Antigua: It's not just about the beach
Monday, 30 Jan 2006 12:02
There is much more to Antigua than lounging on a beach (photo: Antigua & Barbuda Tourist Office)
The Caribbean island of Antigua is well known for its year-round sunshine and for having a sandy beach for each day of the year.
But a holiday in Antigua does not just have to be about relaxing on a beach.
Travelbite.co.uk looks at what Antigua has to offer in 2006:
Swim with stingrays at Stingray City
A short ten-minute boat ride ferries visitors to the reefs surrounding Antigua where they have the chance to swim with stingrays in their natural environment. Children can feed and hold Southern Stingrays while learning about them from an experienced guide. Call Tel: +1 268 562 7297 for more information.
Adventure Antigua
The newly introduced Xtreme Circumnav tour takes visitors around Antigua's rugged 365-beach coastline in a 45ft offshore racing boat. For $US170 (£96) per person, the trip also includes admission to Stingray City, lunch on Green Island, entry to Nelson's Dockyard and snorkelling gear.
Antigua Paddles
Experienced guides take groups of people kayaking, snorkelling and power boating in lagoons and mangroves. A half-day excursion includes hiking on the uninhabited Bird Island, home to rare wildlife. For more information see:
www.antiguapaddles.com
Nelson's Dockyard
Visit the fine Georgian architecture of Nelson's Dockyard, named after Admiral Lord Nelson who was based at English Harbour from 1784 to 1787. The dockyard contains a museum, which explains its decline leading to closure in 1899 and renaissance with the return of sailing ships and yachts in the 1950s. For more information see:
www.antiguamuseums.org/nelsonsdockyard.htm
Watersports in Antigua
Antigua is a haven for windsurfers and kitesurfers. H2O Antigua (
www.h2oantigua.com provides a full range of watersports, while Dive Antigua (a href="http://ww.diveantigua.com" target="_blank">www.diveantigua.com offers scuba diving opportunities, including courses for beginners.
Day trip to Barbuda
Barbuda lies just 30 miles from Antigua. A flat coral island measuring 68 square miles, Barbuda is renowned for its unique pink-coloured beaches. Its Frigate bird sanctuary is a must-see for nature lovers. Barbuda is a 90-minute ferry ride from Antigua or a 20 minute flight. Barbuda Express (
www.antiguaferries.com) runs a catamaran service five days a week, while Carib Aviation (
www.candoo.com/carib is one of a number of carriers offering flights.
For more information on holidays in Antigua, go to:
www.antigua-barbuda.com
Click here to find cheap flights to Antigua