Antigua and Its Charm, Affording it as a Top Tourist Destination

With so many Caribbean Islands to choose from, it is an arduous task, narrowing it down to the one island that encompasses everything your searching for in a vacation destination. The island of Antigua represents a highly touted travel hot spot and for good reason.

Antigua is an island in the West Indies and represents part of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean and actually boasts the fact that it is the largest of the Leeward Islands as well. The Leeward Islands make up a group of islands in the Lesser Antilles. They are so called the Leeward Islands due to the fact that these islands are situated downwind from the southernmost islands in the trade winds path. The islands in the southern part of the Lesser Antilles are categorized as the Windward Islands. Antigua remains the most technically advanced and prosperous of the Leeward Islands. Reasons for this include offshore banking, internet gambling resources and educational services including two medical schools. The major component in Antigua's illustrious economic status and modishness has to be in its up scaled tourism, however.

Antigua is divided into territories. They include, St. John's, St. George, St.Peter, St. Paul, St. Mary and St. Phillip. It is 14 miles long and 11 miles wide encompassing 108 square miles. St. John's is the largest city and capital of Antigua and close neighbor Barbuda to the southwest. The terrain in Antigua is very hilly. The highest peak rises roughly 1300 feet above sea level with Mango and pineapple farms at its base. It used to be called Boggy Peak, however as of August 4th, 2009, it was renamed "Mount Obama" in celebration of American President, Barack Obama's birthday and saluted him as a symbol of black achievement.

If you are captivated by the allure of pristine, turquoise crystal clear water and all that the Caribbean Sea has to offer, you have come to the right place. Maybe you are both feet on the ground person finding diverse duty free shops and marketplaces, historical sites, planting your butt on a blanket or hammock near a coconut palm tree with a good book and tropical drink is a better idea of fun, you can't go wrong whichever choice you select.

Water activities include fishing, Kayaking, windsurfing, scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing cruises, speed boating and various boating choices. The scuba diving and snorkeling are especially exciting and breathtaking since Antigua is a coral island. Both Barbuda and Antigua, are entirely surrounded by well preserved coral reefs, wrecks and walls. Numerous species of coral can be encountered from ahermatypic corals like sponges and gorgonians and zoanthids and mushrooms to hermatypic forms like brain coral, fire coral, plate corals and many species of Acropora.

Lets not forget the invertebrates and the stars of the show, the piscivores(fish). Large to small, colorful to bizarre, dangerous to the placid and timid. Various crabs species like the Sally Light Foot, Mythrax and Rock Crab, snails, anemones, mollusks, Octopi, shrimp and Caribbean Spiny Lobster. Chain Link, Green and Spotted Moray Eels may be seen though they are nocturnal animals for the most part as are your larger predatory animals. Their are roughly 200 species of Moray that hail in the Caribbean Sea, so you never know what species you may find or may find you.

Gray, Queen and French Anglefish, Stoplight Parrot Fish, Blue Tangs, Squirrelfish, Barracuda, Snook, Grouper, Jewfish, Sting Rays, Horse eyed Jacks, and Mackarel represent some of the larger fish. Some of the smaller, more timid fish you may encounter are Diamond Gobies, Frogfish, Spotted File fish, Lizard fish, Blue, Yellowtail and Beau Gregory Damsels, Sargeant Majors, Cowfish and Trumpetfish. So as you can see the list is long and distinguished and only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marine animals in Antigua.

For the land lovers you have quite a few options to excite or relax the senses. Cricket, tennis, golf, horse riding, sight seeing, shopping, especially in the capital of Antigua, St. John's, helicopter rides, bike riding, zip line canopy rides, jeep or safari tours and then their are the awesome powder sand beaches with rippling waves, sun, warm trade winds blowing with the coconut palms, outside bars, tiki canopies and hammocks. Ahhhh, can you say relaxation?

Throughout the year there are different activities that take place so if you are fortunate enough to synchronize your vacation to the events going on throughout the year, your in for an added bonus. Kite festival, yacht regatta, culinary festival, cricket tournament, tennis week, turtle watching week and carnival.

Now, lets talk food for a bit, shall we? Local cuisine and small open air street foods are not as common as they once were and have been replaced by tourist friendly foods which includes Euro-American cuisine and most of the restaurants are owned by the hotels and resorts on the Island. A few fast food restaurants can be found but are few and far between. That doesn't mean that you cant find exceptional food, just don't veer off the beaten path is a good word of advice. Your best chance of encountering separate individually owned restaurants are in St John's, Dickinsons Bay and and English Harbour areas.

Hermitage Bay, Galley Bay, Curtain Bluff, Jumby Bay Resorts and Inn at English Harbour represent just a sampling of fine hospitality resort and hotel establishments. Many more are available with different price points to suit every ones pocketbook or wallet.

As you can see, Antigua and Barbuda(mainly a bird sanctuary now) provide a plethora of activities both on or off the water, excursions, fine dining and hospitality services and amenities. You will want to come see for yourselves and explore all that is Antigua.