Antigua Directions Read online

  Frigate bird sanctuary

  To the northwest of Codrington Lagoon, a series of mangrove clumps known as Man of War Island serve as the home and breeding ground for the largest group of frigate birds anywhere in the Caribbean.

  You'll need a boat to get anywhere near these birds, motoring out to the edge of the shallows where they live and then poling the boat punt-like to their nests. The sight as you approach is quite spectacular – the mothers will take to the skies as you draw near, joining the multitude of birds wheeling above you, and leaving their babies standing imperiously on the nest but watching you closely out of the corner of their eyes. The display gets even more dramatic during the mating season, from late August to December, when hundreds of the males put on a grand show – puffing up their bright-red throat pouches as they soar through the air just a few metres above the females, watching admiringly from the bushes.

  Small boats leave for the frigate bird sanctuary from the main pier just outside Codrington and charge around US$50 per boat. If you just turn up without notice, there is no guarantee that you'll find someone to take you out, so it's advisable to visit as part of a tour or to make arrangements through your hotel or car rental.

  Palm Beach

  West along Codrington Lagoon.

  On the west coast, on the far side of Codrington Lagoon (and so only really accessible by boat), gently curving Palm Beach offers 22km of dazzling white sand interspersed with long stretches of pink, created by the tiny fragments of millions of seashells washed up over the years. It's a great place to sunbathe, swim and snorkel, though there's little shade here – ask your boatman to drop you near one of the groves of casuarina trees; he'll come back for you a few hours later.

  Highlands House

  North of Codrington, a series of dirt roads fan out across the upper part of Barbuda. One of these leads into the heart of the island, to the scant remains of Highlands House, the castle the first Codringtons built on the island in the seventeenth century. The home must have been pretty extensive, for the ruins – crumbling walls and the occasional piece of staircase – cover a wide area. The views across the island from here are as panoramic as you'll find.

  The caves

  On the northeastern side of the island (another dirt road leads up here), a series of caves have been naturally carved into the low cliffs. These are thought to have sheltered Taino and possibly Carib Indians in the centuries preceding the arrival of Europeans. However, scant evidence of their presence has been found here, except for some unusual petroglyphs.

  The entrance to the main cave is opposite a large boulder, with the ruins of an old watchtower built up alongside. You'll need to scramble up the rocks for five minutes, then make a short, stooped walk inside the cave to reach the petroglyphs – a couple of barely distinguishable and very amateurish faces carved into the rockface. What is more noticeable is where pieces of rock have been prised away, a decade or so ago, by tourist vandals eager for their own chunk of ancient art. Alongside the petroglyphs, a large dome-shaped chamber – the "presidential suite" – was probably the main home of the Indians within the complex.

  A couple of kilometres east of these caves, the Darby Sink Cave is one of hundreds of sinkholes on the island, dropping seventy feet to a mini-rainforest where palmetto palm trees, shrubs and birds proliferate. It's a steep climb down into the sinkhole, so you're probably best doing it with a local guide.

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  Shipwrecks around Barbuda

  The shallows around Barbuda are littered with shipwrecks, the last resting place for some 150 vessels that failed to navigate safely through the island's dangerous coral reefs. Salvage from the wrecks was an important source of income for the islanders from at least 1695, when the Santiago de Cullerin ran aground with 13,000 pesos, destined for paying the garrisons on the Spanish Main in South America. During the following century, ships hitting the reefs included slavers, cargo ships and warships, with the Barbudans recovering everything from cases of brandy to dried codfish, sugar and coal. Income from salvage reached a peak of around £7000 a year by the early 1800s, though improved navigation techniques during the following century saw the number of wrecks decline sharply. To dive these wrecks, it's best to make arrangements with a dive shop on Antigua to bring over the necessary equipment by boat or plane (for dive shop listings, see "Sport and outdoor activities").

