Antigua Directions Read online

  Information and maps

  Foreign branches of the Antigua Tourist Office (ATO) stock plenty of information on the country, including brochures on the main tourist attractions and upcoming events, and a good road map. Once you're in Antigua, you can get the same information from the ATO office in St John's or from their desk at the airport. Most of the car rental outlets will also provide you with a free map of the island when you rent from them.

  Antigua has no dedicated listings magazine for music, theatre and other events, though the daily Antigua Sun newspaper carries regular arts and events details. Keep an eye also on flyers posted up around the island; local radio stations also advertise major events.

  Antigua tourist offices overseas

  Canada

  60 St Clair Ave East, suite 304, Toronto, Ontario M4T IN5, tel 416/961-3085, fax 416/961-7218.

  UK

  Antigua House, 15 Thayer St, London W1M 5LD, tel 020/7486 7073, fax 020/7486 9970.

  USA

  610 5th Ave, suite 311, New York, NY 10020, tel 212/541-4117, fax 212/757-1607; 25 SE 2nd Ave, suite 300, Miami, FL 33131, tel 305/381-6762, fax 305/381-7908.

  The ATO has no branches in Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.

  Antigua on the Internet

  As you'd expect, the island has plenty of websites dedicated to it, covering everything from hotels, restaurants and tour groups to online daily newspapers and government departments. Below you'll find a few of the more helpful general sites on offer.

  Useful websites

  Antigua and Barbuda Tourist Authority

  www.antigua-barbuda.org.

  The official site of the national tourism authority has information on upcoming events as well as offers on places to stay and car rental outfits, many of which you can book through the site.

  Antigua Carnival

  www.antiguacarnival.com

  The summer schedule is set out in detail, there's a "scrapbook" of last year's Carnival and details of this year's bands, some of whose songs you can download.

  Antigua Nice

  www.antiguanice.com.

  Masses of information on the island, from hotel and restaurant reviews to details of travel agents and links to the island's latest news.

  Cricket

  www.cricinfo.com.

  Somewhat surprisingly, given the importance of cricket on Antigua, no Antigua-specific cricket website exists. For now, the best way to find out information on matches is via this excellent, but generalized, site. The West Indies Cricket Board also has a good site, www.windiescricket.com.

  Nick Maley's Island Arts

  www.antiguatoday.com/islandarts.

  Online information from Nick Maley, creator of Star Wars' Yoda, about his Island Arts business, plus helpful links to other informative Antigua-based sites.

  Sailing Week

  www.sailingweek.com and www.antiguaclassics.com.

  Both sites are packed with information on the two weeks in April when Antigua's sailing tradition really comes into its own.

  Money and costs

  Antigua is not a particularly cheap country to visit, and prices for many items are at least as much as you'd pay at home. Bargaining is generally frowned upon, but, particularly during the off-season of April to November, it can be worth asking for a reduced rate on items such as accommodation or car rental.

  Currency

  The island's unit of currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), divided into 100 cents. It comes in bills of $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5, as well as coins of $1, $0.50, $0.25, $0.10, $0.05 and $0.01. The rate of exchange is fixed at EC$2.70 to US$1 (giving you, at the time of writing, roughly EC$4.80 to UK£1), though you'll get a fraction less when you exchange money. In tourist-related business, the US$ is often used as an unofficial parallel currency, and you'll often find prices for hotels, restaurants and car rental quoted in US$ (a policy we have adopted in this guide). Bear in mind, though, that you can always insist on paying in EC$ (and the exchange rate usually works out slightly in your favour). If you are using US dollars or travellers' cheques to pay a bill, check in advance whether your change will be given in the same currency (it usually won't).

