{"id":929,"date":"2017-05-28T18:21:07","date_gmt":"2017-05-28T18:21:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.travelwithanda.com\/?p=929"},"modified":"2018-10-27T17:43:04","modified_gmt":"2018-10-27T17:43:04","slug":"antigua-land-sea-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelwithanda.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/28\/antigua-land-sea-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigua – the land of sea and sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to Caribbean islands, I have visited Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, Cuba, Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Antigua is a bit less known but can easily match all famous Caribbean destinations. A beautiful and lush nature, stunning beaches, friendly and easy going people, very low crime rate and a diversity of vacation packages for different tastes and wallets, should make every wanderlust want to visit Antigua as soon as possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fast facts <\/strong><\/p>\n

The country is officially named Antigua and Barbuda<\/strong>, after two major islands which are also the only ones inhabited (apart from around 50 smaller ones which surround them). The capital St John\u2019s lies in Antigua and the country has an estimated population of around 90.000 inhabitants. Antigua and Barbuda was under the British rule until 1981, that\u2019s why English is the official language, however understanding their local dialect is sometimes quite a challenge.\"\"<\/p>\n

The official currency is East Caribbean Dollar<\/strong>, but\u00a0US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Of course, if you are willing to accept\u00a0\u201cdaily mood\u201d exchange rates \ud83d\ude09 The prices in more prestigious locations are sometimes crazy high but you can find some decent stores and places to eat as well. Imported products are expensive, and so is coffee. We never paid less than $4.5 for a small cappuccino (and by small, I mean really small, like Italian espresso).<\/p>\n

Perfect climate year round <\/strong><\/p>\n

Antigua lies in the south-east part of Caribbean which makes it attractive to visit all year round. June, July and August are the hottest months<\/strong>, while the temperature in January falls down to an average of 25\u00b0C \u2013 so still warm enough for those who want to escape from cold continental winters. Winter months<\/strong> are the driest, but at the same time quite windy, which makes them attractive for kiters and surfers. If you want a crystal clear and waveless water, the locals recommend to visit Antigua in the spring<\/strong>, while the autumn<\/strong> months are more wet. And last but not the least, you will be happy to hear that the sea temperature<\/strong> never falls under 26\u00b0C \ud83d\ude42\"\"<\/p>\n

Getting there<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you arrive from Europe, the easiest answer to how to get to Antigua lies in finding direct flights<\/strong> from Frankfurt or London (probably those are not the only options, but I am from Slovenia so Frankfurt was the best choice). Don\u2019t be surprised if you land in Dominican republic first, because airlines sometimes make small stopovers<\/strong> to pick up or drop down other passengers. The other option of visiting Antigua is on a cruise<\/strong>, which means you will anchor in St Jonh’s and get a few hours to spend on the island. In my opinion cruise is not a best option for getting to know Antigua \u2013 especially since St John’s isn\u2019t much of a sight for sore eyes. If you are offered some trips by the ship staff \u2013 take them!<\/p>\n

Where to stay<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you want a hassle free vacation, you can chose from quite a few all-inclusive hotels<\/strong>, but none of them are cheap. The closest \u201cmid budget\u201d option is Jolly Beach Resort & Spa<\/a> \u2013 the biggest resort in Antigua, which is located on one of the most popular beaches in the West coast. We decided to rent a car for the whole vacation, so we were considering different options of accommodation, but in the end we chose Jolly Beach because of the convenient location and comfort. If your wallet is deep enough, you have some very fancy \u201cadult only\u201d options, but I advise you to check their locations<\/strong> first \u2013 they are not always directly\u00a0on the beach and sometimes it will take you\u00a0quite a share of walking to finally get that swim in the ocean.\"\"<\/p>\n

If you are on a tight budget and don\u2019t care so much for the comfort (after all you probably won\u2019t come to Antigua to lie in a hotel room, right?), you can chose from reasonably priced<\/strong> and quite decent options for around $60 \u2013 80<\/strong> (price per double bedroom). You can search for the hotels and bungalows in Antigua on Booking.com –\u00a0click here<\/a> to get a 15\u20ac discount for your next booking. And if you want to make your own meals, you can visit the supermarket<\/strong> in Jolly Harbour marina \u2013 they have a very good offer of fresh and healthy foods, as well as some cosmetics, supplements and medicines. Other stores throughout the island are mostly stocked with cans and snacks \u2013 and can be quite pricey, depending on the location.<\/p>\n

Getting around<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best way to see and feel the island is by hiring a car<\/strong> and taking it easy. And I mean really easy, because renting a car in Antigua<\/strong> is anything but a piece of cake. You will find most of the major car rental offices in the Airport, and the prices are not crazy high \u2013 although I do recommend you to book your car in advance, especially during peak periods in order to avoid any alst minute surprises.<\/p>\n

The hard part comes after you get your car keys. First of all, they drive on the left<\/strong> (British rule, remember?) and if you are not an experienced driver, you should think twice about doing it\u2026 The second problem are the roads<\/strong>, which are pretty much all in a very bad shape<\/strong>. Sometimes the halls in them are so big that you can easily get a flat tire, lose your wheel cover… or the wheel itself.<\/p>\n