Antigua & Barbuda, British Leeward Islands

Antigua is the largest of the British Leeward Islands and is renowned for its 366 beaches, one for every day of the year and one left over, as locals like to boast. All are public, some are deserted, and others are lined with resorts that offer sailing, diving, windsurfing, and snorkeling.

The nightlife, shopping, and restaurants can be found to the island's northwestern end, where resorts and hotels are scattered from Five Islands Harbour, south of St. John's, to Dickenson Bay and points north. One of the least-developed areas is the southwest, in the shadow of Antigua's highest mountain, Boggy Peak. Friar's Bay and Darkwood Beach hold long, unspoiled scimitars of sand.

Less developed than Antigua, Barbuda has a wilder, more spontaneous beauty. Deserted beaches and a heavily wooded interior abounding in birdlife, wild pigs and deer are the main attractions of this unspoilt island. A visit to Codrington, the main village, makes an interesting excursion: the settlement is on the edge of a lagoon and the inhabitants rely largely on the sea for their existence.

Things to See and Do

* St Johns - The Capital of Antigua & Barbuda
* Fort James
* Museum of Antigua & Barbuda
* St Johns Anglican Cathedral
* Beaches and watersports

Cruise Season - Jan - Dec
Currency - East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Language - English
Land Area - 207 km²
Population - 80,000
Electricity - 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT minus four hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 1 -268

Port Location - St John's has a deep-sea harbor served by cruise liners from the USA, Puerto Rico, the UK, Europe and South America. Many smaller ships sail to other Caribbean islands.

Transport Links - VC Bird International (ANU), formerly Coolidge International, located on the northeast corner of Antigua, is 8km northeast of St John's. The airport provides access to major international centers, such as Frankfurt/M, London, Miami, Montréal, New York and Toronto, with feeder services to all the Eastern Caribbean islands, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. To/from the airport: Taxi services run to the town and hotels on a fixed-fare basis. A small airstrip at Codrington on Barbuda is equipped to handle light aircraft. Carib Aviation operates scheduled flights between Antigua and Barbuda (20 minutes' duration, twice daily).

Local boats are available for excursions. It usually takes three hours to travel from Antigua to Barbuda. However, the Barbuda Express takes 90 minutes and journeys five days per week from St John's. Car hire can be organized and Taxis are available everywhere with standardized rates. The bus network is small, and buses are infrequent.