Things to do in Antigua and Barbuda

25 things to do in Antigua and Barbuda

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Relax on Dickenson Bay

  Sink your toes into powdery white sand and swim in the calm, turquoise waters of Antigua's quintessential resort beach, backed by hotels and beach bars.

  St. John's, Antigua

• Snorkel at Cades Reef

  Explore a vibrant underwater park teeming with parrotfish, angelfish and sea turtles along a living reef guarded by the rocky Cades Reef formation.

  near Jolly Harbour, Antigua

• Watch the sunset from Shirley Heights

  Take in panoramic views over English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour as the sun sinks behind the hills, accompanied by rum punch and steel pan music.

  English Harbour, Antigua

• Explore Nelson's Dockyard

  Wander the restored Georgian naval shipyard, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its museum, marina and historic stone pillars.

  English Harbour, Antigua

• Visit Betty's Hope Sugar Plantation

  Step into Antigua's colonial past among the restored twin windmill towers and stone structures of a 17th-century sugar estate.

  Pares, Antigua

• Swim with stingrays at Stingray City

  Stand on a shallow sandbar in the Caribbean Sea while southern stingrays glide around your legs, a gentle wildlife encounter off the east coast.

  Seatons, Antigua

• Hike to the top of Mount Obama

  Trek through lush rainforest to the island's highest peak, rewarded with sweeping views over the coastline and interior hills.

  southwest Antigua

• Browse local produce at St. John's Public Market

  Mingle with vendors selling tropical fruits, spices, fresh fish and the iconic Antiguan black pineapple in a bustling city market.

  St. John's, Antigua

• Take a boat to Barbuda's Frigate Bird Sanctuary

  Glide through Codrington Lagoon to witness thousands of frigate birds nesting, a pristine wetland ecosystem and the largest colony in the Caribbean.

  Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda

• Admire the pink sand at Princess Diana Beach

  Walk along the rose-hued shoreline of this secluded Barbuda beach, where crushed coral tints the sand pale pink under crystalline waters.

  Barbuda

• See Devil's Bridge

  Watch Atlantic waves crash through a natural limestone arch carved by centuries of erosion, a dramatic geological feature on the windward coast.

  near Willikies, Antigua

• Kayak through mangroves at North Sound

  Paddle calm, shallow waters through mangrove tunnels spotting sea birds, juvenile fish and stingrays in a protected marine park.

  North Sound, Antigua

• Watch racing during Antigua Sailing Week

  Experience one of the world's premier sailing regattas each April/May, with racing yachts, onshore parties and a vibrant maritime atmosphere.

  English Harbour, Antigua

• Dine on local fare at Roti Sue's

  Sample authentic Antiguan rotis stuffed with curry goat, chicken or vegetables at this beloved, no-frills local eatery in the capital.

  St. John's, Antigua

• Dance at Abracadabra late-night

  Move to DJ beats and live music until the early hours at this lively bar and dance spot in the heart of English Harbour.

  English Harbour, Antigua

• Snorkel the Pillars of Hercules

  Swim among dramatic rock pillars rising from the sea floor near Galleon Beach, with excellent coral and frequent turtle sightings.

  English Harbour, Antigua

• Tour the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda

  Delve into the nation's story from indigenous peoples to independence in a former 18th-century courthouse filled with artefacts.

  St. John's, Antigua

• Explore Half Moon Bay

  Find this crescent-shaped crescent of pink-tinged sand on the southeastern coast, often deserted and backed by wild vegetation.

  southeast Antigua

• Visit Fort James

  Walk the ramparts of a 1706 stone fort guarding St. John's Harbour, with old cannons and views over the bay.

  St. John's, Antigua

• Explore Darby's Cave

  Descend into a huge limestone sinkhole filled with stalactites dripping into a lush fern grotto in the wild heart of Barbuda.

  Barbuda

• Sail to Great Bird Island

  Visit this tiny, uninhabited islet off Antigua's north coast, a wildlife reserve for the critically endangered Antiguan racer snake and nesting seabirds.

  off northeast Antigua

• Sample Antigua's black pineapple along Fig Tree Drive

  Drive the winding rainforest road, stopping at roadside stalls to taste the famously sweet black pineapple grown only on this island.

  Fig Tree Drive, Antigua

• Swim in the natural pool at Hell's Gate Island

  Take a boat across the lagoon to Barbuda's offshore rock island, where a bridge of land encloses a shallow, turquoise swimming hole.

  off Barbuda

• Dance to steel pan at the Shirley Heights Sunday party

  Join the island’s most famous weekly bash with a barbecue, rum punch and live steel band music overlooking the harbour as the sun sets.

  Shirley Heights, English Harbour

• Paddleboard through the mangroves of Ffryes Beach

  Glide on calm, clear water along a mangrove-fringed shoreline, spotting starfish and rays beneath your board.

  Ffryes Beach, Antigua