Antigua
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Logistics
Getting There
Antigua is a small island in the Caribbean, found south of Florida. It is part of the British Virgin islands, sitting in the Caribbean sea with the Atlantic on the east side. There are direct flights from a few US states, as well as London, making it a common vacation spot for Americans and British.
Getting Around
The island is not very large, at 108 sq miles. The roads are unfortunately not very good, many with large pot holes in them forcing drivers to veer in and out of their lanes continuously. While some people will rent cars, and those who spend extended time on the island will certainly have a car, as a short term visitor, it was not a place I wanted to drive.
If you wish to get around and will not be renting a car, then you can use taxis. There is a taxi stand at the airport which will organize a transfer for you upon arrival. If staying at a hotel, hotels will have taxis available to book for your convenience. The final option is to get a taxi phone number to book a taxi. There is a phone app called Swyft which can help to organize a taxi, however the app does not work very well and does not feel very reliable. With this in mind, it’s not the recommended way to get around.
Accommodations
The island of Antigua is easy to see, but it’s important to consider your base point. For one, the island has lots of all-inclusive hotels, and then rental options, but not many medium tier hotels. This means you’ll pay a high price to have all in dining, and be unlikely to leave the property much, or you’ll want somewhere you know has accessibility to your needs and can go out for meals.
The south side of the island is home to the well-known English Harbour. In this area, around Shirley Heights, is the iconic photos of Antigua with mountains and water views. The north is home to the capital, St. John’s. If staying in the north, stay near Dickenson Bay to have immediate access to gorgeous beaches. The east side is the Atlantic side, and therefore often much windier and rougher waters and beaches. The west side is home to Jolly Harbour which has a number of nice beaches and hotels.
We rented accommodations near Dickenson Bay as we did not want to pay the price for all-inclusive and wanted flexibility to try different places. This worked well for our visit, but we did need to rely on taxis for any meal excursions (dinner every night) and trips to grocery stores.
Things to do and see
Dickenson’s Bay
Antigua is known for having 365 beaches, 1 for each day of the year as they say. Dickenson’s Bay is up there as one of the nicest beaches and is found on the north side of the island.
English Harbour
Hike up to the lookout at English Harbour for a gorgeous view. Stop by Shirley heights on a Sunday for a popping evening
Sheer Rocks
Chic beach bar on the east side of the island around Jolly Harbour. The restaurant is built into the cliffs, and offers a great spot for a meal or drinks. Even better, there are some “day pass” options to book a plunge pool (for 2) or larger space (for 6) to spend a day at this classy beach bar.
Top Beaches
- Dickinson Bay (north)
- Jolly Harbour / jolly beach
- Runaway Bay (north)
- Hermitage Bay (west)
- Galley Bay (west)
- Carlisle Bay (south)
- Pigeon Point (south)
- Fort james (north)
- Half Moon Bay (east)
The Hut Little Jumby
Rent a hut with a group here for the day to enjoy a different vantage point and grab drinks as the sunsets at the bar
Food and Drinks
Casa Roots
Dinner
St. john’s
Found on a small road in the north of the island, this restaurant has some fantastic food. With an area on the beach to grab a drink while the sun is still up, make a booking in advance and then head in early to get a drink on the beach. Then enjoy a delicious dinner with fantastic food
Email the restaurant for bookings in advance, and be sure to book as they do fill up and are not open every night for dinner.
The Hut Little Jumby
Drinks and Dinner
Maiden island
Located on a small island just off the northeast coast of island. There is a free boat service taking customers from Barnacle point to the Hut and the boat ride is only a few minutes long. Book a table online for dinner, or stop in for drinks at this cool spot.
Rokuni
Dinner
Sugar Ridge
Fancy Asian restaurant on the west side of the island near Jolly Harbour. Part of the Rocks group which also has other notable properties
Cecilia’s High Point Cafe
Dinner
Cozy restaurant on the northeast side of the island, on the coast. Be sure to message in advance to make a booking.
Sheer Rocks
Dinner
Ffryes Beach
Found near Jolly Harbour, this is both a restaurant and hotel. Make a booking here for drinks and dinner, making sure to time it for sunset as you’ll have a perfect view of a nice sunset.
Catherine’s Cafe
Lunch
English harbour
Nice restaurant found on the south side of the island in English Harbour. Part of the Rocks group.
Other Notes
Cash
Credit card is accepted at many restaurants and grocery stores, however cash will be required for taxis. For this reason, it’s important to either plan ahead and bring USD with you or use an ATM upon arrival to take cash out for your taxi rides. There are ATMs at banks and in larger grocery stores, but they can be out of service or not accept foreign cards. Getting cash out was a bit of a challenge for us at times, so best to prepare in advance before you reach a point where you do not have cash for the taxi rides.
Currency
The island of Antigua accepts USD or Eastern Caribbean Dollar. In many restaurants, they may provide the price in ECD but then convert to USD.
Water
As is the case on most islands, it’s not recommended to drink the tap water. While it may be okay, it’s recommended to purchase bottled water
Grocery
Prices at the grocery store are listed in Eastern Caribbean Dollar. For those who are not staying at an all inclusive hotel, stopping by a grocery is helpful for some basics. Prices will be higher as most items are imported to the island, but generally it’s a good option for some staples on your trip
Weather
The weather here is nice all year round with the note that hurricane season is approx June to November. These would be the months to avoid incase there are large storms or rainfall.
When to visit
High season is from December until April, essentially when it is cold in much of the Northern Hemisphere! For this reason, the island will be busier but also more accessible. Visiting at the holiday periods will have higher prices, while those who have flexibility will appreciate quieter time sand better prices if can stay out of the holiday periods.