Into the Wild: Safari Honeymoons

Antigua

Juggling snorkel gear in one hand and your picnic lunch in the other, you’ll slide off the boat knee-deep into the clearest water you’ve ever seen. As you wade ashore, look down and see how you’re scattering schools of fish, like the electric Blue Tangs. Just ahead is the blindingly white sand beach of Great Bird Island, an islet populated by countless wildlife and no humans. Ah, wilderness — Caribbean style.

Great Bird Island is a deserted islet just off the coast of Antigua that offers the adventure of spotting much of the local wildlife. There are exotic red-billed tropic birds, brown pelicans, whistling ducks, frigate birds, lizards and the super-rare Antiguan racer, a small and harmless snake found only on the island.

Photo courtesy of Jumby Bay

Follow a local guide on a short hike to the summit. It may surprise you how steep the climb is, given how flat the island looks from a distance. The reward is a glorious view of sea and nearby islands. Along the way you’ll likely spot lizards sunning themselves, frigate birds soaring overhead and pelicans dive-bombing head-first into the sea for their lunch. The island excursion also leaves plenty of time for snorkeling around the off-shore reef that teems with colorful coral and fish galore, including some surprises like upside-down jellyfish and even a couple of sea cucumbers. A few lazy fin-kicks bring you back to shore where you can spread out on the beach for a while and then tuck in under some shading seagrapes to enjoy the lunch your hosts at Jumby Bay have packed for you. 

Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, too, is a private island, but this one is home to people as well as wildlife. Located just off the northeastern coast of Antigua, these 300 acres house a luxe resort, as well as many stunning private villas. While all the rooms on property are sumptuous, the one-bedroom Estate Suites are just a bit more honeymoon ready, offering private touches such as intimate courtyard areas with outdoor garden showers and infinityedge pools overlooking the sea. Pick your favorite: Suite 44 is a bit more secluded because it’s on a cliff, while 23 is steps from the beach.

Photo courtesy of Jumby Bay

The property’s resident wildlife is also remarkable. The odd-looking sheep you see grazing across the island are direct descendants of those brought here in the 16th century by Spanish settlers. You’ll spot plenty of birds here, too from white egrets and blue pelicans to tiny yellow bananaquits, (locally known as sugar birds because they’ll try to invade your table to pilfer the sweet stuff).

And over on quiet Pasture Beach, the Jumby Hawksbill Turtle Project continues (2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the privately funded research project). If you’re on-island anytime between June and November, you can take an active role in this project by signing up to turtle-watch. Jumby Bay Resort offers cruises to Great Bird Island three days a week (room rates start at $995 a night and include meals; rosewoodhotels.com). 

—Brenda Fine