Antigua - Caribbean Island

Antigua

Antigua is steeped in the history of the British fleets, Lord Nelson and his Men O War. The island is thrilled every year by the excitement and fun of Sailing Week. Antigua has many wonderful beaches where you can play in the dark blue sea and on the white sand.. Why not choose an Antigua villa for your next family vacation or even your Caribbean honeymoon.? Friendly people and wonderful food. Things to see and places to go.


Antigua Weather

The temperature remains fairly consistent year round in Antigua. Winter temperatures are usually between 74-78F. Summer months the temperatures stay between 80-90F.
Temperatures tend to drop 3 degrees nightly and with the northeast trade winds this can sometimes feel a bit chilly.
Humidity is very low year round. Annual rainfall is only about 45 inches. Most rain showers only last about 10 min. October through December tend to be the months with the most rainfall.
June through November is hurricane season. Antigua has only had six direct hurricane hits in the past 50 years.

Travel to Antigua

Antigua Air Travel

You can book your travel to Antigua through our site
http://www.cvoa.com/book_flights.php

You may use the link above as a research tool and after having found the best price and itinerary, then book directly on that airline to save the very small booking fee.

Antigua Time Zone

Antigua is on Standard Time which is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.
Antigua does not operate Daylight-Saving Time.

Antigua Entry Requirements

When traveling to Antigua an onward or return ticket is required. United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Canadian citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Antigua. When traveling to Antigua you must have a Valid Passport or a Original Naturalization Certificate.
Travelers are not permitted to stay longer than six months.

Antigua Airport

V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU)

Antigua Ferries

http://www.antiguaferries.com/

The Barbuda Express runs five days a week between St. John and Barbuda.

Antigua Car Rental

DRIVING IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD
You must have a valid driver’s license from you country of residence, or an international drivers license to drive in Antigua. You must have a permit to drive in Antigua. The car rental agency can help you with your permit. The permit cost is approximately $20.00 us dollars and is valid for three months.


Antigua Arrival, Meet and Greet

Your CVOA villa rental includes a free meet and greet. We will meet you either at the airport or the car rental office when you arrive and will accompany you in a different vehicle to check you into your villa. CVOA clients will need to rent a car or take a taxi to go to their villa.

Antigua Villa Food Provisioning

Food provisioning service for all villas is available. Please make sure that your requirements are dealt with when sending your Travel Details Request form.

Antigua Beaches

Antigua is said to have 365 beaches! These beaches can be broken up by location.

Northwest beaches are very popular with tourists. Many of the Hotels and Resorts are located on these beaches you can enjoy the ultimate resort beach front experience.
South and Southwest beaches are less developed and harder to get to. But once you get there they are a perfect place to enjoy the surf, sun and sand.
East and Southeast beaches like Half Moon bay a national park are great family beaches. Long bay Beach is especially great for children. A large corral reef off shore protects the beach and is the reason for its calm water.

Antigua Restaurants

Antigua has many excellent restaurants to choose from.
For example:
Cocos
With its romantic atmosphere, West Indian style menu and a view of the Caribbean Sea it is a great choice for couples.
Coconut Grove Beach Restaurant
An open air restaurant set among palm trees on the edge of the water with the freshest seafood on the island. Coconut Grove Beach Restaurant is a great choice for couples or families.
Harmony Hall Brown’s Bay
An old plantation property with a bar, terrace restaurant and art gallery. Harmony Hall serves fresh food with a mix of Caribbean and Italian flavors.

Antigua Food and Wine Shopping

Gourmet Basket Supermarket has a large selection of fresh produce, meats and seafood.

Antigua Shopping

When deciding where to shopping in Antigua you have a lot to choose from.
St. Mary’s St. and High Street has a selection of shops selling Antiguan goods. You can find local pottery, straw work, rums, floppy hats, shells and hand painted fabrics.
Redcliffe Quay is a refurbished warehouse that houses 3 dozen boutiques with a large verity of goods.
Heritage Quay is Antigua’s located near the cruise ship piers and features 40 duty-free shops.

Antigua Casinos

There are several casinos on Antigua offering most available casino games for all tastes and pocket books. Just to name a few Kings Casino, Casino Rivera. Coral Casino and Grand Princess are all located on Antigua.

Antigua Attractions

Along with great duty-free shopping Antigua has lots of other land attractions to choose from. Some of the options are listed below.
Nelsons Dockyard and Museum – Georgian Era dockyard still in use today.
Farmers Market in the Southeast section of St John city.
Hiking
Bird Watching
Bike riding
Golf
Helicopter Tours
Eco Tours

Antigua water sports

Antigua offers any water sport you can think of. From fishing to kite sailing you can do it all.

Antigua Money, Credit Cards and Banks
The Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD) is the main form of currency. The exchange rate as of September 2009 is US $1.00 = XCD $2.65. Most merchants accept the US dollar. Visa and Mastercard cards are also widely accepted.
Do not forget to let your credit card company know in advance that you will be traveling overseas as otherwise you will find that your card will be blocked for security reasons. Some businesses charge a small service fee for accepting credit card charges.
Antigua Airport Departure Tax
Some airlines do not include the Antigua departure tax in the price of the ticket. Check to see if your ticket includes this. If not, you will be required to pay $20. This fee must be paid in cash.

Antigua Dress Code

Caribbean style is casual and is typically shorts, tee shirts and summer dresses. Some of the private resorts do require a more formal dress code so if you plane on visiting one please contact for details.

Antigua Water

You can drink the tap water, which is either rain water or desalinated sea water.

Antigua Electricity

Antigua’s electricity is 220V on 60 cycles. Some areas do provide 110V on 60 cycles or both. For convince we recommend travelers bring transformers, adapter or converters.

Antigua Languages

Antigua’s official language is English.

Antigua Religion

Christianity is widely practiced on Antigua. Christian holiday are celebrated on the island. However you can find many other houses of worship to attend around the island.

Antigua Restaurant Tipping
Many restaurants will add a service charge to the bill. This charge is usually 10%. If you feel service was good it is customary to leave an extra 5 to 10%.
Drivers are tipped 10 to 15% will small tips for handling bags.

Emergency Phone Numbers

All Emergencies: 999 or 911
Fire: (268) 462-0044
Police: (268) 462- 0125
Ambulance: (268) 462-0251