The Mini Rough Guide to Antigua & Barbuda (Travel Guide eBook)

By Rough Guides

This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Antigua & Barbuda. It covers top attractions like the Cathedral of St John the Divine, Radcliffe Quay and Nelson's Dockyard, as well as hidden gems, including a trip to Betty's Hope, Antigua's first sugar plantation and a valuable heritage site, a relaxing day at Half Moon Bay, considered to be one of the best in the world, and a boat ride to Great Bird Island, where birdwatching, picnics on the pristine beach and snorkeling in crystal clear waters is par for the course. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating islands. This title has been fully updated post-COVID-19.

This Mini Rough Guide to Antigua & Barbuda covers: St John's; The north coast; East of the island; English Harbour area; West of the island; Barbuda

In this travel guide you will find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Antigua & Barbuda, from cultural explorations to family activities in child-friendly places or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas.

TOP TEN ATTRACTIONS
Covers the destination's top ten attractions not to miss, including Redcliffe quay, Great brid island, Half Moon bay, Betty's hope and a Perfect Day/Tour itinerary suggestions.

COMPACT FORMAT
Compact, concise, and packed with essential information, with a sharp design and colour-coded sections, this is the perfect on-the-move companion when you're exploring  Antigua & Barbuda.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS
Includes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture.

WHAT TO DO
Detailed description of entertainment, shopping, nightlife, festivals and events, and children's activities.

PRACTICAL MAPS
Handy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
Practical information on eating out, including a handy glossary and detailed restaurant listings, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of travel tips on everything from getting around to health and tourist information.

STRIKING PICTURES
Inspirational colour photography throughout.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: May 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839058103

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

Book preview

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HOW TO USE THIS E-BOOK

Getting Around this e-Book

This Rough Guide Mini e-book is designed to inspire you and help you plan for your visit to Antigua And Barbuda, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Highlights, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan an unforgettable trip. The Introduction and History and Culture chapters give the lowdown on Antigua And Barbuda, past and present, while the Out and About chapter is a comprehensive guide to all the best sights. You will find ideas for getting active in Things to Do, while the Food and Drink chapter introduces you to the local cuisine and gives listings of our favourite restaurants by area. Travel Essentials offers just that; practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, Where to Stay provides a special selection of hotels for every budget.

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Antigua And Barbuda are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Antigua And Barbuda. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Rough Guides:

Published in 1982, the first Rough Guide – to Greece – was created by Mark Ellingham and a small group of friends who couldn’t find a guidebook to meet their needs. Combining a contemporary, journalistic style with a thoroughly practical approach to travellers’ needs, the immediate success of the book spawned a series that rapidly covered dozens of destinations. These days, Rough Guides include recommendations from budget to luxury and cover more than 120 destinations worldwide, all regularly updated by our team of ever curious, roaming writers. These Rough Guide Minis may be small, but they are packed with information and inspiration and offer amazing value for money.

© 2022 Apa Digital AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd.

Table of Contents

10 Things Not To Miss

A Perfect Day On Antigua

Overview

Geography and Climate

The Environment

Flora and Fauna

Identity and Population

Tourism and The Economy

History and Culture

Early Times

European Colonization

Political Development

Independent Nation

Out and About

St John’s

Cathedral of St John the Divine

Around Independence Avenue

Ebenezer Methodist Church

National Museum

The waterfront

The north coast

Fort James

Runaway and Dickenson Bays

Around Jabbawock Beach

Jumby Bay Island

Fitches Creek

Parham

Crabs Peninsula and offshore islands

East of the island

Betty’s Hope

The east coast

Devil’s Bridge

St Philips

Half Moon Bay

English Harbour area

Falmouth

Nelson’s Dockyard National Park

Shirley Heights

Bethesda to Potworks Dam

West of the island

West of St John’s

Fort Barrington

Around Green Castle Hill

The Jolly developments

Darkwood Beach

Towards Mount Obama

Fig Tree Drive

Barbuda

Codrington

Frigate Bird Sanctuary

Martello Tower

Spanish Point

The Highlands

Caves

Highland House

Things To Do

Sport and Recreation

Watersports

Cricket

Other Activities

Entertainment

Special Events

Nightlife

Shopping

Where To Shop

What To Buy

Markets

Activities For Children

Food and Drink

Culinary influences

What To Eat

Fish and meat

Fruit and vegetables

Specialities

Desserts

What To Drink

Alcoholic drinks

Soft drinks

Where To Eat

St John’s

The North Coast

East Of The Island

English Harbour Area

West Of The Island

Barbuda

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation

Airports

B

Bicycles, quads and scooter hire

Budgeting for your trip

C

Car hire

Climate

Clothing

Crime and safety

D

Disabled travellers

Driving

E

Electricity

Embassies and consulates

Emergencies

G

Getting there

Guides and tours

H

Health and medical care

L

Language

LGBTQ+ travellers

M

Media

Money

O

Opening times

P

Post offices

Police

Public holidays

T

Telephone

Time zones

Tipping

Tourist information

Transport

V

Visas and entry requirements

W

Websites

Weddings

Where To Stay

St John’s

The North Coast

East Of The Island

English Harbour Area

West Of The Island

Barbuda

10 THINGS NOT TO MISS

Shutterstock

1. Cathedral of St John the Divine

The cathedral contains beautiful stained-glass windows, including one depicting the crucifixion. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

