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Antigua Information
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Antigua, in the Caribbean, is known for its beaches and its sailing history.
This large (108 square miles) island was home to the British fleet during colonial times when Lord Horiatio Nelson headquartered here. Sailing activities still center around English Harbour in the southeast of the island, where one of the world's foremost sailing events is held. Powdery beaches - 366 of them - are public, and range from deserted to lively. Finding the right one for you is part of the fun. The northwestern area is where you'll find most of the beaches, nightlife, shopping, watersports facilities and restaurants and is where most of the resorts and hotels are scattered. The reefs around Antigua provide wonderful snorkeling and diving spots. Because of its size and rich history there is much to do an see on Antigua aside from sunning on the beach. A selection of the activities are listed below.
Island Inns specializes in luxury hotels and villas in the Caribbean and Bahamas.
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INFORMATION ABOUT ANTIGUA
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BEACHES: All of Antigua's beaches are public. Some are totally secluded, some have resorts. Many of them are dazzling white sand and are protected by reefs so the water is warm and calm. On the Northwest coast the beaches are more developed with resorts providing watersport entertainment and restaurants. Beaches in the southwest and south are less developed while some on the east coast are completely protected by reefs. You can also find rough surf. There are coral reefs for snorkeling and beach bars for lunch. Exploring the many beaches available can be fun.
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SNORKLING AND DIVING: Coral reefs and shipwrecks surround most of Antigua, are host to colorful fish and dive sites. There is a lot to explore under the sea with visibility ranges from 50 to 140 feet. The most well-known site is Cades Reef which is an underwater park. Other places to go are Green Island, Sandy Island Reef, Horeseshoe Reef and Little Bird Island. Among the wrecks are the Andes, in 30ft. of water, the Harbour of St. John's and the Unknown Barge...all in Deep Bay. Varieties of coral abound along with an array of marine life. Dive shops are located nearly all round the island.
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WATERSPORTS: Dickenson Bay is the only beach with public hire of watersports equipment, and just about anything can be done...from water skiing, jet skis, sunfish sailing, even parasailing. Windsurfing for beginners, intermediates or experts can be found on Dickenson Bay and Dutchman's Bay.
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BOATING AND SAILING: The waters of Antigua are perfect for sailing. During May, Antigua Sailing Week goes into full swing, This is a major yacht-racing event and attracts hundreds of boats. The Antigua Yacht Club holds races throughout the year. On Antigua you can charter anything from a 20-foot ketch to a giant schooner. Or book a day cruise on the 108-foot "pirate ship" the Jolly Roger. This is the largest sailing ship in Antiguan waters and they offer lunch, snorkeling and dancing. There is a Glass Bottom Boat which takes people out to the coral reefs and there are also excursions to Bird Island. Boat trips around the island with stops at smaller islands can be arranged on catamarans.
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BICYCLING: Bicycling is fairly easy on Antigua, except in the hilly southern region. Rentals are available.
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TENNIS: Many courts are available, some floodlit. There are also squash courts.
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FISHING: There are deep sea fishing charters which go after game fish like marlin, wahoo and tuna. Half day and whole day charters are available. There is a sport fishing tournament held in May each year.
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EXPLORING: Nelson's Dockyard National Park, at English Harbour, is strategically located on the south coast in a fine natural harbour. It was an English garrisoned station during the Napoleonic Wars, and Admiral Nelson commanded here from 1784. This is a restored Georgian naval dockyard and the era is recaptured at the Admiral's House Museum. There are also crafts shops and restaurants and tours of the dockyard are given. You can trek the nature trails through the park wich have some great views of the coast. Betty's Hope was Antigua's first sugar plantation, founded in 1650 and you can tour the two restored windmills and view exhibits about this era when sugar production was a key industry. Devil's Bridge, a national park, is a natural formation, sculpted by the rough waves of the Atlantic. Blowholes, not easily visible at first, can be seen when the spray breaks through. Fig Tree Drive is about a 20 mile circular drive across the volcanic southwest hills.This picturesque, bumpy road takes you through a lush rain forest with its mangoes, pineapples and banana trees then descends to the southern coast where it passes through fishing villages. Fort James, constructed between 1704 and 1739 to guard the harbour of St. Johns, is mostly in ruins except for some walls and a few cannons but there is a wonderful view of the harbour. At Dow's Hill Interpretation Center you can view a multimedia presentation of all aspects of the island's history. Shirley Heights was named for General Shirley who fortified the hills guarding English Harbor in the late 18th century. It's known present day for its breathtaking view of the harbour, especially at sunset. In St. John's you can visit the Antigua and Barbuda Botanical Gardens established in 1893 and the Museum of Antigua & Barbuda which has exhibits from all eras of Antigua history from prehistoric days onwards.
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SHOPPING: Most of the shopping is located in St. John's. Harmony Hall has an excellent selection of Caribbean arts and crafts and there are ever changing exhibits. Heritage Quay is a shopping and entertainment destination which has 40 duty-free shops and a range of restaurants. Items include English woolens and linens, perfumes, liquors, jewelry, china and crystal. There are also special items made on Antigua which include straw work, batik, pottery, Antiguan rum, shell curios and silk-screened, hand-printed local designs on fabrics. Boutiques sell one-of-a-kind items and galleries offer caribbean art. You can also buy cuban cigars (but don't try to bring them back).
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NIGHTLIFE: With live music and dance bands, calypso singters or steel bands, there's a lot of nightlife in Antigua. Some nightclubs and bars are known for their hot music and dancing to international music, reggae and steel bands. Major casinos offer blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps and slot machines and are open until 3am.
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All contents of this web site are copyright (c)2002 by Island Inns LLC. All rights reserved.
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