From the incredible 365 beaches of Antigua to the taste of the mahi-mahi, Caribbeans are nothing far from a paradise on earth – you can trust what everyone is saying! At first, you might find yourself a little lost in all the villages but the smiles of local people sipping their favourite Rhum will make you forget all the rules back home. Accommodations are mainly for honeymooners but will suit backpackers as well with some additional research. If you want to spoil yourself,  you can find rooms with views directly on the seaside. Forget cocktails for once (but do try Pina Coladas..) and taste fresh coconuts, plantain chips and natural juices relaxing by the side of the beach. Welcome to paradise, welcome to the Caribbeans..

Discover now the 10 tips that will make you wish to book a flight to Antigua

Caribbeans – Antigua

1. The scenery

We have been in Antigua in 2009 and for me, it meant the first time ever in the Caribbean.
I must say it was a blast. First time I saw the incredible light blue of the sea and the white sand beaches.

And as a starter, Antigua is definitively a beauty so hard to forget, one that sets a very high bar for all the future Caribbean beach trips ahead.

Getting to Antigua is simple and easy from London, flying directly or with a stop-over in the U.S.
We anticipated the trip with a shopping intense weekend in New York and it was so totally worth it!

2. Half Moon Bay

When travelling to Antigua make sure you don’t miss out a couple of top beach spots in the south of the island like Dark Wood Beach and the area around Half Moon Bay.

These are authentic paradisiac places you will dream of for a long time, making you feel incredibly nostalgic when back at work in winter in front of your laptop screen.

3. Great accommodations

In general, the Caribbean is a top pick for honeymooners and you can easily get why.

Idyllic beaches and warm calm waters. Piña coladas on your sun bed and full serviced resorts to ensure you can properly relax for one week.
And just leave it to what you fancy eating for dinner as the main choice of the day.

Resorts can be quite expensive though, but searching carefully you will be able to find more on budget solutions.
If you then still want to get spoilt, sleep in a beach bungalow hearing the sound of waves, and taste fantastic food by the sea then I for sure recommend you check out the Cocos Hotel at Antigua.

4. 365 beaches

Antigua is called the ‘Island of 365 beaches’ and this should be enough to suggest that travelling up there to just spend a week locked into a 4 stars resort would be a bit of a shame.

So renting a jeep is definitively recommended. Streets are also in perfect state and driving around super easy and enjoyable.
The hotel will be for sure able and happy to help, even if renting online in advance and picking the vehicle up directly from the airport is by far the cheapest choice if you intend to discover a different part of the island every day.

Our favourite choice is RentalCars – they offer great rates with reputable companies across the world – you can decide if to buy the insurance for your vehicle directly from them and have the peace of mind of a broker with great prices.

Go for it!

5. Local people

Especially if you travel around with a private vehicle you will be able to easily spot beaches a bit far off the beaten tracks and where you will be able to avoid the crowds of tourists on daily organised trips or just boarded off a ship.

And that will also be a good opportunity to meet a group of locals, especially whilst enjoying their days off at weekends.
So don’t worry if you have forgotten your book in the room.

Amongst families reunited for a barbeque or around music and drinks, there will be plenty to entertain yourself, especially when children will turn up to play with you.

This is part of the magic of Caribbeans!

6. The colours

Being Caribbeans is a state of mind. Made out of rhythm, sun, nature, laughter and colours.
Look for the lovely bars serving fruit, small food and drinks on beaches or on the main roads to get there.

Again leave the pricey cocktails and nibbles at your hotel and don’t miss out of on fresh coconuts, plantain chips and natural juices.
You will not find them once back to your gloomy and busy city.

7. Devil’s bridge

Antigua is the island of 365 beaches but there are amazing rocky coastal bits as well, and Devil’s bridge is a great spot for a walk when the tide is low and some time far from the sandy paradises.

Just remember to keep your trainers in the car, to give those flip flops some rest every now and then.

8. Barbuda

Travelling to Antigua means you cannot miss a day-long trip to the deserted sister island of Barbuda.

Easy to reach by boat, just remember this is the Ocean and can be a bit stressful for those suffering from motion sickness.

Once you get to land, you will enjoy unspoilt beaches and the wildest nature. Everything sounds ideal, right? Absolutely! But make sure you take with you plenty of water, total screen sunscreen, hat and a beach umbrella to get some rest from the sun now and then.

This is not the standard sun that we are used to and you really want to be sure to enjoy the day!

9. Mahi-Mahi (fish)

When in the Caribbean do make the most of the fresh fish you will find there.
Alongside delicious lobsters always ask for the catch of the day. This will be the best choice to taste the fresher they will have available that you can get cooked the way you prefer. Or even better the way they would recommend.

The mahi-mahi (or dolphin fish) will probably be one of the best candidates for your daily catch of the day, being very common in the area and really tasty.
That’s recommended!

10. The relaxed life (Rhum at 10 am? It is a thing!)

Rhum is a serious thing in the Caribbean and you can try great options for a cheaper price (than the one applied in Europe) when hopping among these islands.

You will be able to try local products almost everywhere. Even if Jamaica has probably the wider range of choices, Barbados is worldwide famous for its Mount Gay. Definitely one of our favourites – Try the Mount Gay Eclipse Rhum on Amazon UK or  Try the Mount Gay XO Rhum on Amazon UK .

Sip your rum alone with dark chocolate after dinner, for something fresher as an aperitif, ask for the list of punch instead.