See more pictures - Here
Antigua map
|
Nature
As a dry island that was largely deforested in centuries past (in order to grow sugarcane), Antigua’s onshore natural life has been badly depleted, but there is still enough for an interested naturalist, particularly if the tropics are a new experience. Some of the best places are in fact a couple of Antigua’s undeveloped offshore islands, which lie mainly to the east of the island and in the North Sound to the north-east. These have some indigenous species of reptiles (including an indigenous endangered snake, the Antiguan racer and many species of lizard) and some exceptional birdlife (particularly in Barbuda, see below). The only large mammals on Antigua and Barbuda are imported, goats and cattle, and, interestingly, deer. Antigua and Barbuda is the only place in the Caribbean where you will see them. They were imported for livestock and farmed in Barbuda and the small Guiana Island. They can still be seen there in small numbers.
Birdlife
Despite a general lack of original habitat because of deforestation, there is a reasonable amount of birdlife to be seen. There are reckoned to be about 120 species visible in the island, in a number of different habitats (offshore and on the beach, on the small islands, in lagoons, in mangroves, reservoirs, plains and in dry forest and the small areas of wetter forest). They include ospreys, gulls, turnstones, herons and egrets, grassquits, Zenaida doves, hummingbirds, bullfinches and kingfishers.
Good locations for birdwatching include the North Sound Islands (including Bird Island below), Potworks Dam, Wallings Forest and of course the Codrington Lagoon in Barbuda.
Bird Island
Bird Island is one of a scattering of islands and outcrops off Crab’s Peninsular in the North Sound. Great Bird Island itself happens to be the home of the world’s only population of a harmless grey-brown snake called the Antiguan racer, but the island was obviously named for its bird population. Species that still inhabit it include West Indian whistling ducks, tropicbirds, pelicans and other sea birds. The island also has a nice beach and some snorkelling, so it is a regular stop for day sails and trips. You are asked not to disturb the wildlife. Great Bird Island is the largest of six islands, which include Rabbit Island, Lobster Island, Red Head Island, Exchange Island and the delightfully named Hell’s Gate.
Frigate Bird Sanctuary, Barbuda
Barbuda’s frigatebird sanctuary is an extraordinary sight. Set in the North-western part of the Codrington lagoon, it has the largest breeding population of frigate birds in the Caribbean. Literally hundreds of the huge birds, roost and nest in a large area of mangroves, and circle like arrow-shaped black darts hundreds of feet above the island. Frigatebirds have a wingspan of over six feet for a body of just eighteen inches long, so it is impossible for them to take off if they drop into the water, but fishermen have seen them picked up off the water by two other frigatebirds that swoop down, each grabbing a wing. The best time to visit the lagoon in autumn, the courting season, then you will see the males blowing up the enormous red pouch at their necks to attract females.
Marine Life
Antigua is surrounded by reefs and the marine life, although under pressure form human activity, is in reasonable condition. See Scuba Diving. Two endangered species of turtle nest regularly in the islands. Hawksbills and Green turtles both grow to about three feet long and to as much as 175 lbs. The females nest several times each year, crawling up onto the beaches, digging a hole with their rear fins and then dropping in around 100 eggs the size of ping pong balls, before burying them and crawling away offshore. Beaches regularly used for nesting include Jumby Bay. Products made from turtle shell are illegal and so you are asked not to buy them if they are offered to you. |
| ^ back to top |
Nudity
Antiguans are quite conservative and any form of nudity is unacceptable, even toplessness. There is however a nudist beach at Hawksbill Bay.
If you walk through St John's you are asked to wear some cover over your swimsuit. |
| ^ back to top |
Passports & Visas
Travellers to Antigua need a passport valid for at least 6 months after your entry date.
Very few nationalities require a visa to visit Antigua and Barbuda. For more information, see here. |
| ^ back to top |
Places of Worship
The official denomination of Antigua is Anglican, but as with so many West Indian countries there are a good many other churches too, including Roman Catholic and other denominations that came to teach the slaves in the early part of the 1800s. The timing of services is likely to change. Please check locally.
Anglican –
Parish churches of note include St Peters in Parham, St Georges in Fitches Creek and Valley Church at Valley Church Bay.
St John’s Cathedral, Newgate Street/Church Lane, St John’s, t 462 0820, stjohnca@candw.ag
The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine has Sunday services at 6.15am, 8am, 11am and 7.15pm and on Saturday at 7am.
Roman Catholic -
Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, Michael’s Mount, St John’s, t 461 1127
Masses at 7pm on Saturday and 8am Sunday.
Tyrells Catholic Church/Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Tyrells
Mass on Sunday at 10.30am
Baptist
Central Baptist Church, Radio Range, Ottos New Town, St John’s, t 462 2894, admin@baptistantigua.org
Services on Sundays at 10am and 6pm, and Wednesdays at 7pm. Sunday School at 9am and 7pm.
Villa Baptist Church, off Fort Road, Villa, St John’s
Services on Sundays at 10am and 6pm, and Wednesdays at 7pm. Sunday School at 9am.
Methodist
Ebenezer Methodist Church, St John’s, t 462 3864
Sunday worship at 8.30am and 6.30pm.
Moravian
For a full list of churches and for further information contact chmoravian@candw.ag
Spring Gardens Moravian Church, St John's, t 461 0656
Services at 6.30am, 9am and 7pm on 1st Sundays and other Sundays at 9am and 7pm.
Potters Zion Moravian Church, Potters Village, t 460 9705
Sing-a-long every 4th Sunday at 7pm. |
| ^ back to top |
Places to Go/Activities
If you can tear yourself from the beach there is actually quite a lot to see in Antigua, particularly if you are interested in history. As one of the British’s three main strongholds in the Caribbean (along with Barbados and Jamaica), Antigua has an extraordinary naval and military history and the island is literally ringed with barracks and fortifications. The most important area is in the South-east, around English Harbour, particularly Nelsons Dockyard, a restored Georgian dockyard. It is also a living place because its modern use as a base for sailors is quite similar to its original use. At one stage in the 1700s, Antigua was also completely covered with sugarcane. The plantation story can be seen at Betty’s Hope, a sugar estate that has been partially restored. Finally, the story of emancipation is told in the villages of Freetown and Liberta. They are normal Antiguan villages now, but there are the villages created by the slaves freed in 1838. Finally, if shopping’s your thing, there is plenty of opportunity for that in St John’s, the capital.
St John’s
St John’s, Antigua’s capital, is set on a huge natural harbour on the western side of the island. It was laid out on a regular grid pattern in 1702 on ground that rises gradually towards away from the waterfront to the east, to the heights now dominated by the twin towers of the Cathedral (the town became a city in 1842). St John’s has a population of around 23,000 and it is the main commercial centre of the island as well as the main port. You will see the container ships in the bay as well as the cruise ships at the modern terminal.
St John’s is becoming gradually more and more modern, but there are still a few individual stone and wooden ‘shirt and skirt’ buildings that show the traditional style of the town. Others have consciously been restored. You will find a number of excellently conserved buildings at Redcliffe Quay (now turned into shops and restaurants), unlike those at the optimistically named Heritage Quay on the waterfront, which are overwhelmingly modern and pastel coloured. St Johns’ straight streets contain all the banks and shops you would expect of a modern Caribbean town, but you will also see roadside traders selling in the traditional West Indian way from stalls.
The town has expanded considerably beyond the limits of its original grid now, and there are outlying residential and light industrial areas in all directions. To the north are residential areas and to the east at the top of the hill you come to the East Bus Station, the cricket ground and new government buildings and the new hospital. As you leave the main grid of streets to the south you come to the main covered market, the fish market and the West Bus Station. They are one of the hives of modern Antiguan life, source of gossip and West Indian banter.
