Antigua Directions Read online

  See ESSENTIALS

  Pepperpot stew

  Made with salt beef, pumpkin and okra, this is a favourite dish in homes across the Caribbean.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Market fish

  Freshly caught fish is often the best menu option, with snapper and jack in particularly plentiful supply.

  See ST JOHN'S

  Fresh fruit and vegetables

  The public market in St John's is one of the best places for sampling some of the island's exotic fruit and vegetables.

  See ST JOHN'S

  Museums and galleries

  A handful of small museums around the island neatly pull together Antigua's history. You'll find fascinating perspectives on the pre-Columbian period, the early European settlers and the boom years of British colonialism, dominated here by the sugar industry and the slave trade, and followed by emancipation and the road to national independence. There are also several excellent galleries, showcasing the work of artists and craftsmen from Antigua and elsewhere in the Caribbean.

  National Museum of Antigua and Barbuda

  A lovingly assembled collection of exhibits on the island's past and present, from Arawak artifacts to a famous cricket bat.

  See ST JOHN'S

  Betty's Hope

  The museum at this restored sugar mill recalls, through various tools and drawings, the time when sugar was king – and is a sobering reminder of the slave trade that made this possible.

  See THE ATLANTIC COAST

  Nelson's Dockyard Museum

  The world's only working Georgian dockyard includes a maritime museum that recounts the story of English Harbour.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Nick Maley's Island Arts Gallery

  Meet the creator of the Star Wars character Yoda at his downtown St John's gallery, close to where the cruise ships come in.

  See ST JOHN'S

  Heavenly Hill Art Gallery

  Terrence Sprague's gallery may have moved from the west coast to Nelson's Dockyard, but it retains its reputation for promoting original work by local artists.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Harmony Hall

  The gallery at this restored plantation house (and outstanding Italian restaurant) shows art by top Caribbean artists and sculptors.

  See THE ATLANTIC COAST

  Hikes

  Dragging yourself away from the sand and sea won't be easy during your stay, but there are plenty of outdoor activities waiting if you do. Hiking is one of the most enjoyable of these: there are several great routes you can try, with varying degrees of difficulty and the choice of whether you want to go with a guide. Many of the most frequented tracks and trails lead to various hilltops and fortifications, where you can reflect back on the road you travelled. Others take you to beautiful beaches with few if any people around – the flip side of the Antigua most visitors see.

  Falmouth to Rendezvous Bay

  It's about an hour's hike from Falmouth to the idyllic beach at Rendezvous Bay, or you can take the scenic route down through the woodlands from Fig Tree Drive.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Middle Ground

  West of Nelson's Dockyard, you can hike up onto this unusual peninsula for great views back across Falmouth and English Harbour.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Indian Creek

  Look out over Eric Clapton's house and spectacular Willoughby Bay as you scramble steeply downhill to the creek.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Wallings Woodlands

  This forest reserve features some delightful nature trails – look out for mangoes, hog plums, passion fruit and lemongrass.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Boggy Peak

  The communication station rather spoils the view of Boggy Peak, but the view back down certainly justifies hiking up to the highest point on the island.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Entertainment and nightlife

  You'll easily find ready-made evening entertainment at the big resort hotels. But if you want to be a little more adventurous, there's plenty of non-pre-packaged fun to be had, especially around Falmouth and English Harbour. Try your luck at the gaming tables, get up and dance at various restaurants-cum-nightclubs or party with the locals to the latest Caribbean sounds. None of it may be particularly cutting-edge, but preceded by a few cocktails on the beach should be all the excitement you need.

  Abracadabra

  A great place at English Harbour for southern Italian food – and once you've finished eating, a great place to hit the dance floor for R&B and Eighties dance music.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  The Sticky Wicket

  Next to the brand-new Stanford Cricket Ground, you can watch the national pastime day or night, live or on TV, in a convivial setting.

  See THE ATLANTIC COAST

  The Lookout

  Sunday is party time up on Shirley Heights, when crowds of locals and visitors gather to enjoy reggae and steel bands.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Life

  Perched on a wooden pier right across the street from Abracadabra, this place has just as much action, but with a Sixties and Seventies musical bent.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Rush nightclub and Grand Princess Casino

  At the Jolly Harbour entertainment complex, this is the newest and most popular nightspot on the island, with facilities for the casino enthusiast, too.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Great views

  Beyond the sunshine, the year-round warm temperatures and the fabulous beaches, Antigua is blessed with many other exquisite natural phenomena, including lush tropical vegetation, dramatic rock formations and some choice lookout points to get a panoramic view of the island. Make it a priority to explore some of these splendid sights, perhaps by renting a car for a day or two, asking a taxi driver to give you a full tour or taking an organized excursion to the high spots of the island's interior.

  Fig Tree Drive

  This drive through the most lushly forested part of the island offers some great views but no figs: it's the Antiguan word for bananas.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Devil's Bridge

  Over the centuries, Atlantic breakers have carved a natural limestone arch and blowholes where surf crashes up and through.

