Antigua & Barbuda

Antigua's accommodation scene splits between the luxury all-inclusive strip along the northwest coast and the historic charm of English Harbour in the south. Jumby Bay Island, accessible only by boat from the north shore, is the ultra-luxury pinnacle - a private island resort with rates starting around $1,500 a night in high season. Curtain Bluff, perched on a peninsula between two beaches on the south coast, has been a favorite of repeat visitors for decades, with all-inclusive rates from around $700 that include premium drinks, water sports, and dining at two restaurants.

For families, Jolly Beach Resort on the west coast offers a more affordable all-inclusive starting around $250 a night with a wide crescent beach and kids' programs. English Harbour is the place to stay for sailors, history lovers, and anyone who wants to walk to restaurants and bars - the Admiral's Inn and the Copper and Lumber Store Hotel sit inside Nelson's Dockyard itself, with rates from $200 to $400. Boutique seekers should look at Catamaran Hotel on Falmouth Harbour or South Point Antigua on the hillside above English Harbour, both in the $250 to $450 range.

Budget travelers can find guesthouses and Airbnbs in St. John's and around Jolly Harbour from $80 to $120 a night. Barbuda has only a handful of options - Barbuda Belle is the standout boutique property with beachfront cottages from around $500, while simpler guesthouses in Codrington start at $100.

Antiguan cuisine leans on fresh seafood, with lobster, snapper, and conch appearing on nearly every menu. The national dish is fungie and pepperpot - fungie is a cornmeal porridge similar to polenta, served alongside a thick stew of salted meat, spinach, okra, and squash simmered with herbs. In English Harbour, the restaurant scene revolves around the Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour marina.

Catherine's Cafe on Pigeon Beach serves French-Caribbean bistro food with your feet practically in the sand - the grilled mahi-mahi with Creole sauce is the standout, and the wine list is surprisingly deep for a beach restaurant. The Admiral's Inn inside the Dockyard does a solid lunch of grilled fish and rum cocktails in a courtyard shaded by a 250-year-old tree. For local food at local prices, head to Papa Zouk in St.

John's, a rum shack and seafood restaurant with over 200 rums behind the bar and plates of garlic shrimp and fried snapper for under $15. Roti King in St. John's serves the best curried goat roti on the island - order it with pepper sauce on the side.

On the beach, OJ's on Crab Hill Bay is a barefoot bar with plastic chairs in the sand, cold Wadadli beer, and grilled lobster that the owner pulls from his own traps that morning. Sheer Rocks, perched on a cliff above Ffryes Beach, is the island's most dramatic fine dining setting - the tapas-style tasting menu runs about $85 per person and the sunset views are unmatched. For a true local experience, visit the Saturday morning market in St. John's where vendors sell ducana (sweet potato dumplings wrapped in banana leaf), saltfish fritters, and fresh tropical juices.

Antigua's peak season runs mid-December through mid-April, when trade winds keep temperatures in the low 80s Fahrenheit and rainfall is rare. This is the most expensive window - expect hotel rates 40 to 60 percent higher than summer - but the sailing conditions are exceptional, which is why Antigua Sailing Week falls in late April.

The shoulder months of May and early June offer warm weather, reduced crowds, and lower prices before the wet season kicks in. Hurricane season spans June through November, with September and October carrying the highest risk.

Antigua sits in the hurricane belt and has taken direct hits, most memorably Hurricane Irma in 2017 which devastated Barbuda. Summer and fall bring brief afternoon rain showers, higher humidity, and the lowest hotel rates of the year. For kitesurfing, December through June delivers the most consistent trade winds. Carnival is late July through early August, a ten-day celebration that peaks with J'ouvert and the main parade.

Taxis and rental cars (driving on the left) are the main options. No public bus system. The island is small enough to drive around in a day. Ferry to Barbuda.