| Choosing a Caribbean Island Vacation is | | | | coast , which is the more sheltered calm and |
| difficult because to the outsider the | | | | protected part. |
| Caribbean is just the Caribbean, with each | | | | |
| island being much like the other. The insider | | | | All of the beaches are open to the public and |
| will however tell you that each island has | | | | each has different characteristics, so the |
| its own identity, none more so than Antigua. | | | | main difficulty you will have is finding the |
| | | | perfect Antigua beach for you. One piece of |
| The island of Antigua is always associated | | | | advice is to never go to isolated beaches on |
| with Barbuda, but this article isn't about | | | | your own, and another is to make sure you get |
| Antigua and Barbuda, but about what it is | | | | good directions before you go. |
| that should make you want to choose Antigua | | | | |
| for your Caribbean Island Vacation. | | | | On the northwest coast you will find |
| | | | Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay, both highly |
| Antigua is the largest of the Leeward Islands | | | | developed and great resort beaches. Closest |
| in the Eastern Caribbean, north of Montserrat | | | | to St Johns are Fort James, and Deep Bay. In |
| and Guadeloupe, and to the south and east of | | | | the winter surfers go to Galley Bay and the |
| Nevis, St Kitts, St Barts, and St Martin. It | | | | four beaches at Hawksbill are impressive, |
| is some fourteen miles long and eleven miles | | | | just beware that one is a nudist beach. |
| wide, totalling 108 square miles. This means | | | | |
| with its 365 beaches, one for every day of | | | | On the southwest and south coast of Antigua |
| the year, there is plenty Antigua to explore, | | | | are where you will find the less visited and |
| and furthermore there is lots to see thanks | | | | developed beaches because the area is quite |
| to the close links with Britain and the | | | | hilly. A road winds along the coast here and |
| British Navy in the late eighteenth and early | | | | you will find beaches like Fryes Bay, |
| nineteenth century. | | | | Darkwood Beach, and the beaches around |
| | | | Johnsons Point. |
| Visitors who have chosen Antigua for their | | | | |
| Caribbean Island Vacation, also inevitably | | | | Rendezvous Bay, and Doigs Beach are |
| visit English Harbour which is Antigua's | | | | especially very quiet beaches but not easy to |
| evocative historical district, around | | | | get to. If you are looking for an Antigua |
| Nelson's Dockyard National Park. The whole | | | | Beach to relax on after visiting English |
| harbour area was the headquarters of the | | | | Harbour then try Pigeon Point. |
| fleet in Nelson's time. There are historical | | | | |
| buildings and fortifications to be seen | | | | On the east coast, the south east corner is |
| around the park. | | | | Half Moon Bay, is a national park, and if you |
| | | | want a family beach, then this and Long Bay |
| Antigua's beaches are of course a huge reason | | | | which is as far to the east as you can go are |
| for taking a Caribbean Island Vacation here. | | | | both outstanding. The beaches facing east are |
| The majority of the beaches are on the west | | | | quite rough but great for beachcombing. |