Heading west at the town of Swetes, you can follow the main road through the most densely forested part of the island, Fig Tree Hill. You won't actually see any fig trees - the road is lined with bananas (known locally as figs) and mango trees as it carves its way through some gorgeous scenery down to the south coast at Old Road. About halfway along the drive, you can stop at a small roadside shack which calls itself the Cultural Centre , where you can get a drink and some fruit from local farms.

A dirt track leads south from the shack to a reservoir - the island's first - where you'll find picnic tables set up around the edge of the water. Those interested in a more serious hike can take the Rendezvous Trail , which crosses the Wallings Woodlands to the nearly always empty beach a two-hour walk away at Rendezvous Bay. Even a short stroll repays the effort; the woodlands are the best remaining example of the evergreen secondary forest that covered the island before the British settlers arrived, and are home to more than thirty species of shrubs and trees, including giant mahogany trees, and masses of noisy birdlife. The trail starts on your left just before you reach the steps of the reservoir - bear in mind that, though it's pretty hard to get lost, the main path is little used and in places can quickly become overgrown and hard to make out.

Antiqua travel guide

Antigua
Where to go
When to go
Getting there
Money and costs
Getting around
Food and drink
Phones and post
Best of Antigua
Holidays and festivals
Tours
Diving & snorkeling
Dive operators
Boats &
     catamarans
Boat operators
Economy, natural hazards

Exploring Antigua
- Barbuda:
  Getting there
  Beyond Cordrington
  Great Fort George
  Falmouth Harbour
  River Fort
  Cordrington

- Falmouth and
  English Harbour
  Eating, drinking,   
  nightlife
  Falmouth
  Heights, Pigeon
       Beach

  From Runaway Bay
  to Half Moon Bay
  Eating, drinking,
      nightlife
  Betty's Hope to Long  
  Bay
  Half Moon Bay
  Runaway &
  Dickenson Bay

 St. John's
  St John’s
  Getting around
  Eating & drinking
  Nightlife, casino,
  karaoke
  Airlines, embassies

Exploring St. John's
  Fort Bay
  Fort James
  Long Street
  National Museum
  Redcliffe Quay
  St. John's Cathedral
 

West coast

Antigua brief
    history

Cruises