Antigua Vacations
Silken
sands. Captivating coves. Secluded shores. There are 365 beaches
in Antigua, one for each day of the year. Tucked along the bays
of the island, they are considered to be some of the most beautiful
in the Caribbean. If you can tear yourself away from the beaches,
a visit to Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour promises a delightful
day with its quaint mix of shops, restaurants and English taverns.
Half Moon Bay and Long Bay are both known for unforgettable
snorkeling and diving, while the perfect end to any day awaits
with spectacular sunsets from Fort Berkeley and Shirley Heights.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
US, Canadian and UK nationals need one of the following for
entry: A valid passport or an original or certified birth
certificate accompanied by a valid driver's license with photograph.
All visitors must have proof of onward or return tickets.
CURRENCY:
The Eastern Caribbean dollar is fixed to the US$ at US$1.00
= EC$2.60. Most credit cards are accepted and traveler's checks
are generally accepted. Please inquire about exchange rate
prior to your vacation.
TAXES & SERVICE CHARGES:
Departure tax: US$14.00 (Nationals & Caricom Nationals).
US$20.00 Adults 16 years and older (Non nationals excluding
Caricom nationals). Service charge: 10%. Government tax: 8.5%.
COUNTRY PROFILE
GEOGRAPHY:
Antigua is 108 sq mls with low undulating hills, rising slightly
in the south. The heavily indented coastline provides many
bays & harbours. Highest point is Boggy Peak, 1,319 ft
high. Barbuda is a coral island, 62 sq mls and its low lying
terrain is covered with low growing vegetation. The island
of Barbuda is located 32 miles northeast of Antigua. Barbuda
is 62 sq mls, its highest point is 211 ft above sea level;
this area is called the Highland Hills. Barbuda boasts beaches,
which are among the best in the world….beaches of finest
white and pink powdery sand (from the tiny pink coral shells).
CLIMATE:
Average temperatures High/Low: Summer 85/77 degrees. Winter
82/75 degrees. Average annual rainfall 45 inches.
LANGUAGE:
English.
DINING:
Some hotels require men to wear slacks (no jeans) and a (polo)
shirt with a collar (no t-shirts). Usual practice for tipping
is 10% if no service charge has been added. Restaurants ranging
in wide variety of prices, locations and dishes.
NIGHTLIFE:
Entertainment available includes nightclubs & casinos.
Ongoing island activities and events also offer nightly entertainment.
SHOPPING:
The main shopping areas within St. Johns are at Heritage and
Redcliffe Quay. Other stores operate in St. Johns. Locally
produced items Artwork. Cavalier Rum. Clothing. Hot pepper
sauces. Pottery. Straw. All natural products (such as soaps
and candles), honey, marmalades, jams, jewelry, tailor made
couturiere clothing and woodcarvings.
SPORTS:
Hiking, mini golf, hashing and martial arts. Fitness, golf,
tennis, basketball, cricket. Spectator sports: Soccer and
beach volleyball. Watersports include swimming, snorkeling,
diving, night diving, deep-sea fishing, sailing, para sailing,
kite surfing, water aerobics, and windsurfing.
TRANSPORTATION:
Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Rentals available
include Cars. Bicycles. Mopeds. Jeeps. Temporary license/permit
requirements Presentation of a valid foreign driver's license.
Cost is US$20.00. Local services Taxi are also available.
Guided tours can be arranged. Local bus service available
to all major villages. Boat charters. Airline. Many tour companies
offer regular and tailored island trips. Tours to neighboring
islands can be arranged with boat/airline charters and scheduled
trips. Visiting Barbuda: Carib Aviation has two daily round
trip flights to Barbuda from Antigua, morning and evening.
MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS:
No waiting period to obtain license, application and interview
can be completed in the same day and marriage performed that
same afternoon if couple so desires. The couple must visit
the Ministry of Legal Affairs, located at Lower Nevis Street
in Downtown St. Johns (Tel: 268 461 2807). The fee for registration
is US$40. The application fee for the marriage license is
US$150, marriage officer's fee is US$50. Required documents:
Special License – Valid passport or birth certificate
and photograph, or valid picture I.D. i.e. drivers license
and immigration card, proof of status: Single – a declaration
is signed within Antigua and Barbuda. Divorced: Original decree
absolute which includes the seal of the court issuing the
decree or certified copy of decree which includes the seal
of the court where decree is issued. Widow/Widower: Marriage
certificate, death certificate of husband/wife. Application
form is filled out and signed at the Ministry of Justice and
Legal Affairs in St. John’s. All applicants must be
over the age of eighteen (18) years. If under, then written
parental consent must be obtained. There is no waiting time
in order to obtain a Special License. The petition for a Special
License shall be accompanied by a fee of US$150. Both parties
must be present at the time of the application. Ordinary License:
Valid passport or birth certificate and photo. Proof of status.
