Two’s better than one

Lively Antigua and its laid-back neighbour Barbuda have everything you need for the perfect Caribbean holiday.

For beach lovers, Antigua’s the perfect choice. You’ll never be bored of your sandy surroundings as there are 365 beaches to choose from, one for every day of your beach-hopping year.

Part of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua is rich in history and culture – there’s always a special event or festival happening on the island.

With its constant trade winds and softly indented coastline, Antigua offers some of the best sailing in the Caribbean. English Harbour on the south coast is yachting heaven and attracts sailors from all over the globe. In April, Sailing Week takes place and the shoreline around English Harbour comes alive with the sounds of reggae and calypso. The Classic Yacht Regatta in mid-April takes place before Sailing Week too, and is one of the foremost classic yacht regattas in the world. Seeing these beautiful ships take to the water is quite an experience.

Then in July there’s Carnival, an explosion of colour, music, food art, festivities and fun, a celebration of the Caribbean sprit that commemorates the earliest abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean. This is a must-see.

But Antigua is still the perfect place to be for those quieter moments. It’s a land of rolling hills and flowering trees, the skyline dotted with old stone windmills and forts, the coastline scalloped with small coves, graceful harbours and sandy bays.

Much of the coastline of Antigua and Barbuda is surrounded by shelves, providing great conditions for shallow diving and snorkelling. But if you want more of a challenge, you’ll love the available scuba-diving and hiking.

Then there are the island’s historic sites, such as the ruins of Fort Barrington, overlooking Deep Bay and the entrance to St. John’s Harbour. These fortifications saw the most action in Antigua when the French and English battled each other for possession of the island in the 17th century.

Built around the largest of the natural harbours is St. John’s, the capital, with new boutiques and duty-free shops and restaurants; Redcliff and Heritage Quays offer a wide selection of duty-free goods for shopping and cuisine lovers. Heritage Quay is a duty-free shopping complex strategically placed to catch cruise ship visitors. It has a casino and is also a relaxing place to have a drink.

Antigua is a top spot for cruise ships, as well as day excursions to Barbuda, one of the two island dependencies of Antigua (the other is Redonda).

Some 30 miles to the north of Antigua, Barbuda is a flat coral island, half the size of Antigua. Most of the population live in the only village on the island, Codrington, which stands on the edge of the lagoon. Barbuda has excellent beaches; the coral of which the island is made gives the sand a rare pink hue.

Palmetto Point with its rosy sand is a picture-perfect spot to relax. The seas are rich with all types of crustaceans and tropical fish. Palaster Reef is a marine reserve that protects the reef and the shipwrecks (there are around 60 ships documented). Experienced divers will enjoy the wreck diving off Barbuda, and you can swim from the beach to the reef.

Birdwatching is another option; the impressive Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the mangroves in Codrington Lagoon is home to the largest colony of Frigate birds in the world, and the sight of some 10,000 birds is just stunning. Access is by boat only and the best time to visit is during mating season (August to November).

Antigua and Barbuda is a thriving tourist destination offering visitors a wealth of attractions, a warm climate, sandy beaches, clear Caribbean waters and a fascinating cultural heritage. Whether its business, pleasure, or a combination of the two that bring you here, no one leaves disappointed.