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, Long St
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is based in a grand building, the old Courthouse from 1750, near the highest point in town. The exhibits give a run-down of the island from its first geological stirrings, through Amerindian settlement, colonial, plantation and naval history to the modern independent Antigua of today. They are a little lacklustre on first sight, but there is a lot of interest there if you take the time to consider and read. Antigua has an extraordinary history and this is interpreted in enlightening ways. Exhibits include things as varied as Arawak zemies (small gods or icons), colonial household implements and even the cricket bat of Viv Richards’, the former West Indies team captain.
Cathedral of St John the Divine, Newgate St
Antigua’s Cathedral stands high above the city, an imposing stone building with twin silvery towers. The first church on the site of the cathedral was built in 1683, a wooden building, but this stone structure was erected in 1745 shortly before it was given the status of cathedral. It was then rebuilt in 1847 and consecrated as a Cathedral and Parish Church of St John on 25 July 1848. Both times the destruction was caused by earthquakes and so after the last rebuild the interior of the cathedral was clad in pitchpine in order to make it safer for the parishioners. The organ, which is encased in beautifully carved mahogany, was built in 1848 by JW Walker & Sons from England, and is the oldest remaining example of their early three-manual organs. The High Altar, also built of mahogany, was built in 1926 and features a pair of silver candlesticks dating back to 1704.
Around the island
St Peter’s Anglican Church, Parham
Located in the island’s earliest British settlement, this striking looking church is said to be one of the finest of its kind. It was built in the 1840s and has an unusual octagonal shape and was designed by the British architect Thomas Weekes. The original wooden church dates back to 1711 and was destroyed by fire, and its replacement taken down in 1754.
Betty’s Hope, eastern Antigua
Betty’s Hope is a former sugar plantation which has been partly restored. The former cotton house of the estate has been converted into a museum, where you can see the story of the estate and some old estate plans and maps. Once Antigua was dotted with windmills. As the last of them are steadily disappearing and falling into disrepair, one of the two at Betty’s Hope is being restored. Sails have been added and its crushing gear brought to working order.
Devil’s Bridge, Atlantic coast
If you enjoy natural features, then Devil’s Bridge is just about worth the detour. It is a natural bridge of limestone formed as the softer rock underneath has been eroded by wave-action. The waves themselves can be impressive as they thunder against the rocky coastline and splash high in the air.
Stingray City Antigua, Seatons, t 562 7297, stingray@candw.ag
Popular family activity. You can swim with southern stingrays at Stingray City which is reached by a short boat ride. The stingrays are kept within a fenced-in (city) area offshore. Includes snorkelling.
St George’s Anglican Church, Fitches Creek
A lovely setting with sweeping views over Fitches Creek Bay. Originating in 1687 it was rebuilt in 1735.
Fig Tree Drive, South-west
Fig Tree Drive is actually a road that winds down towards the southwest of the island from the village of Swetes, but it is worth seeing because it shows the rampant pretty foliage that is more typical of the taller, wetter islands to the south. It is not as abundant as it was before the road was widened, but it still hangs over the road and is gradually growing back. Wallings Forest Nature Reserve is a side-trip off Fig Tree Drive. A walk is set around an old reservoir. Other walks lead from this area to the isolated south coast.
Antigua Rainforest Canopy Tour, Fig Tree Drive, Wallings, t 562 6363, arc@candw.ag
An adventure tour which whisks you through the Fig Tree forest canopy on a series of cables from platforms built at various levels and along a trail with suspension bridges. There are nine tree top traverses (200-350 ft long crossing a gorge up to 300ft high) giving an aerial view of Antigua’s rainforest. There is a choice of the Full Canopy Tour (2 ½ hrs), a Zip Line Tour (1 ¼ hrs) and a Short Zip Tour (45 mins), in addition to a Rope Challenge Course. Tours are available 7 days a week from 8am-5pm. Health, weight and height restrictions apply.
Harmony Hall, near Freetown, t 460 4120
An art gallery and restaurant set around an old windmill in the remote East of the island. They exhibit original works of art from all over the Caribbean, alongside other arts and crafts. The other reason for making the journey is that they offer an excellent stop for a leisurely lunch. There is a beach close by. Harmony Hall has sister galleries in Ocho Rios in Jamaica and one in Costa Rica.
The South-East of Antigua
This is the area of the island that was the seat of British naval power in the region in the 1700s and the area is dotted with fortresses, barracks and other military buildings, from small redoubts and embrasures to massive deodands of land ditch defence. Above English Harbour, a superb, secluded and once highly fortified twisting inlet are Shirley Heights, a huge number beautiful stone Georgian barrack buildings. Once so functional, their hefty square columns topped by chunky curved arches seem beautiful now. Some of the buildings have been restored but others are still in disrepair. Still, the area is used as much by sailors nowadays as it ever was, just by yachtsmen instead of naval ratings.
Falmouth Harbour
Falmouth Harbour is a huge stretch of water to the west of English Harbour, which over the past few years has gradually taken over from English Harbour as the centre of sailing, with facilities including marinas and chandlers as well as the spectacular sailing and motoryachts that they serve. Thought to have been the site of the first town in Antigua, its shores are now quite developed with places to stay and marine businesses. On the hilltop above the town you will see the massive Monks Hill Fort, to which livestock and people could withdraw in times of attack by the Carib Indians and by other nationalities.
Shirley Heights
Shirley Heights, a whole complex of Georgian military buildings above English Harbour, is named after a Sir Thomas Shirley, the governor of the Leeward Islands in the early 1780s who commissioned them. They were so formidable that once they were built there was no point attacking the island again. As you head up the hill the first buildings you come to, Dow’s Hill, contain an interpretation centre that explains the history of both Antigua and of course Shirley Heights itself. There is a 15 minute film in addition to the signboards and descriptions.
You continue on a curved ridge, off which there are many different barracks and military buildings including the Royal Artillery Quarters and the Blockhouse, where there are the remains of barracks, stables and cisterns for water-collection. Fort Shirley is farther along the ridge, overlooking the Dockyard and naval buildings in English Harbour. The last of the fortifications, once a gun emplacement, is the Lookout, which hangs 500 feet above the harbour and has a fantastic view over its harbour entrance, the hotels, the Dockyard and beyond it Falmouth Harbour. It was also from here that communications for the region were centred, by mirrorflash during the day and by coloured lanterns at night. But for all their strategic importance and Georgian grandeur, it is for a different reason that the Lookout is the area’s most famous building. It is the site of the famous weekly party held here on Sunday afternoons, an afternoon jamboree that runs to sunset and beyond.
Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, south-east Antigua
The heartland of the whole naval and military area is Nelson’s Dockyard, a ship-repair and refitting station from 250 years ago. Set on a point in a deep, tight harbour, it is a small cluster of Georgian wooden or brick and stone buildings, Nelson’s Dockyard is the only restored naval dockyard of its era in the world. Although there is an atmosphere of a former age, it is still a working sailing base, so it has a living feel aswell as a historical one. In some cases the buildings even have quite similar uses to their original use, though the two hotels are considerably more comfortable than the original dormitories. The restoration was undertaken by the Friends of English Harbour starting in 1951. It is now administered by the National Parks Authority of Antigua.
The Dockyard takes its name from Britain’s most famous admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson, who was stationed here as a young captain. The West Indies was a hardship posting at that time (there was certainly no ice for your drink, and naval life was a pretty brutal affair altogether). His job was a thankless one too. The American colonies had recently won their independence, which meant that traditional trading routes between the Caribbean islands and the former American colonies had been declared illegal. As captain of HMS Boreas, it was Nelson’s job to enforce the Navigation Act, which banned the trade, much to the annoyance of the islanders.
There is an excellent booklet on Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, the First 2000 years, written by Desmond Nicholson and published by the Dockyard itself.
The Dockyard Museum
Set in the former naval officers’ quarters, a lovely wooden building, the museum tells the story of English Harbour from its earliest beginnings as home to Amerindians (some Arawak and Carib pottery and tools are on display) through early European presence (sailors left some of their instruments) to its development as a naval fitting station, when it was a hive of activity. There are models of ships and some interactive displays for children including rope climbing and a display of how the huge capstans would expose ship hulls for careening. There is also a mock-up of Nelson’s bedroom and a gift shop.
