Antigua's V. C. Bird International Airport (ANU) (PHONE:268/462-4672), on the northeast coast, is a major hub for traffic between Caribbean islands and for international flights.

Carriers

American Airlines (PHONE:800/433-7300; 268/462-0950 in Antigua; www.aa.com) has daily direct service from New York and Miami, and operates several flights from San Juan that connect with flights from more than 100 U.S. cities.

Air Canada (PHONE:888/247-2262; 268/462-1147 in Antigua; www.aircanada.ca) has nonstop service from Toronto.

Air Jamaica (PHONE:800/523-5585; 268/562-4152 in Antigua; www.airjamaica.com) flies direct daily from New York.

BWIA (PHONE:800/538-2942; 268/480-2925; 268/480-2942 in Antigua; www.bwee.com) has nonstop service from New York, Miami, and Toronto.

Carib Aviation (PHONE:268/462-3147; www.candoo.com/carib) flies daily to Barbuda, as well as to neighboring islands.

Antigua-based Caribbean Star (PHONE:268/480-2591; www.flycaribbeanstar.com) promises a "whole new altitude" with daily flights to and from several islands.

Continental Airlines (PHONE:800/231-0856; 268/462-5355 in Antigua; www.continental.com) offers nonstop service from Newark and Miami.

LIAT (PHONE:888/844-5428 or 268/480-5600; www.liatairline.com) has daily flights to and from many other Caribbean islands.

US Airways (PHONE:800/428-4322; 268/480-5700 in Antigua; www.usairways.com) offers direct service from Baltimore and Philadelphia.

From the U.K.

British Airways (PHONE:0845/77-333-77; 268/462-0876 in Antigua; www.britishairways.com) has nonstop service from London.

Virgin Atlantic (PHONE:0129/374-7747; 268/560-2079 in Antigua; www.virginatlantic.com) offers nonstop London flights.

Transfers Between the Airport and Town

Taxis meet every flight, and drivers will offer to guide you around the island. The taxis are unmetered, but rates are posted at the airport, and drivers must carry a rate card with them. The fixed rate from the airport to St. John's is US$9 (although drivers have been known to quote in EC dollars), to Dickenson Bay $13, and to English Harbour $26.

Banks

Banks have varying hours but are generally open Monday-Thursday 8-2 and Friday 8-4.

Post Offices

Post offices are open Monday-Saturday 9-4.

Shops

Although some stores still follow the tradition of closing for lunch, most are open Monday-Saturday 9-5, especially in season; if a cruise ship is in port, shops in Heritage and Redcliffe Quays are likely to open Sunday.

Arriving in the Caribbean

Although customs inspectors in some countries inspect all baggage to allay their concerns about smuggling or drug running, many islands wave those tourists who have no goods to declare through customs inspections with only a cursory question or two. Exceptions include major hubs within the Caribbean, such as Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Antigua. If you're yachting through the islands, note that harbor customs are often thorough, as well.

These rules generally apply throughout the Caribbean: you are limited to bringing in 2 liters of alcohol, two cartons of cigarettes, and a reasonable amount of duty-free goods for your personal use. More than that, and you'll be asked to pay a hefty import tax.

Antigua runs on 110 volts, allowing the use of most small North American appliances. Outlets are both two- and three-pronged, so bring an adapter.

United Kingdom

British High Commission (11 Old Parham Rd., St. John's, PHONE:268/462-0008 or 268/562-2124; www.fco.gov.uk).

United States

United States Consulate (Hospital Hill, Pigeon Point, English Harbour, PHONE:268/463-6531, FAX: 268/460-1569, usembassy.state.gov).

Ambulance (PHONE:268/462-0251).

Fire (PHONE:268/462-0044).

Police assistance (PHONE:268/462-0125 or 268/460-718789).

Hospital

Holberton Hospital (Hospital Rd., St. John's, PHONE:268/462-0251).

Pharmacies

City Pharmacy (St. Mary's St., St. John's, PHONE:268/480-3314).

Woods Pharmacy (Woods Centre, Friar's Hill Rd., St. John's, PHONE:268/462-9287).

Antiguans are extremely proud, and don't take kindly to strangers snapping photos without first asking permission.

Orientation

Virtually all taxi drivers double as guides, and you can arrange an island tour with one for about $25 an hour. Every major hotel has a cabbie on call and may be able to negotiate a discount, particularly off-season.

