A lot of entertainment  

If you are a lover of the sun, the Caribbean evenings, the warm and transparent sea, the history, the music of "steel bands", the informal restaurants, to eat lobster, to play golf, to walk, to mount horse and to practice aquatic sports, some vacations in Antigua would be the perfect option for you.  
 
 
But if all those reasons were not enough to visit this corner of the Caribbean, there are many other reasons, as the enormous number of beaches that possesses, the truth is that Antigua has enough beaches to satisfy all the likes and views.  
 


 
   
 

Bearded  

If you think that Antigua is a magnificent place to move away from the upset modern life, then you should know Bearded, located to 43 kilometers toward the north. This island has a little poppulation (approximately 1.500 inhabitants) and is the favorite hiding place of celebrities, executives and members of the royalty that look for a place where to escape from all the bustle.  
The best form of describing is say that Bearded is a giant beach skirted of palms, is almost impossible to find prints of feet in anyone of their infinite beaches of white or pink sand, the not very deep waters that skirt the island keep dozens of ships that shipwrecked, and the coralline barriers are the desire of any lover of the diving or of the esnórquel.  
To the island you can arrive by air, leaving from International Airport of Antigua and 20 minutes later you arrive in  Codrington lands, in Bearded. you can also travel in train, in a journey of three hours.  
 
 
The other great party of the island is "the Carnival", this incredible party has a duration of ten days. In the last week of July and the first week of August, the inhabitants of this island, and the to tourists of all parts of the world too, enjoy a show of perfectly elaborated disguises, with music until the dawn, parades of coaches, calypso competitions, abundant rum and typical food for all sides.  
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
Gastronomy of Bearded  
From fine plates of flavorful products of the sea, until simple and exotic local menus. In this place is typical the golden, the tuna, the flying fish, the lobster, the turtle and in the exotic food exist "sea eggs", they are milled eggs of hedgehog marine, misty or prepared to the pleasure.  
 
 
As local specialties it is recommended to opt for the "cou-cou", made of flour of corn and "quimbombó." It is also recommended the "roti" a Hindu-Caribbean plate that consists on meat to the curry wrapped in chipatee and the "conkies", mixture of flour of corn, coconut, raisins, potatoes and spices, all this is served in banana leaf. As drink, it cannot leave of Bearded without taking at least a "chupito of rum", but for people that don't like drink, is recommended the "Mauby", made of barks of sugar and spices. This drink is very easy of getting in almost all the points of the island.  
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
Beaches  
Without a doubt, the main attractiveness of Antigua is the fabulous beaches. There are in all the sizes and ways, from those very small (less than 100 meters, skirted of palms), until immense arches of more than three kilometers long.  
"Fort James", near St. John's, is the favorite beach of the tourists that arrive for only some hours, and then they continue the trip in cruises. To the north, next to the coast of the Caribbean, the white sand mark the landscape of the bays Runaway and Dickenson, where are a big number of the tourist complexes and sport facilities of the island. "Friends", "Coconut Grove" and other bars and coffees of intimate atmosphere, are excellent stops for those who choose to come to swim in this area.  
 
 
To the southeast, the Bay "Half Moon" is a romantic retirement that shows off of possessing the most beautiful beach and fewer visited of Antigua. Other gentle corners are the beaches of the "Bay Carlisle" in the south, and the beach "Darkwood" of sand of  ivory color, you can arrive in five minutes in automobile from the Bay Jolly Harbour, famous for their tourist complexes and the casino Grand Princess.  
 
 
With hardly 22,5 kilometers long and 18 kilometers wide, Antigua is the paradise of the lovers of the aquatic sports. The Diving, sailing, esnórquel, fishes of high sea and little trips in catamaran, they are only some options that can be enjoyed here.  
 
 


 
 
 
It indexes  
Interval Latin America have  
Year: January of 2006  
Author: Michael Defreitas  
I title: Antigua, the entrance door to the Caribbean-Bearded, non Barbados