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Another beach question....Jolly or Valley Church

cruisingallover

By cruisingallover,
in Antigua

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steve ch

steve ch

Posted
Posted
Just wondering about the details....US dollars? And is exact change required?

 

Also, is there a specific schedule for catching the return bus back to the pier area? We'll be there on a Monday and will have to be back on board by 4:30.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

 

That would be US$. If you get change, it will be in EC$.

 

The buses don't run to a specific schedule. They tend to wait until they're full then drive as fast as they can, to make the most money. They are frequent though. I doubt you'll have to wait long, but allow yourself at least half an hour spare. Don't forget it takes 10 minutes or so to walk back to the quayside from the bus station.

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

Posted
Posted
That would be US$. If you get change, it will be in EC$.

 

The buses don't run to a specific schedule. They tend to wait until they're full then drive as fast as they can, to make the most money. They are frequent though. I doubt you'll have to wait long, but allow yourself at least half an hour spare. Don't forget it takes 10 minutes or so to walk back to the quayside from the bus station.

 

Thank you Steve -- that's just the info I needed. :)

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Newfie27

Newfie27

Posted
Posted

Hello everyone,

We are also going to Antigua on the Summit, Feb. 1st. Does the restaurant on Valley Church take VISA or just $USA and what are the drink prices like. Are bathrooms available when you are on the beach or only attached to the restaurant. Do we need beach sohes (coral or rocks) or not. Thanks for the help. :)

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Elcruzer

Elcruzer

Posted
Posted
All beaches on Antigua are public, so you don't have to pay to be on them, but some are hard to get to without going through a hotel unless you have a boat. Fortunately Valley Church and Jolly both have road access, but in the case of Jolly Beach, the access road is often flooded by the laggon behind it. To get on to the beach, ask for directions to Castaways Beach Bar.

 

Incidentally, it's no longer possible to get to Valley Church from Jolly without going back to the road. There used to be a short cut through Cocos car park, but that's been blocked off.

 

Just jump on the #22 bus from the entrance to Jolly Harbour. It only takes a minute or two.

 

Is the Pineapple Beach Resort anywhere near Valley Church?

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Host Kewlguy

Host Kewlguy

Posted
Posted
I would also love to know the drink pricing at Valley Church? My boyfriend and I will in port in a few weeks and are still trying to decide between Valley Church and Jolly Beach. (We don't mind the crowded aspect..We like people!)

I asked about the bucket of beers and it was $15.00 US.

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Host Kewlguy

Host Kewlguy

Posted
Posted
We were at Valley Church Beach in November 2009. One of our favorite beaches in the Caribbean after 7 cruises.

We asked a cab driver at the pier for a ride and he told us $32 return and suggested we find 2 more people so the price per person would be lower.

I found another couple who were reluctant at first but on the way back they thanked us profusely for convincing them to go.

We agreed on a return time with the driver and he was waiting for us at the beach. We also didn't pay him until after the return trip.

 

Enjoy the beach but don't tell too many people as it is still a peaceful place with all of the amenities to enjoy a great day.

 

 

 

709030203_sMUd4-L.jpg

 

We were just there last week and it's already becoming too crowded. Although we did have two ships in port that day.

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

Posted
Posted
Hello everyone,

We are also going to Antigua on the Summit, Feb. 1st. Does the restaurant on Valley Church take VISA or just $USA and what are the drink prices like. Are bathrooms available when you are on the beach or only attached to the restaurant. Do we need beach sohes (coral or rocks) or not. Thanks for the help. :)

 

We were there last week, and the restaurant did accept VISA. Can't answer your question about drink prices, but the food was reasonable ($6 for a hot dog & fries, $16 for coconut shrimp & fries, $6 for pizza). The bathrooms are in a separate building from the restaurant, just a short walk away. We didn't need water shoes to go in the ocean; it was nice soft sand. But flip flops were helpful when we walked back from the sand and closer to the trees (which were GREAT for natural shade). Beautiful beach. Chairs were $5 each.

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Rob&joanne

Rob&joanne

Posted
Posted

How easy or how hard is it to get a taxi at Valley Church beach to go back to the cruise port ? I know we could arrange with the driver that takes us there to return at a particular time to pick us up, but we're not sure how long we might want to stay there....We would rather have the flexibility of returning when we want to. Any suggestions on where to get a cab back ? Thanks.

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

Posted
Posted
How easy or how hard is it to get a taxi at Valley Church beach to go back to the cruise port ? I know we could arrange with the driver that takes us there to return at a particular time to pick us up, but we're not sure how long we might want to stay there....We would rather have the flexibility of returning when we want to. Any suggestions on where to get a cab back ? Thanks.

 

We saw cabs at the beach just waiting to take people back to the pier. We took the bus, and while we waited for it, we also saw many cabs pass by on the main road, so either way, I don't think you'll have a problem getting a cab when you're ready for one.

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slstauber

slstauber

Posted
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We were at Valley Church Beach two weeks ago and it was by far the most beautiful beach I have ever been too. It's like the commercial where the couple are sitting in beach chairs and all you can see is the beach and their backs. As for getting to and from, we took a cab with two other couples and the cost was 16 per person RT. Kwame was our driver and when we got there he introduced us to Claudia who gave a real short intro to the beach. She also said that if one of us would decide to leave early or stay later than our agreed to time, she would call Kwame and make the arrangements. I have been to many beaches in the Carrib after 18 cruises and this is the one I will make sure to return too. You can't go wrong with Valley Church Beach

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

Posted
Posted
I will be going to Antiqua for the first time and I would like to visit Valley Church Beach - could you please tell me if it is easy to find the bus station from the port. Also I will be solo, do you think I'll be ok. Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you

 

Now that I've been there, I can answer this for you. From the dock, you walk straight -- and you'll have to go past a multitude of cab drivers all offering tours and/or rides to the beach. Just keep saying "NO THANKS" and keep going straight to Market Street and turn right. Then it's a short walk and you'll come to a fork in the road where you bear right (there's an enormous sculpture at that fork, you can't miss it). Once past the fork you'll come to the bus station on the right. We found #22 easily and climbed on board. It was air conditioned and comfortable. The only downside is we waited a good 30 minutes before the bus left, but once it did, the ride to Valley Church was only about 15. The driver will tell you when you're at the stop and you just walk down the access road to the beach. Reverse to get back to the ship later.

 

If you type in Market St, Antigua on Google maps, you'll see the pier, the streets, and the bus terminal. Hope this helps. :)

 

Here's a picture of that sculpture

152709516_P1000621DesktopResolution.jpg.49ffb6b1e0f2bda52f0294a978cd7cbc.jpg

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