Antigua & Barbuda – The A, B, C of Good Time Tropical Holiday Fun

Antigua & Barbuda In The Caribbean provide for some of the best tropical holiday pleasures one can ever imagine when planning a travel worthy trip to the hottest island destinations of all times.

One of the best ways to discover the many splendor beauty of Antigua though is to experience its underwater life with its vivid marine culture and sports facilities that can be easily booked online or even over the phone; a registered dive company should be able to guide beginners and intermediate level divers about various options of seeing lots more undersea life than tropical fish and schools of dolphins that lucky holiday makers have reported viewing on their snorkeling and diving adventures in Antigua.

Diving schools at Dickensons Bay

Dickenson Bay has many trained and experienced dive schools and instructors available who are qualified to help educate, inform and teach newcomers to the art of diving and snorkeling besides giving updated information regarding current efforts related to how they can help them preserve the delicate ecosystem of Antiguan marine culture by keeping in mind the precautions for proper underwater sports practices.

Tourists to Antigua and Barbuda are thus advised to also make special touring arrangements for any underwater filing they want to do as efforts for ecosystem preservation here are in full swing and may restrict their videography in certain sections of the island due to this, so it is better to be informed about what can be filmed and how best to go about capturing holiday memories that are eco-friendly and still spectacular.

For one thing, Shirley Heights, Nelson’s Dockyard, Betty’s Hope and other historical sites are a plenty on Antigua; so are lobster lunches and boat trips, which are hot favorites with all types of tourists and thus a must-try for all those who love good food, a dose of local culture and leisurely holiday pace.

Prickley Pear Island, in close proximity (situated on Antigua’s north side) makes for a great beach lunch spot that can be combined with picnic facilities, some snorkeling, sight seeing in addition to a short hike around the waterfront for a budget-friendly vacation here.

The view is exhilarating from any angle at this tiny island though, with lush green landscapes abounding the regions beyond the white-sandy beaches of this small but amazing Caribbean island getting a fair share of honeymooners annually. Some of the more lucky ones prefer to take a fully chartered sailboat (you can book one from Miramar) for a full day or more, and because lunch, drinks and pre-dinner cocktails are served through the trip, it is a great holiday choice for all those who like living it king-size for the term of the 24 to 48 hours in the Caribbean sun. Sometimes, the captain or sailors may even know of private beaches where you and your loved one can snorkel without prying eyes to really enjoy the intimacy of a honeymoon mood – so do consider the idea of a boat charter for added fun in Antigua.

There are many upscale island resorts on Antigua too for those who don’t mind spending upwards of $500 for a day’s stay but for those looking for affordable accommodation options, the island has many budget guesthouses, family-run small inn facilities and English Harbor area that offer cheap and cheerful lodging. The affordable rentals here enable regular tourists to take in the beauty of Leeward Island just like Oprah, Clapton and other celebrities have enjoyed at the high-end resorts.

The beaches at Antigua & Barbuda

Though Antigua and Barbuda together are believed to comprise 365 beaches, the best part of all of these (whatever their actual number may be) is that they are free. Some of the better ones though are Pigeon Beach, (situated near Falmouth Harbor), one off the island of Montserrat (this houses an active volcano) and another near Dickenson Bay.

Shopping on Antigue & Barbuda

Shopping sprees are best conducted at Redcliffe and Heritage Quays; both are modern shopping areas and located in St. John’s, which is also the preferred location of tourists to Antigua and Barbuda who are looking for duty-free shopping experiences ranging from French perfumes, cosmetics, jewelry outlets and local souvenirs and craft items. These mainly cater to the cruise liner crowds and can be a bit pricey.  For bargain hunters, there’s good-old Nelson’s Dockyard, where the vendors sell their simple wares at discounted prices and are open to friendly haggling for T-shirts, jewelry, bright and colorful sarongs and island themed shirts.

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