Antigua & Barbuda
ANTIGUA BEACHES
In Antigua there are 365 beautiful beaches, some of them are accessible only with a four-wheel drive vehicle or by boat, but many are more accessible and visible from the main road. In this way, you will be able to change scenery every day of your vacation and be constantly stunned by the wonderful sights the island of Antigua has to offer. Offshore, coral reefs offer underwater forests of fish and other sea creatures for divers, while the wind blows constantly off the east coast for the sailing lovers. The western bays provide year-around bathing in clear calm waters.
BARBUDA
Barbuda, Antigua's sister island, is a flat coral island with an area of approximately 68 square miles. It is situated 30 miles due north of Antigua and can be reached in 20 minutes by plane or about 1.5 hour by ferry. Barbuda has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world; all deserted, and with white sand that often appears pink in some areas due to broken seashells within the sand. Barbuda is an island of beaches: the most beautiful runs from Palmetto point to Cedar Tree Point, a 30 km of white sand beach. A must visit is the Barbuda's Frigate Bird Sanctuary located in the north-west lagoon area inside the mangrove bushes, it is the largest nesting colony in the Caribbean and it is only accessible by boat. On September 5th 2017 The island of Barbuda was badly hit by Hurricane Irma which completely destroyed most of the buildings on Barbuda leaving the island as ‘uninhabitable’. Currently the government as well as the Barbudan people are working on helping to rebuild the island.
WHAT TO SEE IN ANTIGUA
Nelson's Dockyard– –– is a cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbour, Antigua. It is part of Nelson's Dockyard National Park, which also contains Shirley Heights and Clarence House. Nelson Dockyard National Park was named after Admiral Horatio Nelson, who lived in the Naval Dockyard from 1784 through 1787, the Dockyard is home to some of Antigua's sailing and yachting events such as Antigua Sailing Week and the Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting.
Shirley Heights– English Harbour – Fortified in the late eighteenth century, it was used as a military lookout and cannons are still in place. It offers breath-taking views over English Harbour, and on Sunday afternoons, you can dance to the rhythms of steel band and live reggae music while enjoying BBQ and freshly grilled lobster.
Betty's Hope – Located in the limestone district of Pares Village on the east of Antigua, this is one of the earliest sugar plantations, dating back to 1651.
Devil's Bridge – Situated at the northeastern side of Antigua, is a natural arch carved by the sea from soft and hard limestone ledges of the Antigua formation
Museum of Antigua and Barbuda – St. John's – Situated in the old Courthouse of 1749, it tells the story of Antigua and Barbuda from its geological birth through the present day, interpreting the history and heritage of the nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
Public Market – St. John's – The market is easily identified by the striking sculpture of Sir Vere. Cornwall Bird, the First Prime Minister. The market provides an extensive and attractive covered outlet for the abundance of Caribbean fruit and vegetables.
Heritage Quay & Redcliffe Quay - St. John's - Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay extends along a wide deck where the cruise ship dock, they offer a wide variety of duty-free shops from designer clothing and jewellery, to local art and craft. Redcliffe Quay once formed the heart of Antigua's sugar trade with 17th century Europe, now host an array of restaurants and shops.
Fort James – Built around 1703, when St. John's became larger than Falmouth and Parham, the northern entrance of St. John's Harbour was fortified
Fig Tree Drive – Fig is the Antiguan name for bananas. This is the best drive in Antigua: the street is filled with lots of tropical trees such as guava, mangoes, coconuts. On this road you can also see the Antigua pineapple farm.
Antigua's Neighbouring Islands – Antigua's neighbouring islands are seen during many of the day-trip cruise boats. These beautiful islands are: Bird Island, a secluded island located north-east of Antigua about 20 acres, Guiana Island has a marvellous white sandy beach, Green Island, just off the east coast of Antigua, offers pristine white sandy beaches. Prickly Pear just off the Hodges Bay area. Rabbit Island is home to breeding colonies of pelicans and Hell's Gate Island has a coral/limestone bridge formed by the elements over many years. There are also Redonda and Long Island.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Weather: Antigua and Barbuda is warm all year round; visitors are able to bask in sunny weather whenever they like. Antigua is a year-round destination as temperatures do not vary that much throughout the year, generally between 24 and 30 degrees in the daytime. In the night temperatures are between 20 degrees in winter and 27 degrees in summer. The trade winds, a constant easterly sea breeze, are on tap to relieve the heat. The rainy season involves afternoon showers, that come and go fast. The hurricane season extends from July to November. The last hurricane that hit Antigua was in 1999.
