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Discover Magical Antigua & Barbuda

English Harbour on the south-eastern coast of Antigua is famed for its protected shelter during violent storms. It is the site of a restored British colonial naval station called Nelson's Dockyard after Captain Horatio Nelson. Today English Harbour and the neighbouring village of Falmouth are internationally famous as a yachting and sailing destination and provisioning centre.

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» Antigua Cruise Port

St. John's has a large and deep harbor that perfectly accommodates large cruise ships. The main attractions in town are all within close walking distance to the pier. Heritage and Redcliffe Quay offer shopping opportunities directly next to port, and downtown St. John's is just a short distance away. Locals boast that Antigua has 365 different beaches, one for each day of the year. History buffs will love the island's rich naval history …

» Betty's Hope Sugar Plantation

Betty's Hope Sugar Plantation is the historic site of the first large sugar plantation on Antigua, built during the late 1600s by Sir Christopher Codrington who named it after his daughter. All that remains today are the ruins of a stillhouse and two large stone windmills, one of which has been restored, with working gears, crushing rollers and a sail all built to period specifications. The local government is developing the area as an open-air museum …

» Cades Reef

Off the southwest tip of Antigua, Cades Reef is Antigua's most popular diving and snorkeling spot. A section of the reef has been designated as an underwater park, and visitors can find more than a dozen dive sites throughout the inner and outer sections of the reef. One of the popular spots on Cades Reef is The Chimney, a dive site on the outer reef, where huge pillar corals create a staircase formation that descends from 40 to 80 feet deep …

» D-Boat Antigua

This brightly colored and beautifully restored 1974 old tanker offers travelers uninterrupted 360-degree views of breathtaking turquoise waters. Anchored off the shores of Maiden Island, D-Boat Antigua is a truly tropical escape that's accessible via a five-minute ferry ride. The ship's massive water slide, high flying rope swing, water trampoline and relaxing pool deck make D-Boat a perfect spot for families …

» Devil's Bridge National Park

Don't be scared away by its rather ominous name. Devil's Bridge National Park is one of the most unique natural sites that you can see, not just in Antigua, but perhaps ever. Devil's Bridge is a natural arch carved by the sea out of the soft and hard limestone ledges of the cliffs. As enormous breakers from the Atlantic repeatedly assaulted the rocks throughout the years, they eventually eroded away a soft part of limestone to create a bridge-like arch …

» Dickenson Bay

The blazing-white sands of Dickenson Bay are home to a handful of Antigua's larger resort hotels, including Sandals, Halcyon Cove and Antigua Village. Along the beachfront you can also find a hub of restaurants, beach bars, and watersports operators renting kayaks, windsurfing boards, snorkeling gear and more. The bay is known for having consistently calm waters, which makes it a great place for families with kids to play in the water …

» English Harbour

Journey down to the far south of Antigua to see one of the island's oldest and most beautiful historic districts, English Harbour. This tiny (population of 759), but scenic settlement is a great place to wander around in and enjoy the old-fashioned buildings while learning about the nation's colonial roots. English Harbour is best known for the many historic sites it is home to including Nelson's Dockyard, a restored British colonial naval station …

» Fort James

One of the best places to go on the island if you want fantastic views of the shimmering Caribbean waters, Fort James sits in an ideal position overlooking St. John's Harbor. Built by the British in 1706 to protect the harbor, the fort was intended to prevent the French from invading the island. Today, come and see the cannons, powder magazine, and foundation of the wall, the remainders of the fort. The true highlight of a visit to Fort James, however, is the unbeatable view of St. John's Harbor …

» Frigate Bird Sanctuary

Antigua and its neighboring island Barbuda are total opposites - while Antigua is rugged, mountainous and populated, Barbuda is low-lying, non-descript and practically deserted, except for the frigate birds and many other species that flock to Barbuda's lagoons. The Frigate Bird Sanctuary can be found in the lagoons at the northwest of the island and is home to more than 5,000 frigate birds, as well as members from about 170 other bird species …

» Heritage Quay

If you're in the mood for duty-free and high-end shopping on Antigua, Heritage Quay is the place to find good prices on luxury items. This shopping complex has dozens of shops selling everything from Rolex watches and diamond jewelry to duty-free cigars and liquor, not to mention designer clothes, cosmetics, electronics and more. Throughout the shopping center you'll spot troupes of local performers playing steel pan music …

» Nelson's Dockyard National Park

One of the best historical sites Antigua has to offer, Nelson's Dockyard National Park has been at the center of Antigua's activity since the first settlers arrived there in 500 BC. Today, however, the centerpiece of the park is the actual dockyard itself, originally developed as a base for the British Navy in 1725. It is the only Georgian dockyard that still exists in the world. Named for Horatio Nelson, famed commander of the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars …

» Prickly Pear Island

You can spend a day on an uninhabited Caribbean isle with a boat tour to Prickly Pear Island. This tiny islet sits off the northeast corner of Antigua, and it's a popular destination for day-trippers and cruise-shippers looking to lounge on its sugar-sand beaches. Beneath the crystal-clear waters lie fields of shallow reefs loaded with tropical fish, and you can grab snorkeling gear to fin your way among the fishes. The only man-made structure on the island is a shack beach bar …

» Shirley Heights

Home to the most famous view in all of Antigua, as well as the island's residential party place, no trip is complete without a visit to Shirley Heights. Overlooking English and Falmouth Harbours, the panoramic view from Shirley Heights takes in the neighboring islands of Guadalupe and Montserrat, the latter of which is home to an active volcano. While the views are spectacular any time of day, nothing can beat a night time visit where you can watch the sun set …

» Sir Vivian Richards Stadium

Named after a famous West Indies cricket team captain, the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is a massive open-aired arena dedicated to the popular sport of cricket. Easily recognizable thanks to its distinctive blue shades, the stadium was built in 2007 in honor of the International Cricket Council World Cup. Numerous matches were held here and around the island during the event, and the 10,000-seat stadium was temporarily expanded to hold 20,000 people specifically for it …

» Stanford Cricket Ground

If there's one thing Antigua locals love, it's the sport of cricket. Homage to this national pastime can be found all over the island and especially at Stanford Cricket Ground, which was once the proud host of numerous cricket and football matches. Although no longer the site of adrenaline and cheers, Stanford Cricket Ground does include the West Indies Cricket Hall of Fame, which chronicles the Caribbean's most famous players …

» Stingray City

Stingray City in Antigua is a special place as it is home to a plethora of stingrays in their natural habitat. Plus, the area of sea where Stingray City is situated is quite shallow and is only a few feet deep in many parts, making it an ideal excursion for families with children in addition to traveling adults or those who can't swim well. Though Stingray City in Antigua is a cordoned-off area, the stingrays are still in their natural habitat. The gentle creatures are accustomed to humans …

» St John's

Antigua's capital city is a multicolored port town around a protected bay on the northwest of the island. Nearly half of the city's visitors arrive not by plane, but by boat because St. John's is both a popular cruise ship port and a renowned sailing harbor - in fact every year, the island hosts Antigua Sailing Week, one of the top regattas and sailing events in the Caribbean. While here, you can explore sights like the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, which occupies the former 16th-century courthouse …

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