Other buildings within Nelson’s Dockyard include the Galley, now the Galley Bar, the Pay Office, now a small store, the Officer’s Quarters, shops and a restaurant, the Copper and Lumber Store, a hotel, the capstan house (now uncovered, though the huge capstans are still there) and other store houses that still function as working buildings and storehouses for the yachting industry.
If you would like to stay within the historic area of the Dockyard, try the Admiral's Inn, the former engineer’s office and storerooms (now fitted out rather more comfortably!).
Clarence House, English Harbour
Clarence House sits on the hillside across the water from the Dockyard. It was built in 1806, a beautiful Georgian Caribbean house with stone walls (the intended wood didn’t arrive to build it), verandas, wooden interior floors and antique furniture. It is currently closed to the public as it has not been restored since it was damaged in a hurricane.
Forts around Antigua
At one point there was a fort or redoubt every mile and a half around the shores of Antigua. A cannon shot could carry about half that distance and so every inch of the coastline was covered. And then there were all the barrack buildings, store-houses and administrative offices. Many of them are in disrepair, but in some ways this makes it all the more interesting. Antigua is a fantastic place for an amateur (or professional) historian.
In addition to those mentioned above, forts that you can visit include Fort James, at the northern mouth of St John’s Harbour on the west coast, Fort Barrington on the southern side, Fort Berkeley at the mouth of English Harbour, Fort Charles, which is located on an island in Falmouth Harbour, Fort George, otherwise known as Monk’s Hill, above Falmouth Harbour.
There is also a booklet on the forts of Antigua, available through the Antigua and Barbuda Musuem, Antigua and Barbuda Forts, by Desmond Nicholson. |
| ^ back to top |
Real Estate
Antigua has been known and loved by foreign home-owners since the very early days of Caribbean tourism, before most other islands in the area. The first houses appeared just after the Second World War. The Mill Reef Club, once one of the most prestigious places to own a home in the whole Caribbean, was the first development, and it spawned a number of private homes and developments in the South-east of the island.
The island's profile jumped in the mid 1980s with the development at the St James's Club backed by Briton Peter de Savary and a steady stream of building - retirement and holiday homes as well as homes constructed by wealthy Antiguans (which tend to be in the north of the island) - has continued since then. The main tourist areas, in the South-east and in the North-west around Dickenson Bay still see their share of the development, but private homes, villa resorts and apartment complexes have now appeared in bays all around the coastline.
There are many ongoing development projects, the largest of which is at Jolly Harbour, the self-appointed 'Venice of the Caribbean', where there are 501 townhouses and assorted custom homes among the marina, golf course and casino. Others include the very smart La Perla Living development in Nonsuch Bay, The Peninsula, the James' Club and Emerald Cove in the North-east. Set on its own island, Jumby Bay is an exclusive development with about 30 private homes.
Besides the ongoing developments there is plenty of land on which houses can be built. Prices for undeveloped parcels (between a half and one acre in the South-east) range from under US$100,000 for an ocean view plot through to US$800,000 on the waterfront. A good quality three bedroom house can vary from US$350,000 up to well over US$1 million. There is no huge great disparity in prices across the island anymore.
Regulations are not too strict on Antigua. In order to purchase property in the island a non citizen must have a land-holding licence, which costs 5% of the purchase price, on top of which must be added a 2.5% transfer tax.
|
| ^ back to top |
Recommended Books
With its longstanding British connection as a naval and military outpost, plenty has been written about Antigua. The leading historian in recent times has been Desmond Nicholson , who has written a huge amount about the island, particularly about Nelson’s Dockyard, which he was instrumental in restoring.
Some of his publications include The Story of English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda Forts, Story of the Arawaks in Antigua and Barbuda and Heritage Landmarks, Antigua and Barbuda
To Shoot Hard Labour, by Keith Smith, published by the Map Shop is the life and memories of an Antiguan whose grandmother was a slave.
Modern Antiguan authors include Jamaica Kincaid (though she has lived for many years in the States). Her books include Annie John, A Small Place and At the Bottom of the River.
The Map Shop on St Mary’s Street in St John’s publishes a number of books about the Antiguans and their history. |
| ^ back to top |
Restaurants
Antigua has a pretty good crop of restaurants dotted around its two main centres in the North-west and South-east. At the top of the range there are a number with French or French trained chefs (at Le Bistro, Chez Pascal, Coconut Grove and Le Cap Horn), but there are also plenty of other restaurants in different national styles or which offer good fare. There are also plenty of fun places that make for an amusing evening out, some offering local food, and of course there are some cracking settings, on the waterfront or on a beach.
Running a restaurant in a Caribbean island is no easy task. Ingredients are hard to come by and expensive as almost everything is imported. Most come deep frozen on container ships, but some chefs do source fresh supplies via nearby St Maarten (which has a very large import of fresh supplies flown in from France and the States and Canada). For example, in season, Le Bistro can get oysters, clams and foie gras (though they do tend to go quickly because the locals hear about them and race around). Other food, salmon and beef, comes from the States and Canada and there is even Australian rack of lamb (butchered in Canada).
Prices are for a main course (excluding steak and lobster, which are more expensive) are as follows: expensive – US$20 and above, moderate US$10-20 and inexpensive US$10 and below.
Around St John’s
Le Bistro, Hodges Bay, t 462 3881, pgbistro@candw.ag, expensive
Set in an air-conditioned dining room and an enclosed gallery hung with greenery in the north of the island. The award-winning chef Patrick Gauducheau is from France, and the ambience as well as the cuisine is strongly French, with meats carved and flambés at your table – there are some influences of the Caribbean in the ingredients. Good wine list.
The Cove, Soldier's Bay, t 562 2683, YvesB@threesixtyhotels.com, expensive
Elegant dining at a torch-lit villa on the north shore, tables set in a contemporary colonial interior of limestone and polished wood or in the cliffside terrace under canvas. Excellent fusion menu of French, South East Pacific, Caribbean and international cuisines prepared by chef Pascal Bionaz who has spent 17 years in French Polynesia – marinated tuna tartar, tiger shrimps on a sugar cane kebab, red snapper filet with coriander cream sauce and roasted rack of lamb with rosemary on polenta with garlic jus. Fine wine list. Open for lunch and dinner.
Chez Pascal, Galley Bay Hill, t 462 3232, expensive
A covered veranda setting high on a remote hillside above Galley Bay, with views onto the inky night. Excellent French cuisine created by Pascal, a French chef who has lived on the island for many years - escargot with basil butter, fish soup with saffron, grilled red snapper with creole sauce, veal escalope with lime sauce. French wine list. Lunch and dinner.
Papa Zouk, Hilda Davis Drive, Gamble’s Terrace, t 464 6044, moderate-expensive
Quirky restaurant set in a small clapboard building festooned with hanging tropical plants on the northern outskirts of St John’s. You eat inside or on the trellis-covered veranda, choosing from a blackboard menu that is meticulously explained by owner Peter. The menu is almost exclusively fish, done in a hundred different styles – grilled, blackened, steamed West Indian style... The name Zouk also sets the scene. Zouk is the musical rhythm in the French Caribbean, from where the music comes (naturally), the coloured madras table-cloths and some of their many rums. Great fun, extremely generous portions, the best place in St John’s for fish. Warning, they do not accept any form of plastic, no credit or debit cards at all.
Home Restaurant, Gamble's Terrace off Fort Road, t 461 7651, moderate-expensive
Friendly restaurant in the family home of Carl & Rita Thomas (she is German and he is Antiguan) in a residential district in the north of St John’s, nice atmosphere. Very welcoming. Rita will come over and chat. Good international fare, but also a particularly good take on local cuisine (Caribbean Haute Cuisine is how they refer to it) - conch salad, fish cakes with papaya-pimiento sauce, snapper filet stuffed with crab meat served with lobster sauce, pork tenderloin with tamarind sauce, chicken breast with fresh pineapple and mango in a coconut curry sauce, bread pudding with rum sauce, and guava mousse.