Antours (Long and Thames Sts., St. John's, PHONE:268/462-4788), by far the most professional outfit on Antigua, gives half- and full-day island tours that focus on such highlights as Shirley Heights and English Harbour. Antours is also the island's American Express representative.

Special-Interest

Jolly Harbour-based Caribbean Helicopters (PHONE:268/460-5900; www.caribbeanhelicopters.net) offers bird's-eye views both of the island and of Montserrat's ruins and still simmering volcano. Trips last anywhere from 15-45 minutes; prices run $75-$190.

Day-trippers can experience Barbuda through a tour by D&J Tours (PHONE:268/773-9766), which includes a round-trip flight, beach picnic, and full tour for $160.

Estate Safari Adventure (PHONE:268/463-4713) operates tours to the interior, where there are few marked trails and roads are rough. The cost (about $60 per person) includes lunch and snorkeling at a secluded beach.

Tropikelly (PHONE:268/461-0383) offers four-wheel-drive off-road adventures enabling you to fully appreciate the island's topography and rich history. Hiking is involved, though it's not strenuous. Four-wheel-drive tours with hikes are $65; bike tours cost $35; and hikes through the rain forest run $20.

Health-care standards vary from island to island in the Caribbean. The staff at your hotel can recommend a doctor, dentist, clinic, or hospital should a need arise. Sometimes, particularly at family resorts, a nurse is on-site during the day and a doctor is on call. Doctor visits, incidentally, can be costly -- even on islands where the general cost of living would make you think otherwise. Doctors and hospitals may require cash payment or take a major credit card; Medicare, Medicaid, and many U.S. medical insurance policies are not valid outside the U.S.

Divers' Alert

Do not fly within 24 hours of scuba diving.

Food and Drink

Traveler's diarrhea, caused by eating contaminated fruit or vegetables or drinking contaminated water, isn't a big problem in the Caribbean, but it does occur. So watch what you eat. Avoid ice, uncooked food, and unpasteurized milk and milk products, and drink only bottled water or water that has been boiled for several minutes, even when brushing your teeth. Mild cases may respond to Imodium (known generically as loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol, both of which can be purchased over the counter. Drink plenty of purified water or tea -- chamomile is a good folk remedy. In severe cases, rehydrate yourself with a salt-sugar solution (½ teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar per quart of water).

Over-the-Counter Remedies

Island drug stores and supermarkets are well stocked with familiar over-the-counter medicines and other health products that you might need. If you don't see precisely what you want, ask the pharmacist to recommend an appropriate substitute. If you can only use a specific or an uncommon medicine, be sure to bring a sufficient supply with you.

Pests and Other Hazards

The major health risk in the Caribbean is sunburn or sunstroke. Having a long-sleeve shirt, a hat, and long pants or a beach wrap available is essential on a boat, for midday at the beach, and whenever you go out sightseeing. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 -- especially if your complexion is fair -- and apply it liberally on your nose, ears, and other sensitive and exposed areas. Make sure the sunscreen is waterproof if you're engaging in water sports, limit your sun time for the first few days, and drink plenty of liquids, monitoring intake of caffeine and alcohol, which hasten the dehydration process.

Even experienced swimmers should exercise caution in waters on the windward (Atlantic Ocean) side of the islands. The unseen currents, powerful waves, strong undertows, and rocky bottoms can be extremely dangerous -- and lifeguards are rare. Even in the calmest water, watch out for black, spiny sea urchins; stepping on one is guaranteed to be painful for quite some time.

The small lizards native to the islands are harmless (and actually keep down the bug population), and poisonous snakes are hard to find. Beware of the manchineel tree, which grows near the beach and has green applelike fruit that is poisonous and bark and leaves that can burn the skin. The worst insect problem may well be the tiny no-see-ums (sand flies) that appear after a rain, near swampy ground, and around sunset; mosquitoes can also be annoying. Bring along a good repellent.

Shots and Medications

No special shots or vaccinations are required for Caribbean destinations.

Antigua's official language is English, and it's often spoken with a heavy West- Indian lilt.

Airmail letters to North America cost EC$1.50; postcards, EC75¢. Letters to the United Kingdom cost EC$1.80; postcards EC90¢. Letters to Australia and New Zealand are EC$1.80, postcards EC90¢. Airmail between Caribbean islands and cities in the United States or Canada takes 7-14 days; surface mail can take 4-6 weeks. Airmail to the United Kingdom takes 2-3 weeks, to Australia and New Zealand, 3-4 weeks.

