Antigua VIP Tours - Semi-Private Gold Tour





Description
Experience Antigua in privacy and comfort in 5 hours on our Semi-Private tour and enjoy beach views, get a glimpse into our history and culture, taste local rum, and enjoy our national fruit, the black pineapple. The tour is not complete without a stop at one of our 365 beaches for an opportunity to swim, snorkel, or just bury your feet in the powder white sand. Be sure to bring your swimwear and your camera to capture the unforgettable moments.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Nelson’s Dockyard is the largest of Antigua’s National Parks and is still used today as a working dockyard for numerous yachts and ships. The restored eighteenth- and nineteenth-century buildings of the Dockyard are presently home to shops, hotels and marina businesses. Outside the dockyard, historic forts dot the landscape of the park accessible by hiking trails which allow visitors to enjoy the park’s scenic and natural beauty. There is endless opportunity to capture the beauty of the parks. With many glorious boats in the dockyard, the beautiful harbour, the historic sites and the unforgettable views will leave you in awww.
Betty’s Hope was a sugarcane plantation in Antigua. It was established in 1650, shortly after the island had become an English colony, and flourished as a successful agricultural industrial enterprise during the centuries of slavery. It was the first large-scale sugar plantation to operate in Antigua and belonged to the Codrington family from 1674 until 1944. Christopher Codrington, later Captain General of the Leeward Islands, acquired the property in 1674 and named it Betty’s Hope, after his daughter. Betty's Hope is no longer operational as a plantation. However, the structures which consist of the twin windmills, the Cistern Complex have been restored in serviceable condition, the Great House (Buff or Estate House) in ruins, the Boiling House where sixteen copper hoppers which were used to boil cane juice to produce crystalline sugar, and the Still House, a distillery was used for manufacturing rum. A visitor center has been created by converting a former cotton house storeroom into a museum. This includes various aspects of the plantation's history and shows early estate plans, pictures and maps, artifacts and a model of the central site to giving an overview of the of "Betty's Hope". A interesting peak into Antigua’s history.
Devil's Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea from soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation, a geological division of the flat north-eastern part of Antigua. A bridge was created when a soft part of the limestone eroded away by action of Atlantic breakers over countless centuries. During calm days, you can enjoy a walk on the rocks that form the bridge and on days when the water is shooting up, enjoy the sea sprays. Devil’s Bridge is quite an experience.
Valley church beach is a popular destination for many. It has lovely water and good facilities. The beach has quite grainy sand which is very soft. One of Antigua’s 365 pristine white sand beaches, located in the Jolly Harbour area. Swim, snorkel, relax or just bury your feet in the powder like sand and enjoy the views.
Dow’s Hill has an interpretation centre offers a knowledgeable 15 minute video presentation on the history, culture and heritage of Antigua and Barbuda. It takes you back to a time that have made Antigua what it is today. It offers a fascinating insight into the Antiguan way of life and if you are looking for an introduction to Antigua, we strongly recommend visiting Dow’s Hill for a relaxed and informative start to your visit on the island. Café and gift shop on site.
Drive up to Shirley Heights and stroll around the old military fortifications. The buildings have been adapted to function as a restaurant and bar. A spectacular view over English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour greets you, showing a scene that is often used as the iconic image of Antigua. A visit to Shirley Heights is considered one of the must do events in Antigua.
High above English Harbour in Nelson’s Dockyard National Park sits the Blockhouse, a brick ruin. On a perch overlooking the southeastern coast of Antigua, the circa-1787 site encompasses an officer’s quarters and those of servants, as well as stables. An ammunition-storage space, a catchment and a cistern have been restored in recent years. A great piece of Antigua’s history.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This tour begins at 9:30AM. We do pickups from all ports, vacation homes, Airbnb properties, private homes, all other accommodation properties or any point on the island. If you are staying at an Airbnb property or private home, please provide directions. Staying at Sandals Resort? Please let us know if you are on the Caribbean or Mediterranean side. Arriving at the Antigua Cruise Port? Your ship will dock in the shopping center where there are two sections; Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay. Our representative who will be carrying a handheld Antigua VIP Tours sign will be awaiting you at our meeting point, which is in ZONE 7 at Heritage Quay Shopping Center. GETTING TO THE MEETING POINT If you’re docked at the Heritage Quay Pier walk straight ahead and as you exit you will see the different zones on your left. Feel free to ask for directions. If you’re docked at Redcliffe Quay Pier, please make a left as soon as you exit and walk along the boardwalk until you get to the Heritage Quay Pier. At this pier, make a right and as you walk straight ahead, the zones will be ahead of you, look for ZONE 7
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Reviews(154)
We were contacted less than an hour before we were to be picked up that the driver could not make it to pick us up. It was our last full day and very disappointed as we could have chosen another company.
