Most visitors stay on Antigua, the larger of the two islands: international flights land at V.C. Bird International Airport, the capital is St John's, and sailors make for English Harbour on the south coast, where the Georgian buildings of the Antigua Naval Dockyard are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Barbuda, to the north, is a ferry ride away, and the tourism board advertises 365 beaches across the pair. This is an independent country outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so a European SIM is charged at its own operator's roaming rates from the moment it connects.
Key facts for Antigua and Barbuda
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Flow (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: 999 or 911 for police, ambulance and fire
- Embassies: the UK has a high commission in St John's but gives consular help from Bridgetown, Barbados; the US has a consular agency in St John's
Entry: passport, ticket and ArriveAntigua
British passports must be valid for at least six months after the day you arrive, and British visitors can stay for up to 90 days without a visa; check the rules for your own passport. You must be able to show an onward or return ticket, and a yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country with a risk of transmission. The authorities suggest registering on ArriveAntigua.com to speed up entry: it is optional, opens only on a mobile phone or tablet, and works only within 72 hours of travel. Most airlines include the departure tax in the fare, but check if you fly with a regional airline.
Arriving by yacht, and the sea
Skippers must contact the Antigua Port Authority on VHF Channel 16 at least six hours before arrival and follow its instructions on where to clear in, while cruise passengers follow the protocols their cruise line sets on board. If you sleep on a yacht, secure it as carefully as you would a hotel room. In the water, the pull of the current is often stronger than it looks, and many beaches have neither lifeguards nor warning flags.
Taxis, roads and the crossing to Barbuda
Taxis have no meters. Fares are fixed by zone, so agree the price in local currency before setting off; drivers often take US dollars as well as Eastern Caribbean dollars. To drive, you need a temporary local licence, which hire companies usually arrange and the Transport Board or police stations issue against your home licence. Traffic keeps left, roads have potholes and unmarked speed bumps, and pedestrians often walk in the road. Do not stop for people flagging you down, and after an accident call the police and leave the vehicle where it is. Barbuda is reached by ferry from Antigua, so check the sailing times before planning a day there.
Laws worth knowing
It is illegal to smoke in public places, and you can be arrested for doing so. Camouflage clothing is banned for everyone, children included, and all drug offences carry severe penalties, so pack your own luggage and never carry anything through customs for someone else. Antigua and Barbuda no longer has a law against same-sex sexual acts, but public displays of affection are uncommon for any couple and can attract negative attention.
Crime, hurricanes and health
Murders, armed robberies and sexual assaults have all been reported. Keep valuables and documents in a hotel safe, stay away from isolated places, beaches included, after dark, and take extra care at street and beach parties in the festival season; resisting a robbery can provoke a violent response. The hurricane season normally runs from June to November, so follow the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services and any evacuation order. Earthquakes are a risk too. The main government hospital handles many treatments, but serious cases may need evacuation, care can be expensive, and private clinics may not accept travel insurance as payment. Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are present.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installed at home has your phone online as you walk out of V.C. Bird, with maps, messages and weather warnings working before you reach the taxi rank. An Antigua and Barbuda plan suits a stay in the country, a Caribbean plan also includes Montserrat, linked to Antigua by ferry, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, and a World plan fits a longer trip. Your own SIM can stay in the phone to receive bank codes, as long as its data roaming is switched off.
Consular protection: who to call in Antigua and Barbuda
- In an emergency, dial 999 or 911 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police.
- The British High Commission in St John's does not provide consular services, so British nationals get help from the High Commission in Bridgetown, Barbados. The US Embassy in Bridgetown covers the country and has a consular agency in St John's, and France helps its citizens from its embassy in Saint Lucia.
- Look up the mission responsible for Antigua and Barbuda for your own passport in the Telcomia app, which lists its address and phone number.
- EU citizens whose country has no embassy or consulate covering Antigua and Barbuda can ask the mission of any other EU country, such as France, for help, and it must treat them as it would its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- English is the official language.
Questions travellers ask about Antigua and Barbuda
Will my EU mobile plan work in Antigua and Barbuda?
Only on roaming, at prices your operator sets, because the country is outside Roam Like at Home.
Is smoking allowed in public?
No. Smoking in public places is illegal, and the UK warns that offenders can be arrested.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Antigua and Barbuda?
Flow, on 4G where available.
How do I get to Barbuda?
By ferry from Antigua or by private boat; check the sailing times before you plan a day there.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you fly, use ArriveAntigua on your phone in the last 72 hours if you want a quicker arrival, leave camouflage clothing at home, smoke only away from public places, agree taxi fares by zone before getting in, avoid empty beaches after dark, and keep 999 and 911 to hand.
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