There are several different methods to get around Antigua and Barbuda. Besides renting a vehicle, you may also consider the following:
Driving is on the left-hand side of the road and you will need to be over 21 years of age to drive a car in Antigua or Barbuda. You will also have to get a local driving permit that is valid for 90 days and can be usually acquired from the rental car agency of your choice (kindly check with them). At the moment of this writing, the permit costs $20. As for the speed limit, it is around 30 kph (about 20 mph) in residential areas and around 60 kph (nearly 40 mph) on other roads. To detect how fast you drive, local police may use roadside speed guns (no speed cameras have been installed so far).
Considering the driving experience per se, both Antigua and Barbuda are small islands, so everything can be easily reached by car in under an hour. The road infrastructure, on the other hand, is fairly good with the main roads being in generally reasonable condition. This is not always the case with smaller roads, though, which usually have potholes and slower-moving cars. That being said, the locals appear to be relaxed drivers that do not rush or exhibit the rather aggressive driving behaviours we often see in other Caribbean destinations. On the contrary, they will often stop alongside you at junctions to give you help or instructions if you need either one.
When headed toward the beaches, expect them to be adequately signposted. Finally, at this given time, Barbuda is on the road to recovery after the 2017 Hurricane Irma disaster, with most of its roads in still quite poor condition. However, it is expected to bounce fully back in a short time!
The standard voltage in Antigua and Barbuda is 230 V (standard frequency of 60 Hz). This means that travellers from the USA, Australia, Canada, and several more countries, European and not, will need to bring an adapter or voltage converter. As for the plug types in Antigua and Barbuda, they are either Type A or Type B. The first is a 2-pin plug while the second is a 2-pin plug with an extra grounding pin.
The CDC (the US Center for Disease Control) has advised against drinking Antigua’s tap water, while also deeming Barbuda’s tap water as unsafe to drink. However, many travellers and locals drink it without facing any health issues. Nevertheless, it is best to stay on the safest side and opt for bottled water, which is widely available and cost-effective.
Mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks cause the biggest concern in Antigua and Barbuda and are able to spread several diseases through their bites. Sadly, there are no vaccines or medicines to help prevent these diseases, which is why the only way to avoid bug bites and their potentially adverse effects is by acting precautionary.
So, try to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, especially after sunset or when around lush greenery. It is also wise to sleep in screened or A/C rooms and apply an appropriate insect repellent, such as a product that contains at least 20% DEET for protection against mosquitoes and ticks for several hours.
For protection against mosquito bites exclusively, you may use a product that contains any of the following substances as their main ingredient: DEET, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin (aka picaridin or bayrepel), PMD (para-menthane-diol), or 2-undecanone. Of course, the higher the percentage of the active compound, the longer the provided protection.
Finally, if you are beaten by a bug, you could apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching.
Just like the majority of the Caribbean islands, tipping is quite customary and common in Antigua and Barbuda. However, different things apply to different situations when it comes to tipping on the two islands. For example, a 10% tip if expected from you when taking a taxi in Antigua and Barbuda. For hotels, resorts, and villas, tipping is also anticipated, unlike other Caribbean destinations where it is not mandatory. So, the maid will expect around $2-3 EC$ from you per night, while you should tip the bellboy around that much (at least EC$2) per bag they carry.
Restaurants are a different story as they often add 10% to their bills. In this case, a 5% tip is quite common. If the restaurant bill does not include the 10% mentioned above, you should leave 15% of the bill as a tip. Finally, bartenders are usually tipped 10% of the bill, while all-inclusive resorts and hotels usually include a gratuity in their bills, so no need to leave a tip unless, of course, you want to, for receiving exceptional services. Nevertheless, kindly check the fine print to find out what is expected from you in regard to tipping.
