Antigua is one of the islands found in the group of islands in the West Indies ? more specifically in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and is probably the most key island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. The name Antigua directly translated from Spanish means ?ancient? and was called this by one of the most famous explorers of all time, Christopher Columbus. The island is approximately 280 square kilometers big and has a permanent population of around 86,000 people of which 31,000 reside in the capital city of St. John?s. Antigua is reliant on tourism for most of its economy and markets itself as a very luxurious Caribbean holiday destination. The local airport is serviced by many large airlines like Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, American Airlines and Air Canada. Just off the sore of Antigua is Barbuda which is much smaller with a population of just 1500 people.
English Harbor to the south east situated on the coast is famous for its very sheltered beaches even during the most violent of storms and is the location of a refurbished British naval station called Nelson?s Dockyard, named after Horatio Nelson, a captain of the British Royal Navy. The hills near Nelson?s Dockyard National Park provide excellent views of the shoreline and surrounding countryside.
There are many other smaller islands a mere boat trip away and one great example is the Great Bird Island that lies just 3 kilometers north east of Antigua. It is well known for the many rare species of birds that reside on the island as well as being the only place in the world where one can find the Antiguan racer snake. Also calling the island home are some rare lizards, pelicans and West Indian whistling ducks.
The oldest settlement on the island of Antigua is a small village called Parham which is on the north east coast of Antigua. It has a harbor that is known to be a well-protected anchorage for boats and yachts. The shops in the village also have a number of supplies for people that may be passing by the island.
If you?re going to Antigua, you?ll want a car to get around and there are several companies that do offer car hire in Antigua. By pre-booking a hire car on www.tripindicator.com, you can not only be assured your car with be ready for you when you land at the airport, you can also compare prices and ensure you get the best deal for your car hire needs.