The main post office is at the foot of High Street in St. John's. Note that there are no postal codes; when addressing letters to the island, you need only indicate the address and "Antigua, West Indies."

Courier services (such as Airborne, FedEx, UPS, and others) operate throughout the Caribbean, although not every company serves each island. "Overnight" service is more likely to take two or more days, because of the limited number of flights on which packages can be shipped.

ATMs

ATMs are available at the island's banks and at the airport.

Bank of Antigua (High and Thames Sts., Antigua, PHONE:268/480-5300).

Barclays Bank (High St., Antigua, PHONE:268/480-5000).

Credit Cards

Most hotels, restaurants, and duty-free shops take major credit cards; all accept traveler's checks.

Currency

Local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$), which is tied to the U.S. dollar and fluctuates only slightly. American dollars are readily accepted, although you'll usually receive change in EC dollars.

Taxes

Hotels collect an 8½% government room tax; some restaurants will add a 7% tax. Hotels and restaurants usually add a 10% service charge to your bill.

The departure tax is $20, payable in cash only -- either U.S. or E.C. currency.

Tipping

In restaurants it's customary to leave 5% beyond the regular service charge added to your bill if you're pleased with the service. Taxi drivers expect a 10% tip, porters and bellmen about $1 per bag. Maids are rarely tipped, but if you think the service exemplary, figure $2-$3 per night. Staff at all-inclusives aren't supposed to be tipped unless they've truly gone out of their way.

When traveling internationally, carry your passport even if you don't need one (it's always the best form of I.D.) and make two photocopies of the data page (one for someone at home and another for you, carried separately from your passport). If you lose your passport, promptly call the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police.

Entering Antigua

U.S. and Canadian citizens need proof of identity. A valid passport is most desirable, but a birth certificate is acceptable provided it has a raised seal and has been issued by a county or state (not a hospital), and provided that you also have some type of photo identification, such as a driver's license. A driver's license by itself is not sufficient, nor is a voter registration card. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom need passports. All visitors must present a return or ongoing ticket.

Passport Offices

The best time to apply for a passport, or to renew your old one, is in fall or winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.

Australian Citizens

Australian Passport Office (PHONE:131-232; www.passports.gov.au).

Canadian Citizens

Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G3, PHONE:819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868; www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/passport).

New Zealand Citizens

New Zealand Passport Office (PHONE:04/474-8100 or 0800/22-5050; www.passports.govt.nz).

U.K. Citizens

London Passport Office (PHONE:0870/521-0410; www.passport.gov.uk).

U.S. Citizens

National Passport Information Center (PHONE:900/225-5674; travel.state.gov/passport_services.html). Calls are 35¢ per minute for automated service, $1.05 per minute for operator service.

Throughout the Caribbean, incidents of petty theft are increasing. Leave your valuables in the hotel safe-deposit box; don't leave them unattended in your room, on a beach, or in a rental car. Also, the streets of St. John's are fairly deserted at night, so it's not a good idea to wander about alone.

To call Antigua from the United States, dial 1, then area code 268, then the local seven-digit number.

Few hotels have direct-dial phones, but it's easy enough to make connections through the switchboard. You can use the Caribbean Phone Card (available in $5, $10, and $20 denominations in most hotels and post offices) for local and long-distance calls. Phone-card phones work much better than the regular coin-operated phones.

To place a local call, simply dial the local seven-digit number.

International Calls

To call the United States and Canada, dial 1, the area code, and the seven-digit number, or use the phone card or one of the "CALL USA" phones, which are available at several locations, including the airport departure lounge, the cruise terminal at St. John's, and the English Harbour Marina. These take credit cards and, supposedly, calling cards (though Cable & Wireless tacks on a fee).

The country code for the United States and Canada is 1; for Australia, 61; for New Zealand, 64; and for the United Kingdom, 44.

Tourist Offices

In Antigua

There is a tourist-information desk at the airport, just beyond the immigration checkpoint.

Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism (Newgate St., St. John's, PHONE:268/463-0125, FAX: 268/462-2483).

Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association (Newgate St., St. John's, PHONE:268/462-0374).

