Although it only covers 108 square miles, this small island of Antigua is famous for having 365 beaches, it is said that one for every day of the year, how nice that would be😊 The little Caribbean paradise is known for other thing too, and depending on how much time you have, there is something here for every interest and/or length of stay.

Here are some things to see and do in Antigua.

Visit a beach or few

I’ve never heard of an island this small, and with so many beaches! It might be one of those islands on this planet with the most density of beaches, so hopping from one beach to the next could be a fun thing to do in Antigua (pronounced An-tee-ga). Many of these beaches are small, secluded, or accessible by boat only.

A former British colony, Antigua and Barbuda (comprising two islands of the same name and several smaller ones) is located east of St Kitts and Nevis, which we could see it most evenings from Jolly Beach, where we stayed for a week. While we visited few of Antigua’s beaches, Jolly Beach was my favourite one. Located on the west coast, the soft sand is perfect for long beach walks, and the shallow, calm waters are perfect for swimming.

The white sand, turquoise waters, and the surrounding green hills make this the perfect place for colour therapy!

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Visit Nelson’s Dockyard

Located in English Harbour, Nelson’s Dockyard is one of Antigua’s most visited tourist attractions. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is protected by a natural harbour and was once home to the most important naval fleet in the Caribbean.

Originally built in the 18^th century, Nelson’s Dockyard is one of the finest existing examples of a Georgian naval dockyard in its original form. The fortifications surrounding English Harbour provided the British Navy with a secure base from which to maintain British control of the trade-oriented colonies throughout the Caribbean.

Named after the British admiral who was stationed here in the 18^th century, Nelson’s Dockyard still houses several buildings, witnesses in time of these types of establishments that existed 300 years ago. Some of these buildings have since been restored and are now home to modern businesses such as hotels, restaurants, boutique shops and a museum.

Here we enjoyed a guided tour included in the ticket and a free walk around the dockyard grounds. We also enjoyed the ships moored in the harbour and also the small museum.

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Get on an adventure

The people on this small island live exclusively from tourism, so if you’re feeling adventurous, you can search the official website of Antigua&Barbuda for your preferred type of activity. From sailing to ziplining, from snorkeling to safaris, there is something for everyone. Visiting a sugar plantation, or hiking in the rainforest could also be your option, but you need to consider your budget (and this is not a budget friendly island) and the time you have to spend here. Swimming with stingrays was on our list, but after seeing the rough ocean waters on the eastern side of the island we thought it is better to skip it. Snorkeling was not a successful activity for us either, as the soft and fine sand that was like heaven for beach lovers, became a nuisance for snorkelers. I am sure that a combination of the right timing and a better location could make a difference, it just wasn’t the right time for us.

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Sampling local food and drinks

Antigua’s cuisine is diverse and delicious. It reflects the legacy and flavours of Amerindian, French Creole, African, South American, Caribbean and European (British) cultural traditions. With such diversity, combined with regional recipes and ingredients, Antigua is a great place to sample local food.

The Caribbean is known worldwide for its fine rum production and Antigua is no exception. English Harbour and Cavalier are the most popular brands, and you can’t really come to Antigua and not try some 😜, as this is the island’s national drink.

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Visiting Shirley Heights

It has become a tradition on Sunday and Thursday evenings in Antigua to head to the Shirley Heights lookout, eat some barbecued food, drink rum, listen to the steel band while watching the sun sink into the ocean in a glow of orange hues.

What was once the Signal Station of a military complex, from where a system of flags was used by day and guns by night to convey messages to Fort George, is now one of the most visited and famous places in Antigua. Located at the southernmost tip of the island, The Lookout offers excellent views of English Harbour, Mount Carmel, and the entire hilly area from the southern part of the island.

The place can be really crowded, even shoulder-season, like in December, when we visited. The bands play steel drums, and the exhilarating atmosphere can be really catchy.

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Circumnavigate the island

Coming to Antigua with a long bucket list might not be realistic. When you come across so many beautiful beaches and get mellow by the sweet touch of the wonderful weather, you realize that you don’t want to waste much time running around the island and you want to take advantage of every second at the beach.

Since I felt like we got so little time, although we still had a huge appetite for exploration, we found a tour offered by one of the few agents that walks by every day, to circumnavigate the entire island.

The catamaran tour took us around the island, promising us a fine day, some snorkeling and lunch on a deserted island. The time went by quickly when the music and entertainment is good and we enjoyed the trip, despite the fact that snorkeling was a failure; again, the murky waters were not suitable for this activity. The stingrays escaped to the bottom of the bay, and the small colourful fish were too scarce to make for a great sight.

We enjoyed the view of the coast, the food and the company of our friends. The rough waters we encountered as we passed the easternmost part of the island were not my favourite, but we managed to catch a glimpse of the Devil’s Bridge national park from a distance. The captain was very skilled with his catamaran to get quite close to the shore, and we enjoyed the rugged rock formations and geological features.

The lush, green rolling hills and valleys, the small beaches, bays and coves and the mix of vegetation make this place a wonderful sight. The Pillars of Hercules are another spectacular geological limestone formation that rises from the ocean. Some people venture to see this place from the shore, and although I found the waters to be still choppy, it is said to be a good spot for diving and snorkeling.

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Watching sunsets

Watching sunsets can be boring at times, but our short time in Antigua made us enjoy every second of it. In mid-December, we left the cold Canadian winter behind and wanted to fully soak in the warm atmosphere of Antigua. The gentle setting sun embraced our beach and warmed our souls every evening, so we stayed up late every night, to gather all the energy we could. Watching sunsets was our evening joy; a joy as we celebrated life and a sadness at the same time, because we had to say goodbye to the sun until the next morning.

Tip(s) of the day:

-the best time to visit Antigua is November to April, after hurricane season and before the rainy season;

-some places close seasonally, so it’s best to check before you go there;

-although the island became an independent nation in 1981, it still retains many British traditions, including driving on the left side of the road;

-the Eastern Caribbean dollar is the official currency in Antigua, but US dollars are widely accepted, so you can simply ask for a price in US dollars, rather than exchanging the local EC.

*visited in December 2025