When You Go -- Antigua and Long Bay Hotel

Traveling There: Flights connecting through Puerto Rico to VC Bird International Airport near St. John's are available from American, Contintental, Delta, Virgin Air, and U.S. Air from various U.S. cities. The Web links and phone numbers are available at this magazines Airlines page. Note that Antigua is one hour ahead of U.S. EST.

Taxis are available through a dispatcher at the airport. The twenty minute taxi ride to Long Bay Hotel costs approximately $25. Taxis are available at the hotel by calling in advance of desired pickup times. Cars rentals are also available at the airport and will average about $45 per day if reserved in advance from a major U.S. agency, such as Thrifty. Left-hand driving is required on the narrow roads (British system), and it is advised to drive defensively and avoid nighttime driving as there are no road signs and the roads have potholes. A good map and some patience work fine for navigation. By taking these limitations into consideration, we enjoyed our driving experience on Antigua.

Staying There: With 66,000 residents and only 3,000 hotel rooms spread across Antigua's 108 square miles and 365 beaches, the Caribbean island provides good variety without being overly touristic. Our recommended guide books are Lonely Planet Eastern Caribbean and Frommer's Caribbean. The best time to visit is December through April, when the average daily highs are in the low 80 慚 range. Antigua is a fairly dry island and the rainy season is in the fall.

Map
Courtesy: Lonely Planet

Visitors to Antigua must have a round trip air ticket and valid passport. The currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar which equals approximately U.S. 40 cents. U.S. dollars are accepted in most commercial establishments. To telephone Antigua from North America, dial 1+268+seven-digit local number.

Long Bay Hotel's web site at www.longbayhotel.com covers all the information for booking accommodations, including a full description of the facilities, reservation availability calender, rates, specials, and contact information.