The Ultimate Antigua and Barbuda Travel Guide
If you’re planning a trip to Antigua and Barbuda, this guide will help you discover the best things to do, places to stay, how to get around and more!
Our two-week holiday in Antigua was the first time either of us had been to the Caribbean. A family vacation, we stayed in a local resort, however we were also keen to spend some time getting out and exploring the island. As much as the allure of cocktails on tap is a tempting one, I’m not the kind of girl who can spend two weeks glued to a sun lounger.
Between the Piña Coladas and pizza, we rented a car, took a few day trips, and spent some time getting to know the island. And believe me, it’s a wonderful island to get to know. We absolutely fell in love with the Caribbean culture, beautiful beaches, colourful towns and welcoming people.
If you’ve booked an all-inclusive stay in Antigua and Barbuda, I urge you to spend at least some of your time getting out to explore the rest of the island. And if you’re thinking about doing it a bit differently and heading to a Caribbean island for a self-planned trip, Antigua and Barbuda is a wonderful place to do it.
About Antigua and Barbuda
‘Antigua and Barbuda’ is the name of one twin island country, consisting of two major islands and several smaller islands. The major islands (unsurprisingly) are Antigua, and Barbuda.
Antigua is the much more populous of the two islands, home to 97% of Antigua and Barbuda’s total population. It’s also the island where most tourist activity takes place. Here, you’ll find all-inclusive resorts, heritage sites and Antigua’s famous 365 beaches – one for every day of the year!
Barbuda is smaller and much less populated, only accessible via domestic flights and a daily ferry from Antigua. The only village on the island is Codrington, which has an estimated population of around 1300 people. Otherwise, the majority of land is shrubland and hills, punctuated by lagoons and surrounded by beaches.
This article concentrates mostly on things to do on the island of Antigua. However, if you’re thinking of visiting Barbuda, there’s a section on that later in the guide!
Places To Visit in Antigua and Barbuda
History, culture and nature: Antigua and Barbuda has plenty of it. If you’re not sure what to add to your Antigua itinerary, check out some of the highlights:
Shirley Heights
With panoramic views across the sweeping English Harbour, the view from this former military lookout delivers THE iconic picture postcard image of Antigua!
The Shirley Heights military complex was active until the 1850s, when the last assignment left. After this, Shirley Heights fell into disrepair until the late 20th century, when restoration work began, particularly around the lookout spot. Now a popular stop on Antigua’s tourism trail, visitors can enjoy food and drink at the restaurant with jaw-dropping views over English Harbour.
Opening Times: 11:30am – 3:30pm (closed Mondays)
Entrance Fee: $15 – includes access to Nelson’s Dockyard and Dow’s Hill Interpretation Centre.
However, there’s another, much livelier way to experience this epic Antigua viewpoint…
Shirley Heights Sunday BBQ Party
After the lookout buildings were turned, the infamous Shirley Heights Sunday Sunset BBQ Parties began. With entertainment, food, drink and striking sunset views, this is the best weekly party in Antigua! Definitely one not to be missed.
Like your activities a bit quieter? For the same Caribbean flavour with a more laid-back crowd, check out the weekly Thursday night event ‘Reggae Heights’ instead.
Opening Times: Sunday & Thursday 4.30-8.30pm
Entrance Fee: EC$25 / US$10 – you can book round trip transfers in advance but will still need cash on the gate.
Prices: A burger or some jerk chicken served with potatoes and salad is EC$35 (US$13.50) – other dishes including a veggie burger option is available. Drinks including beer and rum punch cost between EC$10-16 (US$4-6).
Read more: The best party in Antigua: Shirley Heights’ Sunday BBQ
English Harbor
The picturesque bay of English Harbor is a hotspot for visitors to Antigua, home to some of the island’s best-loved attractions.
Nelson’s Dockyard
The charming complex at Nelson’s Dockyard combines cultural heritage with an expansive marina, teeming with impressive vessels from around the world. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the dockyard and surrounding national park offers a fascinating dive into Antigua’s rich naval history.
The dockyard itself is the world’s only continuously working Georgian Era dockyard. It’s also an active marina, and the painstakingly restored buildings house a variety of restaurants, hotels and dockyard services.
The museum at Nelson’s Dockyard is housed in the former Naval Officer’s House, incorporating a range of exhibits relating to Naval life, spread across two floors.
Read more: Nelson’s Dockyard: History and Visitor’s Guide
St. John’s
St.John’s is Antigua and Barbuda’s capital city, with a population of 22,000. It’s the country’s commercial centre, and home to Antigua’s cruise ship port.
As a stark contrast to the calming beaches and small villages across Antigua, St. John’s is a lively, colourful and noisy hub for local life. As the island’s major shopping destination, you’ll find both local boutiques and outlets for designer stores.
