Cades Reef is a 2 1/2-mile-long barrier reef and designated underwater park on the southwestern side of Antigua, approximately a 15-minute drive from the capital St. John's. Boats and catamarans depart from the island from St. John's, Jolly Harbour and Coco Bay, and you can easily be at the reef in less than an hour.
Snorkeling and scuba diving are available at Cades Reef and can be organized by your hotel. Some tour operators complement a tour with extra entertainment, such as limbo dancing, beach cricket, steel bands and a beach barbecue, but it is the magnificent colors of the tropical fish and soft coral that prove unforgettable.
Cades Reef offers shallow diving up to 10 meters deep for easy access and the marine life is abundant. A typical diver can see barracuda, stingrays, turtles, moorays, jacks and permit shark. The warm water rarely dips below 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
Many of Antigua's hotels can help organize a snorkel or dive trip to Cades Reef. South Coast Horizons in Cade Bay is ideally placed between the mountainous Boggy Peak and the Caribbean Sea, just a quarter-mile from the reef. You can start your day by swimming with stingrays and snorkel or kayak out to the reef. The hotels can also organize eco-tours of the lagoon. Cocobay to the north is one of the island's most romantic retreats with pastel cottages. Tours to Cades Reef are arranged by its tour Desk.
Once you've returned to land, Antigua offers an abundance of entertainment, historical sites, restaurants and nightlife to explore. There is an active year-round calendar of events and an annual 10-day carnival with pageants and activities. The capital, St. John's offers vibrant street life and a colorful farmers market on Friday and Saturday mornings, while the museum offers a handy introduction the island's history and has models of an Arawak house and sugar plantation.