At Home

Antigua and Barbuda Tourist Offices (610 5th Ave., Suite 311, New York, NY, 10020, PHONE:212/541-4117 or 888/268-4227; www.antigua-barbuda.org).

Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) (80 Broad St., New York, NY, 10004, PHONE:212/635-9530, FAX: 212/635-9511).

The Caribbean high season is traditionally winter -- from December 15 to April 14 -- when northern weather is at its worst. During this season you're guaranteed the most entertainment at resorts and the most people with whom to enjoy it. It's also the most fashionable, the most expensive, and the most popular time to visit -- and most hotels are heavily booked. You must make reservations at least two or three months in advance for the very best places (sometimes a year in advance for the most exclusive spots).

Hotel prices drop 20%-50% after April 15; airfares and cruise prices also fall. Saving money isn't the only reason to visit the Caribbean during the off-season. Temperatures are only a few degrees warmer than at other times of the year, and many islands now schedule their carnivals, music festivals, and other events during the off-season. Late August, September, October, and early November are least crowded.

The Caribbean climate is fairly constant. The average year-round temperatures for the region are 78°F-88°F. The temperature extremes are 65°F low, 95°F high; but it's the humidity, not the heat, that makes you suffer, especially when the two go hand in hand.

As part of the late-fall rainy season, hurricanes occasionally sweep through the Caribbean. Check the news daily and keep abreast of brewing tropical storms. The rainy season consists mostly of brief showers interspersed with sunshine. You can watch the clouds thicken, feel the rain, then have brilliant sunshine dry you off, all while remaining on your lounge chair. A spell of overcast days or heavy rainfall is unusual, as everyone will tell you.

Holidays

Public holidays are New Year's Day, Good Friday (usually late March to April), Easter Sunday and Monday (usually late March to April), Labour Day (1st Monday in May), Whit Monday (2nd Monday in June), Independence Day (November 1), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (December 26).

You'll see two bus stations in St. John's, one near the Botanical Gardens and one near Central Market, but don't expect to see many buses. Schedules follow island time, which is to say that privately owned vehicles roll when the spirit (infrequently) moves them.

Car Rentals

Costs average about $55 per day in season, with unlimited mileage, though you may get a better rate if you rent for several days. Most agencies offer automatic, stick-shift, and right- and left-hand drive. Four-wheel-drive vehicles ($60 per day) will get you more places and are refreshingly open; they are also useful because so many roads are full of potholes.

In Antigua

Avis (PHONE:268/462-2840).

Budget (PHONE:268/462-3009).

Dollar (PHONE:268/462-0362).

Hertz (PHONE:268/462-4650 or 268/481-4440).

National (PHONE:268/462-2113).

Thrifty (PHONE:268/462-8803 or 268/462-9532).

At Home

Avis (PHONE:800/331-1084; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 0870/606-0100 in the U.K.; 02/9353-9000 in Australia; 09/526-2847 in New Zealand; www.avis.com).

Budget (PHONE:800/527-0700; 0870/156-5656 in the U.K.; www.budget.com).

Dollar (PHONE:800/800-6000; 0124/622-0111 in the U.K.; where it's affiliated with Sixt; 02/9223-1444 in Australia; www.dollar.com).

Hertz (PHONE:800/654-3001; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 020/8897-2072 in the U.K.; 02/9669-2444 in Australia; www.hertz.com).

National Car Rental (PHONE:800/227-7368; 020/8680-4800 in the U.K.; www.nationalcar.com).

Requirements

To rent a car, you need a valid driver's license and a temporary permit ($20), available through the rental agent.

Road Conditions

The main roads, by and large, are in good condition, although there are bronco-busting dirt stretches leading to some more remote locations and a few hilly areas that flood easily and become impassable for a day or two.

Rules of the Road

Driving is on the left, although many locals drive in the middle -- or think nothing of stopping at the roadside to chat. Don't be flustered by honking: it's the Caribbean version of hello.

You can rent Honda or Yamaha motorcycles for $35 per day ($150 per week) at J. T.'s Rent-A-Scoot (Parham, PHONE:268/463-3578).

Taxis are unmetered, and although fares mount up quickly, rates are fixed (your driver should have a rate card). Some cabbies may take you from St. John's to English Harbour and wait for a "reasonable" amount of time (about a half hour) while you look around, for about $40.

You can always call a cab from the St. John's taxi stand (PHONE:268/462-5190; 268/460-5353 for 24-hour service).