Coconut Grove, Dickenson Bay, t 462 1538, moderate-expensive
A restaurant and bar in a classic beach-front setting right in Dickenson Bay, an attractive deck surrounded by palms (some grow through the roof itself). Run by French chef Jean Francois. Good international and Caribbean fare after a couple of rounds of cocktails - – callaloo soup, Caribbean crab cake, coconut shrimp, tagliatelle with lobster and shrimp in a white wine and brandy cream sauce, and jerk pork tenderloin with banana ketchup. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Bay House, Tradewinds Hotel, Dickenson Bay, t 462 1223, moderate-expensive
A lovely view from a terrace high above Dickenson Bay. Long one of the island’s favourites, the Bay House offers well presented and generally excellent contemporary Caribbean and international cuisine - lunch menu includes crab cake with garlic and red onion dressing, coconut shrimp, jerk chicken with sweet potato fries and a pasta bar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Hemingways Caribbean Café, St Mary’s St, t 462 2762, moderate
A favourite stopover in the centre of St John’s, in a classic white and green West Indian town house (from 1829). Lovely veranda and breezy interior setting. Wholesome international fare - burgers, salads and fresh fish.
George, Market St, t 562 4866, moderate
A traditional St John’s house that has been restored into modern style. Wholesome international fare, salads, sandwiches and fresh fish. Also some West Indian specials including goat water, souse and pepperpot.
Commissioner Grill, Redcliffe St, t 462 1883, moderate
Classic West Indian fare and some international dishes, close to Redcliffe Quay. Sees a mixed crowd of Antiguans and visitors.
Philton’s Bakery and Café, Gambles Medical Centre next to Woods Mall, t 463 2253, philtons@actol.net, inexpensive
Popular stopover with the Antiguans, not only for a cake and a coffee (try the chocolate butter rum cake), but also for lunch with with hot specials, pizzas, pasta, freshly made sandwiches on a choice of breads (such as toasted tilapia and salad), a salad bar, all day breakfast, herbal tea, specialty coffees, juices and a regular bar. Provides catering services and cakes for all occasions. Closes in September.
Pari’s Pizza and Steak House, Tradewinds Hill, t 462 1501, cheap - moderate
Ever popular for take-out and eat-in, excellent pizza and steaks. On the hill leading up behind Dickenson Bay.
The Roti King, St Mary’s St, t 462 2328, inexpensive
Local West Indian fare, particularly rotis, envelopes of unleavened bread filled with a sort of curried stew - beef, chicken, conch, shrimp or vegetables.
Franciane’s French Bakery and Café, Old Parham Road, t 462 2253, franciane@francianes.com, inexpensive
Local chain of French bakeries and cafés serving freshly-made filled baguettes, croissants, sweet and savoury pastries, cakes, coffee, and cold drinks. There are currently five outlets. The main bakery is located on Old Parham Road, then there is Jasmine Court on Friars Hill Road, Temo Sports at English Harbour, Heritage Quay and Long/Cross Street in St John’s. They also provide catering services and cakes for special occasions.
Mama Lolly’s Vegetarian Café, Redcliffe Quay, t 562 1552, inexpensive
Simple Caribbean café with small seating area and a takeaway service. There is a courtyard juice bar with an extensive menu including breakfast smoothies of soya milk, seeds, nuts, oats and molasses. The mostly vegetarian menu changes daily and there are fish specials on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also veggie pizzas, stews, spinach lasagne, wraps, burgers, salad bar and home baked cakes that are wheat and egg free. Open for breakfast and lunch.
Kalabashé, Vendors Mall, Redcliffe Street, t 562 6070, inexpensive
A vegetarian restaurant with a juice bar, featuring a combination of international and Caribbean cuisine.
Around English Harbour
There is a good crop of places to eat out around English Harbour and they can be very lively in the winter (there is a particularly lively strip between Nelson’s Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour), but as it is such as a seasonal place, some of the restaurants close in the summer months.
Trappas, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 562 3534, moderate-expensive
Very lively and fun place to eat out. International menu with dishes from all over – tapas, ribs, wings, Thai dishes, all sorts. Run by English couple Simon (the chef) and Caroline Tranter, it has a simple and rustic setting and a very casual air. Good prices. Stays open late on weekends (closes when the last person leaves) as it’s a regular meeting place for ex-pats and locals.
The Gallery, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 728 7001, moderate-expensive
Superb French, Caribbean and international cuisine prepared by chef Nigel Joseph (former chef at Jumby Bay and HQ), all grilled, sushi on Sat in a very relaxed setting on an open-sided deck hanging with tropical greenery and fairy lights on the English Harbour strip. An eclectic menu that includes tuna ceviche, chicken satay, saltfish fritters, jerk chicken, steamed mahi-mahi in banana leaf, tiger prawns in a chilli & coconut sauce and beef tenderloin in red wine and port. A popular spot with both locals and visitors. Friday is ‘Spanish Night’ with tapas, paella and sangria, Saturday is ‘Sushi & Sashimi’ and on Sundays there is a barbeque with live music.
Abracadabra, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 460 2701 abra@candw.ag moderate-expensive
A lively Italian restaurant set in an 18th century stone building which turns on an 8ft video screen and plays dance music when the dinner service (7pm-11pm) is over. Southern Italian cuisine includes homemade seafood pastas, carpaccio di mare, tuna tartar, grilled lobster (live from their aquarium) and roasted suckling pig ‘porceddu’. Liveliest on weekends.
Le Cap Horn, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 460 1194, VHF 68, moderate-expensive
French cuisine (by a Swiss chef) in a pretty veranda setting cascading with flowers. Also pizzas cooked to order in a wood oven at their adjoining sister restaurant, Pizzeria.
Catherine’s Café, Antigua Slipway, English Harbour, t 460 5050
French cuisine and fresh seafood. Alfresco dining on the boardwalk overlooking Nelson’s Dockyard. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Tuesdays.
Cloggy’s Café (former Eden Café) at Abracadabra, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 463 8083, cloggyscafe@yahoo.com, moderate
Popular European-style café in a pretty garden with a wooden veranda for dining. Run by Dutch couple Ton and Vanessa Smit, who serve simple fare ranging from salads, grilled seafood and meats to freshly made baguettes, milkshakes and fruit smoothies. Also a regular bar. Will cater for yachts and offer a newspaper service. Open for breakfast (10am summer and 8am winter) and lunch Monday to Saturday until 4-4.30pm with extended hours in summer, and for snacks from midnight to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Calabash, Galleon Beach Resort, English Harbour, t 562 4906, moderate-expensive
Spacious open sided veranda setting with a view out across the lawns and beach of Galleon Beach Resort, which attracts a mix of guests and local ex-pats. International fare mixed with Caribbean and Oriental influence in the tastes and ingredients. Calabash is run by a British/South African couple, Michael and Pat, who is also the chef and who works in the open kitchen. There is separate a dining deck overlooking the beach. Sports TV and complimentary internet access. Very quiet out of season. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Thursdays.
Harmony Hall, Nonsuch Bay, Freetown, t 460 4120, moderate-expensive
Ever-popular as a lunch-stop on a tour of the island, with several dining areas beneath a windmill cone and on the hillside. Excellent Italian fare and lovely views to Green Island (a nature reserve), which you can visit by arrangement before lunch, by ferry. Harmony Hall closes in the summer months.
Chez Francoise, Catamaran Marina, Falmouth Harbour, t 562 2226, moderate-expensive
Atmospheric French restaurant set alongside the marina with inner bar and seating area crammed with sailing memorabila, and dining deck overlooking Falmouth Harbour. Run by French host Francoise who specialises in fish and seafood, which he catches and smokes himself - carpaccio sail fish, fish soup, roasted fillet of wahoo with foie gras and peppercorn sauce are on the menu, also stuffed crab and clams. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Mad Mongoose,Yacht Club Road, English Harbour, t 463 7900, moderate
Lively bar and restaurant with simple fare - pasta, salads, burgers and the house special Steak & Guinness pie. Open for lunch (except Mondays) and dinner.