Currency: Antigua & Barbuda use the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$ or XCD). The EC Dollar rate is fixed to the US dollar at an average of US$1 to EC$2.6882. It is advisable to verify exchange rates prior to your trip. US dollars, major credit cards and travelers' cheques are also accepted everywhere on the islands.
Money, Exchange, Banks: Although the local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollars, the US Dollar is accepted everywhere. The rate is fixed to US$1=EC$2.6882. Major credit cards, such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in many places. US Dollars and Pound Sterling travelers'cheques are readily accepted, Euro travelers cheques are not widely accepted. There are banks located in St. John's, Woods Shopping Mall, VC Bird International Airport, Nelson's Dockyard, Jolly Harbour Marina and they are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm.
Driving: Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road in Antigua & Barbuda.
Language: The official language of Antigua & Barbuda is English, although locals speak a dialect that can be very difficult to understand. Some locals may also find your English very difficult to understand.
Cell Phones: Many tri-band phones work in Antigua – check before coming if your cell operator has an agreement with any of the providers in Antigua – Cable and Wireless, A.P.U.A., P.C.S. or Digicel. If you plan to make a lot of local calls or spend a significant amount of time in Antigua it may be worth getting a pay-as-you-go deal here. As long as your phone is unlocked (EC$50 to unlock locally) you will be able to get a SIM card and local telephone number. You can then buy phone cards locally to top up your phone.
Emergency numbers: To contact the Police Department, Fire Department or Ambulance Service, dial 911 or 999.
Entry requirements: To enter in Antigua and Barbuda all that is required is: a valid passport, a return ticket, a confirmation of accommodation and sufficient funds for the duration of the stay. Nationals of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries (except Bangladesh, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka), Other EU Coutries (except nationals of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Latvia and the Slovak Republic), USA, Canada, Australia & Japan do not require visas for stays of up to 3 months. If you will need a visa check out the latest information on this link including requirements and payments at the official Antigua Immigation website.
Time zone: Antigua is on Atlantic Standard Time, one hour ahead of the Eastern time zone in the USA when it observes Daylight Savings (Antigua does not).
Duty Free Allowances: The duty free allowance is 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250g tobacco, 1 litre of wine or spirit and 170ml perfume. Duty free Shopping is available in stores in St. John's in the Heritage Quay Shopping centre and Redcliffe Quay. In order to be eligible to buy duty free goods the purchaser must show a valid confirmed airline ticket and picture ID.
Locally Made Souvenirs- Locally made souvenirs to take home include Antiguan rums which are produced by Antigua Distillery: the English Harbour Light Rum and English Harbour Five years old Rum. Susie's Hot Sauce has a variety of flavours and the products can be shipped all over the world. The Original Hot Sauce is still the most popular and it has won awards in the United States. Little books by Antiguan designer Gilly Gobinet, is known for her colourful prints and cards. Some of the series are 'Caribbean Cocktails', 'Caribbean Cookery' and ‘The top 20 places in Antigua'.
Shopping Hours: Normal shopping hours are Monday - Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
Payment: Most stores accept both EC$ and US$ and major credit cards are generally accepted in Redcliffe and Heritage Quay shopping areas.
Supermarkets: There are large supermarkets near to Woods Mall and Jolly Harbour. The fruit and vegetable market opens daily except Sundays.
Post Offices: There are 4 post offices on island: at the airport, on High Street in St. John's, Wood Shopping Mall and inside the Nelson's Dockyard. Courier services such as DHL and Federal Express are available.
