About Antigua

The Land
Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda are located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. To the south lies Montserrat and Guadalupe and to the north and west are Nevis, St Kitts, St Barts and St Martin.

The island is 14 miles long and 11 miles wide. Barbuda is 68 square miles and this flat, coral island lies 30 miles due north of Antigua. The nation also includes the tiny uninhabited island of Redonda a nature reserve famous for having only one tree!

Antigua is a beach lovers dream – there is one beach for every day of the year. The most famous being Half Moon Bay and Palmetto point but with a little exploration you can find a secluded little beach of your own in one of the many nooks and crannies along the meandering coastline.

Antigua has the perfect climate for a sports tour and offers an abundance of activities to enjoy between match days.

Sport, sport, sport
Cricket is the national sport and it is safe to say that the Antiguans are cricket mad. The facilities are superb for any touring team. But there are also many other sporting activities to pursue on the island, including windsurfing, golf, tennis and kiting.

Ocean lovers will revel in the underwater delights around the reef shelves and wrecks of Antigua and Barbuda’s coastlines. And Antigua is regarded as one of the premier boating destinations, with a number of famous regattas and races taking place throughout the year.

Its people
Due to its rich and varied history there is a diverse mix of people on the island. It is dominated by blacks of African origin but also include British, Portuguese, Lebanese and Syrian.

Whoever you meet on the island is sure to greet you with a wide smile and you will leave the island smiling too.

A lesson in de lingo
Me go a work - I’m going to work
Eh bang good! - It tastes good
Me check ya later - I’ll see you later
Morning, how things? - Good morning, how are you?
Ma yah - I’m doing well
Chupit - Stupid
Smaddy - Somebody
Me Lub ya bad bad - I love you very, very much
You tack down! - You are well dressed
Me no know - I don’t know

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet…
Antigua is one of the driest climates in the Caribbean. The average daily temperature ranges between 24-28 C. The heaviest rainfall is between October and December but, like all Caribbean islands, the downpours don’t last week and provide a welcome break from the heat!

Well, I never…
Antigua was named after a Spanish church in Seville
There are 365 beaches in Antigua, one for every day of the year
Antigua’s sister island, Barbuda has more sand than it needs and so exports it
One of the world’s rarest snakes, the Antiguan Racer, is found on nearby Bird Island

Key facts
Capital : St John’s
Flying time : Circa 8 hours
Time zone : GMT - 4
Currency : EC Dollar
Language : English
Water : Buy bottled
Electricity : 220/110v 60AC
Vaccination : No needles needed
Departure tax : US$20