April 22/Off to Somewhere a Little Warmer

Last post I had discussed a vacation to Iceland, which was more on the colder side of suggestions I could’ve given. Since warm weather is approaching, the place I would love to visit and suggest to you all is Antigua. Antigua is one of the two major islands that make up the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua is ringed with coral reefs and known for its sandy beaches. Over 22,000 natives live in the capital, St. Johns, which is situated in the north-west and has a deep harbor which is able to accommodate large cruise ships. The population of Antigua is 80,161 and is growing. A flight out of New York to Antigua would be roughly around seven or eight hours. Antigua is prone to receiving hurricanes and the official hurricane is July to November; this coincides with the best time to visit which would be June to August. The risk of enduring a hurricane is really low, so at most you would run into a tropical storm. But prices are lower during hurricane season so it is a great time to travel and you may be able to see turtles nesting along the beach. Antigua has highest temperatures in July and minimal precipitation.

Antigua is a great place to visit because of the historic sites, cuisine and lively cultural scene all around the island. But there is beauty and versatility of the island’s 365 beaches; you can find a party in the sand, shallow water for children and a place to get a great tan. Most of the popular beaches include Galley Bay Beach, for surfing, Half Moon Bay, for those who like peace and quiet, and Dickerson Bay, supposedly the island’s best. If you are tired or bored from all that lounging around at the beach, you can take out those hiking boots and head over to Shirley Heights; the admission fee is $8.00 and the best time to trek this trail is early in the morning so you can beat the heat. To educate yourself on the island’s culture you can head over to Nelson’s Dockyard, a former sugar plantation where you’ll find a museum detailing the island’s colonial past. Some Antiguan cuisine finds to give a try are conch, a popular shellfish used in chowders, Ducana, a side dish which has the appearance of a tamale but is wrapped in banana leaf, and Fungee; the national dish of Antigua, similar to polenta and usually served with stews or meats and plated alongside saltfish. The top restaurants to try to and check out are Stella Ristorante, The Cove Restaurant and Fred’s Belgian Waffles and Ice cream.

Antigua is a beautiful island with a lot to offer to a variety of tourists and I hope to get to go there one day!