Antigua is a smidgen of a place, pure paradise stretching a miniscule 14 miles long by 11 miles wide. 365 sandy flecks dapple that tiny island coastline, some hidden – others a highlight, but Antigua’s appeal doesn’t start and end at its seascapes. From the uber-luxurious to the hedonistic, the beaches are just the beginning of the story for a tiny isle that lives up to a big reputation. Here is our breakdown of places to visit in Antigua, along with Antigua Attractions.

Places to visit in Antigua

Come to Antigua and hang out at St John’s – how original, you say. We hear you. But you can’t come here and not spend at least a few afternoon hours walking between the paintbox colonial Georgian buildings that walk a fine line between Disney and kitsch. Redcliff Quay and Heritage Quay attract a crowd on cruise days with arty craft stores and foodie spots. For more local interactions, make for market; the city’s is a rambunctious and exciting assault on the senses. Sample handfuls of morning-fresh figs, before treasure seeking in the admittedly underwhelmingly named ‘bend down’ flea market – named so because you’ll need to bend down to rifle through the goods.

Nelson’s Dockyard & Dockyard Museum

Nelson’s Dockyard has been in operation since 1745 and the Georgian-era marina has drawn a crowd ever since. You’ll find the usual Caribbean dockyard residents here, all the restaurants, bars and boutiques, but if you dip behind the Copper and Lumber Store you’ll find a path less trodden too. A gentle 15-minute hike leads to the ruins of the 18th-century Fort Berkeley, from where wide-open views of the coastline and English Harbour below unfold. Don’t forget to dip into the Dockyard Museum on your way back down for a look at the telescope used by Admiral Nelson himself, amongst other trinkets.

Antigua Beaches

Antigua’s bounty of beaches presents both options and something of a quandary. The island has enough beaches to fill every day of the year; that’s right, 365 sandy stretches lie in wait, and it’s safe to say that it pays to be realistic with just 36 hours at your disposal. When it comes to Antiguan beaches, it’s worth asking yourself whether convenience or seclusion reigns supreme on your wish list. Nobody is saying you can’t have both, but indecisiveness favours no one when there are 365 to choose from.

If convenience is king then head for Fort James Beach, Long Bay and Dickenson Bay. Each of these is laced with restaurants, beach huts and, in the case of the latter, an obsolete red phone booth that’s found its place in the world thanks to Instagram. Their diamond-clear waters may entice you for a quick paddle, or if you can possibly tear yourself away from your sun lounger, a quick game of beach volleyball might beckon. 

Should camera-clad tourists not be your (beach) bag, then Antigua is more than happy to oblige. Half Moon Bay, Ffryes Beach and Rendezvous Bay are the quieter, reserved coastal cousins, offering secluded spots that deliver no less of the ‘wow’ factor. Facilities may be comparatively lacking here, but with views like these, we dare say it doesn’t really matter. 

Antigua Attractions

Scooter Snorkelling

If you are craving a little adventure, saddle up for a scooter snorkel. A what, you say? Scooter snorkelling takes the effort out of exploring the deepest blue – simply hold on and the motorised ‘hand scooter’ will guide you through an underwater world. Use the energy conserved here to negotiate the zip line and suspension bridges of the Antigua Rainforest Canopy Tour, found half an hour from St John’s if you’re feeling especially adventurous or have kids in tow.

Fig Tree Drive

Whistle-stop tours of Antigua don’t come much finer than Fig Tree Drive, a five-mile ribbon of road that twists its way through the island’s lush interior. You’ll venture deep into the cool, dark rainforest, passing through curious villages as you goPrime your taste buds for a carnival of fruits – mangoes, pineapples, and bananas – abundant in the open fields, which roadside sellers are only too happy to part with. If you’re fortunate, you may stumble on a famous Antiguan black pineapple… but more on that later. 

Shirely Heights & Boggy Peak

If two-footed travel is your preferred mode of exploration, Antigua doesn’t disappoint. There are plenty of ambles to choose from, but a particular duo demand a penchant for heights and a sturdy pair of walking shoes. The lesser of the two is Shirley Heights, which stands proud at an impressive 152 metres above sea level. A restored military observation point, it’s the ideal vantage point for views over the neighbouring islands of Guadeloupe and Montserrat. We’ll let you into a secret: some taxis will transport you directly to the summit, ensuring all the kudos without the exertion. 

Your second option is Boggy Peak, which looms large 302 metres above the island. Formerly known as Mt. Obama, this peak requires some real presidential effort – but take it from us, the views at sunrise and sunset will make it all seem worthwhile.  

Where to eat in Antigua

There are more great meals here than there are beaches; combine the two and you’re onto a good thing. Coconut Grove sits on the sand at Dickenson Bay and it’s hard to imagine a better start to the day than breakfast here, whether that’s a traditional stack of fruit-topped pancakes or a more acquired taste of a local dish of salt fish and ‘chop up’, an okra, aubergine and spinach mash. The views past palm trees and across the beach are just the tonic after a year at home.

Antigua comes alive when the sun goes down and sunset parties are THE place to be each week. Every Friday at 6pm brings an atmospheric Caribbean fish fry on the lawn outside popular Nelson’s Dockyard haunt, the Copper & Lumber Store Historic Inn. And if you’re in town on a Sunday night, there’s only one place to go and that’s the Shirly Heights Lookout. Head here from 4pm for steelband music, finger-lickingly good barbecue food, cold Wadadli and the best views on the island. The mood simmers from 7pm, when local bands take to the stage to help you unwind into the night.

Where to drink in Antigua

There are few better feelings than drinking rum punch on the beach with a view of the sun sinking into the sea, you cares sinking with it. Despite being one of the most popular spots on the island, Beach Limerz on Fort James Beach is a boozy hideaway from the hustle and bustle.

If you’re living life by the ‘here for a good time, not a long time’ approach, hit the Beach Bar Trail. Created a couple of years ago by the Antiguan tourist board, this tour of the island’s coolest watering holes is heavy on spiced rum, Red Stripe and swaying hammocks. There’s goat curry and bread pudding to soak up the ABV, plus the promise of those same palm-lined curves being here tomorrow morning for lazing in the name of rehabilitation.

Emma

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