Diving and snorkelling
The reefs and small uninhabited islets around the islands provide good diving and snorkelling for all skill levels, from lazy drifts over coral gardens to challenging exploration of wrecks. Antigua has some shallow underwater shelfs with little or no current, good for snorkelling off the beach, and Cades Reef is popular for diving and snorkelling day trips by boat with perhaps a beach barbecue.
Golf
A round of golf in a warm sunny climate with gorgeous views of the Caribbean is a perfect way to spend a day on holiday. Antigua has Cedar Valley Golf Club and Jolly Harbour Golf Club, both attractive 18-hole courses with good facilities and packages for weekly visitors.
Hiking
Antigua and Barbuda are fairly flat and don’t have mountainous cores flanked by rainforests like Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis. Nevertheless, walking is a good way of exploring, around Falmouth and English Harbours are some moderate hikes up to viewpoints to see the yachts in the bays, while on Barbuda trails lead off in all directions to quiet coves and beaches.
Sailing
Sailing is synonymous with the Caribbean and the constant trade winds and warm sun is a draw for both experienced and novice sailors. Antigua in particular is popular with the yachting fraternity and Falmouth and English Harbours draw thousands of vessels each year to their smart marinas, especially during exciting events like Antigua Sailing Week at the end of April, one of the premier sailing events in the world. Watching the racing can be fun too, as can the lively after-parties. For those on holiday, there are some wonderful opportunities to enjoy the waters of these islands from the deck of a boat, whether it’s under the full sail of a traditional schooner, or on a smart luxury catamaran.
Water sports
There are numerous options of playing in the gorgeous warm waters around these islands, from wind- and kitesurfing, hobie cats sailing and stand-up paddle boarding to jet-skiing, water-skiing and tubing. All-inclusive places and top luxury resorts include water sports in their packages, but there are also plenty of places to rent equipment for an hour or two. On Antigua, you can organize water toys on the popular beaches like Dickenson Bay, purchase a day pass to a resort with good water sports centres, or you can even go play on the D-Boat, once an oil tanker, and now a water park and party boat.
