Imagine: the blissful sunshine hitting your skin as you lay on a white sand beach, sipping on a Caribbean cocktail while listening to the waves crashing on the shore. If this is your idea of paradise, then I invite you to visit the island of Antigua, where moments like that are plentiful. The stunning island of Antigua is located in the middle of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, only 17 degrees north of the Equator, guaranteeing hot weather all year round.

Antigua is great for any and every traveller, whether looking for a more adventurous holiday or a simple and relaxing break, Antigua has it all. The island offers a vast amount of activities, both on land and at sea, including one of the most buzzed about new ventures on the island called the ‘Antigua Rainforest Canopy Tours’, where you can zip from treetop to treetop over the lush rainforest, located 30 minutes away from Antigua’s capital, St. John’s.

If you are interested in anything on the sea then Antigua is definitely your island. With 365 beaches there is more than enough ocean front for you to carry out numerous activities on such as snorkelling, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wake boarding and waterskiing. In addition, the island is known to have fantastic marine life, perfect for scuba diving at any of its reefs, like the Cades Bay Reef located on the south coast of the island.

Throughout the island are many hotels that accommodate for any wallet - even us students. To get the most out of your pounds I suggest staying at an all inclusive resort, such as the Jolly Beach Resort, located on the beautiful south coast. Another way to save money is to book flights far in advance on any of the flights that fly direct from Gatwick to Antigua, twice a day every day, guaranteeing you both seats and low prices.

One of the greatest things about the island of Antigua is how unspoiled it is. Unlike other islands in the Caribbean it has not become overly commercialized. The island has a much more rugged feel than others, therefore giving you a deeper feeling of isolation and as a result, relaxation. In Antigua the ‘real world’ is nonexistent and you are simply left with ‘island life’, miles away from the struggles and responsibilities of home.

Antigua is an island paradise just waiting to be discovered. I suggest jumping in and experiencing it for yourself.