The 10 Best Things about Antigua

Every tropical island enthralls. With Antigua, however, there are just so many charming things that saying goodbye is not an easy thing to do especially when you have sampled these ten best things about the island.

Carnival!

When Antiguans say carnival, they mean it! An eleven-day celebration of music and dance, the Antiguan Carnival is an explosion of sights, sounds and smells that definitely speaks of its African traditions with European touches. And it’s an opportunity to shake your booty, too!

Beaches

Antigua is purported to have 365 beaches all around the island. Now, if you can explore one beach in a day, you will be staying in Antigua for a whole year. But who’s complaining? Definitely not you in your two-piece bikini soaking up the sun, sand and sea for the perfect tan!

Water Sports

Not surprising, this one. Antigua’s pristine Caribbean waters provide for the best venues to engage in water sports from jet skiing and windsurfing to snorkeling and diving. Go for the eastern seaboard for the best diving sites especially the deeper portions that can be reached by a boat.

Fig Tree Drive

Fig trees in the Caribbean, you say? Well, not really because the Fig Tree Drive is a 20-mile countryside rough road lined by mangoes, coconuts and bananas as well as the occasional quaint thatched-roof fishing villages. Fig, by the way, is the local name for bananas. Don’t ask why.
Devils’ Bridge

No, not the bridges in Europe alleged to be built by the Devil himself although this is also alleged to have the Devil’s hand. The Devil’s Bridge in Antigua is a rock arch shaped by natural forces that features many blowholes. According to folklore, many slaves threw themselves overboard in acts of mass suicides.

Casinos

Well, this might not be your cup of tea during holidays. Still, for a little gambling fun, Antigua offers many gaming establishments where you can blow money or win money depending on Lady Luck.

Hospitable People

The Antiguans are one of the friendliest people on Earth especially when you are a visitor to their island. They are so proud of their heritage that you can almost always get a free lesson in local dance and music from the locals! Lost? No worries as locals will point you in the right direction.

Sunniest Weather, Ever

Well, with the exception of the Sahara and Gobi Deserts, of course. Antigua enjoys the sunniest and driest weather in the Caribbean that visitors are assured of 365 days of sun, sand and sea! Alright, qualify that with an exception during hurricanes that, fortunately, has only directly hit Antigua just 6 times in the last 50 years.

History

Antigua has a rich history stretching from the Ciboney Indians, its discovery by Christopher Columbus, European colonization and slavery, to its administrative independence from Britain. Historical monuments abound in the island, the most notable of which is Nelson’s Dockyard. And of course, the general atmosphere of the island combines its rich African heritage with its European colonial past.

Low Cost of Living

Generally speaking, living in Antigua even for just a short holiday is like being transported to a time when living and loving in luxury was an affordable undertaking. It’s the best place to be for your honeymoon without draining the honey from the hive!

Antigua, you ask? More like Paradise in the Caribbean!