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  Rubbish and Hog bays

  On the east coast, not far at all from where the caves are, the attractively named Rubbish Bay and Hog Bay are littered with driftwood and other detritus washed up by the Atlantic Ocean and offer great opportunities for beachcombing. At many other places around the island you'll spot tiny bays and coves where you can jump out of your car for a private swim and some snorkelling; Castle Bay, on the west coast, and White Bay, on the south coast near Palaster Reef, are particularly worth a look.

  River Fort

  In the southwest of the island, not far south of Codrington, you can clamber around some substantial remains at the River Fort, just beyond a coconut grove near the Palmetto Beach Hotel. The fort provides a surprisingly large defence for an island of Barbuda's size and importance. The island was attacked by Carib Indians in the 1680s and by the French navy in 1710, but there was too little valuable property here to tempt any further assailants into braving the dangerous surrounding reefs. As a result, the fort never saw any action, and its main role has been as a lookout and a landmark for ships approaching the island from the south.

  The fort remains are dominated by a Martello tower, one of the many built throughout the British Empire during the Napoleonic Wars on the plan of a tower at Cape Mortella in Corsica – hence the name. Right below the tower, the River Landing is the main point for access to Barbuda by boat and is always busy with trucks stockpiling and loading sand onto barges to be taken to replenish beaches in Antigua – a controversial but lucrative industry for the Barbudans.

  Spanish Point

  East of the River Fort, the road leads out past the luxurious K Club hotel to the isolated Spanish Point, where a small finger of land divides the choppy waters of the Atlantic from the calm Caribbean Sea. Maps indicate a castle on Spanish Point, but if you make the effort to get here all you'll find are the ruins of a small lookout post. More interestingly, there is a marine reserve just offshore at Palaster Reef, where numerous shipwrecks have been located in the shallows amid the fabulous coral and abundant reef fish. You can swim to the edges of the reef from the beach, so don't forget your snorkelling or diving gear.

  Redonda

  The little island of Redonda – a two-kilometre hump of volcanic rock rising a sheer 300 metres from the sea – was spotted and named by Columbus in 1493, but subsequently ignored for nearly four centuries. During the 1860s, however, valuable phosphate was found in bird guano there, and Redonda was promptly annexed by Antigua. Mining operations were begun, producing around 4000 tons a year by the end of the century. However, output declined after World War I, the mining ceased and the island has been unoccupied – except by goats and seabirds – since 1930.

  Almost surreally, though, Redonda is still claimed as an independent kingdom. In 1865 a Montserratian sea-trader named Matthew Shiell led an expedition to the island and staked his claim to it. His objections to Antigua's annexation of the island were ignored, but it didn't stop him from abdicating in favour of his novelist son in 1880; he in turn passed the fantasy throne to the English poet John Gawsworth, who took the title Juan III and appointed a number of his friends as nobles of the realm, including Dorothy L. Sayers, J.B. Priestley and Lawrence Durrell. Today, a character who styles himself Leo V – actually a history teacher in London – claims to have inherited the kingdom, using his title to promote the literary works of his predecessors. However, at least one pretender to the throne argues that Gawsworth had abdicated in his favour during a night of heavy drinking at his local pub back in England.

  Redonda is occasionally visited by yachtsmen – though with no she
ltered anchorage, the landing is a difficult one – but there is no regular service to the island, nor anywhere to stay save a few ruined mining buildings when you get there.

  Accommodation

  K Club

  Coco Point; tel 460 0300, fax 460 0305, www.kclubbarbuda.com. Closed June–Nov.

  Stunning Italian-owned and -designed place in the south of Barbuda, a celebrity home away from home with its own golf course and watersports facilities. The accommodation, priced at around US$1200 a room per night, mainly consists of beautiful white bungalows, each with a kitchen, seafront verandah and spired roof, well-distanced from one another and all directly on the beach.

  Nedd's Guesthouse

  Codrington; tel 460 0059.

  Just a handful of comfortable and airy rooms, for roughly US$75 a night, with a kitchen and grocery store downstairs. If it's full, the owner should be able to direct you to someone who'll rent you a room.

