Antigua and Barbuda is a Caribbean nation consisting of two islands. The country lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Antigua is the larger of the two islands with an area of around 100 square miles. Other islands in the country are minor and include the likes of Great Bird, York Islands and Guiana St. John’s is both the capital and the largest cities in Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Barbuda’s major resources include suitable climate for tourism, availability of fertile land for agriculture, minerals, and forest cover.
Antigua is not large, but there is plenty to do by boat, from exploring isolated coves and offshore reefs to full-on yacht racing. As a former lynchpin of British colonial territories around the Caribbean, Antigua also has considerable history. Much of it, including many of the forts that ring the island, is now being reclaimed by overgrown flora, but in some cases restoration projects have taken place, for instance at Nelson’s Dockyard. More modern activities include off-road tours and a zip-line adventure.
Snorkeling and sunset cruises
With its fantastic beaches and offshore reefs, Antigua is good for sailing and snorkeling tours. There are two main areas: Cades Reef, a partially exposed coral reef off the south-western corner of the island, and the north-east, where there are several small islands in a shallow section of sea. Tours will provide lunch and drinks on the beach or on board, and some companies also do sunset cruises. It is also possible to take a yacht from Falmouth Harbour, usually west to Cades Reef, or out to the Atlantic and then into the one of the finger coves on Antigua’s rugged east coast.
St John’s
It's hardly a distinguished town - it is usually crowded with cars and many of the pretty old creole buildings have been replaced by characterless modern ones - but St. John's is still worth a look. The Antigua and Barbuda Museum catalogues the island’s history, and features ancient finds, colonial artefacts and modern memorabilia - including a cricket bat wielded by Viv Richards.
Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour
English Harbour, formerly Britain’s main naval base in the north-eastern Caribbean, was once one of the most heavily defended places on the planet. Its heart was the Georgian naval dockyard which has now been restored and renamed Nelson’s Dockyard (the young Horatio Nelson served there). Granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2016, it is exceptionally atmospheric, has a good museum (with an excellent children’s section), a chandlery and workshop, a restaurant and bar and a couple of hotels (rather more comfortable than the bunk rooms that would have been here 250 years ago). It is also the centre of Antigua’s modern sailing industry and so is always filled with yachts, sailors and sunset drinking. The hillsides above are littered with stone fortifications.
Enjoy discovering some of the fascinating places of interest around Antigua one of these vacation seasons. The great thing about many of these places is that you can visit them for free , or for a small entrance fee.
Antigua’s Assets:
Minerals
The islands also have a few mineral resources including limestone, barite, building stone, and clay. Some parts of the country, such as Barbuda, produced little salt while Redonda produced some phosphate. However, in recent years, the exploitation has gone down as the reserves also reduce. Volcanic stone, clay, and limestone have been exploited as building materials.
Forests
Forest cover is also another resource that serves to protect the soil, water, and wildlife in the country. Data shows that 11% of the country is forested with the main trees including acacia, red cedar, white cedar, and mahogany. Most of the land is covered with sandy soil, which only supports scrub vegetation.
Tourism in Antigua and Barbuda
Tourism is perhaps the most crucial natural resource in the country’s economy. Data shows that the tourism sector provides employment to a huge portion of the population while it is also a leading source of foreign exchange. Antigua boasts 365 beaches, a vacation best reputation and a quiet, serene atmosphere! Visit us soon!