A Slow Week on Barbuda
Barbuda is the quiet half of Antigua and Barbuda, an island of under two thousand people, miles of empty pink sand and almost nothing to hurry for. It is the place I go to actually slow down.
I stay at the off-grid Frangipani Eco Lodge, the guesthouse two Barbudan sisters built on family land, run on rainwater and sun. The week that follows is mostly swimming, reading and watching wildlife, with the frigate birds, the Arawak caves and the Art Cafe woven in. Here is a slow week on Barbuda, in the sisters’ own spirit.
Your Antigua and Barbuda Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1 Day 1: The boat over and the off-grid lodge
- Day 2 Day 2: Settle into island time
- Day 3 Day 3: The frigate bird sanctuary
- Day 4 Day 4: The Arawak caves
- Day 5 Day 5: The Art Cafe and a slow town day
- Day 6 Day 6: A day of nothing at all
- Day 7 Day 7: The boat back
Where to Stay in Antigua and Barbuda
Frangipani Eco Lodge
Home for the week is Frangipani, the off-grid eco lodge two Barbudan sisters built on family land, run on rainwater and solar.
What to Do in Antigua and Barbuda
Swim, read and watch the wildlife
Ease in the way the island wants you to.
Codrington Lagoon frigate birds
Take a small boat across Codrington Lagoon to the frigate bird sanctuary, one of the largest colonies in the world.
Arawak artefacts at the caves
Go looking for the Arawak past at the island's caves, where the first Barbudans left petroglyphs and traces of a life here long before anyone else.
Hike the wild coast
Walk a stretch of the wild Atlantic side afterwards, dunes and driftwood and not a soul.
The Art Cafe
Spend an easy hour at the Art Cafe in Codrington, the island's little hub of art, coffee and conversation.
Back to the sand
Then back to the beach for another long swim and another slow evening.
Where to Eat in Antigua and Barbuda
Cook outside at the lodge
Cook outside as the sisters do, a simple supper in the open air, off-grid and unhurried.
How to Get to Antigua and Barbuda
The ferry from Antigua
Barbuda is a ninety minute boat ride, or a short hop by light aircraft, from Antigua.
The ferry back to Antigua
Back across the water to Antigua, slower than you arrived.
Your Day by Day Antigua and Barbuda Itinerary
Day 1: The boat over and the off-grid lodge
Across from Antigua to the quiet island, and into an off-grid home run on rain and sun.
The ferry from Antigua
Barbuda is a ninety minute boat ride, or a short hop by light aircraft, from Antigua. The crossing is half the point: you watch the busier island fall away behind you and arrive somewhere that runs at a different speed.
Frangipani Eco Lodge
Home for the week is Frangipani, the off-grid eco lodge two Barbudan sisters built on family land, run on rainwater and solar. A guesthouse and a cabana, no crowds, no noise, and hosts who make you feel like you have been let in on a secret.
Day 2: Settle into island time
A whole day to do the things the sisters tell you to do: swim, read, and watch the wildlife.
Swim, read and watch the wildlife
Ease in the way the island wants you to. Swim off the long pink sand, read in the shade, and watch the wildlife come and go. There is almost no one around, which is exactly why you came.
Cook outside at the lodge
Cook outside as the sisters do, a simple supper in the open air, off-grid and unhurried. Food tastes better out here, cooked slowly with the sound of the sea.
Day 3: The frigate bird sanctuary
A boat across the lagoon to one of the great wildlife sights of the Caribbean.
Codrington Lagoon frigate birds
Take a small boat across Codrington Lagoon to the frigate bird sanctuary, one of the largest colonies in the world. In season the males puff their scarlet throats and the sky fills with them. Go with a local boatman and keep your distance from the nests.
Day 4: The Arawak caves
Looking for the island's oldest stories in the caves.
Arawak artefacts at the caves
Go looking for the Arawak past at the island's caves, where the first Barbudans left petroglyphs and traces of a life here long before anyone else. Take a guide who knows the ground, tread lightly, and leave everything exactly where it lies.
Hike the wild coast
Walk a stretch of the wild Atlantic side afterwards, dunes and driftwood and not a soul. A proper hike here is just you, the wind and the birds.
Day 5: The Art Cafe and a slow town day
Into Codrington for art, coffee and a little island life.
The Art Cafe
Spend an easy hour at the Art Cafe in Codrington, the island's little hub of art, coffee and conversation. It is the sort of place where you meet half the island and lose track of the afternoon.
Back to the sand
Then back to the beach for another long swim and another slow evening. On Barbuda you quickly stop counting the days.
Day 6: A day of nothing at all
The whole reason to come this far: a day with no plan.
A lazy day at Frangipani
Give a full day to doing nothing at Frangipani. Read, nap, swim, cook outside again, watch the light move across the water. This is the day you will remember longest.
Day 7: The boat back
Leaving the quiet island, already wanting the boat to be cancelled.
The ferry back to Antigua
Back across the water to Antigua, slower than you arrived. A week on Barbuda recalibrates you, and you will spend the ride home working out how to come back for longer.