After five years of trailblazing beach glamping in the Caribbean, we've figured out one thing - people want to try beach glamping but they have many fears and more questions. Here we answer your frequently asked questions about beach glamping with us.
Beach glamping is simply glamping on a beach right next to the ocean
FAQ: Beach Glamping
What is Beach Glamping?
Glamping is a kind of camping that is done in luxury tents and yurts that have many of the luxury touches you love and all of the nature you crave. Beach glamping is simply glamping on a beach right next to the ocean. You have a luxurious tent and all the enjoyment of a beach to yourself if you chose to glamp with Wild Lotus Glamping in Antigua.
Is Beach Glamping Safe? Do You Have Security?
This depends on the glamping grounds you use. At Wild Lotus Glamping we do security patrols of the beach during the day and at night. Because we’re family owned, we’re also happy to help with lighting BBQ’s and campfires if needed to prevent accidents.
Each tent in our beachside glamping resort has lockable doors and windows. Inside each tent there is a solid oak dresser with a safe for laptops and valuables. You can rest easy knowing that you can leave your belongings in the tent and that they will be secure. The iron gates are locked at sunset so that apart from our guests who have a key, there is no vehicular access to the beach after this time. As far as our location is concerned the environment itself provides a good measure of security. Valley Church Beach is safe largely because it is not possible to even see if anyone is there.
Do I Need to Use Mosquito Repellent While Beach Glamping?
Again, this depends on the beach you camp on. At Wild Lotus Glamping resort mosquitoes are not a major problem on the beach as it’s so breezy. But you may want to use repellent to be on the safe side. You’ll find that we provide a natural insect repellent body spray in the tent which is remarkably effective and gentle on your skin. It’s actually the sand flies that are more of a bugbear (pardon the pun). The sand flies tend to be more noticeable around sunset but if you wear a good insect repellent you will hardly notice them at all.
Another precaution you can take is to keep the mosquito nets on the tent doors and windows closed. That way, you keep the sand flies out but still let the sea breeze in!
What’s the Best Way to Get to Wild Lotus Glamping?
We advise you to book a private taxi with us. Dan, our driver, will be waiting for you at the airport holding a sign with your name on it. You can contact us to ask about booking a private taxi.
If you don’t choose to go the private route, you can also get a shared taxi but your journey from the airport may be a little longer depending on the number of people being dropped off before you. Be mindful that COVID precautions may mean that it is more practical to take a private taxi.
Hiring a car from the airport is another good option. If you’re driving, Valley Church Beach could be very easily missed. It is not very visible from the road. Even the thicket of trees and shrubs surrounding the lagoon and mangroves and creating an oasis for bird life is beautifully camouflaged from the road. But it is beyond the lagoon and mangroves where the most heavenly beach, Valley Church, lies. We’re on google maps so the Sat Nav will help you find us. You can also use these directions:
- As you come down Valley Road you will pass Jolly Harbour on your right.
- A little further along the road you will see Sugar Ridge on your left. Drive slowly and keep looking to your right. Even though Valley Church Beach is signposted, it’s easy to miss.
- To get to the beach you turn off the main road and go down a short track where you will see the heavy wrought iron gates at the entrance to the beach.
Is Valley Church Beach Private?
Yes, Wild Lotus Glamping and nearby Nest restaurant are both situated on private land. As the land is private the gates are opened and closed by us and the owners of the Nest restaurant exclusively. In fact, Valley Church Beach is so well secluded that even the locals who visit sometimes remark that they don't visit a lot because they forget that there's a private piece of paradise in our corner of Antigua!
Is it likely that we will be entirely alone on the beach?
As we have security patrols at night, travelers are rarely entirely on their own on the beach, unless they want to be.
One of things our guests love about our resort is the feeling that they own the beach even when there are other people around. You get to stare in a campfire, listen to the ebb and flow of the tide and get lost in the stars. But the best thing is-- whenever you’re ready to go to sleep, you just need to step inside the tent and get tucked up in a gorgeous solid brass antique bed. If you leave the door open and zip up the mosquito net, you’ll see the waves gently kissing the shoreline under the twinkling stars!
If you want the beach to yourselves or even extra security, let us know and we’ll try to fix it.
What is the Bathroom Situation?
