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Voykit pocket guide · Antigua and Barbuda
St John's
St John's is a half-day town from your beach: the museum, the market and the quays in a morning before the heat, on a day when no cruise ship is in, and a taxi back by 14:00.
Antigua's capital is small, flat and hot, and most visitors sleep at the beaches. The trips that go wrong take the same day as three cruise ships, go on a Sunday when the market and many shops are shut, or try to walk back to the beach. Four small clusters cover the town; keep your beach bed and treat St John's as a taxi-and-walk morning.
- Country
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · Dec
- Time zone
- America/Antigua
- Stay
- 1 days: Museum, quays and market on one morning, taxi back to the beach
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- XCD
- Money
- Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and shops; cash (EC or US dollars) is needed for the market, buses, taxis and small cafés.
- Daily spend
- Budget EC$80–150 excl. bed · Mid EC$150–350 excl. bed · High EC$350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Digicel or FLOW prepaid SIM at the airport or in town; take your passport and an unlocked phone.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 (also 999); confirm with your hotel and save your insurer's line
- Plugs
- 230 V, 60 Hz; sockets take US flat-pin (A, B) and UK three-pin (G) plugs in different buildings. Bring an adapter and check your devices take 230 V.
- Tipping
- A service charge of about 10% is often added; if not, 10-15% in restaurants. Small tips for porters and drivers.
- Water
- Drink bottled or filtered water; tap water is not recommended for visitors.
- Toilets
- Museum, quay arcades, cafés and hotels; carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or soft drink | EC$5-12 |
| Café lunch | EC$30-70 |
| Market lunch (cook shop, plate) | EC$15-30 |
| Beer in a bar | EC$6-12 |
| Short taxi in town | EC$10-25 |
| Taxi ANU to St John's town | EC$35-55 (check posted rate) |
| Museum entry | EC$10-15 (check) |
| Public bus ride | EC$3-6 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU)
- ANU to St John's or the beaches: one licensed taxi at the posted fare, 15–30 minutes; the risk is a late flight, when the taxi rank thins and small guesthouses lock the door.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU) (V.C. Bird International) | Most flights, from the US, UK, Canada and the Caribbean | Taxi 15 to 25 min |
| West Bus Station | Minibuses to the west and south-west coast | Walk 5 to 10 min |
| East Bus Station | Minibuses to the east and the south | Walk 10 to 15 min |
| Barbuda ferry terminal (check) (Ferry) | Barbuda; schedules limited | Taxi 10 min |
Typical fares
- Airport to town
- EC$35-55 by taxi; check the posted list
- Taxi in town
- EC$10-25 for a short hop; agree first
- Public bus
- EC$3-6; cash, small notes
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster in the morning; take a taxi between clusters or to the beach. Rental cars work if you are comfortable driving on the left on narrow, potholed roads.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Between the quays, museum, cathedral and market, before 11:00Between the quays, museum, cathedral and market, before 11:00 AM |
| Taxi (posted or agreed fare) | EC$10-25 short hop; EC$35-55 ANU to town | Beach to town, airport, out-of-town stops |
| Minibus (public bus) | EC$3-6 | Cheap local rides in daylight |
| Rental car | US$50-90 a day plus a local licence (about US$20) | English Harbour, Betty's Hope, a day off the beach |
| Tour with driver | US$100-200 half day for the car (check) | English Harbour, Shirley Heights, islandwide |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Taxis do not use meters: use the posted fare list.
- Late at night
- No rail; taxis run into the evening and become scarce late.
See and do
01Museum of Antigua and Barbuda
The best hour in town on history, and the best rain or heat stop.
Hours: best Morning · Price: EC$10-15 (check) · Time: 45-60 min · 17.1186, -61.8445
02Antigua Public Market
Fruit, fish and everyday town life, fullest Friday and Saturday mornings.
Hours: best Before 09:00 · Price: Free to walk · Time: 30-45 minHours: best Before 9:00 AM · Price: Free to walk · Time: 30-45 min · 17.1105, -61.8485
03St John's Cathedral
Twin towers, statues at the gate and a pitch-pine interior.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: Free · Time: 20-30 min · 17.1189, -61.8395
04Redcliffe Quay
Restored warehouses with courtyard shops, cafés and shade.
Hours: best Late morning · Price: Free · Time: 45-60 min · 17.1233, -61.8477
05Heritage Quay
Cool arcades, souvenir stalls and the cruise berth.
