Frequently asked questions

The Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD) is the currency of Antigua and Barbuda, and US dollars are widely accepted, according to Canadian government travel advice read on 9 October 2026. The rate is pegged: the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank's 2025-2026 annual report confirms EC$2.70 to US$1.00, which is the official peg and not a promise about the rate an individual merchant gives you. The US State Department says most establishments accept credit cards, and it warns that ATMs may be out of order or charge high fees. Money, tipping and ATMs are covered on the local tips page.

A local ride-hailing app, Swyft, advertises rides in Antigua with the fare shown before you book; whether Uber itself operates on the island is not confirmed by an official source as of 9 October 2026. Ordinary taxis are not metered. UK government travel advice says standard fares are set by zones and tells visitors to agree the fare, and the currency, before setting off. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority adds that fixed fares are posted at the airport and at taxi stands. Taxis, buses and rental cars are compared in the guide to getting around Antigua.

No, not for a short visit on a US, Canadian, UK or EU passport: the Antigua and Barbuda government's entry guidance on its CHOGM conference site lists all four as visa-exempt, as checked on 9 October 2026. UK guidance gives holders of a full British citizen passport a maximum visa-free stay of 90 days, a figure that is not a limit for other nationalities. Sources conflict on the online arrival form: the government page says it is required, UK guidance says it is not mandatory. The ArriveAntiguaBarbuda portal produces a QR code to present to immigration. The rest is on the visa and entry requirements page.

Yes, and how long it stays valid matters, because official sources state the rule three different ways. The UK government tells British travelers the passport needs at least 6 months of validity after the date of arrival. Canada's travel advice, updated on 26 May 2026, asks for 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave. The Antigua and Barbuda government's conference travel tips say only that the passport must be valid for your stay. A passport valid for 6 months past your departure date meets all three versions. Arrival practicalities are on the page for V.C. Bird International Airport.

For the driest weather, January to March. The Caribbean Regional Climate Centre's analysis of the V.C. Bird Airport weather station identifies those three months as the peak of the dry season and September to November as the wettest months. In that record, which covers 1971 to 2014, February averages 41.1 mm of rain and October 148.4 mm. This is a reading of historical rainfall, not an official ruling on the best month. January to March also falls outside the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November. For a ready-made plan, see the one-week Antigua itinerary.

Hurricane season in Antigua runs from 1 June to 30 November, the official Atlantic season as stated by NOAA's Hurricane Research Division. September is the peak, according to an Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service forecaster quoted by the Antigua Observer on 8 June 2026. The wettest stretch falls inside it: the Caribbean Regional Climate Centre identifies September to November as Antigua's wettest months, and its V.C. Bird Airport record for 1971 to 2014 shows October averaging 148.4 mm of rain. The dates are a seasonal definition, so a storm can still form outside them. Seasons and timing are covered in the Antigua travel guide for first-timers.

By ferry or by air. As of 9 October 2026, the Barbuda Express fare table lists adult fares of EC$175 (US$65) one way and EC$325 (US$120) return, effective 1 July 2026. Its boarding notice names Jolly Harbour Marina, at the dock in front of Sea Dream Restaurant, although its schedule table and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, which gives the crossing as 90 minutes, still say St. John's. Sailings are advertised daily, but Wednesday and Thursday departures involve an overnight stay. BMN SVG Airways advertises daily flights; Codrington Airport closed on 2 October 2024 and Barbuda International Airport opened the next day. Next, read the Barbuda travel guide.

Neither is better outright; the two coasts face different seas. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority places Jolly Beach on the west coast, on the Caribbean Sea, and describes powerful Atlantic breakers at Devil's Bridge on the east coast. It lists Jabberwock Beach, on the northeast coast, for body surfing and windsurfing. East does not always mean rough: Long Bay is on that side and is described as protected by its reef. On any coast, UK travel advice warns that currents can be strong and that beach safety provision varies. Compare one beach from each side on the pages for Jolly Beach and Jabberwock Beach.

The figure of 365 is the official tourism claim, but no official count backing the exact number has been found. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority promotes 365 beaches, and its beach page attributes that number to Antigua and Barbuda together, not to Antigua alone (as displayed on 9 October 2026). Its FAQ presents the one-beach-for-every-day line as a local saying. A numbered inventory, a counting method and the origin of the claim are all missing from the official material checked. Specific beaches are compared in the guide to the best beaches in Antigua.

Every beach in Antigua and Barbuda has a legal right of public access: Section 50 of the Physical Planning Act 2003 establishes at least one public landward access and right of way to each one. Where a development affects beach access, the Act requires public access to be maintained free of charge, and the Crown may acquire a right of way where no appropriate public route has been established. What the Act grants is a way onto the beach, not passage through every part of a resort or use of its facilities. Free beaches feature in the budget guide to Antigua.

