heights Lookout is a must-see experience on the island. The party happens every Thursday and Sunday night.
Head to Shirley Heights Lookout around 5 pm (in winter) as the sunsets at 5:30/6 pm. The magic of going is listening to the steel band playing as the sun sets over English Harbour. The scene below is framed by flashes of pink or purple.
After sunset, the steel band is replaced by a fantastic local band that plays cover after fun cover. It won’t be long until the dance floor is crowded and the rum punch is flowing. There’s also a BBQ grill with meats ranging from chicken to beef to lobster. Order early, as it gets very busy after sunset.
10. Escape to the nearby island of Barbuda for a day or two.
Antigua is part of the country called Antigua and Barbuda, with Barbuda being Antigua’s little pretty sister. While it’s only a short express ferry boat ride from Antigua, it has an incredibly relaxed atmosphere about it.
For a small island, there is plenty to do. You can rock climb, hike, and explore the caves in Two Foot Bay National Park. Or, you can go camping, bird-watching, snorkeling, kayaking, or paddleboarding. And with almost zero light pollution, you can stargaze at night.
As a honeymoon couple, you might just choose to relax on one of the many beautiful beaches on the island, such as the famous Princess Diana Beach. Or, perhaps visit the amazing pink beach that stretches from the aptly named Pink Sand Beach all the way to Cedar Point Beach.
An Antigua and Barbuda honeymoon wouldn’t be complete without visiting both islands.
5 Best Antigua Honeymoon Resorts for Couples
Antigua is an amazing island to stay on for your honeymoon, as it has some incredible luxury resorts to choose from. The island has a really high concentration of adult-only resorts, which are perfect destinations for a post-wedding trip.
1. Coco Bay Resort
Located on the south-west of the island, Coco Bay Resort is set on one of the most beautiful beaches in Antigua. This exclusive, adults-only, all-inclusive resort serves as an ideal choice for couples and honeymooners in Antigua.
It’s also home to the award-winning Sheer Rocks Restaurant, voted the Best Restaurant in the Caribbean by Caribbean Journal. This is one of my favorite places to eat in Antigua. The food is amazing.
Spanning over 10 acres, this intimate retreat offers beautiful private views of the azure Caribbean ocean and features romantically designed cottages and suites in charming pastel hues.
2. Hermitage Bay Resort
An intimate 5-star experience in Antigua is guaranteed at Hermitage Bay Resort. It is set in a secluded bay, with its beautiful dark wood cottages nestled into the lush hillside. The beautiful location will transport you to your own personal paradise whether you stay for a few days or a couple of weeks.
Relax in your very own luxury beachfront suite, dine on delicious freshly prepared food, and take some time out for a couples’ treatment in the Garden Spa. Don’t miss out on visiting The Boonji Spaceman. It’s an incredible 22ft statue of a spaceman located at the end of the jetty in the resort. The perfect friend to photo-bomb you on a honeymoon selfie!
Antigua honeymoon all-inclusive resorts line the stunning coastlines.
3. Hodges Bay
Hodges Bay is one of the newest resort openings in Antigua and is delivering 5-star luxury with a personalized and informal flare. Sitting within 8 acres of lush tropical gardens and on one of the world’s most pristine coral sand beaches, this resort is incredible in every way.
If the beaches at the resort aren’t enough, then you can escape to their private island called Prickly Pear and relax under a cabana. Take a 5-minute boat ride there, or even opt to kayak out if you’re feeling energetic. Another option is to sail past Prickly Pear Island and have your own honeymoon castaway moment.
This resort is not all-inclusive. However, it does have everything you need available at the resort. Some accommodations even come with their own dedicated butler service.
4. Galley Bay Resort
With its private white sand beach, crystal blue ocean views, and 40 acres of lush tropical gardens, the all-inclusive Galley Bay Resort can lay a sizeable claim to being one of the best-located all-inclusive resorts in Antigua.
With an incredible selection of facilities, as well as on-beach dining options to choose from, you’ll find that there really is no reason to leave the resort. Both adventure and tranquillity are on the menu at this award-winning tropical paradise.
The best Antigua honeymoon resorts are located in various places throughout the island.
5. Sandals Grand Antigua Spa and Resort
If you’re looking for somewhere with a little more action and variety, then Sandals Grand Resort adult-only all-inclusive is the place for you. There are plenty of on-site activities and watersports. Additionally, it has six bars, seven restaurants, and six pools.
The great thing about its location is that the beach at Dickenson Bay has a whole host of extra activities, bars, and restaurants outside of the resort that you can enjoy. Why not hire a BBQ boat for the afternoon or swim out to the floating Kon Tiki Bar?
Activities for Your Antigua Honeymoon
Save our Antigua vacation honeymoon ideas!
Is Antigua a good honeymoon spot? Of course! There really is something for all couples who visit Antigua on a romantic trip. It has some amazing luxury resorts to choose from and over 365 beaches to enjoy. So, whether you are looking to take time to relax on the beach or have an adventure, Antigua really does have it all!