  Palmetto Beach Hotel

  Palmetto Beach; tel 460 0440, fax 462 0742, www.palmettohotel.com.

  Smart hotel on a fantastic beach, with 24 beachfront suites, all with air-conditioning and a private verandah. The rooms (US$300/250 a night in winter/summer) are big, comfortable and stylishly decorated, while the chef is Italian and the food excellent – much of it (including the bread and pasta) is made fresh on the premises.

  Restaurants and bars

  Green Door Tavern

  Codrington. Daily 11am–9pm.

  Good low-cost local food, such as pepperpot and conch stew (EC$25–35), with a barbecue on Friday and Saturday evenings and an easy-going vibe at all times.

  K Club

  At the K Club hotel, Coco Point; tel 460 0300, [email protected]. Daily for lunch and dinner.

  Set on an exquisite beach, the K Club is beautifully designed and furnished in Italian-style white tile, columns and natural wicker. Except at busy times, anyone visiting the island is welcome for lunch and dinner – but you should still call to book ahead. Expect great Mediterranean-style food – freshly caught seafood is a speciality –beautiful people and hefty prices: the prix fixe menu is US$150 a head.

  Lagoon Café

  Codrington; tel 460 0439. Daily for lunch and dinner.

  The main nightly hangout in Codrington, a dimly lit place offering simple meals like steamed grouper or curried chicken with peas and rice (EC$25–40), as well asguys playing dominoes and the (very) occasional live band.

  Palm Tree

  Codrington; tel 460 0395. Daily for lunch.

  Good island food, particularly for fish and lobster (EC$30–50), but you'll need to let them know that you're coming (preferably a day in advance) and what you'd like to eat.

  Essentials

  Arrival

  Island transport

  Information and maps

  Money and costs

  Communications and the media

  Accommodation

  Food and drink

  Ocean and beach safety

  Sport and outdoor activities

  Crime and personal safety

  Travelling with children

  Festivals and holidays

  Directory

  Arrival

  All flights to Antigua touch down at V.C. Bird International Airport, on the island's north coast. There is no bus service from the airport, though there are numerous car rental outlets at the terminal. Taxis – arranged through the dispatch desk – cost around US$6 to Dickenson or Runaway bays, US$7 to St John's or US$25 to English Harbour.

  If you arrive on Antigua by cruise ship, you'll dock at either Redcliffe or Heritage quay, in St John's. From there, you can either take a taxi to anywhere on the island; a bus to English Harbour, Parham or Willikies; or rent a car.

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  Entry requirements

  Citizens of Britain, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can enter Antigua without a visa and stay for up to six months. You will, however, need a passport (valid for at least six months after the date of onward travel) and a return ticket or proof of onward travel. You might also be asked to show that you have sufficient funds to cover your stay; if you can't satisfy the immigration authorities, they have the right to deny you entry. You will also be asked where you intend to stay, though your answer will not of course be binding.

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  Island transport

  A lot of people come to Antigua, make straight for their hotel and spend the next fortnight lying on the beach. For those who want to tour around and see the island, though, there are a variety of options.

  Speedy and inexpensive buses run to certain parts of the island, particularly between St John's and English Harbour on the west and south coasts, although none go to the big tourist area of Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay. If you want to tour around, you're invariably better off renting a car for a couple of days. If you just want to make the odd excursion or short trip, hiring taxis can work out to be a better deal.

  By bus

  The public transport system in Antigua is patchy, with buses offering fast, frequent and inexpensive service between St John's and English Harbour, via the centre of the island, and less frequent service to Parham and Willikies on the east coast (from where it's a fifteen-minute walk to the Long Bay beach). There is no service to the tourist strip of Runaway Bay and Dickenson Bay on the northwest coast, nor to the airport. Buses and minibuses also run along the west coast between St John's and Old Road, stopping off beside several good beaches and the local hotels en route. They also run out to the Five Islands peninsula. For the south and west coasts, buses and minibuses use the West End bus terminal near the public market in St John's; for the east coast, they use the east terminal near the Rec.

