Despite the sunshine, the sailing and that 'thing' with Lord Nelson, it's all about the beaches as far as Antigua is concerned. In fact, most international visitors have to be restrained from giving all that white sand and blue water a standing ovation. These crescent-shaped showstoppers are also long enough and deserted enough for the kind of walks where hands are held and promises are made, the trade winds ensuring those essential golden tans are achieved with the minimum of effort.

Yes, life by the sea is a breeze in Antigua - especially with a glass of English Harbour rum in hand. You rarely get bothered by hawkers and that's not because any of these beaches are private, but because there are just too many of them to target. Hotels are sprinkled all around the coastline and you hardly ever come across the closely-packed rows of sun loungers that you see in Barbados nowadays. Jolly Harbour in the west and Dickenson Bay in the north are about as busy and as built-up as Antigua's coastline ever gets, both of them worth visiting for their natural attributes, of course, but not if you dislike oversized hotels where you have to climb up more than one flight of stairs.

Thankfully all of the luxury resorts in Antigua are dwarfed by palm trees and those like Curtain Bluff, Carlisle Bay and Jumby Bay are justifiably world-famous. How many other Caribbean islands can make the same claim? But no matter how special these five-star boltholes make you feel, its still well worth getting yourself a 4x4 and hitting the island's beauty spots. Even if that does mean dealing with the occasional pot hole, confusing road sign and wandering goat - and why is it that few people in Antigua ever bother to dip their headlights after dark?

But you'd kick yourself if you left the island without having beachcombed on Half Moon Bay, snorkelled off Bird Island or partied at Shirley Heights. All the coastline is beautiful, of course, but for interior beauty head for Fig Tree Drive in the south-west. And you simply have to give the charmingly nostalgic Nelson's Dockyard the once-over. Nelson himself famously hated it there, of course, but don't let a grumpy 18th century Admiral put you off. His mind was always on that Fanny Nisbet in Nevis anyway ...

A SHORTLIST OF HAUTE RESTAURANTS

LE BISTRO
Hodges Bay French fine dining
An island institution for 30 years, Le Bistro is the restaurant every well-heeled Antiguan saves for a special occasion. It's housed in a quaint stone building just inland from Hodges Bay and English part-owner Philippa Esposito always seems delighted to see you. Chef Patrick Gauducheau hails from the Vendée region of France and uses plenty of fresh local seafood in his gastronomic recipes. Menus only change twice a year and most people seem to have their own favourite dish!

CECILIA'S
Dutchman's Bay, near airport Mediterranean
Run by former Swedish model Cecilia Nord (now that's got your attention, gentlemen!) this timber-framed house on Dutchman's Bay has become one of Antigua's favourite places to eat. And that's not just because of its charming owner, but also because of its sublime setting, its Mediterranan menus and its welcoming 'shabby chic' vibe. The sorbets, mousses and floats show that Cecilia isn't one of those models afraid of dessert ...
Visit our Cecilia's page for more.

CAFÉ BAMBULA
Lower High Street, St. John's Mediterranean
Once you've done all your duty-free shopping in Redcliffe and Heritage Quays, head for this little wooden 'house' tucked away down a backstreet alley in St. John's. At first glance it's not up to much, but stick around and you can tuck into authentic Mediterranean cuisine with a definite nod towards France. The service is warm and friendly, the dessert menu distinguished by a banana dish that should come with an X-rating ...
Visit our Cafe Bambula page for more.

ABRACADABRA
Dockyard Drive, English Harbour Southern Italian
Authentically Italian thanks to chef 'Saggie' Piras and the legendary Caputo brothers, 'Abra's' is less a restaurant and more an experience. It's spread out over a rambling timber-framed 'house' just outside Nelson's Dockyard and really is a must-do if you're in the area. And at weekends, once you've filled up on its sauce-rich pasta or seafood dishes, you can stick around until midnight and get into its pulsating club scene.

CLOGGY'S
Antigua Yacht Club, Falmouth Harbour Mediterranean
A laid-back Mediterranean-inspired eatery run by Dutch husband-and-wife Vannessa and Ton Smit. It outgrew its quaint 'Abracadabra' annexe last year and is now spread out over the ground floor of the Antigua Yacht Club. The popular flame-grilled lobsters, home-made tapenades and 'naughty desserts' now come with glamorous views of the multi-million dollar yachts sailing into Falmouth Harbour. The nautical vibe is enhanced by the Docksider-wearing yachties on nearby tables discussing their next race ...
Visit our Cloggy's page for more.

REDCLIFFE QUAY
St. John's Waterfront

You're going to like Redcliffe Quay - and that's true even if you're not in the market for hot pepper sauce, home-made rum cakes or hand-crafted teddy bears! This cute-as-a-button shopping enclave on the St. John's waterfront has more than just local arts and crafts on sale. Limited edition jewellery, silver-inlaid walking sticks and hand-made Belgian chocolates are just some of its more exclusive ranges, not to mention the classic linens and couturière evening wear of its rather smart boutiques.

The icing on the cake is the whole historic vibe that's going on here -
in the 18th century Redcliffe Quay was one of the main trading places in
St. John's and it seems rather fitting that it still is. Most of today's busi-
nesses are housed in the original old sugar and coffee warehouses, their crumbling brick walls set off by wooden shutters painted in vibrant Caribbean colours.

And, of course, there are also some delightful bars and cafés waiting when you're finally ready for that slice of pizza, tasty Croque-monsieur or restorative glass of South African Chardonnay ...

Places of particular interest include:-

Noreen Phillips Couturière - cocktail dresses and formal evening wear
Zeitgeist - classic linen attire
Exotic Antigua - tropical clothing and accessories
The Pottery Shop - Sarah Fuller's local clay pottery
The Goldsmitty - handcrafted jewellery by Hans Smit
Isis - unique gift items
Café Napoleon - classy alfresco eatery
C & C Winebar - quaint bar specialising in South African vintages
Pizzas in Paradise - best pizza in Antigua!