3 Best Sights in Antigua and Barbuda

You can sometimes walk miles of this classic strand without encountering another footprint. That has changed, just a little, now that Robert’s De Niro’s Nobu Barbuda restaurant has arrived on this pink shore. The beach has a champagne hue, with sand soft as silk; crushed coral often imparts a rosy glint in the sun, hence its unofficial name—Pink Beach. The water can be rough with a strong undertow in spots, though it's mainly protected by the reefs that make the island a diving mecca. Hire a taxi to take you here, since none of the roads are well-marked. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; walking.

Barbuda’s unique ecosystem and well-preserved landscape make it the idyllic location for a bevy of fauna and flora. Codrington Lagoon is home to the sanctuary and (historically) around 5,000 frigate birds, however, the population is still recovering from 2017’s Hurricane Irma. Tours are readily available to view these black beauties, as well as 180 other species of birds. During the breeding season, male Man O’ War (birds, not jellyfish) inflate their red throat sacs and show off their impressive 8-foot wingspan.

Barbuda's sole historic ruin is the 18th-century, cylindrical, 56-foot-tall tower, which was probably a lighthouse built by the Spaniards before English occupation.