Antigua Tourist Information:
Antigua and Barbuda
Ministry of Tourism
Queen Elizabeth Highway
St John's, Antigua W.I
Tel: 268-462-0651, 462-6398
Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
ACB Financial Centre
High and Temple Streets
St. John’s
Antigua
Tel: 1-268-562-7600
Fax: 1-268-562-7602
Website: www.antigua-barbuda.org
Consulates, Embassies:
There is a British Government Representative in Antigua and consulates or embassies for Venezuela, China, Italy, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Germany and others:
British Consular Agent - 764-4653 (Old Parham Road)
Embassies of the People's Republic of China - 462-1125 (Marble Hill)
Consulate of Colombia - 560-4622
Consulate of Denmark - 480-3070
Consulate of France - 460-6428 (Rowan Henry St.)
Consulate of Germany - 462-3174 (Hodges Bay)
Consulate of Italy - 460-1543 (English Harbour)
Honorary Consul of Jamaica - 462-6439
Consulate of Norway - 462-0858 (Frances Trading)
Consulate of Netherlands - 481-1851 (Gomez Insurance)
Swiss, Consular Agency - 462-8975 (Woods Centre)
U.S. Consular Agent - 462-8975 (Woods Centre)
Venezuelan Embassy - 462-1574 (Jasmine Court, Friars Hill Road)
Customs: It is very customary to greet the people you meet. Failure to greet people on entering an office or shop may result in very slow service. Antiguans are very religious and they have a conservative attitude toward dressing. It is not appropriate to walk in the city in bathing suits. Topless sunbathing is not acceptable. The only nudist beach on the island is at the Hawksbill Resort, close to Galley Bay, the 4th beach away from the hotel.
Medical Facilities:
Emergency medical services call 999, 911 or 562-2433
Mount St. John's Hospital - St. John's Antigua Tel: (268) 484-2700.
Pharmacies: They are concentrated in the city of St. John's and most open from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Ceco Pharmacy, located on High Street, is open 7 days a week from 8:15am to midnight. Other pharmacies are at Woods shopping centre and Jolly Harbour.
Vaccinations: No vaccinations are required unless the visitor is arriving from an endemic area. Click to the World Health Organization website for more information.
Accommodation Prices: Accommodations charge higher rates on high season, from the end of November to the end of April. Christmas, Sailing Week and Carnival have even higher rates.
Coming to Antigua: A list of airlines flying to Antigua contacts:
American Airline - 462-0950 - www.aa.com
Air Canada - 462-1147 - www.aircanada.ca
British Airways - 462-0876 - www.britishairways.com
Virgin Atlantic - 560-2079/562-4148 - www.virgin-atlantic.com
US Airways - 800-622-1015
Continental - 462-5355 - www.continental.com
GETTING MARRIED IN ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
Antigua is considered the perfect place for romance to flourish, whether for a destination wedding, renewal of vows or honeymoon. Most couples, each year are making Antigua their preferred, top wedding and honeymoon destination. Imagine the romance to getting married barefoot on the beach!
To help you organize all aspect of your wedding you can hire a professional wedding designer agency that will take care of everything you may need. Below is a list of professional wedding planning companies, which offer customized services to create a tailored proposal according to your preferences.
Procedures to be married in Antigua and Barbuda
The ceremony is held by the registrar between 6am and 8pm. Two witnesses must be present. You also can be married in the courthouse or elsewhere for a small additional cost. It is also possible to have a traditional church service although this will take a little longer as you will need authorization from the local ecclesiastical authorities who might require you to attend a short prenuptial course. Weddings on the island are legally valid and all documents produced must have the originals in the correct name..
- Documents needed to obtain a marriage license
- -Valid passports
-Proof of status: Single: a declaration signed in Antigua / Divorces: Original divorce decree / widowed original marriage and death certificates
-Application form completed at the Ministry of Justice
-Fees: Registration fee $40 (paid at the court house located on the corner of High and Temple Streets) / Application fee $150 / Marriage officer's fee $50
Legal Requirements: Both parties must be over 15. If under age 18, written authorization from parents or guardians is required. All the documents presented must be original or certified original by the issuing departments and offices, in the legal name and provide affidavits in cases where the bride or groom is known by another name.
The Ministry of Legal Affairs is pen Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30 pm and on Fridays from 8am to 3pm.