2. Redcliffe Quay

Shops and stalls jostle for space along the waterfront, one of the oldest parts of St John’s. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

3. Great Bird Island

Boat parties come here to birdwatch, picnic on the pristine beach, and for some of the best snorkelling in Antigua. For more information, click here.

iStock

4. Half Moon Bay

This crescent-shaped bay is considered one of the best in the world. For more information, click here.

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5. Betty’s Hope

Antigua’s first sugar plantation is a valuable heritage site. For more information, click here.

Simone Mascellari on Unsplash

6. Devil’s Bridge

Waves crash against the rocks and water shoots through a blowhole at this natural landmark. For more information, click here.

Shutterstock

7. Nelson’s Dockyard

At English Harbour, this splendidly restored Georgian naval base is now also a renowned yachting centre. For more information, click here.

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8. Shirley Heights

Save Sunday for a trip to the Heights when visitors and Antiguans enjoy steel pan and reggae music, and epic views. For more information, click here.

Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority

9. Fig Tree Drive

A drive inland reveals lush tropical vegetation and fragrant fruit trees, and the chance to fly through the trees on a zip line. For more information, click here.

iStock

10. Barbuda

Taking the catamaran to Barbuda for the day should include a visit to the impressive Frigate Bird Sanctuary. For more information, click here.

A PERFECT DAY ON ANTIGUA

7.00am

Dickenson Bay. The days start early on Antigua. Head to Dickenson Bay and take a leisurely stroll along this long stretch of beach while losing yourself in the early morning solitude. Sit back, relax and enjoy a stress-free breakfast at the Bay House Restaurant (Trade Winds Hotel) looking out over the Caribbean Sea.

9.00am

St John’s. Check out St John’s, where shopping opportunities abound on the waterfront at Heritage and Redcliffe quays, a picturesque area of preserved buildings. Pause for a coffee break at Harbour View in Redcliffe Quay, known as a great people-watching spot.

11.00am

South coast. Travel to the south coast for a visit to Nelson’s Dockyard, passing through All Saints, the second largest town on Antigua. En route to the Dockyard, stop off at Falmouth Harbour and take a wander down the jetty to gaze at the incredible floating gin palaces tied up here.

12 noon

Nelson’s Dockyard. At English Harbour, Nelson’s Dockyard is the only existing Georgian dockyard in the world and is now a designated National Park. There are many restored sites to visit within the parameters, plus an interesting museum.

1.30pm

Shirley Heights. Ascend the hill for lunch at Shirley Heights Lookout and be rewarded with terrific views out over English Harbour and beyond.

2.30pm

Rainforest drive. Head back to All Saints and take a scenic spin down Fig Tree Drive, which twists and turns its way through the lush rainforest back towards the coast; a great way to see the island’s tropical foliage and pick up some local crafts at Fig Tree Studio Art Gallery. If you want to see more, book to come back another day and take the zip line adventure suspended above the rainforest.

3.00pm

Beach time. Head west along the coast passing many sensational beaches. Divert off at Ffryes Bay to spend time relaxing on the sand soaking up the sun’s rays or taking a dip in the bathwater-warm sea. Sunloungers and snorkelling gear are available to rent (there is a pristine reef right off the shore where you can check out the sea life).

5.00pm

Sunset. The west coast is the perfect spot from which to be captivated by the sun setting over the Caribbean Sea. So hang around a bit longer at Dennis’s Cocktail Bar, lingering over a tropical cocktail on the balcony, to catch the magical sunset.

6.30pm

Nightlife. If you want to freshen up, return to your accommodation before heading out to Dickenson Bay for dinner at Coconut Grove open-air restaurant. After dinner, hang out, chill and party into the small hours at BeachLimerz on Fort James Beach.

Overview

The sister islands of Antigua and Barbuda may be justly celebrated for their endless strips of gleaming white and pink-sand bays, warm turquoise waters and the welcoming smiles and laughter of the locals, but this is just where it begins.

Diving enthusiasts will delight in the unrivalled coral reefs, while yachtsmen gather from around the world during the sailing season, and sunbathers and ornithologists have equal reasons to step ashore and follow their passions.

Beyond the beach, there are interesting historical