The weekend before the start of my Atlas North trip, I somehow ended up taking a spontaneous trip to Antigua. The opportunity was there and I couldn’t help but grab it. The three day, two night trip to the islands state would bring my country count to the big 60.

Leaving from Newark Liberty, I flew directly to St. Johns, Antigua. From there I took a taxi to Blue Waters Resort.

Like most caribbean islands, the highlights of the visit lay along the coastal borders where pelicans glide over turquoise waters caressing white sandy beaches.

My visit was no different. The majority of my time was spent relaxing, sunbathing, and enjoying cocktails by the beach and pool.

I went on a small hobie cat tour of the reef. The snorkeling was fun, though the reef in the north was not spectacular. I also sailed to catamaran on the way back to the bay.

During my time there, I also made an effort to see some of the island.

Fort James Beach

This neighboring beach had a beach side restaurant named Beachlimerz. I dined on two “bake n’ shark” sandwiches, a fried dogfish meat center with other condiments and sipped on traditional Rum Punch. I also tried a fried snickers bar which was surprisingly tasty.

At the point is Fort James which still had original British cannons pointing out towards the opening of the bay.

Many locals were enjoying the long beach at Fort James. They played cricket on the sand and splashed in the water. I was there just long enough to watch the sun disappear on the horizon.

A prearranged taxi took me back to the hotel.

St. John’s

The morning before leaving the island I made a stop at the capital, St. John’s. The small city was full of typically colorful buildings with metal sheet roofs. The driver dropped me off in the center near the port where weekly cruise ships dock.

I went through a small souvenir market to pick up my “shirt of the country”.

From there we went up to the hospital on the top of the hill for a view over the entire city.

Then we stopped by the St. John’s Cathedral. This Anglican church was originally built in 1683 and then rebuilt in 1746 and 1845. Unfortunately it was under repair, so tourists could not go inside. But the cemetery with graves from the 1700s was quite eerie and impressive.

That concluded my short visit to Antigua and Barbuda. A real paradise island with beautiful beaches and a relaxed island vibe. Besides the fact that my credit card got skimmed during my stay (possibly at the restaurant), the entire experience was great.

If looking for a weekend retreat, especially from the cold winter of New York, Antigua makes a fine choice.