Antigua is the Caribbean made easy. There are lots of direct flights from the UK, a good range of hotels for all budgets, and there’s plenty to see and do. It’s also a destination where you quickly feel at home – the Antiguans are genuinely welcoming. The island still has strong links with the British and there’s a shared love of cricket, sailing and good manners. Beaches, rum bars, fish restaurants and a mesmerising blue sea are the main lures for holidays to Antigua, but the island rewards the explorer. The capital, St John’s, has an engaging old Caribbean flavour, while the 18th-century Nelson’s Dockyard at English Harbour is an absorbing memento of the island’s maritime past. Antigua also has a sister island, Barbuda, 30 miles/48 km north. Huge empty beaches and small luxury hotels are the main attractions, or just pop over on a day trip during your holiday to Antigua.
Families with young children
Lovers of the sea
Cricket fans
Swimming with stingrays
Sandflies and similar insects can be a pain - you’ll need repellent
British passport-holders don’t need a visa for holidays of one month or less. It’s recommended that passports have six months to run to expiry.
Antigua enjoys a comfortable tropical climate and is one of the driest islands in the Caribbean. It is warm and pretty dry all year. January and February are the coolest months and July and August the hottest when average temperatures can reach 30°C/86°F. Trade winds blow help moderate the heat. Most of the rain falls between September and November, but usually only in short showers. The hurricane season is June to November.
Direct flights to Antigua from the UK take around ten hours. Antigua is ideal for a two-centre holiday as you can easily fly on to nearby islands such as Nevis, St Barts or Anguilla.
Driving is on the left-hand side. Antigua’s main roads are generally well maintained but expect some large pot holes. Few streets are lit at night.