|
Geographical Alignment:
17° 2' 0" North, 61° 41' 0" West
Time Band:
6 hours behind UK GMT (EDT - 1) and
5 hours behind UK BST (British Summer Time) (EDT)
Antigua does not alter its clocks for daylight saving as it is so close to the equator
General:
Antigua is the largest of the British Leeward Islands. Antigua is 14 miles long and 11 miles wide and about 108 square miles in total. It's highest point is Boggy Peak (1,319 feet) in the south western corner of Antigua; the finest views can be seen from the famous lookout at Shirley Heights. The population of Antigua and Barbuda is is around 68,000 and its capital is St. John's.
Antigua has an amazing 365 beaches - one for each day of the year! Most of the beaches are located inside the protected waters of the island's Caribbean side such as Curtain Bluff, Rendezvous Bay, Windwood Beach and Mamora Bay (home of the St James Club). The tourist beaches of Dickenson Bay (common misspelling of Dickinson Bay) and Runaway Bay are located along Antigua's more developed north western coast which is the place to visit for the main resorts. The beaches and bays of the west and south western corner of Antigua are less developed than those around St John's. Worth exploring are Half Moon Bay, Darkwood and Nonsuch Bay.
The main sights not to miss in Antigua (not necessarily the major tourist attractions) are St John's, Sandy Cove in Nonsuch Bay, Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour, the spectacular views from Shirley Heights, Falmouth Harbour, the wild and remote Devil's Bridge on the north eastern point and Half Moon Bay (possibly the most beautiful of all Antigua's beaches).
|
|
Climate:
Food:
Things to look out for:
Our arrival in St Johns in Antigua saw us surrounded by other magnificent cruise ships, something we enjoyed viewing from the Lido Deck while we ate our hearty buffet breakfast. We had booked with the ship for about £19 each an excursion to the beach named "Rum Punch Beach Day", and the six of us were whisked off by coach to a wonderfully beautiful golden sanded beach lapped by the most turquoise sea I have ever laid my eyes on. The day was filled with fun and laughter and sun and leisure. And of course, rum punch. It was all included so we could have as little as we wanted! Gary(brother-in-law) and I went on a "sea-doughnut" with another guy. This was basically a giant rubber ring that you sat on, gripped the handles and held on to for dear life(!) while a speedboat dragged you up and down the bay. Great fun! We were extremely sad to leave the beach and head back to the ship, but all six of us hold and cherish the memories of that day. Even if a couple of us drank too much rum punch!
Popular Places to visit:
History:
|
Grenada
