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With its magnificent and often deserted beaches, its spectacular coral
reefs and its rare colony of frigate birds, the nation's other inhabited
island, Barbuda - 48km to the north of Antigua - is a definite
highlight of any visit to Antigua. Don't expect the same facilities as
on Antigua; accommodation options are limited, you'll need to
bring your own snorkeling or diving gear, and you'll find that schedules
- whether for taxis, boats or meals - tend to drift. This is all, of
course, very much part of the island's attraction.
Half the size of its better-known neighbor, Barbuda developed
quite separately from Antigua and was only reluctantly coerced into
joining the nation during the run-up to independence in 1981. The island
is very much the poor neighbor in terms of financial resources, and its
development has been slow; tourism has had only a minor impact, and
fishing and farming remain the principal occupations of the tiny
population of 1500, most of whom live in the small capital,
Codrington.
Away from the beaches, the island is less fetching,
mostly low-level scrub of cacti, bush, small trees and the distinctive
century plants; for most of the year it is extremely arid and
unwelcoming.
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There are a
couple of exceptions: in the southwest the island suddenly bursts
to life, with a fabulous grove of coconut palms springing out of the
sandy soil (and providing a useful source of export revenue), while in
parts of the interior, government projects are reclaiming land from the
bush to grow peanuts and sweet potatoes, also for the export market. For
the most part, though, the island is left to the scrub, the elusive wild
boar and deer and a multitude of birds - 170 species at last count.
The
tiny and now uninhabited volcanic rock known as Redonda, some
56km to the southwest of Barbuda, is occasionally visited by yachters -
though with no sheltered anchorage, the landing is a difficult one.
There is no regular service to the island, nor anywhere to stay save for
a few ruined mining buildings.
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Caribbean guide
Antiqua
Travel Guide
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Barbuda:
Getting there
Beyond Cordrington
Great Fort George
Falmouth Harbour
River Fort
Cordrington
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Falmouth and English
Harbour
Eating, drinking, nightlife
Falmouth
Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley
Heights,
Pigeon Beach
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From Runaway Bay to Half
Moon Bay
Eating,
drinking, nightlife
Betty's Hope to Long Bay
Half Moon Bay
Runaway & Dickenson
Bay
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St John’s
Getting around
St. John's
St John’s
Getting around
Eating and
drinking
Nightlife, casino, karaoke
Airlines, embassies
Exploring St. John's
Fort Bay
Fort James
Long Street
National Museum
Redcliffe
Quay
St. John's
Cathedral
Antigua
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
 Antigua brief history
Exploring Antigua
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