AntiguaAntiguans claim to have a different beach for every day of the year and their island’s many beautiful soft, sandy beaches and coves certainly constitute its main attraction. The most popular resorts have hotels located either on beaches or close by, many of them taking their names from the beaches. However, for the more energetic, there is plenty to see and do away from the beaches. The island is rich in colorful bird and insect life; offshore, beneath the waters of the Caribbean, are splendid tropical fish and coral and there are several sites of historic interest.
An excursion to
Great Bird Island can be made from Dickenson Bay. Many hotels offer excursions in glass-bottomed boats for a leisurely view of the reef. A restored pirate ship sails around the island and takes passengers for day or evening trips; food, unlimited drink and entertainment are included.
Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour is one of the safest landlocked harbors in the world. It was used by Admirals Nelson, Rodney and Hood as a safe base for the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Clarence House, overlooking Nelson’s Dockyard, was once the home of the Duke of Clarence, later King William IV. It is now the Governor General’s summer residence and is periodically open to visitors. Dow’s Hill Interpretation Center provides visitors with a good overview of the island’s history including information on the early Amerindians and the impact of slavery on Antigua’s culture and economy.
Shirley Heights and Fort James are two examples of the efforts made by the British to fortify the colony during the 18th century. Shirley Heights was named after General Shirley, later Governor of the Leeward Islands in 1781. One of the main buildings, known as the Block House, was erected as a stronghold in the event of a siege by General Matthew in 1787. Close by is the cemetery, containing an obelisk commemorating the soldiers of the 54th Regiment.
St John’s Cathedral appears on postcards and in almost all visitors’ photographs. The church was originally built in 1683, but was replaced by a stone building in 1745. An earthquake destroyed it almost a century later and in 1845 the cornerstone of the present Anglican cathedral was laid. The figures of St John the Baptist and St John the Divine, erected at the south gate, were supposedly taken from one of Napoleon’s ships and brought to the island by a British man-of-war.
The Market is in the west of St John’s and makes a lively and colorful excursion, especially on busy Saturday mornings.
Indian Town, one of Antigua’s national parks, is at the northeastern point of the island. Breakers roaring in with the full force of the Atlantic behind them have carved Devil’s Bridge and have created blow-holes with foaming surf. Half Moon Bay is very popular, now a national park, and Long Bay is protected by a reef, and ideal for holidaying families.
A lake now monopolizes the countryside in the center of Antigua. The result of the Potworks Dam, it is Antigua’s largest artificial lake, with a capacity of one thousand million gallons.
Fig Tree Drive is a scenic route through the lush tropical hills and picturesque fishing villages along the southwest coast. Taxis will take visitors on a round trip. At Greencastle Hill there are megaliths said to have been erected for the worship of the Sun God and Moon Goddess. Parham, in the east of the island, is notable for its octagonal church, built in the mid-18th century, which still retains some stucco work.
Barbuda & RedondaBarbudaLess developed than Antigua, Barbuda has a wilder, more spontaneous beauty. Deserted beaches and a heavily wooded interior abounding in birdlife, wild pigs and fallow deer are the main attractions of this unspoilt island. A visit to Codrington, the main village, makes an interesting excursion: the settlement is on the edge of a lagoon and the inhabitants rely largely on the sea for their existence.
RedondaThis uninhabited rocky islet, lying about 56km (35 miles) northeast of Antigua, was once an important source of phosphates and guano (the remains of some of the mining buildings can still be seen), but for more than a century its chief claim to fame has been its association with a fairly harmless brand of English eccentricity. In 1865, Redonda was ’claimed’ by Matthew Shiell as a kingdom for his son, Philippe. King Philippe I’s ’successor’, the poet John Gawsworth, appointed many leading literary figures of his day as dukes and duchesses of his kingdom; the lucky peers included JB Priestley, Dylan Thomas and Rebecca West. The current king lives in Sussex, but his subjects are not likely to produce any great works of fiction as they are all either goats, lizards or seabirds. The island is also well known amongst birdwatchers for its small population of burrowing owls, a bird now extinct on Antigua.
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