One Stone Ital Shack, corner of Cobbs Cross, nr English Harbour, t 772 2698, inexpensive
Open at breakfast and lunch for local, organic vegetarian food - bush tea, fruit juices, pancakes, rotis, pasta, ital rice, stews, vegetarian lasagne (very popular), tofu/veggie burgers, peas or cassava balls, cakes and puddings. Main dishes cooked in clay pots. Open Mon-Sat from 8-8.30am – lunch and snacks from 11.30 until late afternoon.
Tamarind Bar & Restaurant, Browns Bay off Nonsuch Bay, VHF 68, t 460 4174, moderate-expensive
Delightful tranquil setting in a colourful open-sided wooden building with bare floor boards and simple furnishings and a view over lawns and a small beach with views to Green Island. An excellent escape for a casual, leisurely lunch. All day breakfast and a daily blackboard menu based on fresh local produce. Stuffed Jalapeno peppers, coconut shrimp, tuna sashimi and tilapia filet with mango and ginger sauce. Also a children’s menu. Run by Frenchwoman Catherine and partner Kevin Johnson (from England), a self taught chef who likes to serve fish, which he catches when he can. There is a pool, trampoline, a tennis court, a kayak, hammocks and four Topaz dinghies available for rent. Also a selection of board games. Children can happily play whilst parents enjoy a drink at the bar, and there is even an area where children can sit on their own to eat. Note: a bumpy ride along the currently unpaved road which also leads to Harmony Hall next door. Stop press: Now under new management. No further details currently available.
Kesari, Falmouth Main Road, Falmouth, t 460 1361
New tapas and cocktail bar set back off the main road in Falmouth. Run by Darryn a former chef of HQ who prepares mostly Asian based dishes including sushi. Open Thursday to Monday from 6pm until late.
Grace Before Meals, English Harbour, t 460 1298, inexpensive
Set in a chattel house with white painted walls, floral curtains, silk flowers and plastic table cloths, a simple, cheerful and clean dining room. Seating shared at two long trestle tables and three smaller tables for couples. Family-run by Grace and her daughter (even the youngest child helps out). Good Caribbean fare, conch, chicken, fish, and particularly rotis, including conch, fish, mutton, shrimp, vegetable, chicken or beef, from EC $12. Great for a cheap meal out. Can deliver to yachts.
Caribbean Taste, English Harbour, t 562 3049, inexpensive-moderate
Trusty local fare in a simple setting right in English Harbour.
Life, English Harbour, t 562 2353, moderate
Fun and food is reasonable. Located on a pontoon on the water.
Jackee’s Quick Stop, English Harbour, t 460 1299, inexpensive
Local fare, English breakfasts, also rotis. Great for people-watching and for lingering, despite what its name implies.
Mauro’s Pizzas, Cobbs Cross, t 460 1318, inexpensive-moderate
Seriously good pizza.
Diane’s Bar, Shirley Heights Road, t 460 1116, inexpensive
Good local food. |
| ^ back to top |
Rum
Like most of the Caribbean islands with a history of sugar-production, Antigua has a long tradition of rum distillation. In early years every estate and even every rum shop has their own pot still with which they distilled their own, but in the early twentieth century, as the industry changed, a number of interested parties got together and created the Antigua Distillery. They sell their products under the brand Cavalier Rum. They have a number of different rums, some young and ‘white’, others aged and more mellow, which are graded either by a number of years or by colour. Several of their rums have won awards over the years. Besides Cavalier, labels include the very successful English Harbour label.
For something unique there is Bolans Best Matured Rum which is bottled and sold by John ‘Bushy’ Angelo Barreto who runs the post office/general store/gas pumps in Bolans Village (near Jolly Harbour). John buys overproof rum from the Antigua Distillery and blends it in old oak casks. He produces both white and dark rums, but his best known label is the Best Matured Rum. You can sample before buying.
And for a bit of fun you could try visit the restaurant Papa Zouk, which has an excellent selection of rums, around 170 of them from all over the Caribbean. The restaurant is good to visit anyway and you can finish with a rum tasting. |
| ^ back to top |
Sailing
Antigua is one of the sailing centres of the Caribbean. It has been for centuries - its excellent protected harbours were a refuge for naval and commercial ships - but nowadays the sailing has more pleasurable intent. The yachting industry is centred mainly in the South-east of the island, around the magnificent bays of English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour (with some harbours in the west). English Harbour is extremely lively in season and it is from here that Antigua’s famous regattas, Antigua Race Week and the Classic Yacht Regatta, take place.
For all its importance on the Caribbean sailing scene, though, Antigua does not have the depth and ease of sailing of, say, the Virgin Islands or the Grenadines, or even next door Guadeloupe. It is more of a sailor’s destination and the seas are more demanding. Also there is less infrastructure in the way of bars to sail up to and the anchorages on the western side of the island, where many of the nicest beaches are, can be lumpy. Most of the best stopovers are on the Atlantic side, in an area of small islands and shallow water in the North-east and in coves farther down the eastern coastline that are protected from the full force of the ocean.
There is a week’s sailing around Antigua, however, and if you are in a small yacht the other island that can easily be fitted into a week is Barbuda. Antigua has just a couple of bareboat charter companies. They include Horizon Yacht Charters, which is based at Jolly Harbour in the west and Sunsail, located in the North-west of the island at the Colonna Club. If you do want to island-hop, Horizon is happy to offer one-way trips north to St Martin and south to Dominica.
Antigua is a hub for crewed yachts, particularly large ones. The island is a convenient location for passengers to board a yacht as it is an important hub for flights arriving in the Caribbean. Also, Antigua has good facilities, workshops, suppliers and dockyards, for instance. If you charter a large crewed large yacht, then there is less of an issue about sailing beyond the island. They are more comfortable in the big open seas and there is a crew to handle it all for you. Where smaller yachts often stick to Antigua, larger ones do sometimes track north along the island chain to St Maarten (another popular base) and the islands surrounding it, particularly St Barths. Finally, unlike a bareboat, with a crewed charter there is not usually a delivery fee if you drop off in a different island from where you picked up.
With so many crews around in Antigua, the result is a very lively atmosphere. It also means that out of season the area is generally quite quiet, as most of the major yachts disappear across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean or up to the eastern seaboard of the United States. Many of the bars and restaurants around English Harbour actually shut down until the season starts again at the end of the year.
If you are staying on the island and want just a day under sail, then there are several fun days out on yachts. Trips usually offer food and drink. See under Day Sails.
Our recommended yacht charter companies based in Antigua include -
Horizon Yacht Charters
A small and trusty owner-managed yacht charter company based in Jolly Harbour on the protected western shoreline of Antigua, with a fleet of eleven comfortable monohull yachts and a couple of catamarans. Horizon Yacht Charters (Antigua) offer mainly bareboat charters, in yachts between 39 and 54ft (with between two and five cabins), but can arrange a cook or for a skipper for a couple of days while you settle in. Well positioned for offshore and ocean sailing around Antigua and Barbuda and for island-hopping trips north to St Martin or south to Guadeloupe and Dominica. A reliable company that offers a distinctly personal touch.
Antigua holds a number of regattas each year: please see below for more information about what is on offer and how to get involved:
Antigua Race Week, www.sailingweek.com
The major event for the year, which takes place during the last week of April or the first week of May. There are five major races with a number of different classes held in different areas around the island, some out of Dickenson Bay, others out of Falmouth Harbour. There are races for bareboats, so anyone (qualified) can get a crew together and join in. And then there are any number of beach parties, cocktail parties and the official send-off, Lord Nelson’s Ball.
