Antigua

Travel itinerary in Antigua

Antigua is a small island in the Caribbean Sea, 80 km north of Guadeloupe. It is famous for sailors, but you can also travel conveniently by rental car (perhaps taking a kayaking or a sup!). However you move, there is an infinite number of white beaches to move.

Every period is good for going on vacation to Antigua, although winter is the least rainy season. And although sudden scrosens never miss, the temperature of 25 degrees is out that at sea helps to overcome half an hour of rain. In summer/autumn there is hurrican risk.
The island is very small (25 km of diameter) so it is not complicated to organize a travel itinerary in Antigua, but it is important to know the most fascinating beaches and bays, And even the shortest scenic walks: there are real pearls!

English Harbor

English Harbor is an inevitable destination in a holiday in Antigua. This natural harbor, with a long history, is very busy from the pleasure boats and is certainly the most touristic place of Antigua, even if I personally didn't find it too much crowded even in the Christmas holidays.

The Nelson's Dockyard, ie the buildings of the British marina restructured in dot, is nice, but the best of the bay is represented by nature. First of all, the long white beach ending in a green promontory surrounded by crystal clear water.

In front of it, on the backdrop, there is also an old wreck.

If you go out of the bay, you pass to the reef and, for example in kayak, you can admire the cliffs to the east and west of the input of the natural harbor. To the west there are the remains of an ancient Fort Berkeley, while east of the natural columns (Pillars of Hercules, Colonne d'Ercole) rises from emerald green water.

From the White Beach, you can walk in about a quarter of an hour to the top of the Shirley Heights, from which you have a wonderful view of English Harbor and the adjacent bay of Falmouth Bay.

The path is very nice, in the middle of the types of vegetation of Antigua, with low evergreen trees and picturesque cactus, but in Shirley Heights you can also get to the car. From here you can also admire a wide portion of ocean, with the Volcanic island of Montserrat on the horizon.

Ah, English Harbor is also the most convenient place to make customs, for those arriving on the island by boat. And the adjacent Falmouth Bay is another very spacious landing.

Saint John and Jolly Harbor

These two locations represent the other two important ports of the island. Saint John is also the capital, as well as the only commercial and industrial port of Antigua. This makes Saint John the less fascinating place of Antigua when seen from the sea, but in reality the capital is really picturesque: wooden houses, markets and vivacity during daytime hours are unmissable.

Jolly Harbor, on the other hand, is a center dedicated to tourists, where every house arranged on the channels has its own private boat. However, it is not the tourist port to deserve the journey, but the bay in front of Jolly Harbor, with the white sand beaches that make it as a master.

The water here is rendered a bit stribid from the sandy bottom, but it remains perfect for swimming or exploring the area in kayak. Ah, potete Find all the photos of the holiday here.

Other bays and paradisiacal beaches of Antigua

The promontory that closes the bay of Jolly Harbor is a southern shore of the wild Five Islands Bay. Walking from Jolly Harbor you can take the dick of this promontory, admiring splendid views including those on the Bay of Five Islands.

It is interesting to note that by politics all the beaches of Antigua are free, even those on which a hotel overlooks, like this case. The Five Islands Bay is ideal for a kayaking ride, when there is not too wind (this area of Antigua is not protected by hilly reliefs). The sea, very clean, but it is not suitable for snorkeling due to the sandy bottom that distorts the water.

A little further north there is Deep Bay, with other beautiful white sand and a gigantic wreck sank to reach kayak or inflatable boat (you can see the top of the smokestack of the water-haired ship).

The northern and eastern part of Antigua is surrounded by the coral reef. The marvelous bays and beaches are opened between the islets and infinite. The most beautiful maybe those of Great Bird Island and Nonsuch Bay.

Nonsuch Bay is also a paradise for kitesurfing, thanks to calm water and constant wind. In kayaking, instead, they can explore the coral reef and the most beautiful angles.

In addition to English Harbor, another splendid town in the south of Antigua is Carlisle Bay, with a wide beach (where you can rent kayaks and hobie cat) closed by a spectacular promontory, with beaches, red cactus and pelicans.

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