Things To Do in St. John’s
An easy way to visit St.Johns and learn more about its history and culture is to take a St. John’s sightseeing tour.
However, if you’re exploring on your own steam like we did, these are some key sights to check out:
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda: A small museum on Antigua’s history, housed in the oldest building still in use in St John’s. (open weekdays 8.30am-4pm)
St. John’s Cathedral: Imposing cathedral with twin white towers, first built in 1681 and rebuilt twice after earthquake damage destroyed the previous incarnations.
VC Bird Monument: A surreal, strangely-lifelike tribute to Antigua and Barbuda’s first prime minister.
Fort James & Fort Barrington: Outside of the city centre, on each side of the harbour, you’ll find the ruins of two forts, built to protect the city.
Read more: The Best Things to Do in St John’s, Antigua
Betty’s Hope
Established in 1650, Betty’s Hope was the first large-scale sugar plantation in Antigua. Sugar was produced here until the early 20th century, when Betty’s Hope was abandoned. Restoration took place in the early 1990s, and today, Betty’s Hope is an open-air heritage site.
An indoor museum explores the history of sugar production and slave labour in Antigua and Barbuda. The museum really brings the site to life and shines an important educational (and humanitarian) light on the horrors of slavery in Antigua.
Opening Times: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm
Entrance Fee: US$2 (via honesty box in the museum)
Devil’s Bridge National Park
Antigua and Barbuda is highly regarded for its pristine, picture postcard beaches. 365 of them, to be exact. However, a visit to Devil’s Bridge National Park demonstrates the more intimidating depths of the waters surrounding the island. With a haunting story behind the location and an impressive display of nature’s power, it’s well worth checking out Devil’s Bridge during your Antigua vacation!
Devil’s Bridge is said to have been the spot where slaves would throw themselves into the turbulent waters, to meet their end in the raging, relentless Atlantic Ocean. With no islands between Devil’s Bridge and the West Coast of Africa, it was considered their closest opportunity for their bodies to be washed back to their homeland.
Read more: Devil’s Bridge National Park: Visitor’s Guide
Antigua Donkey Sanctuary
Want to meet some adorable animals? Swing by the Antigua Donkey Sanctuary, run by the Antigua and Barbuda Humane Society. Since 1991, the non-profit organisation’s mission has been to support animal welfare across the twin islands. The donkey sanctuary is a refuge for around 150 donkeys, many of which were rescued following injury or abuse.
Visitors can meet, pet and brush some of the sanctuary’s residents. From our experience, they love the attention! One donkey in particular, Prince, took a shine to us and followed around the paddock for more pets and brushes.
The work the Humane Society do makes a huge impact on animal welfare in Antigua, and visitors can support the sanctuary’s upkeep by donating or sponsoring a donkey.
Opening Times: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-3pm
Entrance Fee: Free, although donations are gratefully accepted to support the sanctuary and the work of the Humane Society
Read more: Why you should visit Antigua’s Donkey Sanctuary
Antigua Rainforest Zipline
Soar through rainforest canopy for the ultimate island thrill! Antigua’s only treetop canopy tour is the perfect change of pace from laid back beach days. Choose from 6, 8 or 13 zip lines, and you can even add on a challenge course or kayak adventure.
Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 8.30am-3.30pm
Entrance Fee: From US$64 per person (book via their website)
Read more: Zip Lining in Antigua
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium
Close to VC Bird Airport, you’ll find Antigua and Barbuda’s national cricket ground, built for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. We swung by on a day with no fixtures and popped in to have a look at the stadium and statue of legendary cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, the ground’s namesake.
Excursions and Tours in Antigua and Barbuda
If you’re not planning on renting a car in Antigua and Barbuda, tours and day excursions are a great way to explore more of the island.
Pink Panther Antigua Safari
I had the BEST time on our Pink Panther Antigua Safari tour! Join an all-female crew and visit Antigua’s highlights, including Nelson’s Dockyard and Shirley Heights.
Our two tour guides were absolutely lovely, and full of information about Antigua and Barbuda. The tour included complimentary rum punch, and a picnic lunch at the beach.
They don’t have an online booking system, but you can book via your resort, or contact them via phone (1-268-764-7842).
More day tours and excursions in Antigua:
North Coast Tour: Visit Devil’s Bridge, Nelson’s Dockyard, Shirley Heights and Betty’s Hope on one of the cheapest Antigua tour options.
Scenic Jeep Tour: A six-hour island tour including lunch.
Salty Dogs UTV Adventure: Go off-road and experience Antigua’s rugged natural beauty.
Small Group Hiking in Antigua: For active travellers, this small group hiking tour takes in some of the island’s most stunning natural landscapes.
Boat trips in Antigua
On our Antigua holiday, we were celebrating two big birthdays, and splashed out on an all-day cruise around the island’s blue waters with Antigua Day Charters. It was, without a doubt, one of the most epic days of my life.
