Antigua
Overview
Delight in the beauty of glorious beaches like Half Moon Bay, then soak up the colonial history at 18th-century Nelson's Dockyard. You'll want to keep coming back to go diving and swimming in crystal clear waters and tucking into tempting St John's seafood restaurants.
Background
Named by Christopher Columbus as he sailed past the island in 1493, Antigua was colonised by the British in the 17th century. Over the next 100 years or so it became a sugar-cane producer. Use the old stone windmills from the plantations as markers to guide you from colonial Nelson's Dockyard to the historic fortress at Shirley Heights. Today Antigua is better known for its 365 fine, sandy beaches, lapped by turquoise waters.
First-time visit
Soak up the sun on the blissfully deserted beach at Half Moon Bay in Antigua. Discover colonial history at 18th-century Nelson's Dockyard with palm-flanked Georgian buildings and a museum housed in a former officer's house showcasing nautical memorabilia. Soak up the West Indian character of colourful Antiguan capital St John's. Take in the period stone buildings arround the harbour and the twin-spired St John's Anglican Cathedral next to restaurants, where you can try a few Creole favourites.
Return visit
Go to Johnson's Point beach on the south coast of Antigua to snorkel in the clear water, and then look across to the rumbling volcano on the island of Montserrat. See the working mill in action on Betty's Hope sugar plantation in the centre of Antigua. Or take a wreck dive off the north shore's Deep Bay.
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