Antigua (pronounced An-tee'ga) and its sister island of Barbuda are located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, roughly 17 degrees north of the equator. To the south are the islands of Montserrat and Guadeloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts, and St. Martin.

Antigua is the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands.  It, is about 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, encompassing 108 square miles. Its highest point is Boggy Peak (1319 ft.), located in the southwestern corner of the island. Barbuda, a flat coral island with an area of only 68 square miles, lies approximately 30 miles due north. The nation also includes the tiny (0.6 square mile) uninhabited island of Redonda, now a nature preserve. The current population for the nation is approximately 68,000 and its capital is St. John's on Antigua.

Temperatures generally range from the mid-seventies in the winter to the mid-eighties in the summer. Annual rainfall averages only 45 inches, making it the sunniest of the Eastern Caribbean Islands, and the northeast trade winds are nearly constant, flagging only in September. Low humidity year-round.

This is the flag of Antigua, the sun represents the dawning of a new era; red - the energy of the people; blue - hope; black, the African ancestry of the people. The combination of yellow, blue and white represent the sun, sand and sea

We’ll add more information to this page over time, but for now, here’s a few things to do, and places to visit.

If you are new to Antigua the best way to get a feel for the island is to hire a taxi for the day. Often it is a similar cost to hire a taxi and driver, to hiring a car and putting in fuel yourself, but, with the added bonus of someone with local knowledge to show you round. You can pick up a taxi from the taxi rank in Jolly Harbour (you may have to wait for one to arrive, plus make sure how much you will be charged before getting in!), or phone and book one in advance – either Bengie’s Taxis on (268) 461 6826 (mobile (268) 774 7010) or Glenmore Colbourne on  (268) 461 5545 (mobile (268) 723 4072). Both are local and reliable and Glen in particular has a very dry sense of humour and outlook on life!

Places To Visit

St. John's

The Capital of Antigua with vibrant markets and many shops and heritage area where large cruise liners dock.

English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard

Historic bit of Antigua that dates back several hundred years. Worth a half day visit.  Requires taxi or car hire from Jolly Harbour.

Stingray City

Go out in a boat and swim with the stingrays and the turtles in a safe and controlled environment. Located near Seaton, call (268) 562 7297 to book.

Cade Reef- snorkelling

If you are a competent sailor and have hired a boat for your holiday, it is worth navigating between Middle Reef (submerged) and Cade Reef (entrance about 1nm SSW of Johnsons Point – see nautical chart of Antigua). Please check the draught of your boat against the chart to make sure that there will be sufficient depth! If you go right up between the two reefs, where it really shallows off, there is a sandy anchorage (you may see a crude “home made” marker buoy that the diving tours have positioned).  It stays calm between the reefs and the snorkelling around the corals in 1-3m of water is fantastic and teeming with large, colourful, friendly fish!