  Costs

  Accommodation will likely be the major expense of your stay, and most visitors pay this up front as part of a package. Double rooms can start as low as US$40/£22 a night for a simple room away from the beach. On the beach, the cheapest options clock in at US$100–150/£55–82 in high season (winter), or US$75–125/£41–68 in low season (summer). All-inclusives start in the neighborhood of US$200/£110 or so a night (many with a minimum-stay requirement), and only go up from there: the very exclusive K Club on Barbuda, for example, costs a whopping US$1200/£655 a night. Keep in mind, too, that every place adds government tax of 8.5 percent onto the total bill, and that almost all add a service charge of 10 percent.

  Aside from room costs, a realistic daily budget, including a decent meal out, the occasional taxi ride and a bit of evening entertainment, begins at about US$40/£25 – but really the sky's the limit.

  Travellers' cheques, credit cards and banking hours

  The safest method of carrying money is in the form of travellers' cheques. While sterling and other currencies are perfectly valid and accepted in the island's banks, US dollar travellers' cheques – due to the fixed rate between US and EC dollars – are the best ones to have. They are available for a small commission from most banks, and from branches of American Express and Thomas Cook; make sure you keep the purchase agreement and a record of cheque serial numbers safe and separate from the cheques themselves. Once in Antigua, the cheques can be cashed at banks (you'll need your passport or other photo ID to validate them) for a small charge.

  Major credit cards – American Express, Visa, MasterCard – are widely accepted, but don't necessarily expect the smaller hotels and restaurants to take them. You can also use the cards to get cash advances at most banks, though you'll pay both commission to the bank and hefty interest to your credit card company. Also note that vendors will often try to add on five percent of the price of something if paid on a credit card.

  Banking hours are generally Mon–Thurs 8am–3pm, Fri 8am–5pm; branches of the Antigua Commercial Bank are also open on Saturday from 9am to noon. Many hotels will also exchange money, though if you're changing anything other than US$ the rate is usually a bit worse than the banks.

  Wiring money

  If you run out of money, and can't get it out of an ATM, you can have someone at home wire you money, via either Western Union (www.westernunion.com) or MoneyGram (www.emoneygram.com). Expect a charge of about US$15 to send US$100. You can pick up the money from any Western Union or MoneyGram agent on the island. Both companies have agents in St John's, Western Union on Old Parham Road (daily 8am–10pm; tel 463 0102) and MoneyGram at Joe Mike's Hotel.

  Communications and the media

  Antigua's postal service is reasonably efficient. The GPO in St John's is open Mon–Fri 8am–4pm (5pm Fri) and has poste restante (general delivery) facilities for receiving mail. There are also branches at the airport, at the Woods Centre and at English Harbour, and you can buy stamps and send mail at many of the hotels. Postal rates are reasonable: to the USA and Canada, air mail is EC$1.50, postcards EC$0.75; to the UK and Australasia, air mail is EC$1.80, postcards EC$0.90.

  Calling within Antigua is simple – most hotels provide a telephone in each room (though be wary of surcharges). You'll also see phone booths all over the island, and these can be used for local and international calls. Most of the booths take phonecards only – they're available at hotels, post offices and some shops and supermarkets. If you want to use your mobile phone, it'll have to be set up for a US network (not likely if you're coming from Britain or Australasia) – and charges are likely to be high; you should check with your service provider before leaving home. For looking up phone numbers, hotel rooms and phone booths often have a directory; failing that, call directory assistance on 411. To reach the opera
tor dial 0.

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  International calls

  To phone Antigua from abroad, dial your international access code (UK tel 001, Ireland tel 001, Australia tel 0011, New Zealand tel 00; from the US or Canada, just dial 1) + 268 + seven-digit number.

  To phone abroad from Antigua, dial the international access code (tel 011 when calling the UK, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand; unnecessary when calling the US or Canada), your country code (UK tel 44, Ireland tel 353, USA tel 1, Canada tel 1, Australia tel 61, New Zealand tel 64) + area code (minus first 0, if there is one) + number.

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  Newspapers and radio

  As always, local newspapers and radio are a great way to find out what's on the nation's mind. The daily Antigua Sun is the best paper, concentrating on domestic news but with a decent section on news from the wider Caribbean and the rest of the world and, invariably, a big sports section. The main radio stations are the public service channel ABS (620 AM), and the commercial Sun FM (100.1 FM). They both carry news, sport, chat shows and music, mostly international hits with a sprinkling of local tunes.

