Barbuda

Barbuda, the tranquil and far less-visited sister island of Antigua, is a pristine, wild escape of glorious emptiness. Low, flat and sparsely populated, it is ringed by some of the most beautiful and deserted beaches in the Caribbean, above all a legendary, seemingly endless stretch of soft, pink-tinged sand where you may not see another soul. Its vast Codrington Lagoon shelters one of the largest frigate bird colonies in the world, where thousands of the great seabirds nest, the males inflating their scarlet throat pouches, a spectacular sight reached by boat. Wild, unspoilt and utterly peaceful, Barbuda is a rare Caribbean idyll.

What you actually see

• The pink-sand beaches - the endless, deserted pink shores.
• The frigate bird colony - the vast seabird colony in the lagoon.
• Codrington Lagoon - the tranquil lagoon and boat trips.
• The wild solitude - the empty, unspoilt island.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, for the best weather and calmest seas; Barbuda is reached by a boat or short flight from Antigua, ideally with an overnight to savour its solitude. The frigate bird colony is visited by boat, spectacular in the nesting season when the males display their scarlet pouches.

Honest expectations

Barbuda is genuinely remote and undeveloped, with very limited facilities and accommodation, made more so after severe hurricane damage in 2017 from which it is still recovering, so it suits those seeking wild, empty beaches and nature rather than any amenities or nightlife. For the reward of some of the most beautiful, deserted pink-sand beaches in the Caribbean and a spectacular frigate bird colony, in glorious peace and solitude, though, Barbuda is a rare and magical escape.

Nearby

The main island of Antigua is a boat or short flight away.