| About Antigua | Accommodations | Beaches | Dining |
| Shopping | Exploring the Island | Sports | Essential Facts |
Boating
| Antigua's circular geographic design makes boating easy, while its many lovely harbors and coves provide fine anchorages. In particular, experienced boaters will enjoy Antigua's east coast, which is far more rugged and has several offshore islets. Be sure to get a good nautical map, as there are numerous minireefs that can be treacherous. Nicholson Yacht Charters (Tel: 268/460-1530 or 800/662-6066, www.yachtvacations.com) are true professionals, real pioneers in Caribbean sailing with three generations of experience. A long-established island family, they can charter you anything from a 20-foot ketch to a giant schooner. |
If you're just looking for a couple of hours of wave hopping, stick to the Dickenson Bay or Jolly Harbour areas and if you plan only minor sailing such as in a Sunfish or small catamaran, contact Sea Sports, on the beach in front of the Halcyon Cove Hotel at Dickenson Bay (tel. 268/462-3355). This outfitter also offers 3-hour eco-tours for US$40 per person.
Sunsail Club Colonna (Tel: 268/462-6263 or 800/327-2276, www.sunsail.com) has an extensive modern fleet of dinghies and 32-foot day sailers available for $25 per half-day, $50 for a full day. They also arrange bareboat yachting, often in conjunction with hotel stays.
Cruises
All major hotel desks can book a day cruise on the 32m (105-ft.) "pirate ship," the Jolly Roger, Redcliffe Quay. For information and reservations, call Tropical Adventures (Tel. 268/462-2064). Outfitted like a Disney-inspired version of an early 18th-century schooner, it's the largest sailing ship in Antiguan waters. For US$60 for adults and US$30 for children under 12, you get a fun-filled day of sailing, with nonalcoholic drinks and barbecued steak, chicken, or perhaps lobster. After lunch, time is allowed for snorkeling. Every cruise last 4 hours and sail every Friday morning. A Saturday-night dinner cruise leaving Heritage Quay in St. John's at 6pm and returning at 11pm costs US$65. The same organization also offers day trips to remote Barbuda aboard a motorized catamaran, the Excellence, that's suitable for up to 70 passengers at a time. Departures are every Friday and Sunday at 9:30am, returning the same day around 4:30pm. The price is US$120 per person (no children under 8 allowed), which includes lunch, use of snorkeling equipment, and a visit to Barbuda's bird sanctuary. Barbuda-bound cruises depart from Tony's Water Sports at Dickenson Bay. For information and reservations, call tel. 268/480-1225.
Fishing
Antigua's waters teem with such game fish as marlin, wahoo, and tuna. Most boat trips include equipment, lunch, and drinks. Figure at least $400 for a half-day, $600 for a full day, for up to six people. The 15m (49 ft) Hatteras Sportfisherman Obsession (Tel: 268/462-2824) has top-of-the-line equipment, including an international standard fighting chair, outriggers, and handcrafted rods. For the day, the Obsession charges from US$800, a fee that is shared by all the passengers (usually at least nine). Overdraft (Tel: 268/464-4954 or 268/462-3112, www.antiguafishing.com) is a stylish and roomy fiberglass 40-footer operated by Frank Hart, a professional fisherman who is familiar with Antiguan waters.
Parasailing
Parasailing is becoming popular in Antigua. Facilities are available during the day, Monday to Saturday, on the beach at Dickenson Bay.
Scuba Diving
Antigua is a diving destination with abundant undersea sights to explore, from coral canyons to sea caves. The reefs that fringe Antigua are home to beautiful, vividly colored fish. Many of the island's beaches have clear, pure, calm waters are great snorkeling spots, and the most popular beaches, like Dickenson Bay, have outfitters where you can rent snorkel gear and other equipment if it isn't available from your hotel.
Scuba diving is best arranged through Dive Antigua, at the Rex Halcyon Cove, Dickenson Bay (tel. 268/462-3483), Antigua's most experienced dive operation. A resort course is US$88 (which also includes a shallow dive), and a two-tank dive costs US$72. A five-dive package goes for US$305, and open-water certification costs US$493. Prices do not include equipment, an additional US$21.
Dockyard Divers (Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour, Tel: 268/460-1178), owned by British ex-merchant seaman Captain A. G. "Tony" Fincham, is one of the island's most established outfits and offers diving and snorkeling trips, PADI courses, and dive packages with accommodations. They're geared to seasoned divers, but work patiently with novices.
Splish Splash (tel. 268/462-3483) regularly offers 2-hour snorkeling jaunts over to Paradise Reef.
Dolphin Fantaseas, Marina Bay (tel. 268/562-7946), features an introductory Dolphin Encounter program and an interactive Dolphin Swim for US$125 per person. The Dolphin Swim involves a half-hour up close and personal playtime with dolphins. This outfitter also offers snorkeling and stingray adventures.
Windsurfing & Kiteboarding
| Most of the major resorts along the beach rent windsurfing equipment. The best areas for windsurfing are Nonsuch Bay and the east coast (notably Half Moon and Willoughby bays), which is slightly less protected and has a challenging concurrence of sudden calms and gusts. At Dutchman Bay, with its man-made reef, is safe for the novice and yet permits some challenge for the experienced.
The best outfitters are Sea Sports (tel. 268/462-3355) at Dickenson Bay, charging US$30 per hour, or Sunsail Club Colonna (tel. 268/462-6263; Hodges Bay), which rents equipment for US$25 per half day. |
For kiteboarding, Caribbean’s hot new sport, use KiteAntigua (tel. 268/727-3983), who offers kiteboarding lessons as well as kiteboard rentals (only for the certified). The varied lesson packages are expensive but thorough. KiteAntigua closes September through November when winds aren't optimal. The center is on a stretch near the airport, but road trips to secret spots are arranged for experienced kite surfers seeking that sometimes harrowing "high."
Golf
Though Antigua hardly qualifies as a golfer’s paradise, its two 18-hole courses offer varied layouts. Cedar Valley Golf Club (Friar's Hill, Tel: 268/462-0161), northeast of St. John's, has a par-70, 6,157-yard, 18-hole course. The plain, not terribly well-maintained landscape offers some challenge with tight hilly fairways and numerous doglegs. The 5th hole has outstanding views from the top of the tee, while the 9th offers the trickiest design. Greens fees are $35; carts are $30. Jolly Harbour Golf Course (Jolly Harbour, Tel: 268/463-8830 or 268/462-7771, www.jollyharbourantigua.com) is a par-71, 6,001-yard, 18-hole course designed by Karl Litten. The layout is hilly and lushly tropical, with seven lakes adding to the challenge. Unfortunately, drainage is poor and badly maintained, the pro shop and "19th hole" are hardly adequate. At least it charges a fair rate: greens fees are $65 (including cart).