We sincerely apologize for your experience and completely understand your disappointment, especially since it was your last full day in Antigua. Unfortunately, our driver experienced an unexpected emergency just before your scheduled pickup. We were notified with very little notice ourselves, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to make alternative arrangements in time. We understand how frustrating this was, and we are truly sorry that it affected your plans. While this situation was beyond our control, we fully appreciate the inconvenience it caused. We are only human, and sometimes unforeseen emergencies do occur. Should you return to Antigua in the future, we would be delighted to offer you and one guest the exact same tour you originally booked at *50% off* as a gesture of goodwill. Once again, we sincerely apologize and thank you for your understanding.
I read the reviews and Stefon came highly recommended. He did not disappoint! We hit all the locations that were advertised & Stefon was so knowledgeable about each area. Two thumbs up!
Enjoyable tour with a friendly guide providing cultural information. What was upsetting was there were two stops that we didn't get to in which one of them was one that we considered to be the most important one, Valley Church Beach. Antigua is famous for its beaches and we didn't get to experience it. Unacceptable. The other site was the Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre which would have given us the historical background of the island. Very disappointing.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear you found the guide friendly and the cultural information enjoyable. However, due to the amount of time spent in Dockyard by your group and the required return time to your cruise ship, we were unable to accommodate all planned stops on this occasion. We do, however, pride ourselves on ensuring all guests are returned to their ship on time and safely. We appreciate your understanding and hope you still enjoyed your time in Antigua.
We saw all the cool views and sites of Antigua that we were hoping to see, Troy and Stephan were amazing guides and very friendly you can Taylor the tour to be in a spot you’re exploring for longer than others if your less interested. They offer information on everything you pass not just the sites you stop at. Drinks included in the tour and air conditioning in the van so it’s very comfortable. 10/10 recommend.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the views and had a great time with Troy and Stephan. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Antigua again soon!
This VIP tour was amazing. We hit all of the landmarks - Devil's Bridge, Shirley Heights, Nelson's Dockyard, Betty's Hope, Long Bay Beach, Valley Church Beach, Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre, and The Blockhouse. Even though the tour is 5 hours, it goes by really fast. It is almost not enough time to experience all of these wonderful sites.
The tour was the perfect way to see the beautiful island in one day. Stephan was an excellent and knowledgable tour guide and there were plenty of photo opportunities along the journey. Thank you so much for making our day out amazing!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled you had such an amazing day exploring the island. We’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to Stephan—he’ll be delighted. We hope to welcome you again soon!
Great experience. Knowledgeable driver very informative
we had a very fun day going around the South part of the island. our guide Sean was very engaging and knowledgeable. the various stops were relatively short, 15 minutes or so, but that was adequate for each of the places we visited. the devil's bridge is very interesting as well as the views from Shirley heights and the English harbor. we would definitely recommend.
Thank you for your kind review! We’re so glad you enjoyed exploring the south side with Sean—he’ll be happy to hear your feedback. We’re also happy you loved Devil’s Bridge and the views from Shirley Heights and English Harbour. Thanks again for the recommendation!
What an amazing day from start to finish. Rob our driver was very friendly and informative. Pick up time was prompt and the day was so well organised. We shared with only one other couple from Canada which was lovely. The sights from Shirley Heights were breathtaking and Long Bay beach the most beautiful I have ever seen. I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Antigua. My thanks and appreciation to Rob our driver for making it so enjoyable.
Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had an amazing day and enjoyed the sights, especially Shirley Heights and Long Bay ! We’ll be sure to pass your appreciation on to Rob. Thanks for the recommendation!
Great experience and Rob was the best! Would definitely recommend and look forward to doing again. Travelled the whole island and saw the beautiful island.
Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had a great experience with Rob and enjoyed exploring the island. We’d love to have you again!