RORC Caribbean 600 Race, www.rorc.org
This ran for the first time in 2009 when the Royal Ocean Racing Club and Antigua Yacht Club joined forces to run the RORC Caribbean 600 Race. The race was the first of its kind to circumnavigate a number of Caribbean Islands and covers 605 nautical miles. It sets off from Fort Charlotte, just outside English Harbour, the fleet will then pass a mark off Barbuda and on to Nevis, Saba and St Barths before circling St Maarten and heading south for Guadeloupe and then heading back north to Antigua for the finish. The next race is due to take place on 22 February 2010.
Ondeck Antigua
If you would like to join in the fun of Antigua Sailing Week or the RORC Caribbean 600 Race, Ondeck’s Ocean Race Experience offers individuals the opportunity to participate in crews at around £1,250 (or the equivalent in USD). Based in Falmouth Harbour (and St Thomas in the USVI), Ondeck also offers RYA instruction to all standards of sailors, from novice up to race skipper, as well as a number of day sails and longer excursions such as Hidden Caribbean - a week-long itinerary that starts and finishes in St Maarten and visits five of the less known islands in the north-eastern Caribbean. Their rationale is hands-on sailing and instruction, so you should expect an active time on the water.
Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, www.antiguaclassics.com.
Takes place a couple of weeks before Antigua Race Week. Races are restricted to yachts with a classic design and include a tall ships race. These yachts are of course some of the most beautiful yachts in existence, so there are also parades of yachts for spectators to see from the shore.
The Antigua Yacht Club also organises a number of other yacht races during the year. The annual High Tide series is run in December, the Green Island Race which involves a race to Green Island in June and they also hold a Round the Island race in January. They also have a series of ‘after work’ races on Thursday afternoons.
Another key moment in the Antigua sailing calendar is the Antigua Charter Yacht Show, which takes place at the start of the season in the first week in December. Many of the charter yachts available for the season through the Caribbean are there on show.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay that is close to a safe anchorage or the sailing action, try: | Admiral's Inn
A small and friendly inn set in restored buildings right in Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua. Admirals Inn has a delightful sense of history about it, but also a lively atmosphere because it is also at the heart of the island’s sailing action | Moondance
A thoroughly exotic retreat in eclectic tropical style, with designer décor and quality furnishings, set within the grounds of Galleon Beach (with use of their facilities). Three-bedroom main villa, one bedroom studio cottage and one bedroom cottage (both of which can be taken separately), all with lovely views over English Harbour. Virtually beachfront, set above a quarter mile stretch of a safe, white sand beach. Perfect for families, weddings or honeymoons. | Ocean Inn
A well-priced bed and breakfast set in sloping gardens above English Harbour on Antigua’s southern coast. The Ocean Inn is a small and friendly stopover within a shout of all sailing and evening action of the south coast and a good base from which to explore the island. | Galleon Beach Villas & Resort
Low key and affordable beachfront retreat set in leisurely gardens overlooking English Harbour in the South-east of Antigua. Galleon Beach has a mix of self-catering cottages and private villas with pools, all giving onto a pretty white sand beach. Excellent, relaxed family resort. Good for weddings and honeymoons too. | Catamaran Hotel
A collection of 14 self-catering rooms and suites set on a small strip of sand on Falmouth Harbour in the south of Antigua. The small hotel is good value and has a friendly atmosphere. It has a pool, some watersports and a restaurant and bar close by, so you can to tuck yourself away, but it is also within a shout of the activity of English Harbour. Good place to stay for Antigua Sailing Week. |
|
| ^ back to top |
Scuba Diving
Antigua does not rank among the Caribbean’s leading islands for scuba diving, but it can work well as a taster or as a complement to other activities on island. There is reasonable variety for you to dip into, on the reefs and coral gardens and a few walls and wrecks. Antigua is a good option if you are leaning to dive, if you are on island for other reasons and want to get in a few dives or if you travelling with non-divers and do not want to spend whole days at it.
The diving is mainly to the west and south of the island (there are some reefs to the north, including Boon’s Reef, which is used for training) but dive trips usually head south so it can be quite a long ride from some of the hotels. There is generally not much current around Antigua and with the white sandy bottom and clean water the visibility is generally quite good, often up to 100 feet. The reefs are in reasonable condition, but some are very close to the surface, which means some have been damaged by hurricanes and others have lost their larger fish, so for the better marine life you have to go farther offshore. In Barbuda (where there has been less pressure on the reefs) the corals are so close to the surface that it is barely necessary to dive atall. Antigua sees the usual reef life that you would expect in the Caribbean, sponges, elkhorn and staghorn, even occasional black coral, and reef fish including parrot fish, angel fish, snappers and chromis. Occasionally you will see larger and ocean-going creatures such as rays, barracuda and nurse sharks.
In fact there is plenty of good snorkelling around both islands. There are beaches that are particularly good for it and of course there are day sails that include a visit to a reef (usually Cades Reef) as part of their trip.
While there are plenty of dive shops in Antigua, the possibilities for diving in Barbuda are limited as there are no dive shops there, so you will have to take your own equipment through one of the dive shops in Antigua, or join one of their very occasional trips to the smaller island. People talk of the many wrecks off Barbuda, but they are mostly on the reefs on the Atlantic side and so they are difficult to dive.
Recommended dive shops in Antigua are Ultramarine, t 463 3483, which has a number of diveshops around the island and Jolly Dive, t 462 8305. The nearest recompression chambers to Antigua are located on the islands of Saba and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
A few sample divesites are as follows:
Boon’s Reef
Shallow reef to the north of the island, often used for training.
Cades Reef
A three mile reef that has been designated as a marine reserve. The reef breaks the surface at several points but there are many areas at different depths offering several divesites as well as snorkelling (a lot of the day trips go there). Cades Reef is the most popular dive location in Antigua due to its clear water and plentiful fish. The reef has suffered from severe hurricane damage over the years. The general feeling is that it is recovering, but this is a very slow process.
Sandy Island
An outcrop of rock and coral heads a couple of miles of the west coast. Several divesites with good reefs and some ocean-going marine life, also a sunken ship.
Ariadne Shoal
Farther offshore to the west, more remote, with some larger marine life including occasional sharks. There is a cave dive there.
Sunken Rock
Off the English Harbour area in the South-east, Sunken Rock is a large rocky area at about between 50 and 100 feet. The usual Caribbean marine life lurks in the crevices and grows on the surface of the rocks.
Andes
A wreck dive off the Royal Antiguan Hotel, a three-masted steel sailing ship from Trinidad that sank in 1905.
For accommodation close to dive shops, try: | Carlisle Bay
An exquisite hotel set in its own very attractive, natural bay on Antigua’s southern coast. Carlisle Bay is in the vanguard of modern Caribbean style, decorated with metropolitan verve but in keeping with the loveliest tropical calm and charm. | St James's Club
Set on its own calm inlet, Mamora Bay, in the South-east of Antigua, the St James's Club is a resort particularly popular with families offering an optional all inclusive plan. It has 250 rooms ranged in blocks looking out onto the ocean and villas overlooking the bay itself. Good for children. | Curtain Bluff
An upscale resort in a lovely secluded setting on two bays on Antigua’s southern shore. Curtain Bluff has been a trusty fixture on the luxury Caribbean scene for many years and retains its position among the area’s best loved hotels. | Jumby Bay
A small and stylish Antigua hotel set on its own island just off the north-eastern shore of Antigua. Jumby Bay is understated and elegant, and set on a superb beach that gives onto a fantastic sea. |
|
| ^ back to top |
Security
As a visitor to Antigua you should take sensible precautions, as you would anywhere in the world nowadays, including the UK and US. Do not leave doors or windows open at night or when you go out during the day and do not leave valuable items, such as your camera, visible from outside. Also, do not leave items visible in your car or unattended on the beach. |
| ^ back to top |
Service Charge/Tipping
Hotel, villa resort and villa accommodation incurs a 10.5% government sales tax or VAT (the ABST/Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax for accommodation is due to increase to 15% on 30 January 2010, when it will be in line with all other services now being charged 15%) and a 10% service charge in Antigua, and these are normally added to your bill (unless you are staying in an all-inclusive hotel). It can make quite a difference to the eventual price of your holiday, so if you are booking direct make sure you calculate it in when pricing up your trip.
