Antigua is a beautiful place to travel to in the Caribbean Islands. Below is our Antigua travel guide. We go over everything from which charger to buy, money to use, where to stay, things to do, transportation, and how to book your flight.

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My Trip: I went to Antigua from November 11th to the 15th. I had the time of my life, from swimming with stingrays to jet skiing at Dickenson Bay. Our favorite place to eat on the water was Sheer Rocks! The BEST beach was Fort James! Tom and I loved Antigua so much that we booked a new flight back to the Island in June 2024! This travel guide is to help you if you ever want to go to Antigua.

Tips:

• Money to use: Antigua uses Eastern Caribbean Dollars. Antigua accepts US dollars. 1 US dollar is equivalent to 2.70 Eastern Caribbean Dollars.
• Charger: You can use the same charger as a US charger.
• Where to stay? All Inclusive Hotels | Beachfront Hotels | Airbnb We recommend staying at a beachfront view!
• Where to book your flight? We recommend booking all flights on Hopper to save you money, especially if you are on a budget! Download the app on your iPhone and start looking at prices for specific dates you want to go.
• Transportation? The most common form of transportation in Antigua is by Taxi. The taxi fare ranges from $6.00 to $31.00.

How to Spend 5 Days in Antigua:

Tip: I recommend watching the sunrise at least once and the sunset every night!

Day 1:

• Arrive at your hotel, unpack, and settle in.
• Relax by the hotel pool with a pina colada in hand.
• Go to the beach closest to you: Antigua is home to 365 beaches and offers a diverse experience. Antiqua is beautiful year-round with perfect weather. The best beaches to visit are Halfmoon Bay, Dickenson Bay, Fort James Beach, Honeymoon Cove, Sea Grape Beach, Eden Beach, and Royal Palm Beach.
• Participate in any watersport activity: Watersports to pick from in Antigua are everything from jet skiing, surfing, or kayaking to paddle boarding, kitesurfing, and parasailing!
• Watch the sunset: The best place to watch the sunset is at Galleon Beach!

Day 2:

• Stingray City Tour– This tour picks you up at St. Johns. Not only will you be able to feed stingrays, but you will explore the island of Antigua. Food and transportation are included with the tour.
• Visit the Natural Caves- If you are up for more exploring, head to Antigua’s natural caves. Antigua is home to Darby Dave’s cave and Two Foot Bay. The Dark Cave is an interesting one where you will find rare amphipods and blind shrimp.
• Dinner on the Water– Make a reservation to have dinner on the ocean at Sheer Rocks. Be sure to get there before sunset because the views are immaculate.

Day 3:

• Self-Drive Boat Tour- We recommend this self-drive boat tour! The boat is inflatable! Snorkel gear is provided in the tour.
• Red Cliff Bay- Redcliffe Quay is a cozy district that appeals to art lovers with tons of souvenir stores to go shopping.
• Boggy Peak- Reach the most elevated point in Antigua at Boggy Peak, which sits at 1,300 feet. It is a great hiking spot with an expansive view of the tropical vegetation below. 

Day 4:

• Guided Tour of the Island- This guided tour will teach you about Antigua’s past and present. You will see major landmarks, including Devil’s Bridge. The tour will stop at the Blockhouse, Shirley Heights, Nelson Dockyard, and Fig Tree Drive. Fig Tree Drive is an art gallery. A waterfront lunch is served and included in the price. Shirley Heights is a military complex at 492 feet above sea level and is a lovely place to go hiking.
• Antigua’s Market– Antigua’s Market is in the heart of St. John’s. We talk more about everything to eat and drink in Antigua below.

Day 5:

• Relax at the beach!
• Check Out of Your Hotel
• Flight home

Things to Do in Antigua:

• Pig Paradise: Pig Paradise is where you can pet, feed, play, and swim with pigs on the beautiful beaches of Antigua
• Watersport Activities: Jet Skiing, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, parasailing
• Hiking to Boggy Peak or Shirley Heights
• Snorkeling with stingrays, sea turtles, tropical-colored fish
• Renting a self-drive boat
• Visiting Devil’s Bridge
• Antigua’s Market
• Relaxing at the beach: Halfmoon Bay, Dickenson Bay, Fort James Beach, Honeymoon Cove, Sea Grape Beach, Eden Beach, Royal Palm Beach
• Donkey Sanctuary
• Shopping at Redcliffe Bay
• Darby Dave’s Cave and Two-Foot Bay
• Fig Tree Drive Art Gallery
• Nelsons Dockyard

Where to Eat in Antigua:

• Seafood:
  • Sheer Rocks – Reserve a Table This Caribbean seafood restaurant has a beautiful waterfront view and a delicious list of cocktails.
• Local Food:
  • Hemingway’s Caribbean Cafe & Restaurant – Reserve a Table Hemingways has everything from lobster to pasta dishes and excellent reviews on TripAdvisor
• Street Food/ Market:
  • Antigua’s Market– Always give street food a try when traveling. You might be surprised. You have to visit the Antigua Market in St. John’s to get a sense of what it is like to eat like a local. You will find everything from fresh fish, vegetables, and meat to traditional clothing and shoes. You can also buy souvenirs.
• Brewery:
  • Antigua’s Brewing Company- Learn more about the company on their website!