Sgl: A declaration is signed within Antigua and Barbuda. Divorced:
Original decree absolute which includes the Seal of the Court
issuing the decree or certified couple of decree which includes
the Seal of the Court where decree is issued. Widow/Widower:
Marriage certificate, death certificate of husband/wife. Application
form is filled out and signed at the Ministry of Justice and
Legal Affairs in St. John’s. All applicants must be
over the age of eighteen (18) years. If under, then written
parental consent must be obtained. One of the parties must
be resident in Antigua and Barbuda for a period of fifteen
(15) days immediately preceding the date of the application
for a license. The petition for an Ordinary License shall
be accompanied by a fee of EC $100 Eastern Caribbean dollars.
Both parties must be present at the time of the application.
Ceremony – Special & Ordinary License: The wedding
is performed by the Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Assistant
Registrar or any of the Marriage Officers. The day and venue
selected for the ceremony depends upon the parties. There
is a Registration Fee of EC$100 Eastern Caribbean dollars
to be paid at the Registrar’s Office. Change of Name:
If a change of name has taken place in the case of any applicant,
then the Deed Poll under which this was done must be produced.
Antiqua Resorts
What to
Do & See
Best of the Beaches: Beach hop and try all
that Antigua's plentiful shoreline offers, starting with these
favorites:
- Carlisle Bay: Located on the southern
coast, this beach accentuated by a large coconut grove and
2 long, sugar-white beaches. Standing high on the bluff,
you get a striking view of the sea.
- Long Bay: Found on the eastern coast,
this beach has coral reefs in water so shallow you can actually
walk out to them! Five Islands Peninsula: This peninsula
on the northwest coast is actually made up of 4 secluded
crescent beaches, including one where you can sunbathe in
nature's own, and has very good snorkeling.
- Galley Bay: On the northwest coast
is popular with surfers during the winter months, when the
surf roars to life.
- Coco Point: In Barbuda, this sparsely-visited
stretch of pink and white sand shores is perfect for loners.
Scuba divers, especially, love this reef-and-wreck-encircled
spot.
English Harbour: On the south coast just
below Falmouth, this is the most famous of Antigua's attractions.
It's popular highlight, Nelson's Dockyard, is a thriving merchant
village built upon the restored site of Admiral Horatio Nelson's
garrisoned station. The nautical community has made it the
setting of the world-famous Sailing Week Regatta. The Admiral's
House Museum displays model ships, English navy memorabilia,
and Admiral Nelson's personal telescope and tea caddy.
The Cathedral of St John the Divine: Set
atop a hill like a shepherd protecting its flock, the cathedral
has a cool, lofty interior clad in pitch pine to defend against
the sort of hurricane and earthquake damage that destroyed
the original stone church on this site. Imposing memorial
plaques with prosaic inscriptions and coats-of-arms are interesting
to browse. In the centuries-old graveyard there are statues
of St John the Divine and St John the Baptist taken from one
of Napoleon's war ships.
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling: Both Antigua
and Barbuda are almost completely surrounded by thriving coral
reefs, walls, and shipwrecks. Shelves provide excellent conditions
for fantastic shallow diving and snorkeling. There is little
or no current in most places, the water temperature averages
about 80°, and underwater visibility ranges from 50 to
140 feet. One of Antigua's best-known offshore snorkeling
sites, Cades Reef, partially occupies a designated underwater
park. The wreck of the Andes, a three-masted merchant ship
that sank in 1905, now rests in less than 30 feet of water
in (ironically) Deep Bay. Barbuda's reefs contain an enormous
number of wrecks.
The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda: This
old-fashioned institution satisfies the most modern expectations
of information overload. The 18th-century neo-classic courthouse
contains a wealth of details about the island's history and
geology. Archaeological exhibits include relics from the earliest
settlers, the Stone Age Chiboney people, as well as displays
of Arawak shamanry.
Shirley Heights: The vast 18th-century military
complex is a great place to start your visit to Nelson's Dockyard
National Park. It was built on strategic high ground, overlooking
the horizon all the way to French Guadeloupe. This vantage
point offered the British all the warning necessary if the
French tried to attack (they never did). The impressive officer's
quarters are now open to the sky, housing only a wild cactus
garden. A restaurant hosts festive BBQs during the day and
romantic dining at night.
Betty's Hope: This was the first sugar plantation
on Antigua and eventually became the hub of the sugar industry.
Built in 1650, this site outside the village of Pares has
twin windmills you can tour and sugar era exhibits.
Megaliths of Greencastle Hill: You'll have
to make a strenuous climb to be rewarded with the mysterious
grandeur of these rocks. Some scholars believe these eerie
slabs in the south-central part of the island, were erected
by ancient inhabitants as part of their sun-moon worship,
but others believe they are simply bizarre geological formations.
Bird Sanctuary: This wide mangrove lagoon
lures bird-lovers to its refuge for over 170 bird species,
including the frigate birds with remarkable 8-foot wingspans!