  Few of the buses run to any schedule, often departing only when they are reasonably full. Always ask the driver where he's going and tell him well in advance of where you want to get off. Stops are normally marked, though you'll find that the minivans will usually stop anywhere en route. Few buses run after dark or on Sundays.

  By car

  Antigua is an easy country to drive in; driving is on the left, the roads are mostly good and distances are small. True, signposting is abysmal, but it's hard to get seriously lost – asking passers-by is the best way to get information if you do. In St John's, though, the streets are narrow and poorly lit, so driving there at night is normally best avoided.

  Rental prices start at around US$40 per day, $250 per week; third-party insurance is included in the price. If you don't have a credit card that offers free collision damage insurance, you'll have to pay another US$10–12 per day if you want to cover potential damage to the rental car.

  When renting, you'll need to buy a local driving licence for US$20 (valid for three months) and to show a current licence from your home country or an international driver's licence. You'll also normally need a credit card to make a security deposit. Check the car fully to ensure that every dent, scratch or missing part is inventoried before you set off. When returning the car, don't forget to collect any credit-card deposit slip.

  Reliable firms include Avis (tel 462 2840), Budget (tel 462 3009), Dollar (tel 462 0362), Oakland (tel 462 3021), Steads (tel 462 9970) and Thrifty (tel 462 9532). Each of these can provide you with a car at the airport or deliver one to your hotel.

  By taxi

  Finding a taxi in Antigua – identifiable from an "H" on their numberplates – is easy in St John's, Nelson's Dockyard or at the airport, but less straightforward in other areas of the island, where you'll often need to call (or ask your hotel to arrange) for one. Fares are regulated but there are no meters, so make sure that you agree on a price before you get into the car. At the airport there is a list of government-approved rates: US$7 to St John's, US$6 to Dickenson Bay or Runaway Bay, US$25 to English Harbour. If you rent a taxi for a day's sightseeing, expect to pay around US$60–70. Two good taxi companies are West Bus Station Taxis (tel 462 5190) and Antigua Reliable (tel 460 5353).

  Cycling and motorbikes

>   Since Antigua is so small, and there are few steep inclines, it is ideal cycling territory. Bikes can be rented for as little as US$15 per day, US$70 a week. Hiring a scooter or motorbike is just as fun – prices normally start at around US$35 per day, US$175 a week (plus US$20 for the local driving permit) – and can be a fantastic way of touring around, though you'll need to watch out for madcap drivers on the main roads. Rental agents for both bikes and motorbikes include Cycle Krazy, on St Mary's Street in St John's (tel 462 9253), and Paradise Boat Sales at Jolly Harbour (tel 460 7125).

  Tours

  If you fancy leaving the transportation to others, there are a couple of local companies who offer islandwide sightseeing tours, either to a set itinerary or customized to your desires. Remember to check whether the price includes entrance fees to the various attractions. Your hotel may also organize tours direct. If you can't get a good price from any of the companies listed below, you could check with some of the taxi operators.

  Tropikelly Trails (tel 461 0383, www.tropikellytrails.com) offer five- to six-hour tours from US$65 per person, including a picnic lunch, with trips to Great Fort George, Boggy Peak and a pineapple farm. Estate Safari jeep tours (tel 463 4713) and Island Safari (tel 562 5337, www.tropicalad.com) offer similar tours, including Betty's Hope sugar plantation, Great Fort George and lunch on the beach.

  Yachting charters

  Charters – essentially, a private vacation on a fully crewed yacht – can be arranged through Sunsail Club Colonna (tel 462 6263) or Nicholson's Yacht Charters (tel 460 1530), both at English Harbour (though Sunsail's hotel is actually on the north coast). Needless to say, this activity is only for the very wealthy.