We have gorgeous open air showers with solar powered hot showers attached to each tent . Standard flushing toilets that you would find anywhere in the Northern hemisphere are close by at the Nest restaurant where there are separate ladies and gents’ restrooms. We also have on site chemical flash toilets that are kept spotlessly clean.
How’s the Weather in November and December?
In the last two months of the year you can look forward to less rainfall, cooler temperatures, and cloudless skies. If you are beach glamping in November or December expect temperatures highs of 84 and lows of 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rain in the Caribbean is not rain as you may know it - there are no dark wet and gloomy days here. If it does rain in the dry season, it’s rarely for long and the rain is always warm.
Swimming in the sea when it is raining is utterly delightful.
Will Beach Bars and Restaurants be open?
Bars and restaurants began to re-open as soon as the borders opened after the pandemic. The closeby Nest restaurant is currently open and is only a few minutes away.
If you want to avoid crowds, let us know and we’ll arrange meals for you. The good thing about Wild Lotus Glamping is that everything you need is just a WhatsApp call away. Whether you fancy a picnic on the beach, a traditional Caribbean roti, or a trip to one of the lovely waterside restaurants at Jolly Harbour, we can arrange to pick you up or get whatever you need.
If you do go into Jolly Harbour, just a 2-minute drive away, our favorite restaurant is Miracles. It is simply the best Caribbean restaurant on the island, and they are the only restaurant that we would trust to give high quality authentic Caribbean food to our customers.
If you’ve booked direct, Miracles restaurant will deliver a fresh continental breakfast cooked to order, right to your tent. Breakfast is included for direct bookings only. Otherwise breakfast is 12 USD per person.
If you fancy a beach BBQ, that can also be arranged!
How About Drinks?
We have a private mini bar for hire! This is a perfect private beach bar where you can laze away the days. The mini bar comes stocked with all things Antiguan; craft beers, locally distilled Rums and Gins, and delicious fresh fruit juice mixers. Every night, just before sunset, we light Citronella oil torches outside the tents, along the beach and around the mini-bar. It’s absolutely magical!
Can I smoke Cannabis?
Antiguan law says that "a person who is in possession of a maximum of 15 grams of the drug Cannabis or Cannabis resin is not guilty of an offense”. It is perfectly legal to possess Cannabis, but not to sell it. If you are a smoker let us know and we will provide you with some local knowledge, ashtrays, and a separate waste bin (cigarette butts are not biodegradable so must be disposed of responsibly).
Our only rule is that we do not allow smoking anything inside the tents. The beach is a perfect place to unwind with your joint! Otherwise you will be charged for steam cleaning the tent and all furnishings.
We think we covered it all. Just in case we didn’t:
10 More Tips for Having a Great Time Beach Glamping at Wild Lotus
- Travel light – you won’t be wearing many clothes, it’s always warm even when it rains, and it never rains for long. Pack light long sleeved tops and loose trousers or long skirts for evening wear. These will give added protection from mosquitoes.
- Bring a good mosquito repellent but don’t worry if you forget this. You’ll find natural insect repellent body spray in the tent, which is remarkably effective, and gentle on your skin.
- Shared taxis are $26 USD from the airport. Private taxis are $40USD. It’s a 40-minute straight drive from the airport but a shared taxi may take longer depending on where passengers are being dropped off.
- We’ve got a lovely hand sanitizer for you made by Antilles Distillery. The same guys who make Antilles Pink Gin.
- Don’t worry about flashlights, firelighters or any other outdoor equipment. Everything you need is in the cupboard in your tent, including a solar powered phone charger.
- Wifi is free and open. The closer you are to the Nest the better the signal.
- Wear a good sunscreen and use fresh Aloe Vera when you get here. We’ve strategically placed Aloe Vera plants in pots at the back of the tents. Help yourself, just cut a leaf off as close to the base as you can and rub the juice on your skin.
- There’s no need to carry large amounts of cash. All invoices are emailed to you and payments are taken online. If we arrange your taxis and tours, we will take card payment for these also.
- You don’t need to pack towels or toiletries. Both beach towels and bath towels are provided as are soap and shampoo.
- Book direct with us and continental breakfast is free every morning. Otherwise you can buy our light continental breakfast for $12USD per person per day. Ready to book direct?
