Antigua and Barbuda
The land of 365 beaches, a beach for each day of the year, Antigua and Barbuda’s current tourism motto is “the beach is just the beginning.”
In the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda peacefully gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 and the country consists of two main islands: Antigua (pronounced An-tee-gah without sounding the “u”) is 108 square miles and Barbuda is 62 square miles. Barbuda is due north of Antigua and its inhabitants make up only 1.3% of the country’s population at roughly 1,300. There is one remote uninhabited island, Redonda, to the west just north of Montserrat, and a handful of little islands just off the shore of Antigua. Montserrat is a territory of the United Kingdom. The next island to the south is the French territory Guadeloupe and the next island nation to the northwest is St. Kitts and Nevis.
There is a beer in Antigua that bears the island’s original name: “Wadadli” meaning “our place.” Christopher Columbus named Antigua after the church of Santa Maria de la Antigua in Seville, Spain. He also named Barbuda after the Spanish word for “bearded,” and he named Montserrat for the mountain monastery Santa María de Montserrat near Barcelona, Spain.
There was a lack of adequate fresh groundwater and rainfall was slight, so the Spanish did not settle Antigua, Barbuda, and Montserrat, but the British did. Most of the original inhabitants of these islands died off and ultimately they were populated by slaves brought over from Africa to work sugar and cotton plantations on the islands. There were a number of slave revolts before Britain abolished slavery in 1834. The mask and whip dances performed today are a reminder of the heritage of slavery.
Each August, Carnival commemorates the abolition of slavery and features brass and steel band performances. Carnival Monday is called J’ouvert, a French creole word for “daybreak,” with a street party.
The steeldrum is central to the music of Antigua and Barbuda and calypso found its way up the islands from Trinidad and Tobago. Benna is an upbeat, Antiguan call-and-response style of singing that developed following the prohibition of slavery. Featuring percussion and dance, benna was a form of folk communication, spreading local news and scandalous gossip across the islands. King Short Shirt, born MacLean Emanuel, is the best known and longest performing calypso Antiguan singer.
One of the most famous writer’s from Antigua and Barbuda now lives in the United States and teaches at Harvard: Jamaica Kincaid. Sent to the United States to make her way, she changed her name and reinvented herself, becoming a regular writer for The New Yorker for decades starting in the 1970s. She broke writing rules and became famous for her one-sentence stories. Follow the link to read one of Kincaid’s early one-sentence stories called Girl. The story brings color to the world of Antigua and Barbuda. Kincaid wrote a number of novels, short stories, and essays, the most recent of which is See Now Then published in 2013. Follow the link to read an interview with Jamaica Kincaid: Does Truth Have a Tone? and Jamaica Kincaid: Looking Back in Anger.
A powerhouse champion for literature in her home country, Antiguan and Barbudan writer Joanne C. Hillhouse set up a website of Antiguan and Barbudan writing called Wadadli Pen. In addition to developing workshops and prizes to encourage young writers, she assembled a lengthy bibliography of Antiguan and Barbudan Writing. Follow the link to read an interview with Joanne C. Hillhouse that delves into the literary history of Antigua and Barbuda: “We Spoke With Joanne C. Hillhouse About Her Writing and Antiguan & Barbudan Literary Culture.”
Antigua and Barbuda set a national mandate to become the pre-eminent provider of medical services in the Caribbean. The capital city has Mount St. John’s Medical Centre and there are three medical universities on the island of Antigua: American University of Antigua College of Medicine, founded in 2004, University of Health Sciences Antigua, founded in 1982, and Metropolitan University College of Medicine.
A Chinese group bought an island off Antigua and is in the process of constructing factories, homes, and holiday resorts. Follow the link to learn more about the Yida Project.
Places of interest on the island of Antigua:
Stingray City in northeastern Antigua is the place to go to wade/swim with the stingrays. My son once had something of a bonding experience with stingrays in Houston, so I know they bring a sense of joy and peace.
Devil’s Bridge is a natural limestone bridge in Indian Town National Park in northeast Antigua. There are hiking and birding opportunities.
Betty’s Hope was a Sugar Plantation and is now a Heritage Site near Stingray City.
Dickenson Bay is a recommended white sand beach in the far northwest of Antigua lined with resorts and restaurants and great for swimming
St. John’s is the capital of Antigua and Barbuda and has candy-colored colonial cottages and market stalls, St. John’s Cathedral on the hill with white neo-Baroque towers, the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda in the former courthouse.
Rainforest – Antigua has a rainforest in the southwest of the island. Fig Tree Drive takes you there and is considered to be Antigua’s most picturesque road journey.
Nelson’s Dockyard National Park is a former 18th century British Naval dockyard in English Harbour.
Shirley Heights offers a magnificent view from high over English Harbour.
Half Moon Bay is a recommended beach at the southeastern end of Antigua.
Places of interest on the island of Barbuda:
Note that since it is the primary island, it is necessary to go to Antigua first and plan either a ferry or plane to Barbuda. Barbuda is more remote and some activities require a guide and planning food ahead.
17 Mile Beach a beautiful, long stretch of seasonally pink, isolated beach along the Codrington Lagoon. There are few facilities, so bring food, water, and any needed supplies.
Frigate Bird Sanctuary is accessible only by guided boat in Barbuda’s northwest lagoon. Male frigate birds have dramatic red puffed chests.
Barbuda Caves – Barbuda’s Darby Cave is a 3 ½ walk from Barbuda’s only town, Codrington. Dark Cave is two miles south of Darby Cave. Indian Cave has Arawak petroglyphs and a bat chamber and is on the northeast coast of Barbuda in Two Foot Bay National Park.
Princess Diana Beach is where Princess Diana would come with her sons.
Cricket is the national sport and Sir Viv Richards is a cricket champion and national hero.
Starting in 1968, Antigua Sailing Week is an annual boating celebration involving sailors from around the world. Typically held in late April, 2020 Sailing Week was cancelled due to COVID-19.
The national food of Antigua and Barbuda is fungi (also spelled fungee), a polenta-like dish made of cornmeal and often cooked with okra. Saltfish with fungi is common for breakfast. Another national food is dukana (also spelled ducana), a sweet, steamed dumpling made from grated sweet potatoes, flour and spices. Pepperpot is a mixed stew with whatever is available. Meals are typically served with bush tea.
Follow the links to learn more about Antiguan and Barbudan foods:
7 Foods You Need to Try in Antigua
A Foodie’s Guide to Antigua
For more music and dance go to Antiguan and Barbudan Music.
And more steelpan music go to Brute Force Steel Band.
For more about beaches, follow the link to The Most Beautiful Beaches in Antigua.
For more about Barbuda, go to Barbudaful.
Awesome Activities at Antigua and Barbuda.
Visiting Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua and Barbuda Wildlife & Marine Life.
Montserrat Festivals.
Montserrat Places to See.