Sailing round the coastline in the 42ft motor yacht, we stopped at scenic spots to swim, snorkel and have a go at stand up paddleboarding. Owners Andy and Charlie were the perfect hosts (and even let me have a go at playing captain…).
Prices for a half-day charter start at $700 for up to 12 people, and $1500 for a full day charter.
If you don’t have the budget to stretch to a private charter, there are still plenty of ways to get out onto the water. Most resorts will offer spots on larger and smaller group snorkelling cruises, or you can book your own.
Eli’s Original Eco Tour: Learn about Antigua’s ecosystem, snorkel and bird watch on this tour of Antigua’s coastline and the surrounding smaller islands.
Excellence Catamaran: Full day catamaran cruise with snorkelling and lunch.
Eco Kayak Adventures: Paddle around crystal clear bays and spot an abundance of marine life in a glass bottomed kayak tour.
Not sure what to book? Check out my post comparing five of the best boat tours in Antigua to help make up your mind!
What to avoid in Antigua: Stingray City
When choosing activities when we travel, we’re very careful about anything that involves animals. Wildlife should be able to live without human interference that affects their natural behavioural patterns. Any activity involving animals that I do participate in is always researched, which is why I didn’t participate in and won’t endorse Stingray City – find out why.
Food & Drink Activities in Antigua
Jerk-rubbed BBQ, the freshest seafood and punchy rum – Antigua and Barbuda is heaven for foodies who like a bit of spice. Delve into Antiguan cuisine with a cookery class, food tour, or rum tasting.
Take a cooking class: Choose from Caribbean jerk, West Indian curry, cooking with rum or a plant-based cooking class.
St.John’s Food Tour: Sample traditional Antiguan dishes and rum in St.Johns.
Rum Masterclass: Sample local rum and try your hand at making your own!
2 Six 8 Craft Brewery
Antigua’s best known for rum when it comes to alcoholic exports – but did you know, the island has a craft beer brewery too? 2 Six 8 is Antigua’s only microbrewery, brewing up small batch ales. They even have their own seltzer!
You can swing by their taproom, close to English Harbour, and try a tasting flight of their brews.
The Best Beaches in Antigua and Barbuda
One thing Antigua and Barbuda is best-known for is pristine, white sand beaches with sparkling blue waters. The country has a total of 365 beaches, one for every day of the year.
If you’re only spending one or two weeks in Antigua, you quite obviously won’t be able to visit every single one (although I’d love to see someone try!). To help you out, I’ve narrowed down Antigua’s top beaches:
Dickenson Bay: One of Antigua’s most popular beaches, this mile-long stretch offers a variety of watersports including wakeboarding, parasailing, jet ski hire and tubing.
Long Bay: A scenic sheltered stretch with calm waters – half belongs to Pineapple Beach Club, but the rest is public
Ffryes Beach: A quintessentially Caribbean white sand beach, often quieter than other well-known spots.
Pigeon Point: A lively and sheltered beach, popular with locals
Darkwood Bay: White sandy beach with a backdrop of trees and lagoon. In peak season, food stalls and bars set up in the colourful huts here!
Visiting Barbuda from Antigua
Can you visit Barbuda from Antigua? Yes – but you’ll need to do a bit of planning and get up early! You’ll also need to put a good chunk of budget aside for this, especially if you’re staying overnight, as accommodation in Barbuda is limited and not cheap. For this reason, we didn’t visit. But from my research for this post, if you can stretch your travel plans to include it, you’ll have a rare chance to escape the crowds on this sparsely populated, unspoilt Caribbean island.
How to get to Barbuda
Currently, flights are charter-only, so you’ll need to get the ferry from Antigua to Barbuda. This runs daily, departing at 9.30am in the morning from St. John’s and returning from Barbuda at 3pm. A round trip costs EC$270/US.
You can also book onto a day tour of Barbuda, which includes the ferry, visits to Frigate Bird Sanctuary, Codrington, Two Foot Bay and a catered lunch. The tour costs US$210pp and departs from Jolly Harbour at 7.30am on Tuesdays and Thursdays; or St John’s at 6.30am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Check the Barbuda Express website for the latest schedule and to book your ferry or tour.
Where to stay in Barbuda
Barbuda is much quieter than Antigua, with a lot less visitors. As a result, accomodation here is more limited. There are only two hotels, including the Barbuda Belle Luxury Hotel, which is an eye-watering US$990 PER NIGHT. And that’s in the low season.
If you’re thinking of spending a night or two in Barbuda, a cottage or guesthouse is a slightly less expensive option. Check out Harry’s Cottages, Barbuda Cottages, Frangipani Glamping, and Emerald Sands. Many of Barbuda’s guesthouses aren’t available to book online, so you may need to contact via phone or email for availability.
