8 Useful Things You Should Know Before Visiting Antigua

By traveldecorum | Antigua Holiday

Also known as Wadadli or Waladli by its inhabitants, Antigua is a stunningly beautiful island in West Indies. Located right in the heart of Caribbean along with the Barbuda Island about 1000 miles to the East of Jamaica, Antigua was born out of an ocean by a volcano around 30 million years ago. Reef-fringed Antigua Island is the best conserved ecological treasure in West Indies. Beautiful beaches, sprawling lagoons, abundant wildlife, spectacular sceneries and much more! No wonder why Antigua is a famous tourists’ destination….

If you are about to leave London for Antigua and looking for flights to Antigua from London, you can consider taking Virgin Atlantic or British Airways from London Gatwick. There are other options available as well. Given here are certain useful facts which you would like to know before going to Antigua.

Two Types of Dollars are Used in Antigua:

Visitors often get confused as to what type of currency is used here. So, it is good to clear this first of all. US dollars is the most widely used and the best circulated currency in Antigua. But, you should never expect that whatever you buy here has to be paid back in Benjamin Franklin or Greenbacks. Eastern Caribbean dollar is a more famous currency here. (This is the currency of all the seven members and one associate member of the Eastern Caribbean States.). It is better to keep tabs on the current exchange rate. You should bring both USD and should withdraw East Caribbean dollars while shopping around.

Important: St. John’s is a place where you would find reliable ATMs

Antigua Can be Driven Twice or Even Thrice in a Single Day

Yes! The island is really tiny. It is just 108 square miles and can be driven more than a couple of times in a single day. The island is a part of attraction for those who are looking to have a completely stress-free experience. This means that even if you are on a short-trip you would be able to cover the most of this island. One week is more than enough.

People Speak English Here:

English is the official language here because of British colonization. Everyone here speaks English. So, it is very easy to communicate with the locals for anything. However, at times you would come across certain inhabitants conversing so quickly that it is difficult to decipher their language and follow exactly what they are talking about.

Nature in Antigua is Much More than Sun and Beaches:

It is difficult to explain the Nature’s beauty of Antigua in words. You will have to visit the place once to experience this stunningly beautiful island. Antigua along with Barbuda is known as land of 365 beaches so even if you visit one beach a day, it will take a full one year to see all the beaches here covered by white sand and palm trees. If you want to have the most fantastic view of the beaches visit Shirley heights at Sunset, you will sure to have goose bumps.

In the End of July, the Whole Island Changes Into a Colorful Carnival

Once a year at the end of July, the island turns into a colorful Carnival. The very first day of this Carnival is marked by a party like ambiance with people remains busy drinking alcohol. The second day is more beautiful than the first one with locals and travellers wearing beautiful colored costumes. People are divided into different bands or carnival groups and present a truly spectacular parade. You can be a part of this, enjoy with the locals and can have the chance of leading parade also by being a King or Queen of the band.

See the Love Affair of Antigua with Water at Antigua Sailing Week:

There can perhaps be no event that can capture Antigua as picture-perfect as the Antigua Sailing Week. This is an internationally-famous event and takes place more than 50 times where people arrive on the island from all around the world. In the event more than 100 boats compete and over 1000 sailors take part.

Though St. John’s is Capital, Most Visitors Spend Time in English Harbor:

Though St. John’s is the capital most of the visitors to Antigua love to spend their time in English Harbor. Indeed it is the most famous and sought-after attraction of Antigua. This yatch-filled harbor remains crowded with tourists always and has various tourists’ facilities. You can indulge in souvenir shopping, can catch view of Fort Berkley ruins and visit the 18th century bastion called Nelson’s Dockyard (a known UNESCO World Heritage Site.) For night outs Abracadabra is the most popular spot.

Do Not Forget the Sister Island Barbuda:

Barbuda is the sister Island of Antigua and forms a nation along with it. Most of the visitors coming to Antigua make it a point to visit Barbuda for having the real feel of Caribbean Island. This island was badly affected by the devastating Irma Hurricane. The whole Barbuda was shattered. It is known for its white sand and scheduled pink beaches like the North Beach and Reef-lined Spanish Point all backed by the palm-trees. There is a Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the large Codrington Lagoon where over 150 bird species and huge frigate birds are found.

If you are budget traveler and looking for cheap flights to Antigua from UK, you can either consider booking morning flights to save money or buy tickets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (a recently collected data from the various airlines has shown that these days cost lesser than the remaining days of the week. ) A little online research will help you get the cheap deals!

Tagged: cheap flights to Antigua from uk , flights to Antigua from London , london to antigua direct flights