  See THE ATLANTIC COAST

  Hawksbill Rock

  About half a mile offshore, this huge rock bears a striking resemblance to the head of a hawksbill turtle, the most endangered species of sea turtle.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Shirley Heights

  The best place on the island to watch the sunset, whether or not you get to see the legendary "green flash".

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Fort Berkeley

  A superb vantage point for viewing some of the world's finest yachts under sail during Sailing Week.

  See FALMOUTH AND ENGLISH HARBOUR

  Fort Barrington

  Across St John's harbour from Fort James, this beautiful but isolated spot is better known by locals as Goat Hill.

  See THE WEST COAST

  Barbuda

  Just 48 kilometres north of Antigua lies Barbuda, the nation's other inhabited island. Chief among its attractions are the stunning and often deserted white-sand beaches, but it's also a great place for scuba diving and birdwatching, notably for a rare colony of frigate birds. The island has a colourful history, particularly during its two hundred years of ownership by the Codrington family. But you'll really want to come here to get away from it all: Barbuda is close to being the ultimate Caribbean escape.

  Frigate bird sanctuary

  The Caribbean's largest nesting colony of these fabulous and unusual birds is a must for twitchers.

  See BARBUDA

  Spanish Point

  There's little evidence of things Spanish on this
southeastern tip of the island, but a spectacular marine reserve – Palaster Reef – lies just offshore.

  See BARBUDA

  Palm Beach

  An absolute dream of a beach, which, more often than not, you can have to yourself.

  See BARBUDA

  Caves

  Take a break from the beach to explore the caves in Barbuda's Highlands, several of which are decorated with ancient carvings.

  See BARBUDA

  Martello tower

  Once the heart of the island's defences and still a great lookout spot to survey the island and surrounding ocean.

  See BARBUDA

  K Club

  Enjoy the height of luxury, even if you're only there for lunch, at Barbuda's star hotel, which gets its K from the famous Italian designer Krizia.

  See BARBUDA

  Places

  St John's

  The northwest coast

  The Atlantic coast

  Falmouth and English Harbour

  The west coast

  Barbuda and Redonda

  St John's

  With a population of around 30,000 – nearly half the island's total – bustling St John's is Antigua's capital and only city. No one could claim it's the prettiest town in the West Indies, but it does have a certain immediate charm. In the city centre, there are plenty of attractive old wooden and stone buildings – some of them superbly renovated, others in a perilous state of near-collapse – among the less appealing modern developments. It'll only take you a couple of hours to see everything, but, even if you're not staying in the capital, you'll probably want to come back for at least one evening to sample some of the city's excellent restaurants.

  While in town, don't miss Redcliffe Quay – where the waterfront and its colonial buildings have been attractively restored – or the tiny National Museum, which offers a well-presented rundown on the country's history and culture. If you've got time, take a stroll through some of the old streets and check out the city's twin-towered cathedral, perched on top of Newgate Street. As for where to eat, drink and shop for souvenirs, Redcliffe Quay and nearby Heritage Quay are your best bets – though you'll probably want to avoid these areas if the cruise ships are in, when the steel drums come out to play "Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot" and the area almost disappears beneath a scrum of duty-free shoppers.

  * * *

  Practicalities

  As all of the main places of interest in St John's are close together, the easiest way to see the city is on foot. If you'd rather use your car, be advised that driving around town is straightforward if not particularly enjoyable; parking space is limited, the one-way traffic system a little tricky to deal with, and potholes and roadside rain gullies threaten damage to your car at every turn. There are taxi stands just west of the market at the southern end of town, beside the east bus station near the Antigua Recreation Ground, and at Heritage Quay.

  If you're arriving in or leaving the city by bus, keep in mind that the east bus station serves the north (Dickenson Bay, Cedar Grove and the airport) and the east (Parham and Willikies) of the island, while the west bus station, next to the market, serves the west (Five Islands) and south (Jolly Harbour, Old Road, Falmouth and English Harbour).

  The government's main tourist office, at the western end of Nevis Street (Mon–Sat 9am–5pm; tel 462 0480, www.antigua-barbuda.org), has a perfunctory smattering of island brochures; they also give out free road maps. For more practical information about any big events going on while you're in town, you'll need to rely on flyers, the newspaper, radio ads and word of mouth.

  * * *

  Redcliffe Quay

  By the waterside at the western end of Redcliffe Street.

  Redcliffe Quay is the best place to start your tour of the city. Named in honour of the church of St Mary Redcliffe in the English port city of Bristol, this is one of the oldest parts of St John's, and incorporates many old warehouses – now attractively restored as small boutiques, restaurants and bars – and a wooden boardwalk that runs alongside the water. There's not a whole lot to see, but these several acres are a pleasant place to wander and soak up some of the city's history.