Have you ever been to Antigua? Please comment below about your experience.

Similar Post: 10 Things to Do in Antigua

Top of this Post: Antigua Travel Guide

Top 10 Things to Do in Antigua

Antigua is home to 365 turquoise color beaches, palm trees, and amazing people. Antiqua is beautiful year-round with perfect weather. The best things to do are to jet ski, swim with stingrays or pigs, and try the local food. Don’t forget to book a reservation at SHEER ROCKS! We also recommend snorkeling and scuba diving! Below are the top 10 things to do in Antigua.

1. Swim in the Beautiful Beaches- 

The best turquoise beaches to visit in Antigua are Honeymoon Cove, Sea Grape Beach, Eden Beach, and Royal Palm Beach. The beaches closest to St. John are Dickenson Bay and Fort James Beach.

2. Underwater Adventures- 

You can do almost EVERY underwater adventure in Antigua including, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, surfing, parasailing, kayaking, and paddle boarding.

Jet Skiing- Jet skiing is SOOOO much fun anywhere you go; however, it is more exciting in Antigua at sunset!!! The crystal-clear WARM water is spectacular, and the views are even better at sunset. Visit Dickenson Bay to go Jet Skiing.

Surfing- Surfing at Half Moon Bay is a beautiful stretch of water outlined by soft white sand. The beach has large waves perfect for surfing and sits against a backdrop of luscious hills and palm trees.

3. Stingray City-

Book your tour to swim with stingrays and explore the island of Antigua! Swimming with stingrays was the ultimate underwater adventure. We were scared shitless, BUT it was worth it. The professional tour guides calmed us down completely. Stingrays are HARMLESS. Stingrays won’t sting you if you feed them or swim with them. You can even hold one, and it won’t hurt you!

4. Climb up to Boggy Peak or Shirley Heights- 

Reach the most elevated point in Antigua at Boggy Peak, which sits at 1,300 feet. It is a great hiking spot with an expansive view of the tropical vegetation below. Shirley Heights is a military complex that sits at 492 feet above sea level and is also a lovely place to go hiking.

5. Shopping at Redcliffe Quay- 

Redcliffe Quay is a cozy district that appeals to art lovers and is home to tons of souvenir stores to go shopping. The colorful buildings are SOOOO cool, and you can buy everything from a coffee to a cocktail or a watch to souvenirs. 

6. Caves to Explore- 

Antigua is home to Darby Dave’s cave and Two Foot Bay. The Dark Cave is an interesting one where you will find rare amphipods and blind shrimp.

7. Devil’s Bridge- 

Devil’s Bridge is an arched limestone bridge near Indian Town. You need to visit with caution and be vigilant. Children must go only at a distance for safety reasons. It is difficult to walk across due to the slippery limestone that coats the bridge.

8. Snorkeling with Sea Turtles

Book your adventure to go snorkeling with sea turtles, visit natural rock formations, tropical fish, and shipwrecks! We even saw an octopus!

9. Self-Drive Boat Tour

We recommend this self-drive boat tour! The boat is inflatable! Snorkel gear is provided on the tour.

10. History Tour of the Island

This guided tour will teach you about Antigua’s past and present. You will be driven all over the island and see Devil’s Bridge, Blockhouse, Shirley Heights, Nelson Dockyard, and Fig Tree Drive. A waterfront lunch is served and included in the price. Shirley Heights is a military complex sitting 492 feet above sea level. Fig Tree Drive is an art gallery.

Fort James- We recommend also visiting Fort James. Did you know? The Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed at Fort James. There is also a beautiful stretch of white sand and turquoise water called Fort James Beach nearby.

#11: Antigua’s Donkey Sanctuary- 

The Antigua Donkey Sanctuary shelters more than 150 donkeys.

#12: Rent a Plunge Pool at Sheer Rocks

YOU NEED to make a reservation to rent a plunge pool at SHEER ROCKS! The FOOD is delicious, and the desert is EVEN better. We ordered the chocolate lava cake. It melted in my mouth and had ice cream on the side. The best dish to order is the lobster and shrimp ravioli. 

#13: Swim with Pigs

YOU CAN SWIM WITH PIGS! Did I say pigs? YES, I said pigs. My boyfriend did not want to do this adventure; however, I would add it to my itinerary if he did. You can even feed the baby pigs.

Antigua is the perfect place to relax. OKAY, if you do not want to do anything but RELAX, then Antigua is the place to travel. You can enjoy Pina Coladas and relax at the beach or pool ALL day long. Does LIFE get better than that? You can book an hour-long massage too. Have you ever been to Antigua? We would love to hear about your experience.

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Top of this post: Top 10 Things to Do in Antigua