Travel to Antigua with essential travel insurance from Essential Travel

click here for an annual trip travel insurance quotation

Information on Antigua with annual travel insurance form Essential Travel

Travel to Antigua

Located in the Eastern Caribbean and easy to get to, Antigua is a small island about 25kms across at its widest point. This tiny paradise offers great reefs and wrecks for diving and snorkelling, a multitude of beautiful beaches, and a fair bit of maritime history.

Most of Antigua’s beaches are protected by coral reefs and are public. There is some superb diving to be had, with coral canyons, wall drops and sea caves, and an abundance of marine life thriving here. The west coast is particularly good for windsurfing, and game fishing is also widely enjoyed.

The main resort area on the island, the fairly laid-back Dickenson Bay, offers a gorgeous white-sand beach and every type of water sport available. The beach is backed by several hotel/resorts and open-air cafés and restaurants. Quieter and less-touristed Runaway Bay is a short walk from Dickenson Bay and also features a pristine beach.

The star attraction of the island is English Harbour (originally a naval base and posting station of one young Horatio Nelson), with its restored buildings, hilltop forts and museums. Today, the clipper ships of Nelson’s Dockyard and Falmouth Bay have been replaced by sleek, million-dollar yachts. Fort Shirley offers great views over the bay plus some 18th century ruins.

The capital of the island is St John’s, situated in the northeast on Heritage Quay. The waterfront complexes and nearby Redcliffe Quay, known for its shops, galleries and restaurants, are a favourite for the cruise-ship tourist hordes. St John’s is easy to explore on foot and the twin-spired Anglican Church is the town’s most prominent landmark. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is also worth a look.

Just to the west of St John’s is Deep Bay, with its sandy beach and protected waters making it ideal for swimming, snorkelling and diving. The Andes wreck looms out of the water, providing mild interest to divers but is mostly avoided due to the oozing pitch from its hull.

Falmouth Bay is an interesting side trip and has one of Antigua’s oldest buildings, the 1676 St Paul’s Anglican Church, which is also used as the country’s courthouse. Visitors mostly head to the east side of the harbour where the shops and restaurants are located.

Although Antigua is generally a dry island consisting of small coastal villages and coconut palms, it does boast a rainforest which is near to Jolly Harbour.

back to city guides