  Accommodation

  Many visitors book their accommodation as part of a package deal, to get the best rates possible; you can be hooked up with an easy-going guesthouse, an apartment or a plusher resort, depending on your wants.

  A significant and growing number of accommodation options are all-inclusive hotels. The simple concept behind these places is that you pay a single price that covers your room, all meals and, normally, all drinks and watersports. If you're thinking of booking an all-inclusive, focus on what you specifically want out of it. Sandals and the giant Jolly Beach Resort, for example, have several restaurants and bars, so you don't have to face the same menu every night, while smaller places like Rex Blue Heron offer less variety, but a bit more space on the beach. Remember, too, that the allure of drinking seven types of "free" cocktail in a night or stuffing your face at the "free" buffet quickly fades, especially if you want to get out and sample Antigua's great restaurants and bars.

  A more positive trend is top-quality restaurants like Chez Pascal and Harmony Hall offering accommodation. Some of the smaller, independent hotels on the island have also banded together in a venture called VIP, or Very Intimate Places. It's worth checking out their website (www.antigua-vip.com), which presents a range of options suitable to the type of trip you're taking.

  Wherever we've listed accommodation, we've quoted prices for the least expensive double room during high season (mid-December to mid-April, aka winter) alongside, where applicable, prices for the least expensive double during low season (mid-April to mid-December, aka summer).

  Food and drink

  There are plenty of good eating options on Antigua and, though prices are generally on the high side, there's usually something to suit most budgets. Around most of the island, hotel and restaurant menus aimed at tourists tend to offer familiar variations on Euro-American-style food, shunning local specialities – a real shame, as the latter are invariably excellent and well worth trying if you get the chance. If you're heading to Barbuda, don't expect the same level of choice and sophistication as on Antigua. Away from the posh hotels, restaurants and bars are low-key and, like the island's pace of life, exceedingly slow.

  Traditional Antiguan food

  Almost everywhere, breakfast is based around coffee, cereal, toast and eggs, and will usually include fresh fruit, one of the country's strong points. Expect to find paw-paws, bananas and the sweet Antiguan black pineapple year-round, while in season – generally between May and August – make a special effort to look out for the delicious local mangoes and sapodillas.

  For other meals you'll find that seafood – as you'd expect – is one of the island's strong points. Of the fish, the tasty and versatile red snapper and grouper are the staples but, if you're lucky, you'll come across swordfish, mahi mahi and the very meaty marlin on the menu. Lobster is usually the priciest item, anywhere from EC$45–85 depending on season and the type of establishment. You'll also find conch (pronounced "konk") – a large shellfish often curried, stewed or battered in fritters, though best of all eaten raw in conch salad, when it's finely chopped with hot and sweet peppers, cucumber and lemon juice – as well as the giant local cockles and whelks, usually served in a buttery garlic sauce.

  Other Antiguan specialities include the fabulous ducana (a solid hunk of grated sweet potato mixed with coconut and spices and steamed in a banana leaf); pepperpot stew, with salt beef, pumpkin and okra, often served with a cornmeal pudding known as fungi; goat or conch water (tender stewed goat or conch cooked with onions, butter, chives, thyme, cloves and browning, served with bread to mop up the gravy); various types of curry; salted codfish; and souse – cuts of pork marinated in lime juice, onions, hot and sweet peppers and spices.

  Vegetarians will find their choices strictly limited – there are some great vegetables grown on Antigua, including pumpkins, okra and the squash-like christophene, but many menus don't include a single vegetarian dish, and even the widely available rice and peas often contains a piece of salted pork. Your best bet is probably to phone ahead and see if there are any true-blue veggie options; otherwise, opt for self-catering.

