Antigua & Barbuda where Memories Count!

• V,C. Bird International Airport (ANU)  The airport is located 5 miles NE of the capital, St. John's. 

• Official language is English 

• Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD)- just a note that items are quoted in Dollars however the exchange rate is different between Eastern Caribbean Dollars and US Dollars and a lot of places on the island accept US dollars so make sure you know which one is being quoted.

The dual-island nation of Antigua (An-tee-gah) and Barbuda is the largest of the British Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean.  Located 250 miles southeast of Puerto Rico and 40 miles north of Guadeloupe.  If you plan on spending at least a couple of days exploring Antigua the best way to get around is renting a car.  The island is small at only 14 miles long and 11miles across so everywhere on the island can be reached in 45 minutes or less.  The island is divided into six different parishes.  See below for more details on these.  Antigua has over 365 beaches which is its main draw for visitors. 

Little Barbuda is the sister island to Antigua and is a very easy trip from Antigua for the day or a few nights for an even more intimate Caribbean Island experience.  You can reach the island by a 90 min. ferry ride or a small 7-person plane that takes 20 minutes.  On the island you will find one small village community with about 1500 people. This island is 15 miles long and 8 miles wide and is rocky and very flat.  Barbuda has the deep blue Atlantic on one side with wild beaches full of driftwood and shells and the Caribbean Sea on the other with the pink sand beaches perfect for swimming or snorkeling.

The best time to visit Antigua is from May to November, the island's offseason.  Rates are less during this time but there is always a slight threat of hurricanes.  This area has unfortunately not been spared from hurricanes in the past: in September 2017, Barbuda suffered severe damage from Hurricane Irma.  December thru February is the peak tourist season and also the dry season when the sunshine creates one of the most pleasant climates in the Caribbean.  Late March to Early April is when you will find the Antigua Sailing Week which is one of the Caribbean's largest yacht races and brings in a lot of people.