Planning a trip to Antigua

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 makes 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) flies 3 days a week out of Newark, New Jersey. Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com) 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, 0844/209-7777 in the U.K.; www.virgin-atlantic.com) also offers nonstop flights from London.

Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.com) has regularly scheduled flights from Toronto to Antigua on Saturdays.

US Airways (tel. 800/622-1015; www.usairways.com) flies nonstop flights from Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The not-always-reliable LIAT (tel. 888/844-LIAT [5428] in the Caribbean, 268/480-5601 outside the Caribbean; 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 $7, 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.avisantigua.com) or Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/462-4114; www.hertz.com) for service at the airport. Another agency to try is Dollar, 40 Factory Rd., St. John's (tel. 800/800-3665 in the U.S. and Canada, or 268/462-0362; www.dollarantigua.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.

Fast Facts

Banks -- Banks are usually open Monday to Thursday 8am to 2pm and on Friday 8am to 4pm. Try RBC Royal Bank of Canada (tel. 268/480-1150; www.rbcroyalbank.com) and Scotiabank (tel. 268/480-1514; www.scotiabank.com), across the street from one another at the corner of High and Market streets in St. John's. You'll find several ATMs here, each of them dispensing EC dollars but not U.S. dollars.

Currency -- These islands use the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$). Nearly all hotels bill in U.S. dollars, however, and only certain tiny restaurants present their prices in EC dollars. When you inquire about a price, make sure you know the type of dollars quoted. The EC dollar is worth about 37¢ in U.S. currency (EC$2.70 = US$1). Prices in this chapter are quoted in U.S. dollars ($).

Customs -- Arriving visitors are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 1 liter of wine or spirits, and 6 ounces of perfume.

Documents -- A valid passport is required from U.S., British, and Canadian nationals. All arriving visitors must have a departing ticket.

Electricity -- Most of the island's electricity is 220-volt AC (60 cycles), which means that U.S. appliances require transformers. The Hodges Bay area and some hotels, however, are supplied with 110-volt AC (60 cycles).

Emergencies -- In an emergency, contact the police (tel. 268/462-0125), the fire department (tel. 268/462-0044), or an ambulance (tel. 268/462-0251). You can also call tel. 911 or tel. 999 for any type of emergency.

Hospital -- The principal medical facility on Antigua is Holberton Hospital, on Queen Elizabeth Highway, St. John's (tel. 268/462-0251). A respected private hospital is Adelin Medical Centre, Fort Road, St. John's (tel. 268/462-0866).

Language -- The official language is English.

Liquor Laws -- Beer and liquor are sold in many stores 7 days a week. It's legal to have an open container on the beach.

Safety -- Antigua is generally safe, but that doesn't mean you should wander alone at night on St. John's near-deserted streets. Don't leave valuables unguarded on the beach, either.

Taxes & Service Charges -- Visitors must pay a departure tax of $20 and an 8.5% government tax on hotel bills. Most hotels also add a service charge of between 10% and 15%. Most goods sold on island come with a "built-in" sales tax of around 15%, but since prices quoted on island invariably include the sales tax, it's likely you'll never even know you're paying it.

Telephone -- Telephone calls can be made from hotels or the office of LIME, at the corner of Long and Thames streets in St. John's (tel. 268/480-4206; www.time4lime.com). Whereas LIME is responsible for international calls to and from Antigua, local on-island telephone service is provided by a local, quasi-governmental entity known as APUA, which competes with several on-island cellphone carriers. To call Antigua from the United States, dial 1268 and then the number. To call the United States from Antigua, dial 1, the area code, and then the number. You might want to purchase a phone card, which you can use to connect with an American long-distance company. You can reach MCI at tel. 800/888-8000 and Sprint at tel. 800/829-0965.

Time -- Antigua is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, so it's 1 hour ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST). When daylight saving time takes over in the U.S., then Antigua's time is the same as the eastern United States.

Water -- Tap water is generally safe to drink here, but many visitors prefer to drink only bottled water.

Weather -- The average year-round temperature ranges from 75°F to 85°F (24°C-29°C).