Antigua is the main island of the country of Antigua & Barbuda in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean. It is a well-known holiday destination with pristine beaches and stunning turquoise seas as well as a wide range of hotel options from the all-inclusive resorts to some surprisingly affordable options in the capital of Saint John’s. Unfornately in 2017 Hurricane Irma devastated Barbuda, destroying 95% of the buildings and vehicles on the island and forcing a total evacuation. Without the money required to restore Barbuda to habitable conditions, it is now almost entirely deserted.
Antigua was one of my final stops while I was island hopping in the Caribbean. I had a fantastic time exploring the interesting town and incredible beaches.
Basic Travel Information
- Location: Leeward Islands
- Status: Independent country of Antigua and Barbuda
- Languages: English
- Currency: East Caribbean Dollar
- Route there: Flights and cruise ships only
- Recommended: Definitely, its a stunningly beautiful island!
My Story
I had expected Antigua to be one of the least affordable islands of anywhere on my trip, based on its reputation. I got very lucky though and found a small, normally fully booked hotel in Saint John’s for $40 per night, the joint cheapest price so far with the hostel on St Martin and this time I had a lovely private room! I wanted to make the most of this and stay for a longer period to explore and fit in day trips to both Barbuda and Montserrat, which are only accessible from Antigua.
When is life ever that easy? The hotel’s awesome value worked against me and it was fully booked for all upcoming dates so I was unable to extend and I couldn’t find a good alternative either.
On top of this the ferry to Montserrat was down for repairs that particular week. Since being devastated by a volcanic eruption in 1995, Montserrat is only connected by sea or air with Antigua and not frequently or cheaply. It would have been a great addition but not worth the air fare or the cost of accommodation on the island! I was also advised against a trip to Barbuda as there is little infrastructure left since the hurricane. I decided instead to just use the days that I had to explore Antigua and spend longer on Dominica instead.
Antigua’s beaches are amazing, perfect white sands and turquoise ocean, fantastic beach bars overflowing with food, beer and music, it was one of my favourite beach places anywhere. Jolly Beach was the most beautiful but had plenty of hotels and tourists competing for the space. My favourite was Fort James Beach, outside Saint John’s which was far quieter, while being very nearly as beautiful and with much cheaper food and drink.
Antigua would definitely be worth another visit for me. I will probably save it though for a period in my life when relaxing in a beach resort and a bit of gentle exploration is what I want most from a holiday.
Brief History
I was completely unaware of any of the history of the Caribbean Islands when I visited. While travelling around and writing these articles I became curious and decided to include a brief history of each. I hope you find it interesting.
Like most of the Lesser Antilles, Antigua was inhabited first by the Arawak people, then the Carib before being settled by British settlers from St Kitts in 1632. The island remained a British possession or dependency until 1981 when it became a fully independent country along with Barbuda and Redonda, a tiny island between Montserrat and Nevis. In all of this period the principal industry were the sugar plantations that covered the island, brutally using slave labour and leading to a number of unsuccessful slave revolts.
The modern economy is mostly based on tourism, particularly for people from the UK, with the sector accounting for more than half of Antigua’s GDP. There is a huge range of hotels and resorts on the island and multiple cruise ships dock in St John’s every day throughout the high season.
Logistics
Antigua’s main airports has excellent connections to the other Caribbean islands, North America and Europe. There are no functioning airports on Barbuda.
Antigua and barbuda are connected by a regular ferry from St Johns to the wharf south of Codrington
There is also a ferry from St Johns to Little Bay on Montserrat, the only regular ferry to the island. The schedule is here: https://ferry.mniaccess.com/schedules
Places Nearby & Trip Planning
Antigua is a large island with lots to see but if you are staying it would be well worth trying to get to other islands. These ones are only accessible via Antigua:
- Barbuda
- Montserrat
Also see my main article: Travelling in the Caribbean
When to Visit
Antigua can be severely affected by the Caribbean hurricane season which runs between June and November
High season is December – March and Antigua is much busier and dramatically more expensive in this period.
The ideal time to visit would be between April and June, during the offseason
Further Information
These websites were my favourite sources of general information for this location:
Last Updated: May 2020
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