ANTIGUA
Area: Antigua & Barbuda
Location:
25 mls S of sister island of Barbuda. 55 mls E of St Kitts. International airport is 4 mls E of capital, St John's.
Telephone code from UK:
1 268
Website:
http://www.antigua-barbuda.org
Position:
In E Caribbean, at E edge of Leeward Islands, of which it is largest. Almost completely surrounded by reef.
Description:
Antigua has an area of 108 sq mls and a much-indented coastline, giving it its famed 365 beaches, one for each day of the year. Unlike some lusher neighbouring islands, the inland scenery is undramatic and quite flat, with only the SW being hilly. The island owes its relatively sparse greenery to deforestation during the sugar boom of the 18th century; in fact, over 100 stone mills from that wealthy period still dot the landscape. The capital St John's is a small town built on a grid system beside a harbour, and contains an impressive cathedral and a famous cricket ground. Cruise ships regularly dock here, dwarfing the capital and transforming the ordinarily quiet quayside into a colourful, vibrant market. English Harbour on the S coast contains the historic Nelson's Dockyard, a quaint little naval centre with inns and nautical buildings, many of which date from the 18th century, when this was an important base for the British navy. Neighbouring Falmouth Harbour is a small, relaxed village of informal restaurants and shops. Shirley Heights has the remains of substantial fortifications and provides a lookout point with fine views over the S coast. The tourist complex at Jolly Harbour in the W is a modern, self-contained village with shops, restaurants, villas and a golf course, all set around a marina filled with expensive yachts.
Suitability:
Wide range of well-heeled guests, particularly more affluent families and well-off Americans; popular wedding destination. Not for those seeking stunning scenery, culture or anything more than a good tan and organised entertainment.
Accommodation:
One of the most expensive Caribbean destinations, with even basic accommodation pricey. Hotels and self-catering properties _ varying in quality and services _ are scattered all round coast with many isolated at end of fairly rough access roads. Greatest concentration at Dickenson Bay.
Shopping:
Though fairly small, St John's has reasonable choice of shops including Heritage Quay for duty-free goods; a modern shopping mall is located a short distance to N. Handful of shops and stalls at English and Falmouth Harbours; limited shopping at Jolly Harbour complex. Farmers' market in St John's on Fri and Sat morning.
Beach:
Its main selling point, with miles of white, sometimes gritty, sand. With few exceptions, all hotels have beachside locations although, in terms of quality, some are better than others. Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay on NW coast are island's busiest, with Dickenson offering wide range of water sports. Most convenient beaches for St John's are Fort James and Deep Bay; surfers go for Galley Bay and there's a naturist beach at Hawksbill. Beaches on SW coast are generally less developed, although Caribbean Sea on this side of island is gentler and more suitable for water sports than rougher Atlantic coast to the E. Good family beaches on E coast are Half Moon Bay and Long Bay, which is protected by reefs.
Entertainments:
Daytime: abundant water sports including windsurfing, water-skiing, parasailing, jet-skis, pedalloes, catamarans and small sailboats; snorkelling and scuba-diving (several schools on island); golf; cricket; horse riding; kayaking; yacht charter; hiking to island's many hilltop fortifications, including Lookout Trail up to Shirley Heights; bird-watching; swimming with dolphins at Marina Bay. Free concerts (often with steel bands) on Sun afternoon and evening at Shirley Heights. In April/May Antigua Sailing Week draws racing yachts from all over world to English Harbour. Vibrant, colourful summer carnival (late July) around St John's. Nightlife: varied but concentrated at hotels, several of which have casinos; a few independent bars; weekly evening cruises; Sat night "party" cruises.
Eating:
Mainly restricted to hotels, where restaurants offer good-quality if expensive menus; some independent eateries at resort centres dotted around island. Range of cuisine includes seafood (specialities are red snapper and Caribbean lobster), Caribbean/West Indian, Italian and Chinese. A few fast-food outlets, including KFC. Local dishes to try: pepper pot, a spicy stew; fungee, cornmeal and okra pudding; and roti, curried vegetables and chicken wrapped in flatbread. Wadadli, the local beer, is also worth a sup.
Public-transport:
Limited local bus service, primarily private vans which operate to no fixed timetable and are often overcrowded. Taxis readily available at most hotels. Car and scooter hire (although latter is dangerous) can be arranged at airport or hotels; minimum age 25 and local licence required, obtainable via car-hire companies upon production of full British driving licence (charge).
Local-excursions:
Shopping and sightseeing in St John's; sightseeing and museum at Nelson's Dockyard; Betty's Hope, fully restored sugar mill; helicopter trips from Jolly Harbour complex; nearby islands, including Barbuda, by air; Dow's Hill Interpretation Centre for audiovisual tour of Antigua's history; glass-bottomed boat trips; organised dives to various sites, including Cades Reef (designated underwater park) and sunken wrecks (particularly wreck of the Andes, in 30 ft of water); deep-sea fishing trips; day cruises with lunch on nearby deserted islands; eco-tours of mangrove swamps and Bird Island with its live reef and rare wildlife.