You can, by day and mainly on routes out of St. John's. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority names the East and West bus stations in St. John's as the starting points for bus travel, with services between St. John's and surrounding villages from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., as listed on 9 October 2026. The same page warns that schedules can be unpredictable, so treat those hours as a window, not a timetable. Barbuda is the exception: the authority says public transportation is not available there. Taxis, which charge by zone and have no meters, are the alternative; see the guide to buses, taxis and car rental in Antigua.

A temporary Antigua and Barbuda driving license is what you need, alongside the license from home. The Antigua and Barbuda police licensing page asks for your original valid driver's license and a local address, and lists the fee as EC$50 or US$20, as of 9 October 2026. Under Section 40 of the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act the temporary license can cover any period up to three months, and the same section allows an authorized owner of self-drive rental vehicles to issue it. Traffic drives on the left. For the rental side, read the guide to driving and getting around Antigua.

Antigua Sailing Week runs from 21 to 25 April 2027, according to the regatta's official future-dates page, as displayed on 9 October 2026. Antigua Carnival is listed for 20 July to 3 August 2027 on the government of Antigua and Barbuda's website, as displayed on 9 October 2026; Antigua News reported the organizers' announcement on 4 August 2026, with the theme "Legendary 70" marking Carnival's 70th anniversary. Check the organizers' programme for the individual show dates before you book. Background on each is on the event pages for Antigua Sailing Week and Antigua Carnival.

Government advisories currently put Antigua and Barbuda in the normal-precautions category. The US State Department lists it at Level 1, Exercise normal precautions, in an advisory issued on 20 May 2026, and Canada's advice, updated on 26 May 2026, says to take normal security precautions. The UK page, last updated on 13 March 2026 and still current on 9 October 2026, shows no countrywide warning against travel. None of that means crime is absent: the UK guidance records incidents of violent crime, including armed robbery and sexual assault. Everyday precautions are covered on the travel insurance and safety page.

Dial 999 or 911 for ambulance, fire and police, the numbers listed in UK government travel advice as checked on 9 October 2026. Direct lines are separate from those emergency numbers: the Antigua and Barbuda police website publishes police headquarters on +1 268 462 0125 and Emergency Medical Services on 562 2432 or 562 2433. Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, the hospital formerly known as Mount St. John's Medical Centre, publishes +1 268 484 2700 on its own site. Save them before you travel; the full list is on the emergency contacts page.

Sales tax is meant to be inside the price you see. The Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) rose from 15% to 17% on 1 January 2024, and the government Statistics Division's technical note says prices on shelves, on menus and in advertisements had to reflect the revised pricing policy by 29 February 2024, so do not assume another 17% goes on top. A service charge is separate: Consumer Affairs guidance reported by Antigua News on 4 January 2024 deals with a 10% service charge where a business charges one, which does not establish that every restaurant does. Typical costs are in the Antigua costs and money tips guide.

Cruise ships dock in St. John's at Antigua Cruise Port, which describes five operational berths across the New Cruise Pier, Heritage Quay Pier and Nevis Street Pier. The operator's specifications, checked on 9 October 2026, list the New Cruise Pier at 440 meters with a water depth of 10.7 meters. For onward transport, the port's FAQ names the St. John's Taxi Association and sends passengers to any Guest Information Center or Taxi Dispatch Station. The tourism authority identifies Fort James and Deep Bay as beaches close to St. John's. Plan a day ashore with the Antigua cruise port guide and the Fort James Beach page.

American-style two-pin plugs, according to the Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association, which gives the supply as 220/110 volts AC at 60 Hz. The official sources do not agree on voltage, though: the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority's FAQ lists 240 volts at 50 cycles, with some hotels on 110 volts at 60 cycles. A 2016 technical assessment by IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, describes the grid at 60 hertz with several distribution voltages, including 120/240 V, 230 V and 115 V. No single figure holds for every property, so ask your accommodation which voltage its sockets supply. Power is one of the practical basics in the first-trip planning guide for Antigua.

For flights, usually not as a separate payment. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority says departure tax is included in the ticket price for departing passengers over 12 years old, as listed on 9 October 2026. UK government travel advice is more guarded: it says most airlines include departure tax in the cost of the flight, and it tells passengers flying with regional airlines to check before they travel whether their ticket covers it. No current government fee schedule giving the amount could be verified. Before the flight home, check the V.C. Bird International Airport page.

Camouflage clothing is illegal to wear in Antigua and Barbuda, and UK government travel advice states that the ban includes children. Canada's travel advice, updated on 26 May 2026, goes further than the clothes you have on: it lists carrying or importing items made of camouflage material as offenses too, which brings your luggage into scope. According to the Canadian page, offenders can face confiscation, fines or jail sentences. The rule is a local law, not a hotel dress code. Before you pack, go through the Antigua guide for first-timers.