Hours: best Before 10:30 or when no ship is in · Price: Free · Time: 30-45 minHours: best Before 10:30 AM or when no ship is in · Price: Free · Time: 30-45 min · 17.1240, -61.8500
06Fort James
A harbour fort with cannon and a view; a short taxi from town.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 30-45 min · 17.1355, -61.8525
07Fort Barrington and Deep Bay
A short, steep climb for the best view over the harbour.
Hours: best Early morning · Price: Free · Time: 1.5 h with transport · 17.1246, -61.8683
08A cook-shop lunch
Pepperpot, saltfish or stew with rice and peas, eaten where locals do.
Hours: best 12:00-14:00 · Price: EC$15-30 · Time: 30-45 minHours: best 12:00 PM-2:00 PM · Price: EC$15-30 · Time: 30-45 min · 17.1115, -61.8478
09Shirley Heights Sunday party
Barbecue, steel pan and sunset over English Harbour; the island's best-known weekly party.
Hours: best Sunday afternoon · Price: US$20-40 entry (check) · Time: Evening
10A beach afternoon
The island is about its beaches; town is a morning, the sea is the afternoon.
Hours: best Afternoon · Price: Free · Time: Half day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard | Taxi or rental car, 45-60 min | Full day |
| Betty's Hope | Taxi or rental car, 30-40 min | Half day |
| Devil's Bridge | Taxi or rental car, 40-50 min | Half day |
| Barbuda | Ferry or small plane; confirm schedule | Full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Street cook shops | Cook-shop plate (stewed meat or saltfish with rice and peas) · Market Street | EC$15-30 | Budget |
| Public market fruit, juice and fish stalls | Fruit, juice and market snacks · Public market | EC$5-20 | Budget |
| Newgate Street bakery counters | Bake, sandwich or pastry with a drink · Newgate Street | EC$8-20 | Budget |
| Redcliffe Quay courtyard cafés | Courtyard lunch: grilled fish, salad, rum punch · Redcliffe Quay | EC$40-80 | Mid-range |
| Heritage Quay arcade cafés | Sandwich, wrap or lunch plate with AC · Heritage Quay | EC$25-60 | Mid-range |
| Dickenson Bay beach grills | Beach grill: fish, chicken, ribs · Dickenson Bay | EC$45-100 | Mid-range |
| Hotel and resort dining rooms | Seafood tasting, lobster in season, steak · Dickenson Bay and the south coast | EC$120-300 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate in EC dollars. Addresses and hours change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | EC$200-350 | St John's centre and guesthouses | Guesthouses and small hotels |
| mid | EC$450-900 | Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay | Beach hotels and apartments |
| splurge | EC$1,200+ | Beach resorts and villas | Resorts and private villas |
Per room per night in EC dollars, 2026 estimate; dry-season rates run 30-60% higher.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning / good afternoon | Good morningSay it when you enter a shop or a taxi. |
| Thank you | Thank youSay it with a smile; people notice. |
| How much is it? | How much is this?Ask before you take anything. |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say good morning or good afternoon when you enter a shop, a taxi or an office, before you ask anything. Skipping it reads as rude.
- Dress: Beachwear is for the beach. Cover shoulders and knees in town, shops, banks and churches.
- Camouflage: Never wear camouflage-pattern clothing: it is illegal for civilians and can be confiscated.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, especially sellers at the market. Some will ask for a small tip.
- Church: Go outside service times; be quiet, cover up and remove hats.
- Tipping: Check for a service charge (often about 10%); if there is none, 10-15% is normal in restaurants, and a small tip for porters and drivers.
Red lines
- Never wear camouflage-pattern clothing: it is illegal for civilians.
- Cover up in town, shops and churches; beachwear is for the beach.
- Ask before photographing people, especially sellers at the market.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unrequested bracelets, hair braiding or guiding on the quays are followed by a request for money: say no thanks and walk on.
- Taxi fares quoted at double the posted rate: check the rate list first.
- Free breakfast or a free tour in exchange for a timeshare meeting: decline.
One and two days
1 day
A full day with a fort in the morning
- 07:457:45 AMFort James by taxi
- 09:159:15 AMCathedral
- 10:0010:00 AMMuseum
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch in a cook shop or courtyard café
- 14:002:00 PMBeach
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com/
- Government of Antigua and Barbuda: ab.gov.ag/
- Wikivoyage — St. John's (Antigua): en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Saint_John%27s_(Antigua)
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
St John's
Please take me to
Please take me to
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911 (also 999); confirm with your hotel and save your insurer's line
Few embassies are on island. Note your embassy's number here before you fly (the US is served from Bridgetown, Barbados; check yours).
Small EC notes and coins are useful for the market, buses and taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/st-johns). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.