  Drinking

  For drinking, Wadadli is the local beer, a reasonable brew though not quite a match for the superb Red Stripe, a Jamaican beer brewed under licence on the island. Other regular beers on offer include Heineken, Guinness and the Trinidadian Carib. Rum is the most popular spirit, used as the basis for a range of cocktails from piña coladas to Cuba Libre (rum and Coke, with a twist of lime). The English Harbour and Cavalier brands are both made on the island, though real aficionados of the stuff will want to look out for Mount Gay Extra Old from Barbados or the Haitian Barbancourt, both brilliant Caribbean rums, best served neat on ice.

  As for soft drinks, you'll find the usual brands of sodas as well as the tasty sparkling grapefruit drink Ting, made locally, and a range of delicious local juices made from passion fruit, tamarind, guava and soursop. Look out, too, for vendors standing by piles of green coconuts; for a couple of EC dollars they'll cut the top off one for you to drink the sweet, delicious milk.

  Restaurant costs and hours

  If a service charge is not added to your bill, you should tip 10 to 15 percent. Opening hours are fairly standard – lunch typically from noon until 2 or 2.30pm, and dinner from 6pm. Bear in mind that many of the smaller restaurants close the kitchen early (around 9pm), particularly when business is slow. Additionally, some restaurants close for a couple of months over the summer, sometimes on a whim, depending on how quiet the season is expected to be.

  During the winter season (Dec–April) it's worth making a reservation at many of the restaurants we've recommended; if you've got your heart set on a special place, you should probably arrange it a couple of days in advance. And finally, a word on prices: some restaurants quote their prices in EC$, others in US$, others in both. We've followed their practice, using whichever currency a particular restaurant quotes.

  Ocean and beach safety

  No shots are needed before heading to Antigua – the major tropical diseases were eradicated long ago – and you'll find that the only real threat to your physical welfare is the intense Caribbean sun. Many visitors get badly sunburned on the first day and suffer for the rest of the trip – you'll see them peeling around the island. To avoid their fate, it's advisable to wear a strong sunscreen at all times; if you're after a tan, start strong and gradually reduce the factor. As for exposure times, 15 minutes a day in the early morning or late afternoon is recommended, if rarely followed; unreconstructed sun-worshippers should at least avoid the heat of the day between 11.30am and 2.30pm. For the sunburned, aloe vera gel is available at the island's pharmacies.

  While you're on the beach, steer clear of the manchineel trees, recognizable by their shiny green leaves and the small, crab apple-like fruits scattered around on the ground. The fruit is poisonous and, when
it rains, the bark gives off a poisonous sap that will cause blisters if it drips on you. The sea, too, poses a handful of threats. Don't worry about the rarely seen sharks or barracudas, which won't spoil your visit, but watch out for spiny black sea urchins. They're easily missed if you're walking over a patch of sea grass; if you step on one and can't get the spines out, you'll need medical help. Jellyfish too are best avoided. Finally, mosquitoes and tiny sandflies can be an occasional problem, particularly on the beach in late afternoon; take insect repellent to keep them at bay.

  Sport and outdoor activities

  The confirmed beach addict and the watersports fanatic are equally at home in Antigua, with a variety of great beaches to choose from and plenty of operators offering excellent diving, snorkelling, waterskiing and other activities. Also on the water, a number of companies offer trips along the coast by boat or catamaran, and you can charter boats for deep-sea fishing. There are plenty of land-based options, too, with a couple of good golf courses, a horse-riding stable and hiking, mountain-biking and jeep trips.

  Although diving options around Antigua are best in the south, the northwest coast is probably the best spot for general watersports; Dickenson Bay in particular has several reputable operators at its northern end. The sea is pretty calm here year-round and, beyond the protected swimming zone, you can waterski, windsurf, parasail or jet-ski. Paradise Reef, a half-kilometre-long coral garden to the north of the bay, is a popular spot for glass-bottom boat trips and snorkelling, and there are good coralheads offshore around tiny Prickly Pear Island, a short boat-ride to the northeast.