Codrington Lagoon National Park

Codrington Lagoon National Park protects the great brackish lagoon that runs almost the entire west coast of Barbuda, the quieter of the two main islands. The lagoon spreads across roughly 3,600 hectares behind a long, low sand bar, and it was named a Ramsar wetland of international importance on 2 June 2005 (Ramsar site no. 1488). Mangroves, seagrass, and shallow flats make it one of the richest wildlife habitats in the eastern Caribbean.

The park's headline resident is the magnificent frigatebird. The colony on Man of War Island, in the northern arm of the lagoon, is the largest in the Caribbean, with roughly 2,500 breeding pairs. In the breeding season the males inflate their scarlet throat pouches like balloons to attract a mate, and you can drift within a few metres of the nests by boat. This is the same protected colony described on our Frigate Bird Sanctuary page.

The seaward side of the bar is where Barbuda earns its fame: an almost unbroken 17-mile beach, parts of it flushed faintly rose by crushed shell, which we cover on the Pink Sand Beach page. Behind it the lagoon's mangrove channels shelter juvenile fish, herons, pelicans, and the occasional roseate tern, while the flats draw migrating shorebirds. The water is calm and shallow, ideal for snorkelling and slow exploration.

There are no roads to the colony, so visits go by small boat from the village of Codrington, usually with a local guide who knows the channels and the birds' breeding cycle. Allow a half day for the round trip and a beach stop. Bring everything you need (water, sun cover, and any food), because services on Barbuda are limited and there are none at the colony itself.