Antigua and Barbuda is an independent Commonwealth state in the Eastern Caribbean. It is known for its lush tropical climate, laid back lifestyle and boasts around 365 beaches of clean, clear, turquoise waters that sit on either the Atlantic Ocean side or the Caribbean Ocean side. This tropical island paradise is an inviting vacation locale that gives off lots of peaceful vibes. Fun fact: Marijuana is legal here 🙂
Antigua is roughly 22 kms long and 18 kms wide. Its topography is well-suited to produce tobacco, cotton, and ginger. The main industry, however, developed into sugar cane farming, which lasted for over 200 years. There are 2 former sugar factories that are remnants of the prior industry here. Following its independence from Britain in 1981, Antigua’s key industry is tourism!
Spectacular beaches, incredible seafood, and impressive resorts represent just an iota of the many reasons Antigua and Barbuda makes an perfect getaway. It’s also an idyllic spot for anyone interested in experiencing the abundant sea life these dual islands have to offer.
Food & Drink
Each Caribbean island is different with its own unique culture and cuisine. Antigua food is no different and has some unique dishes you will not find on other islands. Festival or the more popular name “Johnny cakes” are an example of this. These are sweet cinnamon flavored corn bread cake and they are very delectable!
Fungie is sometimes simplified as “Antiguan polenta”. Fundamentally it is cornmeal cooked with okra water. Fungie is often accompanied with saltfish. Ducana is also quite a popular dish and one that I fell in love with. It is made with the dough of a grated sweet potato, coconut and pumpkin, which is then seasoned with cinnamon. The dough is them wrapped in a banana leaf, and then boiled in water to solidify the dough into a nice dumpling texture. It is yummy!!!!
One of the staple foods of island life in the Caribbean is saltfish. It is usually made with white fish such as Mahi Mahi or cod which is salted to help preserve the fish.
Jerk chicken is another party favorite in Antigua. The chicken is marinated in a blend of hot pepper, allspice, ginger, onions and brown sugar, which then spends a few hours marinating in the fridge.
Wadadli is the indigenous name of the island, and is the only Antiguan beer on the island. It is considered to be a light and refreshing lager that is typically served very cold.
One of the interesting aspects of Antiguan cuisine here is that many people make their own homemade ginger beer. The homemade versions are especially worth seeking out, as they are made with ginger, water, sugar and some vanilla essence. Another option is to buy one at the grocery store for convenience sake. Ginger beer is usually accompanied with a sweet snack like coconut cake which is also an Antiguan specialty 🙂
Jolly Beach & Harbour
Jolly Beach is located on the West coast of Antigua and is also home to Jolly Harbour, which is home to beautiful and extravagant yachts moored in its alcove. This beach offers several kilometers of powder white sand that sit on the unbelievably warm waters of the Caribbean sea.
Walking around this beautiful Harbour will bring you into contact with colorful but also intriguing flora like the Sausage Tree. Dangling in clusters from long, pendulous stems, is the thick-skinned fruit can grow 3 feet in length. They can also weigh up to 30 pounds! Caution should be taken when walking under these trees, to avoid getting beaned by falling fruit in the shape of mini torpedoes. Also, unripe fruit is poisonous to humans. To make them edible, people bake them and slice them to eat the cooked pulp. The seeds are roasted as well, and can be a nutritional resource, since they are energy rich and contain essential fatty acids. Antigua has lots of snails so one must pay attention to where you are stepping to avoid crushing these gooey creatures.
Reed’s Point / Jolly Hill Hike
Reed’s Point which overlooks Jolly Harbour and its spectacular beach is a wonderful hike that begins around the marina / Harbour area. The elevation is a mere 37 meters above sea level. There used to be a mill at this site as well as an estate house on top of the hill. Once you reach the top, you can enjoy the beautiful view to the west over Jolly Harbour & Hermitage.
The scenery is breathtaking but the flora is also quite impressive. With lush greenery nestled amongst prickly cactuses making the hike more scenic. The extravagant houses (more like mansions) at the peak of this hill are luxurious and to be honest, you never know who you will run into on your hike.
