ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Antigua & Barbuda is an independent state and forms part of the Leeward Islands group in the northeast Caribbean. The country comprises three of the Leeward Islands—Antigua and two smaller islands, Barbuda to the north and Redonda, an uninhabited rocky islet, to the south-west and together with other islands, Antigua and Bermuda are part of the Lesser Antilles.
Antigua is the largest and most populated island and though Redonda Island is uninhabited, it is a part of the Antigua and Bermuda country.
Former slaves, who long ago worked in the sugarcane plantations, are the forefathers of most of the country's population.
HISTORY
At the time of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the region in 1493, the Caribs were occupying the land.
After unsuccessful attempts by the French and Spanish to make colonies there, the British were successful in colonizing it in 1632 and the island and its dependencies, Barbuda and Redonda, remained under British control until independence in 1981, when it became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
The total area of the country stretches to 422 sq. km. and consists of rolling hills made up of volcanic rock, coral, and limestone. To its east lies the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea to the west. To its west lie the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat to the south-west and Guadeloupe to the south.
The country receives less rainfall than the other Leeward Islands though it has a tropical climate. Between July to December are the wettest months and the coolest months between January to March. The best time to visit the country is November through April, when it's colder in North America and Europe.
CURRENCY AND ECONOMY
The East Caribbean dollar (XCD) is the official currency of Antigua and Bermuda.
Tourism is the mainstay of the country’s economy and equally important for Antigua and Bermuda’s economy is the agricultural production of cotton, fruits, and sugarcane.
PEOPLE, CULTURE AND LANGUAGES
The estimated population of the county is about 86, 000 with 38 per cent of the population lives in urban areas, primarily in the capital, St John’s and only 2% of the population inhabits Barbuda.
Family and religion play an important role in the lives of Antiguans and the religion of the vast majority of the population is Christianity, with 74% belonging to Protestant denominations.
The culture of the country is predominantly British though it has a strong African influence and some of that influence is observed in the costumes and mask its people ware during carnival celebrations and in the music, which uses percussion heavily. The British influence is evident throughout many aspects of the society, for example, the national sport is cricket, and Antigua has produced several famous cricket players including Sir Vivian Richards, Anderson "Andy" Roberts, and Richard "Richy" Richardson.
A national Carnival celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in the British West Indies is held during August each year.
Many of the locals speak Antiguan Creole, though English is the official language.
CAPITAL
St John’s is the capital, main commercial hub of the country and also the gateway to the harbor of Antigua and Barbuda.
The St. John’s Cathedral and the museum are the landmarks of its history.
The city is full of hotels and restaurants, providing a perfect retreat to the vacationers after the whole day of adventure in all the islands and beaches of Antigua and Barbuda.
Being an important venue for the 2007 World Cup gave it international fame.
HOW TO REACH
The country has no national airline of its own but many airlines do operate regular direct flights there; from UK the British airlines flies there and from the US the Delta.
The main airport is VC Bird International (ANU), which is 8 km from St. John and Taxi services run to the town and hotels from the airport.
TOURIST DESTINATION AND ACTIVITIES
-Yachting and sailing are the most popular activities of the country and Antigua hosts many international yachting events and regattas throughout the year. However you are looking for a secluded cove or sheltered beach and anchor for a day of peace and quiet can do so by hiring a dinghy.
-The Fig Tree Drive, which consists of 32km (20miles) of winding road, takes you through the lush tropical hills and picturesque fishing villages along the southwest coast.
-Antigua & Barbuda has an extraordinary variety of water-sports: windsurfing, waterskiing, beachcombing, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving are on offer, and there are over 365 beaches to practice in.
-For the laid back there is an eccentric sport is staged in certain bars once or twice a week, where a punter may win enough to pay for the next round of drinks.
-You might like to play Warri - an ancient board game that was traditionally played using shells placed in cups.
-At Antigua's rainforest, creep along a high wire course made up of zip lines, swings, suspension bridges and a controlled parachute jump.
-At Two Foot Bay, Barbuda explore huge caves and with expert help go underground and underwater to see ancient cave drawings, stalactites and stalagmites.
-Without a bush safari in Barbuda, your trip would be incomplete; picnic in the shade and watch for the wildlife amongst the sparkling salt ponds.
-Explore the island nation by taking an excursion to Great Bird Island, leisurely views of the reef in Glass-bottomed boats and sails around the island in restored pirate ship.
-The Half Moon Bay, a popular national park, renowned as one of Antigua's most beautiful beaches, is worth seeing.
-Explore Barbuda for its wild beauty, deserted beaches and heavily wooded interior abounding in wildlife.
Shopping
Straw goods, pottery, batik and silk-screen printed fabrics, and jewelry incorporating semi-precious Antiguan stones. English bone china, crystal, French perfumes, watches and table linens are the major items to shop for in Antigua.
One of the best places to shop is the Heritage Quay Complex is a shopping and entertainment area with over 50 duty-free shops, restaurants and a casino with a supper club.
Food and Drink
Lobster, with red snapper is Antigua’s gastronomic specialty. Imported meats, vegetables, fruits and cheeses are available in larger hotels. The national delicacies include:
A hearty vegetable stew with salted meat, called Pepperpot, and served with served with Fungee, cornmeal and okra dumplings.
Patties filled with curried potatoes, chicken or beef and called Roti.
A dish of grated sweet potato mixed with coconut, sugar and spices and steamed in a banana leaf, called Ducana.
Nightlife
St. Johns has the most active nightlife and hotels and casinos around the islands usually provide in-house entertainment for both hotel guests and non-residents. Gambling, live music, restaurants and bars are standard in most casinos, and there are even gyms and Internet access in some.
Steel bands can be found traveling around the hotels along with limbo dancers and calypso singers.
GETTING AROUND
At Codrington on Barbuda, there is a small airstrip, equipped to handle light aircraft and Carib Aviation operates scheduled flights between Antigua and Barbuda.
For excursions local boats are available, which usually take 3 hours to travel from Antigua to Barbuda.
The roads in the country are in reasonably good condition and are all-weather roads. As the bus network is small, the buses are infrequent. Alternatively Taxis are available too.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
In the summer months, between May to November, the hotels are cheaper due to the frequent tropical storms. There is a wide range of hotels available though no grading system is in place.
In Barbuda the accommodation facilities are limited though there are three reasonably good resort hotels.
For cheaper alternatives bed and breakfasts are available and they are clean and comfortable. In addition to these self catering apartments for hire and guest houses too are in place for the budget travelers.
Click to Hide