Tipping for good service is obviously appreciated and is regarded as the norm. In restaurants and bars, check the bill, but around 10% should be added – some add this automatically along with the 15% ABST.
In private villas and apartments, service is not included, so all members of staff should be tipped on your departure. Check with the local property manager or rental agent for guidance. |
| ^ back to top |
Shopping
As a major cruise ship destination, Antigua offers a fair amount of shopping and in St John’s you can expect all the duty-free perfumes, linen, watches and crystal that you could ever want to load up your suitcases with. In typical Caribbean style almost all the goods are imported. Among all the tat though, there are also more interesting things on sale. The island has a substantial community of local and expatriate artists and artisans and you will find some interesting, locally produced art and crafts.
If duty-free is your thing, then as you disembark from your cruise ship in St John’s harbour you will walk straight into Heritage Quay, a brightly painted, purpose built shopping facility with rows of stores and a casino. A short walk away though, you come to Redcliffe Quay, which is an altogether more pleasant experience. Many of the buildings have been restored from stone and wood originals and so there is more authentic feel of the traditional West Indies as well as some good shops.
Shopping hours: most shops in St John’s open at 8.30am and close around 4pm or 5pm, Mon-Sat, with some closing at 1pm on Thursdays and Saturdays. Some shops take a lunch break for an hour between noon and 1pm, but most are open right through the day. Shops stay open later and they open on Sundays when cruise ships are in port.
Redcliffe Quay, St John’s
Redcliffe Quay is one of the oldest parts of St John’s and has considerable form as a shopping area. It was a former slave-market and for tropical goods like sugar and rum. Today there is a nice mix of bars, restaurants and of course shops selling clothes, accessories, gifts, pottery and paintings.
Kate Design, Redcliffe Quay, t 460 5971
Tropical prints and paintings by Kate Spencer from St Kitts, with cards, prints, tablemats and clothes.
The Goldsmitty, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 4601
Hand made jewellery by Dutchman Hans Smit, who has lived on the island for many years.
A Thousand Flowers, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 4264
Boutique set in 19th century building, selling resort and holiday wear in natural fabrics.
Fine Art Framing Gallery, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 1019
Features a range of original artwork, prints and photography by local and Caribbean artists.
Noreen Phillips, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 3127
Tropical designer wear by ex-model Noreen Phillips, a trained fashion designer who makes her own collections on the premises. Will make bespoke wear on request.
Jacaranda, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 1888
Selection of duty free Caribbean designed products and gifts by well known artists such as Jill Walker, prints by Antiguan artist Gilly Gobinet, glass work, batik wear, handmade soaps and fragrances, cosmetics, local coffee, herbs and spices.
The Pottery Shop, Redcliffe Quay, t 462 5503
Selected pieces of artwork by local potters such as Michael Hunt and Imogen Margrie of Cedars Pottery.
Heritage Quay, St John’s
Duty free bargains galore, fashion, watches, jewellery, perfume, cosmetics and all sorts of branded goods, at the waterfront in St John’s. Shops stay open when cruise ships are in port.
Island Arts, Heritage Quay, St John’s, t 462 2787
They offer crafts from Antigua, Caribbean art and prints and some unexpected characters from Star Wars. Island Arts is backed by ‘Yoda Guy’ Nick Maley, who was involved in the creation of characters in the Star Was trilogy.
The Map Shop, St Mary’s Street, St John’s t 462 3993
They sell old and new prints, postcards, stationary, a selection of books by West Indian authors and poets, Caribbean reference books on culture, history, flora and fauna.
John & Francis Anjo, High Street, St. John’s, t 462 0183
For a range of fishing tackle and snorkelling equipment, plus a selection of gifts and jewellery.
Made in Antigua, 2nd Floor British American Mall, Redcliffe Street, St John’s, t 562 3199/8
Sells items made in Antigua, such as handmade natural soaps, scented candles, tea, pepper sauce, replicas of cannons and sugar mills, jams and jellies, handcrafted jewellery and art.
Museum Gift Shop, corner of Market and Long Streets, St. John's, t 462 4930
Local art and craft work by around fifty Antiguan artisans which includes pottery, original artwork and prints, shell work, dolls, paper machée, jewellery and wood carvings. Plus a selection of antique household items, antique map prints, a range of books, toiletries and handmade soaps, and culinary gifts such as local jams, jellies, chutneys, coffee, hot sauces and herbal teas. All profits go towards the upkeep of the museum.
Sunseekers, Heritage Quay, t 462 3618
Beachwear for the whole family, with the claim to have “the largest selection of swimwear in the Caribbean” including well known like Gottex, Jantzen, Speedo, Quicksilver and Billabong.
The Vendors’ Mall, St Mary’s Street, St John’s
A craft market in downtown St John’s, next to Redcliffe Quay, selling t-shirts, beach-wear and local crafts.
Woods Gallery, Woods Shopping Mall, Friar’s Hill Road, t 462 2332
The gallery has represented over 40 local and regional artists, in media including pottery, ceramics, photography, textile art, stained glass, prints and jewellery. Member artists include acrylic painter Jan Farara, watercolour painter David Cadogan, photographer Jennifer Meranto, Jill Fuller who does painting, photography, ceramics and sculpture, Dina deBrozzi Goodenough who does paintings, murals and mosaics, Gilly Gobinet who has both originals and prints of her popular watercolours, Katie McConnachie who works in acrylics and prisma-colour pencils, and is also an illustrator of children’s books, Heike Petersen who handcrafts dolls, and Sallie Harker who is mostly known for fish paintings in watercolour and gold leaf but also uses oils. There are monthly exhibitions, with the opening night parties held on the 1st Friday of the month.
The Market, Market Street, St John’s
A traditional West Indian market, with an amazing array of tropical fruit, veg, spices and other essentials of West Indian life, all neatly presented to attract passing buyers. There is a large, modern market building just south of the downtown area (next to the bus station). It is always fun to visit Caribbean markets, for the lively banter as well as the fruits and vegetables that you might want to buy. There is a small craft market attached to the main market where you will find locally made handicrafts such as carvings and other artwork.
City Nursery, Market Street, St John’s t 462 7960
They sell tropical plants, palms, flowers and ferns for export.
Workshop for the Blind, All Saints Road, St John’s, t 462 0663
Founded in 1952 this is a non-profit making organisation, with weavers making a range of basketry and straw such as bread baskets, lampshades, mats, footstools, wastepaper baskets, magazine holders and straw hats.
Outside St John’s
Cedars Pottery, St Clare Estate, Buckley Road, t 460 5293, info@cedarspottery.com, www.cedarspottery.com
Set up by Antiguan ceramicist Michael Hunt and his ceramicist wife, Imogen Margrie in 1996 producing interesting and innovative ceramics, plus stone sculptures. Works include domestic ware and architectural pieces. Studio visits by appointment only.
The Galley Boutique, Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, t 460 1525
Sells designer fashions, swimwear, resort wear, plus handicrafts, gifts and accessories. Has been operating for over thirty years and is popular with regular visitors, yachts people and locals.
Harmony Hall, Nonsuch Bay, near Freetown, t 460 4120
An art gallery set around an old windmill in the remote South-east of the island. Original works of art from all over the Caribbean, plus other arts and crafts. They offer an excellent stop for lunch on an island tour, beach close by. Sister gallery to the Harmony Halls in Jamaica and Costa Rica.
Heavenly Hill Art Gallery, Nelson’s Dockyard, Falmouth, t 460 2605
Owned by artist and photographer Terrence Sprague, the gallery features his own work along with art and craftwork by more than a dozen local artists.