There are lots of millionaires and celebrities that call this particular part of the island home (for at least part of the year). Pierce Brosnan, Eric Clapton and Oprah Winfrey to name a few. We didn’t see anybody famous but we did see quite a few mongooses! Mongooses were brought in to combat the rat population. Except the mongooses had never been exposed to these particular kind of rats found here so they avoided them but attacked the snakes. Sadly, snakes are are now non-existent in Antigua.
Stingray City
If you’re looking for a neat and unforgettable experience while visiting the beautiful in island of Antigua, then Stingray City is an activity that should be on your bucket list! Just off the northeast coast of Antigua, on the Atlantic Ocean side, this sandbar in crystal clear shallow waters is home to hundreds of predominately female stingrays. The adjoining coral reef has some beautiful fish and a ton of spiny lobsters and a handful of jellyfish:)
The stingray’s coloration reflects the seafloor’s shading that helps it to camouflage from predatory sharks and larger rays. The eyes of stingrays are very docile and sweet looking as they peer out at you from their dorsal side. Their mouths, nostrils, and gill slits are situated on its underbelly. Similar to its relative, the shark, stingrays possess electrical sensors called ampullae of Lorenzini. Located around the stingray’s mouth, these organs sense the natural electrical charges of potential prey. Many rays have jaw teeth to enable them to crush mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels. They mostly use suction to get food into their mouth and then the tiny teeth to crush the food once it’s in there.
People often fear stingrays because of their tails. Using their barbs is always a last resort because it means stingrays have no means to defend themselves until a new barb regrows. A stingray barb is covered in a mildly venomous sheath of skin. When the barb is pushed into a foreign body the venom is dispersed. The venom consists of a protein based toxin that causes a lot of pain in the area of the wound and may also alter the heart rate and affect the respiration of the victim.
Stingrays are incredibly gentle creatures and super curious. They will swim right up to you and even bump into you and allow you to touch them. It’s important to shuffle along on the seabed when interacting with stingrays to avoid stepping on them. Stepping on one by accident will startle them and that may cause them to jab their barb into you in self-defense.
Devil’s Bridge
Devil’s Bridge is located outside the village of Willikies. It is a stunning work of limestone rock art that is the result of millions of years of ancient reef formation. For hundreds of thousands of years, the Atlantic’s waves have pounded into the east coast of Antigua creating a natural arch, or bridge. What resulted was several geysers and blowholes that encompass the arch as waves continually crash against the rocks on this stunning coastline!
Nelson’s Dockyard National Park
Nelson’s Dockyard National Park is a World UNESCO Heritage site. This historic site has an interesting history. The Dockyard Museum was built in 1855 as the Officer’s Quarters and now is a superb collection of buildings and historical exhibits. This former British Colonial also hosts archaeological research. The Victorian building was restored during the 1970s before converting into a museum in 1997. It now houses several items belonging Admiral Lord Nelson including his famous telescope, as well as an area dedicated to the military history of English Harbour.
English Harbour & Falmouth Bay
From the dockyard waterfront you have a fantastic view of English Harbour on one side and Falmouth Bay in the other. Also across the bay is Clarence House where Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon had a 1 day honeymoon before relocating.
Shirley Heights Lookout
Shirley Heights and the lookout area is a renovated military gun battery and vantage point. The Lookout is located high above and sits at around 500ft. From this high ground, the all aspect view above English and Falmouth Harbours.Most Antiguans consider this to be the best view in the whole country.
This military landmark was named after Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands, who strengthened Antigua’s defenses in 1781. Britain had lost all her West Indian colonies (including North America) at this time except Antigua and Barbados. There was a lot of effort put into Antigua’s defenses. From the top of this area, you great view of Eric Clapton’s home and his adjacent recording studio.
The Block houses is where all the military quarters used to be. Today, the government is attempting to rebuild and restore this area as there is so much historical value.
