Antigua Holidays

You can book your Antigua holiday online by simply choosing from our huge range of flights and hotels to create your own unique arrangement. By booking with Unwind Worldwide you can be asssured that our Antigua holidays represent excellent value for money. We pride ourselves in sourcing the cheapest offers on the best flights and hotels.

Booking a holiday to Antigua online is simple, safe and secure. However, should you have any questions, our Reservations Team are always are on hand to help you book your ideal holiday to Antigua. You can contact our team via LiveHelp or by telephoning 0203 282 7684.

Antigua Travel Guide

Antigua is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea and is the largest of the Leeward Islands. Antigua is recognised for its numerous coves, bays and 365 white sand beaches and clear turquoise coloured waters, which is great for diving and snorkelling.

To the south are the islands of Montserrat and Guadaloupe, and to the north and west are Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Barts and St. Martin/St. Maarten and the sister island of Barbuda lies 27 miles northeast of Antigua with a land area of 62 square miles.

Antigua was fought over by both the French and Spanish and was eventually won by the British. The islands past history is reflected as it is littered with 18th century forts, some are romantic ruins and some have been preserved. At English Harbour on the island's south coast, Nelson's Dockyard which was named after the great admiral who was stationed there has been restored.

This is a beautiful Island, which has an energetic feel but is famous for its extensive white beaches, of which it has over 350, with clear turquoise waters ideal for swimming. The coral reefs that surround the island, make perfect snorkelling and scuba divers from all over the world. Several of the beaches are well protected by the coral reef, which makes them ideal for families. The island also hosts many sailing regattas as the cooling winds make it perfect sailing conditions. The Islands capital town St Johns is busy and has a large eray of duty free shops, for those who want a break from the beach.

Things to See and Do

Antigua has some superb diving areas with coral canyons, wall drops and sea caves; the marine life includes turtles, sharks, barracuda and reef fish. Scuba diving – there are many reefs off the eastern coastline and as a result, there is some pretty awesome fish to see. Snorkelling is also pretty good here, as the water is very clear, and it's a lot cheaper!

Antigua's sheltered west coast is good for inexperienced windsurfers, while the exposed eastern coast has onshore winds good for slalom and wave slalom sailing, the other major water sport is game fishing.

Sailing – dinghies, cats and cruisers can all be hired from many places around the island, and there are plenty of coves and natural harbours to explore. Why not lay claim to the uninhabited island of Redonda? Sailing Week, a major week long yachting event that begins on the last Sunday in April attracting some 150 boats, is especially interesting.

Party at Shirley Heights Lookout (an old British fort and signal station near Falmouth) on Sunday evenings to Antiguan music and see the spectacular sunset over English Harbour. Arrive at 4 p.m. to catch the sunset, and by 7 p.m. you'll be eating barbecue and dancing to music by local bands. Entry is US$6, which no longer includes a free drink. Even if you can't attend the barbeque, Shirley Heights Lookout boasts one of Antigua's best views and lures tourists and locals alike.

Antigua's biggest festival is held from the end of July and ends with a big parade on the first Tuesday in August. So if you are in Antigua at this time, be sure to experience the carnival activities, which mostly take place in St. John's with steel bands, calypso music, floats and jump ups.

Shopping

Two charming shopping areas of Antigua are located in downtown St. John's close to the waterfront at Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay. As a duty free zone, Antigua offers a selection of local arts and crafts, straw goods, pottery and jewellery as well as china, crystals, watches, perfumes, cameras and tobacco. On Friday and Saturday mornings the farmers market on the southern edge of the city has folk crafts, colourful tropical fruits and a buzzing atmosphere.

St John's

St John's is Antigua 's capital and commerce centre and home to over a third of the country's population. St John's is also the island's main tourist centre, however the areas mainly visited are the harbour front areas of Heritage Quay, a favourite with cruise ship passengers and Redcliffe Quay, where shops, restaurants and galleries inhabit stone buildings and wooden huts.St. John's Anglican Cathedral – The twin spired cathedral, dates from 1847 and was rebuilt after the original 1681 church was devastated by an earthquake. The unusual interior is encased in pitch pine to buffer the building from any future natural disasters and it is now regarded as one of Antigua's national monuments.

English Harbour

Once a naval base and now Antigua's most popular tourist attraction, English Harbour has the richest collection of historic sites on the island. The harbour's main attraction is Nelson's Dockyard, an 18th century naval based named after Horatio Nelson. Today it is still attracting sailors as the island's most popular yacht haven. Other attractions include the governor's Georgian style rural residence and Sandy Heights, which has scattered 18th century fort ruins and excellent views.

Beaches

All beaches are open to the public and so the challenge is how to decide which one is best! Popular spots along the west coast of the island include Morris Bay, Galley Bay, Ffryes Bay, Darkwood Beach, Dickenson Bay and Turners Beach. The shoreline on the east coast includes Half Moon Bay.
Deep Bay – Deep Bay, west of St. Johns is a little bay with a sandy beach and protected waters. The wreck of the Andes lies in the middle of Deep Bay, with its mast poking up above the water. The water is shallow enough around the wreck to be snorkelled but divers tend to bypass it due to the ooze that can be kicked up quite easily.
Dickenson Bay – Dickenson Bay is Antigua's main resort area and is fronted by a long white sandy beach with turquoise waters and good swimming conditions. All of Dickenson Bay's activity is centred on the beach where there are open air restaurants, water sports and hotels. You can also get your hair braided; purchase your reggae music and jewellery.
Falmouth Harbour – Falmouth Harbour is a large, protected horseshoe shaped bay. There are two main areas of activity the village of Falmouth on one side and the east side which has mostly restaurants. The east side of Falmouth Harbour is within walking distance to Nelson's Dockyard.
Runaway Bay – Runaway Bay is a quiet area with an attractive white sandy beach, calm waters and a handful of hotels. The area appears to be a little quiet, however for people seeking more action they can simply wander over to Dickenson Bay. A channel dug a few years ago cuts off the shoreline between Runaway Bay and Dickenson Bay, however it's just a short walk along the road between the two areas.