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You
can clamber around some more substantial remains at the River Fort
in the southwest of the island, just beyond the coconut grove. The fort
provides a surprisingly large defense for an island of Barbuda's size
and importance. The island was attacked by Carib Indians in the 1680s
and by the French navy in 1710, but there was too little valuable
property here to tempt any further assailants into braving the dangerous
surrounding reefs. As a result, the fort never saw any action, and its
main role has been as a lookout and a landmark for ships approaching the
island from the south.
The
remains are dominated by a Martello Tower , one of the many built
throughout the British Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. Right below
the tower, the River Landing is the main point for access to
Barbuda by boat and is always busy with trucks stockpiling and loading
sand onto barges to be taken to replenish beaches in Antigua - a
controversial but lucrative industry for the Barbudans.
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Practicalities
If you need a place to stay, the Palmetto Beach Hotel (phone
268/460-0440, fax 462-0742, ; US$200-250, all-inclusive, excluding
drinks), west of the fort, is on a fantastic stretch of beach, with 24
beachfront suites all with A/C and a private verandah. The rooms are
big, comfortable and stylishly decorated. The food, mostly Italian, is
excellent.
 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
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Caribbean guide
Antiqua
Travel Guide
Exploring Antigua
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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
 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
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