Pigs Paradise
Located in Sea Fourth Beach, Caribbean side is Pig’s Paradise: a take on Big Major Cay Beach in the Bahamas. Pigs in Paradise gives you the opportunity to enjoy friendly piglets and pigs on a secluded beach! You get the chance to pet, feed, cuddle the pigs and take them for a swim in the ocean. Yes, pigs like to swim and are quite good at it:) Maybe it’s because they are pretty buoyant.
Pigs are fascinating animals that are incredibly intelligent, social, and one of the cleanest animals! When they are trained piglets can learn their names by 2 to 3 weeks of age and respond when called. They can even learn tricks faster than dogs. And as it turns out, adult pigs are quite agile and can run at speeds of up to 11mph!
The highest density of tactile receptors is found in the pig’s snout. Pigs use it mainly to dig in the dirt and smell for food. A pig’s sense of smell is about 2000 times more sensitive than human’s. When piglets are anxious, rubbing their snouts with your hand that smells like their litter mates will calm them right down:)
If you’ve ever suggested that someone was ‘sweating like a pig’, then you’d be wrong. Pigs hardly have any sweat glands, and one of the best ways for them to cool down is to roll around in the mud:) Or to take a dip in the ocean 🙂
Pigs have very long memories and can remember things even years later! However, most pigs have short attention spans so when they get bored or tired of being around you they are done pretty quickly!
Pig’s Paradise has lots of pigs for you to interact with and it’s a lovely way to spend a morning. You definitely get ample time with the pigs, piglets and their cute personalities. I feel head over heels for Truffles and Domino:)
Galleon Beach
Although it is one of the trickier beaches to get to, Galleon beach is one of the quieter beaches on the island. In 2007, after a particularly vicious hurricane, femur and collar bones washed up ashore on this idyllic beach. Scientists brought in to survey the area discovered they were the bones of perished sailors who had died from yellow fever during the British occupation. In fact the entire bay is a graveyard…..Kinda creepy lol
When snorkelling in this area you can see the beautiful formations of natural rocks both above and below the water. The Pillars of Hercules is a gorgeous chain of rock that was formed by the ocean and it is located about ten minutes away from The Beach Houses.
This beautiful beach is not only a great place absorb some Vitamin D, but also the perfect spot to swim with turtles! While the view of the turquoise waters from the shoreline is pretty incredible, swimming next to a Green Sea turtle is absolutely amazing and never gets old!
The soft sand at Galleon beach will draw you in and the water will keep you in it’s grasp as you snorkel among many species of tropical fish. And for a bonus you’ll also get the chance to explore one of the coolest shipwrecks in Antigua: the Sea Terra.
Some of the ocean life that you will have the chance to experience besides turtles are sting rays, eagle rays, octopus, squids, sea cucumber, lobster, barracuda, parrot fish, jellyfish and many other assorted tropical fish.
The Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules are unique and superb geological formations that have been carved naturally into the cliff face. Years of punishment by wind, rain and crashing waves have shaped these rocks into curvaceous pillars overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The impact of these elements have created on these rocks is breathtaking and will leave you in awe. There are 2 ways to witness this World UNESCO Heritage site: by sea or on foot. Both ways are a great way to experience these amazing formations!
A walk along the western peninsula that protects English Harbour to Fort Berkeley, is another way to get to the soft sandstone rock where it becomes dry and crumbly.
Fig Tree Drive
Driving in Antigua is relatively painless as the island is small and mostly flat. Exploring scenic Fig Tree Drive, is a wonderful way to take in the scenery, as you motor past old sugar mills and churches. This neck of the woods is the most fertile land the island has to offer. It is abundant with mango, banana, and bread trees that line the road. “Fig” in Antiguan Creole means banana so there are as the name suggests, many banana trees. There is even a pineapple plantation along the route!
Darkwood Beach
When visiting Antigua and Barbuda, you’ll likely see sea turtles swimming in the warm water while snorkelling, unless you visit during the summer months, since that’s when the turtles waddle onto the beach to nest in the beautiful white sand. Nesting season for most turtle species goes from June to October, so if you visit Antigua during those months, you might be lucky enough to witness hatching baby turtles. We weren’t lucky but seeing sea turtles in the ocean swimming around us as good as it gets!