Rhythm of Blue Art Gallery, Dockyard Drive, English Harbour, t 562 2230
Ocean-inspired art featuring the works of well known local potter Nancy Nicholson and scrimshaw by Michael Strzalkowski, plus a collection of works by other local and regional artists including Sallie Harker. Open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday.
Lord Jim’s Locker, Antigua Yacht Club Marina, Falmouth Harbour, t 460 1147
The best bookshop around, plus nautical publications and foreign newspapers
Museum Restoration Gift Shop, Dockyard Museum, Nelson’s Dockyard, t 463 1060
Sells nautical themed items, maps, charts and posters.
Pelican Studio,Fitches Creek, t 461 0761
Beachfront studio featuring the works of popular Antiguan artist Gilly Gobinet, who is self taught and works in watercolour, acrylic, oil and pen.
Pigeon Point Pottery, Falmouth, t 460 1614
Distinctive and very popular hand painted earthenware by Nancy Nicholson who digs her own clay locally and is known for her locally inspired marine designs and symbols, using her trademark deep blues and aquamarines. Produces domestic ware, tiles, lamp shades and bowls which can be used as hand basins. Viewing by appointment.
Things Local Gallery, Officer’s Quarters, Nelson’s Dockyard, t 461 7595
Owned by eminent Antiguan artist and wood sculptor Carl Henry who uses local mahogany, eucalyptus, almond and Caribbean hardwoods to carve out bowls, Warri boards, masks, fish, turtles and sail boats. Commissions include Antigua and Barbuda coat of arms which hangs in Antigua's Parliament building, and a life size sculpture of the Holy Family which stands in the new Catholic Cathedral, using a single piece of wood.
The New Pottery, Dutchman’s Bay, t 562 1264
Antigua’s oldest established pottery where Sarah Fuller creates hand painted wind chimes, domestic ware, lamp shades, bird feeders, fish (some large pieces) and tiles, some featuring a striking cobalt-blue glaze. Does commissions.
Real Local Art Gallery, Horseford Hill, Falmouth, t 561 5159/460 1733
Primitive style acrylic paintings of local scenes by Priscilla Looby.
Fig Tree Studio, nr John Hughes Village, Fig Tree Drive, t 460 1234/773 4321, sharker@candw.ag
Originals and prints of Sallie Harker’s work who is known for her paintings of fish using watercolours and gold leaf. More recently the artist has completed a number of paintings (some in oils) with reflective light on water and the effect of weather on the landscape as the main topics. It is advisable to call in advance to check opening times.
Supermarkets
The Epicurean Supermarket, Woods Shopping Mall, Friar’s Hill Road, t 462 2565, and Jolly Harbour, t 462 7705
The largest and most well stocked supermarket on island, with a wide selection of both local and imported food and wine, a deli counter and take-away food.
Food City, Dickenson Bay St, St John’s
Grant Brothers, Perry Bay, close to the Market, St John’s
Island Provision, Airport Road, St. John’s, t 480 5151 / 5155
Wholesale, bulk provisioning, which includes yachts, with fresh and dry goods.
Gourmet Basket, Island Provision complex, Airport Road, St. John’s, t 480 5174
Stock fresh fruit, vegetables and meats, wines, liquors, sauces and spices, plus a cold deli counter with pates, cheeses and speciality food items. A hot deli counter serves hot local lunches daily.
For a wider selection of wines and spirits, Best Cellars Wines & Spirits, t 480 5180, is next door. It has over 650 different wines and also sells Cuban cigars.
Dockside Liquors & Supermarket, Antigua Yacht Club Marina, Falmouth Harbour, t 463 9000
Grocery items, fresh bread, cigars, cigarettes and a range of wines, champagnes and spirits.
CE Baileys Supermarket, Falmouth Main Road, Falmouth Village, English Harbour, t 460 1142
Mini mart which stocks some fresh produce (all meat, poultry etc is frozen) and although not large seems to have all the essentials, including fresh local breads and cakes. Open 9am-7pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am-8pm Friday and Saturday.
Crab Hole Liquors, Cobbs Cross and Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, t 460 1212
Main shop is located on the main road to Falmouth and also sells snack items, ice, soft drinks and another smaller outlet, Crab Hole Too, is located within the historic dockyard.
Malone’s Food Store, English Harbour, t 460 1570
For groceries including meat and chicken, a variety of fresh market produce, and a deli for sandwiches, salads, pates, cheeses and local specialities.
Quinn Farara’s Liquor Store, Jolly Harbour, t 462 6245
Sells spirits and cigarettes at amazingly low prices which work out almost the equivalent to local duty free prices (sometimes less), and much lower than UK duty free. |
| ^ back to top |
Solo Travellers
With its huge numbers of independent travellers, particularly sailors, Antigua can be great fun as a solo traveller. The best times to visit are obviously during the regattas (when the yachts will be looking for crew to start with), but the Falmouth and English Harbour area are busy any time in the season. There is some good accommodation in the area too for individual travellers. Elsewhere on the island things are more typical of the rest of the Caribbean, but Antigua is a lively island and has good bars and sports facilities, so there is plenty of scope for meeting other visitors and local Antiguans.
Some suitable accommodation for solo travelers: | Admiral's Inn
A small and friendly inn set in restored buildings right in Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua. Admirals Inn has a delightful sense of history about it, but also a lively atmosphere because it is also at the heart of the island’s sailing action | Cocos
Twenty very pretty gingerbread cottages ranged around point above Jolly Harbour on the west coast of Antigua. Quite simple and rustic, but good value with a friendly atmosphere and lovely tropical garden setting. Antigua all inclusive plan. | Ocean Inn
A well-priced bed and breakfast set in sloping gardens above English Harbour on Antigua’s southern coast. The Ocean Inn is a small and friendly stopover within a shout of all sailing and evening action of the south coast and a good base from which to explore the island. | Hawksbill Beach Resort
A large Antigua hotel with 111 rooms stretched over four excellent beaches and waterfront on the western coast of Antigua. All inclusive plan but low key, quietly sophisticated atmosphere and pretty garden surroundings. Good deal for solo travellers. | Catamaran Hotel
A collection of 14 self-catering rooms and suites set on a small strip of sand on Falmouth Harbour in the south of Antigua. The small hotel is good value and has a friendly atmosphere. It has a pool, some watersports and a restaurant and bar close by, so you can to tuck yourself away, but it is also within a shout of the activity of English Harbour. Good place to stay for Antigua Sailing Week. | Siboney Beach Club
A family owned, beachfront property with just twelve one-bedroom suites, set on Dickenson Bay, Antigua’s liveliest beach. Tucked in an oasis garden bursting with tropical greenery, it is informal, friendly and ideal for travellers seeking an independent holiday while still being close to the action. Very well priced. | Anchorage Inn
A friendly, family-owned inn with some self catering rooms in the north of Antigua, within easy reach of the Dickenson Bay beach, St John’s and the airport. Set in brightly decorated buildings, Anchorage Inn offers good value and sees an interesting mix of holidaymakers and other travellers. | Harmony Hall
A very small and secluded hotel set around a small estate house and windmill art gallery near Antigua’s eastern coast. Just six rooms in a quiet but very pretty setting. Closed mid-May to early November. | K'ai Etoile
An enchanting guest cottage with a traditional tropical style, set below the main property Moondance Villa, and within the grounds of Galleon Beach, with sister cottage Twinkle next door. Has lovely views over English Harbour. Virtually beachfront, set above a quarter mile stretch of a safe, white sand beach. Perfect for couples, and for honeymoons. | Twinkle
A rustic, charming cottage with a typical tropical style, set below the main property Moondance Villa, and within the grounds of Galleon Beach, with sister cottage K’ai Etoile next door. Has lovely views over English Harbour. Virtually beachfront, sitting above a quarter mile stretch of a safe, white sand beach. Perfect for couples, and honeymoons. |
|
| ^ back to top |
|