Few sights are more inspiring than approaching any of the Caribbean islands from the air, but Antigua may be one of the most breathtaking! The marked contrasts of greenery in the higher hills, falls sharply from towering cliffs into the deep blue of the sea. Other sections of the island possess long, shallow flats exhibiting an unforgettable turquoise shade that changes gradually as it descends into the open ocean. Antigua is truly the best tropical paradise in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean!
One quickly notices the British influence in the language and the right-hand drive vehicles that motor down the wrong side of the road. Also, the billboards and conversation on Antigua often turns to cricket, which seems to be the passion of everyone on the island. In fact, the local culture is so absorbed in this English game that matches may be playing anywhere and at any time. Official cricket events, however, are scheduled Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The cricket season lasts from January to July and is interspersed with regional and international matches that are held in outstanding facilities.
Though Siboney, Arawak, and Carib Indians had inhabited Antigua as early as 2400 BC, the first European connection was made when Christopher Columbus passed and named the island on his second voyage in 1493. The first colony was set up by the British in 1632, and within 50 years, the island began the sugar era with slaves from Africa. Today, the majority of the Antiguan population is tied directly to those Africans who toiled for years in the sugarcane fields and operated the hundreds of mills. The remnants of those structures, built from the ballast stones of merchant ships, have become a distinctive trademark of Antigua. They appear as stone pillboxes and are scattered all over the island as a reminder of the past.
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