  Many of the waterfront warehouses here once held supplies for the British navy and local merchant ships that traded between Antigua and the mother country during the eighteenth century – barrels of sugar and rum, lumber for ship repairs, cotton and sheepskins. The area behind the quay around the western end of Nevis Street held a number of barracoons, compounds where slaves were held after they arrived on the island and before they were sent off to the plantations or shipped on to other Caribbean islands.

  Built on the side of one such barracoon is the recently restored Coates Cottage. When the owner of the house is present, he is happy for you to wander through to the small walled courtyard where the slaves were once held. The adjacent wooden building used to be a bargaining house, where auctions were held and slaves sold off to local estate-owners.

  Heritage Quay

  By the waterside at the western end of St Mary's Street.

  This modern concrete quay is given over to cruise-ship arrivals and dozens of duty-free shops designed to catch the tourist dollars, along with a purpose-built mall where local vendors flog T-shirts and distinctive Haitian art. Unless you're shopping or heading to the King's Casino, there's little reason to stop by except for a quick look at the Westerby Memorial Fountain, which commemorates a Moravian missionary dedicated to helping Antiguans in the decades after emancipation from slavery in 1834, and to visit the Island Arts Gallery.

  King's Casino

  Heritage Quay; tel 462 1727, www.kingscasino.com, [email protected]. Mon–Sat 10am–4am, Sun 6pm–4am.

  The city's main casino, packed with slot machines and offering blackjack, roulette and Caribbean stud poker tables for the more serious players. Live bands and karaoke give the place a bit of atmosphere after 10pm. The casino will normally lay on one-way shuttle services to St John's for those coming to gamble for the night. It'll pick you up anywhere, but you'll be stuck with the taxi fare home – so make sure to win big.

  Island Arts Gallery

  Heritage Quay; tel 462 2787, www.yodaguy.com. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm.

  This is probably the most noteworthy of all the stores at Heritage Quay. The owner, British painter Nick Maley, was originally a film make-up artist who worked on movies such as Star Wars (for which he created the Yoda character). Today, he's lived on Antigua for nearly twenty years, showing his striking and original works at exhibitions across the Caribbean and North America. The small gallery here is crammed with Maley's paintings and prints, as well as those of Antiguan, Haitian and other West Indian artists. Though the artists are mostly little-known outside their home islands, there is plenty of exuberant colour and some captivating local portraits beside the more predictable land and seascapes.

  Long Street

  Long Street is home to most of the party action during the ten-day Carnival each July and August. The street holds many of St John's finest old buildings, including a couple of fabulously colourful liquor stores, still in business after more than a century.

  The Rec

  Eastern end of Long Street.

  Modest and unassuming as it looks, the Rec is one of the finest cricket pitches in the Caribbean. Blessed by low rainfall and year-round sun, and with its outfield and wicket lovingly tended by trusted inmates from the nearby prison, it looks at quiet times like any cricket pitch in England or Australia. Don't believe it for a moment. On match days, while the rest of the island comes to a standstill, the ground is transformed into a cacophonous whirligig, with music belting from the stands, hordes of vendors flogging jerk chicken and Red Stripe, men on stilts and women in wigs.

  If you've got any sense of adventure, head for Chickie's Double Decker stand at the north end of the ground. With his banks of huge speakers tied to the railings, the eponymous DJ blasts everyone within earshot with the songs of local Calypsonians, and they all sing along to the chorus of "Rally
Round the West Indies". Bumping and grinding away, more intent on the beer and the chat-up lines than the cricket, the happy spectators will be there long after stumps have been drawn and the players have retired to the pavilion.

  * * *

  Carnival

  The highlight of Antigua's entertainment calendar is Carnival, an action-packed ten-day party held from late July until the first Tuesday in August. Warm-ups start in early July, with steel bands, Calypsonians and DJs in action across the island, while Carnival proper gets cracking with the opening of Carnival City at the Rec. This is where all of the scheduled events take place, though you'll often find spontaneous outbreaks of partying across the city. A festival village is set up nearby to provide space for the masses of food and drink vendors who emerge out of nowhere.

  The major Carnival events take place over the last weekend, when you'll feel compelled to forgo sleep for a few days of frantic action. The Panorama steel band contest (Friday night) and the Calypso Monarch competition (Sunday night) are both packed and definitely worth catching, while on Monday morning – the day on which the islands celebrate slave emancipation in 1834 – Jouvert (pronounced "jouvay," and meaning daybreak) is a huge jump-up party starting at 4am. The Judging of the Troupes and Groups competition in the afternoon sees ranks of brightly costumed marching bands and floats parading through the city streets, being marked for colour, sound and general party attitude.

  On Tuesday there's a final costumed parade through the streets, finishing with the announcement of all of the winners and a roughly 6pm–midnight last lap from Carnival City – "the bacchanal" – as the exhausted partygoers stream through St John's, led by the steel bands. All in all, it's a excellent event: certainly one of the best of the Caribbean's summer carnivals, and a great chance to catch Antiguans in a nonstop party mood.