There is a historic ruin here as well, the Martello Tower,
which is thought to have been a lighthouse built by the Spaniards
before the English occupation.
Duty-Free Shopping: Several stores sell
designer brands at prices that may not be rock-bottom, but
are low enough to be officially tempting. Heritage Quay, adjacent
to the cruise ship pier, and nearby Redcliffe Quay, a complex
restored from an old slave compound, are the 2 best spots
for shop-a-holics, with an open-air marketplace between them
full of souvenirs and island tchotchkes.
Dining
The casual elan of Antigua carries straight through to
its dining options, and the local flavor lends itself to
just about every dish. Nearly all the island chefs specialize
in dishes using island ingredients and techniques of Creole
cuisine to prepare the finest fare or just to whip up a
fresh salad on the beach. Whatever style suits your fancy,
you'll always get a taste island spice! Fresh seafood, of
course, is available everywhere and prepared in countless
ways! While you're making the gastronomical rounds, keep
in mind that British heritage has had a long influence here,
so dining out calls for a bit spiffier dress than on most
other Caribbean islands.
Gourmet: Le Bistro's casually elegant
decor amid brick tile work and jade chairs is complemented
by its cuisine of combined French haute and island spice.
The master chef delights in creating such sterling entrees
as Cornish hen sautéed with fresh pineapples and
rum. Should the signature house dessert, Death By Chocolate,
live up to its name, rest assured it is an exquisite way
to go! Hodges Bay
Highly Recommended: Hemingways is acclaimed
not only for its magnificent menu, but for its view, as
well. The French Basque chef brings to your table his life
experience as the son of a restauranteur, matching French
savoir-faire with the distinct flavor of the Caribbean.
While you dine, the bustle of the quaint town below the
dining terrace entertain you, and the cool trade winds refresh
you. Thames Street and St Mary's
Local Flair: Big Banana-Pizzas in Paradise
is an exuberantly crowded spot full of locals and visitors,
tucked into a restored 18th-century warehouse with road
plank floors, wood beams, stone archways, and brick walls
splashed with colorful photos of cool locals and favorite
musicians. The pizza is the best on the island, but it's
the jovial atmosphere and occasional live entertainment
that really make a stop worthwhile. Redcliffe Quay, St John's
Romantic: Shirley Heights Lookout is a
double feast - one for your eyes and one for your palate.
This 1790 fort was a lookout station for French ships with
hostile intentions, but now the only sentries peering out
to sea are history buffs by day and lovers by night. This
panoramic spot is very popular for its fantastic view, creative
fare like the pecan pie flambée dessert, BBQ parties,
and steel band entertainment. East of English Harbor
Nightlife
Ah, yes, the sun must take its rest, but you needn't turn
in when it sets, because Antigua has a nightlife that makes
up for its diminutive size with tremendous fun. Most nocturnal
diversions are focused around the resorts, but there are
party cruises and some colorful local spots, as well. When
in doubt, you can always seek suggestions from your concierge,
usually one of the most informative people in vacationland.
The Mad Mongoose: This bar is, well, madly
popular with singles and the yacht gang. Rasta colors splash
the mood to life and a game room with a satellite TV entertains
both doers and watchers. Falmouth Harbor
Abracadabra: Like magic, now it's a restaurant,
now it's a disco! Start your evening with the tasty antipasto
misto, delicious homemade pastas, fresh seafood, and in
the cozy traditional Italian restaurant. After dinner, the
lights dim and - abracadabra! - the place transforms itself
into a kinetic dance party! Move all night to the latest
sounds and music videos on a giant 8-foot screen, or relax
with a cool rum punch in the coconut palm garden. There
are also many special events like live classical music and
wine tastings, and jazz or reggae bands on the outdoor stage.
English Harbour
Jump-Up at Shirley Heights: and see if
you can go the distance! These famous 6-hour dance parties
have become a fixture of island culture and kick off at
4:00pm with steel drum music and a lavish barbecue. Later
in the night, top reggae bands perform and keep the dancers
jumping until 10:00pm. Drinks flow freely in this carnival
atmosphere that you cannot miss and still claim to have
fully experienced Antigua! Near English Harbour
Casinos: There are 2 full-service casinos
and many one-arm-bandit halls around the island. King's
Casino in Heritage Quay claims the world's largest slot
machine in addition to gaming tables, and the St James Club
at Mamora Bay is an elegant spot with European ambiance...the
sort of place where James Bond would hang out.
Antigua Community Players: This heroically
versatile group performs the haunting, indigenous Antiguan/African
Benna music, vigorous gospel recitals, and quite respectable
productions of Gilbert and Sullivan! Changing Locations
Jolly Roger: This floating, boisterous
party sails off under the stars on Saturday nights for 4
hours of a BBQ, open bar, and island bands. Dickenson Bay