Darkwood offers some of the most iridescent seas and white beaches on the island, set on a backdrop of hilltops and tropical forestry; the views are both panoramic and spectacular also on a clear day, you can see Montserrat. Being one of the longest stretches of beach there is ample space to take it all in and with warm, alluring sea lapping up on pristine sands, there is plenty of reasons to visit.
Of the many different marine species that live on the islands, some of the most common are Green turtles, Hawksbill turtles, and Leatherback turtles. Sadly, each of these species is listed as endangered. However, the Environmental Awareness Group of Antigua and Barbuda is working with local conservationists to protect these turtles. The street lights along the road around Darkwood Beach have been switched to red light bulbs in order to not confuse the hatchlings as they use the moonlight to navigate. They even have a Sea Turtle Crossing sign posted along the road.
Antigua’s Donkey Sanctuary
The Antigua & Barbuda Humane Society operates Antigua’s Donkey Sanctuary. This non-profit is a dedicated animal welfare organization that strives to protect the abused and unwanted donkeys in this country.
It is currently home to more than 150 donkeys. When stallions (males) arrive at this sanctuary, they are immediately slated for castration. However, the mares (females) often arrive pregnant. That’s why there are so many rescued donkeys here. For the pregnant mates, gestation period is almost a year, so every year this sanctuary has been growing exponentially.
Of the 150 donkeys, there are some rather outgoing and social ones that stand out because they love to interact with humans:) Stevie was the oldest resident, its most popular and instagram friendly. Stevie was blind but that didn’t stop him from loving every visitor that came in to visit him. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 25 years old last October. His enclosure is still there and bears his name still as an homage to his memory.
Our favorite was Pumpkin! As soon as we entered the enclosure, he came right up to is and chose to be pet over eating hay:) Pumpkin was born at the Sanctuary in 2007. After his birth, his mother was stolen from the enclosure and he was left temporarily orphaned. She was found several months later however, in her absence Pumpkin was taken care of by an elderly male donkey. He is a really sweet dude and we grew fond of him while we were there. So fond, we decided to adopt him. With a yearly donation towards his veterinary care and food, it ensures our sweet boy will be taken care of.
The Sanctuary also has rescue cats, dogs and some cattle. What’s really fantastic about this place is that it’s free and you can pretty much spend all day with the animals doing things like brushing, petting and feeding them.
Worth the visit or not: WORTH
Antigua is pronounced “Antee-gah”. I had been pronouncing it wrong since I had visited the other Antigua in Guatemala years ago and its pronunciation is Antigoo-ah. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to unlearn that 🙂 An escape to a sun filled Caribbean paradise is something that we all dream of, especially if we come from cold and winters places like Canada. Antigua is a fun and accessible island and it provided us with a peaceful and relaxing getaway with lots of history and old buildings to admire!
The most popular time to visit this island is December to April which is Antigua’s dry season. However, this period also coincides with busy beaches, loads of tourists and significantly higher prices. Going in October was a good fit for us since the weather was sunny every day and the beaches were not crowded at all. We wanted space, less people and we got it.
One of the most mentioned facts about Antigua is that it has 365 beaches! This island without a doubt, has some of the best beaches and swimming spots I have come across while traveling. The sea life is abundantly rich and there’s a high probability that you will be able to see many different species of fish and much much more in Antigua. Antigua is after all home to the Frigate bird and a plethora of Pelicans! This island has some impressive cacti as well!
Besides great food and powder white sand, sapphire blue water and palm tress, this island is full of kind and polite people. Antiguans are some of the friendliest and well mannered people I have come across which complimented this holiday and made it all the more worth while! On a fun note, I discovered that Centenarians are celebrated very publicly here. It’s not unusual to see a huge road sign with someone’s name and their date of birth on it once they reach the ripe old age of 100!
Happy Travels 🙂