Things to do in Barbuda
Frigate Bird Sanctuary: Home to the largest frigate bird colony in the Western Hemisphere, only accessible by small boat tour.
Two Foot Bay: Dramatic cliffs, coves and caves on the northern side of the island.
Codrington: Barbuda’s only village – grab lunch at a local restaurant here and wander down to Codrington lagoon.
17 Mile Beach: Barbuda has its fair share of beautiful beaches, but 17 Mile Beach is the epitome of paradise, with sparkling water and unique stretches of pink sand.
Where to stay in Antigua
Pineapple Beach Club resort is located on the east side of Antigua, just outside the small town of Willikies. As the name suggests, it’s located right on the beach at Long Bay, one of Antigua’s 365 pristine beaches.
It’s an all-inclusive, adults only resort, with five restaurants, three bars, three swimming pools, and a roster of day and night-time activities. To balance your all-inclusive indulgence, there’s a fitness centre, tennis and pickleball courts; as well as the Tranquility Spa.
Read more: Review & Things To Do | Pineapple Beach Club Resort, Antigua
More resorts in Antigua:
The Verandah ($$$$) – we actually visited The Verandah on a day pass, as it’s the sister site to Pineapple Beach.
Hawksbill ($$$$) – all-inclusive with beach and tropical gardens setting
Tamarind Hills ($$$$) – close to Ffryes Beach
CocoBay ($$$$$) – luxurious resort with cottage accommodation
Hotels and Apartments in Antigua
One thing you should know about resorts in Antigua? They’re not cheap. On an island teeming with 5* luxury, it’s not surprising, but it can feel like many are priced out of exploring this wonderful island.
However, if you’re looking at cheaper ways to visit Antigua and Barbuda, there are some hotels, guesthouses and apartments to be found across the island, with prices as low as £400-500 per week.
The Lodge ($$) – basic apartments in English Harbor, supporting the island’s sailing academy for children
Bellevue Suites ($$) – studio apartment
Ellen Bay Cottages ($$) – peaceful apartments close to the town of Willikies
Tropical Island Cottage ($$) – cute apartment in the very centre of Antigua
Caribbean Inn and Suites ($$$) – suites and apartments just outside St. John’s
Antigua and Barbuda Travel Guide
Currency: East Caribbean Dollars (although US dollar is widely accepted. If you pay in US dollars)
Card Payments: Most restaurants and shops we encountered were okay with card, but cash is usually preferred. Some smaller shops and gas stations, as well as street vendors, will only take cash.
Language: English – however many locals will speak Antiguan Creole, an English-based creole language.
Emergency Number: 911
When should I visit Antigua and Barbuda?
December to April is the peak season for tourism, and the most popular time to visit Antigua and Barbuda. Temperatures stay between 22°C and 29°C, and these months are the driest.
May and June can be good months to visit if you’re looking for a slightly cheaper stay, as resorts and hotels are less busy at this time. The weather is still warm, and although there’s a slight increase in rainfall, it’s worth it if you want to save some money on your Antigua vacation.
July to November is considered hurricane season, and are also some of the wettest and most humid months. However, if you’re planning on visiting for Antigua’s Carnival, this takes place in August.
How long should I visit Antigua and Barbuda for?
I’d recommend spending at least a week in Antigua and Barbuda. This will give you enough time to explore the island’s highlights at a relaxed pace, with plenty of downtime to relax in your resort or at the beach.
Getting around Antigua
With a limited and unreliable bus service, getting around Antigua can be a bit tricky. Taxis are the main way that tourists travel the island, but if you do want to investigate the bus service, check out this website.
Renting a vehicle
If you’re a confident driver, you should definitely consider renting a car in Antigua, at least for a couple of days. There’s so much more to this charming island than the inside of a resort, with loads of history to uncover and vibrant Caribbean culture to drink in. And lots of wonderful Antiguans to meet.
Yes, there are a few pitfalls – mainly, prices and potholes. But the benefits of hiring a car in Antigua far outweigh these, as you get to explore at your own pace and get to areas that tours may not reach.
What to eat in Antigua and Barbuda
Fungee: Cornmeal and okra dish, often served with…
Pepperpot: Meat and vegetable stew, with ingredients including spinach, okra, eggplant and peas.
Saltfish: One of the most popular fish dishes in Antigua.
Chop-Up: Mashed eggplant, spinach and okra.
Jerk chicken: Originally from Jamaica, but popular across the Caribbean.
Fried dumplings: Often served with stews and soups
Raisin bun: Sweet and spiced buns, often served with cheese
Summary: Is Antigua worth visiting?
Absolutely. This small Caribbean island has the perfect balance of laid-back lifestyle, natural wonders, and fun things to do. It’s not a cheap destination, but if you’re looking to splash out on a top-tier vacation, Antigua and Barbuda is a wonderful place to do it!
