ST JOHN’S ANTIGUA: BEACHES NEAR THE CRUISE PORT.
One of the things that we loved about docking at St John’s Cruise Port is just how easy it is to escape the crowds and find yourself on a postcard-perfect beach within minutes.
Whether you want something quiet and untouched or a lively beach with music and cocktails, Antigua gives, and the best part, is that you really don’t need an excursion to do it.
Here are three of the best beaches near the cruise port, all easy to reach independently.
Fort James Beach
Fort James Beach is the closest beach to the St John’s cruise port, and yet it feels wonderfully removed from the bustle of town. With soft white sand, calm turquoise water, and far fewer people than you’d expect, it’s an excellent choice if you’re craving a peaceful beach day.
If you’re looking to avoid the cruise crowds and enjoy a more local, laid-back atmosphere, Fort James is a fantastic option.
Getting there
From the cruise port, you can walk to Fort James Beach in around 45 minutes (3km). The walk leaves the port, heads through some residential areas before reaching a main road, which takes you down to the beach.
For us, these walks are often a highlight, those small glimpses of everyday island life really add to the experience. We felt perfectly safe throughout, although we did walk alongside another cruise couple who seemed a little uneasy being away from the main tourist areas.
If walking isn’t your thing, a taxi ride takes just 5–8 minutes, and we passed several taxis along the way. There were also taxis waiting at the beach for the return journey.
Facilities
At the far left of the beach, perched high on a hill, is Fort James itself, worth a look for the views alone. Below it sits Beachlimerz Beach Club, which looks lively and fun if you’re after food, drinks, and a social vibe.
As you enter the beach, you’ll find Millaz Beach Bar and Restaurant, where sunbeds and umbrellas are available for around $10 per day.
We saw a group horse-riding on this beach – it looked great fun. If you’re interested in that, you can book the activity here.
Runaway Bay
Just around the bay from Fort James lies Runaway Bay, and this beach truly feels like a deserted-island escape. The sand is pristine, the water crystal clear, and there’s an untouched feel here that’s increasingly rare.
As we walked along the shoreline, we were lucky enough to spot a baby turtle, this beach is a nesting ground, which makes it feel even more special.
If peace, quiet, and natural beauty are high on your list, Runaway Bay is hard to beat.
For me, it was just the kind of beach I could spend all day at – a good book, frequent dips in the sea – dreamy.
Getting there
From Fort James Beach, it’s an additional 20-minute walk (1.5km) along the coast, making it just over an hour on foot from the cruise port in total.
By car or taxi, the journey from the cruise terminal takes around 10 minutes.
Facilities
Facilities here are limited, which is part of the appeal. This is very much a “lay down your towel and relax” kind of beach.
That said, you can rent loungers from Mystic Beach Bar, where we were quoted $10 per bed, and as always in the Caribbean, there’s often room for a little friendly negotiation.
Dickenson Bay
Continuing clockwise from the cruise port brings you to Dickenson Bay, one of Antigua’s most famous and developed beach areas. This is where many visitors choose to stay for their entire holiday, thanks to its long stretch of sand, calm waters, and abundance of beachfront resorts.
Interestingly, I was actually meant to stay here five years ago, a trip that was cancelled due to Covid, so I was especially keen to finally see it in person.
The beach itself is beautiful, with powdery white sand and inviting water, but it’s worth noting that it’s much busier than Fort James or Runaway Bay. Many cruise passengers choose Dickenson Bay, so it can feel crowded, especially midday.
Getting there
We walked here from the cruise port, around 8km in total, stopping at Fort James and Runaway Bay along the way. It’s a long but easy walk if you enjoy stretching your legs.
If not, there’s a very convenient water taxi running directly from the cruise terminal to Dickenson Bay for $10 each way per person.
Taxis are equally easy to find and typically charge a similar rate.
Facilities
Dickenson Bay has everything you could want for a good beach day – pumping music, beach BBQs, pleasant spots for lunch and lots of sun loungers to rent. It usually costs $10 per bed, but you may be able to negotiate later on in the day.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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