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Information Pages
 Antigua may not have dozens of mega-discos, but there is a good reason for this: Our people and visitors alike are nature lovers, even when they party! Of course, in Antigua you will always find an air conditioned disco or casino to have fun. But generally, our night life takes place in the open. You may have many discos at home; but can you also dance under the moonlight in a warm winter night? Probably not, so join us under the palm-tree and let's dance!A funny way to party is on an excursion boat. There are plenty of them, on some you can play pirate and dance, on others you may enjoy happy chats with an ice-cold drink. As soon as you hear "bar is open", grab a rum punch or a beer. Don't worry about loosing your balance; anyhow it's hard to keep it on a boat. The several stops for a swim will maintain your head clear.  Back on shore, it will be what we call "happy hour". That is generally between 5 and 7 P.M., when most of the beach and hotel bars charge you half the price or give you two beers for the price of one. You will soon notice why the open-air is a better place to drink. And if you are in the right spot, your mood will lighten even more at the view of our gorgeous sunsets. Probably, that's why it is called "happy hour". The best spots to go for: Dickenson Bay, Jolly Harbour and English Harbour. Many beach bars and hotels also offer barbecue parties. Several places offer life bands on different days and nights, as well as Sunday brunches, Karaoke and other type of entertainment. Everywhere, the sound of calypso and reggae will keep your feet moving in the sand. Some people see it as entertainment; others hope to extend their vacation thanks to some luck at local casinos. If that is your intention, just gamble in one of our attractive casinos. In St.John's, you will find one just next to the cruise ship terminal, with slot machines, table games like blackjack, roulette and many more. The nice extra: there is a good old calypso band, regularly playing at the bar with a large crowd usually dancing and having fun. There are some more casinos in St. John's and on Dickenson Bay.  Most of our nightclubs and bars have stars, moon and clear skies for a ceiling. What they all have in common is tropical rhythm, dancing and sumptuous - sometimes rapturous - tropical drinks. The open-air flair, the fragrance of the surrounding gardens and the devilish sounds of the band will mesmerize you: spend some unforgettable, and why not, romantic nights dancing among the old walls of Nelson's Dockyard, watching the gentle rocking of white yachts in the harbour. And be assured that we have some of the most famous calypso and steel bands of the Caribbean. You will certainly have an opportunity to enjoy some of them. The trendiest place to spend a night of fun - here called "jammin" - is certainly at English Harbour, including Nelson's Dockyard. There are several spots there that you shouldn't miss. Some offer heavy disco music till early in the morning. Others have great jazz bands or piano music on the menu, or stick to local calypso, reggae and hip-hop, sometimes with life DJ. Latin music is also very much "en vogue", mainly due to the presence of people of the Dominican Republic and Venezuela on the island. On the West Coast next to Crab Bay Beach, don't miss the life bands playing every Thursday in "3 MARTINI", a very pretty and romantic spot facing the Caribbean Sea. They have rooms where you can spend the night if the party gets too wild and you can't drive anymore! In and around St. John's, some bars offer jazz and disco music. If you go to Redcliffe Quay at aperitif time, don't miss C&C Wine House, for a relaxing and stylish beginning of the evening. This lovely wine bar specializes in South-African wines, and will charm wine lovers and connaisseurs in their tastefully arranged bodega, where you can taste wines you never dreamed about.  Many resorts organize entertaining shows with local folklore and limbo shows. But nobody visits Antigua without spending a memorable Sunday party at Shirley Heights, a lofty peak overlooking English Harbour. It starts every Sunday around 3 P.M., when Antigua's best steel bands - and sometimes guests from other islands - wake up the public with their wild and crazy tunes; you wouldn't believe what they are able to play on apparently simple drums! Enjoy the barbecue, while the exhausted musicians give way to calypso and soca bands. The ambiance grows to a paroxysm around 6 P.M., when the sun starts to set next to the mountains of Montserrat. Everybody is "hot hot hot", cameras are clicking non-stop and dancing gets wilder every moment.
 And then, when the golden sun has drown in the Caribbean and the sky shows every color of the rainbow, the bar serves its hottest cocktails and the dancers remain in trance until the end of the party at 10 P.M.: Time to go down the mountain, and find a place to go on, maybe at English Harbour just below. Remember: If you plan to drink, take a taxi. The roads have many bands and sometimes bumps and potholes. There is a say in Antigua: "Don't drink and drive, 'cause you may spill your drink!". |
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- Bumpkins Beach Bar
- Beach Bar and Restaurant