Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

You can contact the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism at 305 E. 47th St., 6A, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212/541-4117; fax 212/541-4789; www.antigua-barbuda.org); or 25 SE Second Ave., Ste. 300, Miami, FL 33131 (tel. 305/381-6762; fax 305/381-7908). A toll-free number also gives information: tel. 888/268-4227. Operators are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Eastern Standard Time.

In Canada, contact the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism and Trade, 60 St. Claire Ave. E., Ste. 304, Toronto, ON M4T 1N5 (tel. 416/961-3085; fax 416/961-7218). In England the tourist office is at 45 Crawford Place, London W1H 4LP (tel. 020/7258-0700).

On the island, the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism, Queen Elizabeth Highway (tel. 268/462-0480; fax 268/462-2483), is open Monday to Thursday 8am to 4:30pm and Friday 8am to 3pm.

Getting There

The major airline that flies to Antigua's V. C. Bird Airport is American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S. and Canada; www.aa.com), which offers four daily nonstop flights to Antigua from its hub in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A flight takes about 1 1/2 hours, and each departs late enough in the day to allow easy transfers.

Continental (tel. 800/231-0856 in the U.S. and Canada; www.continental.com) has flights 3 days a week out of Newark, New Jersey. Delta (tel. 800/221-1212) flies twice weekly from Atlanta in winter.

British Airways (tel. 800/247-9297 in the U.S. and Canada; www.britishairways.com) flies daily from London's Gatwick Airport. Virgin Atlantic Airways (tel. 800/821-5438 in the U.S. or Canada, 077/0574-7747 in the U.K.; www.virgin-atlantic.com) also offers nonstop flights from London.

Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/462-1147; www.aircanada.ca) has regularly scheduled flights from Toronto to Antigua on Saturdays.

US Airways (tel. 800/622-1015 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/480-5700; www.usairways.com) offers nonstop flights from Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The not-always-reliable LIAT (tel. 888/844-LIAT [5428]; www.liatairline.com) flies from several Caribbean islands into Antigua, notably from San Juan and St. Thomas.

Getting Around

By Taxi -- Taxis meet every airplane, and drivers wait outside the major hotels. If you're going to spend a few days here, a particular driver may try to "adopt" you. The typical one-way fare from the airport to St. John's is $11, but to English Harbour it's $31 and up. The government of Antigua fixes rates, and taxis are meterless.

Taxis aren't cheap, but they're the best way to see Antigua, as the drivers also act as guides. Most taxi tours go from the St. John's area to English Harbour. Drivers generally charge a flat rate of $24 for three or four passengers and often wait 30 minutes or more while you sightsee around English Harbour. If you split the cost with another couple, these tours become more affordable.

To call a taxi in St. John's, dial tel. 268/460-8300.

By Rental Car -- To drive on island, you must obtain an Antiguan license, which costs $12 and requires a valid driver's license from home. Most car-rental firms can issue you an Antiguan license, which they usually do without a surcharge. Remember: Drive on the left.

It's best to stick with the major U.S. rental companies rather than using a local agency. Try Avis (tel. 800/331-1084 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/462-2840; www.avis.com) or Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/481-4440; www.hertz.com) for service at the airport. Another agency to try is Dollar on Factory Road, St. John's (tel. 800/800-4000 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/462-0362; www.dollarcar.com).

By Bus -- Although buses are a cheap option, we don't recommend them for the average visitor. Service is erratic and undependable, and roads are impossibly bumpy. In theory, buses operate between St. John's and the villages daily from 5:30am to 6pm, and on a relatively limited number of runs between St. John's and far-flung regions of the island till as late as 10pm, but don't count on it. In St. John's, buses leave from two different "stations" -- on Market Street near the Central Market, and on Independence Avenue adjacent to the Botanical Gardens. Most fares are $1. There is no central information bureau to call for schedules.

Special Events

The week before the first Tuesday in August, summer Carnival brings exotic costumes that recall Antiguans' African heritage. Festivities include a beauty competition and calypso- and steel-band competitions. The big event in spring is Sailing Week in late April or early May.