Antigua and Barbuda - A beach for every day of the year

Locals love to brag that Antigua is home to 365 beaches. That's a beach for every day of the year! A beach! Every day! Whilst I cannot confirm if there are indeed that many, the three different resorts I stayed at had the most amazing beaches: Carlise Bay, Blue Waters and Gally Bay. What is not open to debate is that a holiday in Antigua will provide pure relaxation and (what we ALL need) a change of scenery. Life is slow there, but the tourist infrastructure is well established with hotels, bars and restaurants to suit everyone's expectations. The island is large enough to have a variety of places to go but small enough to get around it in one day. When planning your trip make sure that you have the weekend there as Sunday night is when to visit Shirley Heights. If you have seen a sunset picture from Antigua, chances are that it was taken from Shirley Heights. It's 487ft above the English Harbour and really does offer breathtaking Instagram moments. Also on Sundays, you can emerse yourself in some of the local entertainment. We saw a steel drum group and a reggae band. The bar is touristy, but there were some locals and after a few rum punches we were making new friends. If you can, try to visit during the first two weeks of August, as this is carnival time. I would highly recommend taking one of the many boat trips around the island. You can sail round the whole of Antigua in just half a day. It's amazing to get out on the water and look back at the beautiful coastline. The largest town on the island is St John’s, with its period architecture, coloured buildings, mad graffiti and gentle reggae vibes. On Saturday mornings there is a Heritage Market selling fresh fruit, where you'll see Antigua’s famous tiny pineapples, custard apples, green oranges, and massive avocados. There is also a smaller craft market attached to the main market where you can find locally made arts and crafts perfect for gifts or holiday keepsakes. If good seafood is your obsession, then you are in for a treat as there is no shortage. I had herring for breakfast, coconut shrimp for lunch and grilled butterfish with conch fritters for dinner. BBQs are also hugely popular. Don't miss the Caribbean spiced chicken, curried goat, yams, plantain, rice and beans. If you dare, you should definitely sample Susie’s Hot Sauce, which comes in various spice levels. Maybe don’t start with the one named Teardrops...! Direct flights from the UK on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.