How hot?

Hot and tropical, with low humidity and year-round sunshine, cooled by the trade winds. Temperatures rarely drop below 24C (76F).

Where does the smart set live?

On the south coast, the St James’s Club is a development with more than a touch of class. An opulent four-bedroom villa, with stunning sea views, will set you back up to £900,000. The rich also buy £1 million-plus homes near by at Savannah and at the Van Gogh Club in the northwest of the island.

Best buys?

Waterfront homes at the Jolly Harbour marina on the island’s west coast are priced from £121,000 to £146,000 for a two-bedroom house with a private jetty. Elsewhere, flats can be had from £37,000 for a studio, £50,000 for one and two bedrooms; houses from £95,000. Small building plots start at about £24,000. Caribbean chattel-style houses with a pitched hip roof and a verandah can be erected from £15,625.

Getting there

British Airways operates a direct daily scheduled service to the island from Gatwick. Other operators include Virgin Airways, British West Indian Airways and Air 2000. It’s a long, expensive flight (almost nine hours); economy return fares from £300 to £1,158.

Who else goes?

Recent arrivals are European, including would-be tax exiles and those looking for holiday or retirement homes. Most are British.

Out to lunch?

The Beach restaurant at Runaway Bay serves the best grilled fish in Antigua — try the snapper, grouper or ‘mahi mahi’. Wash it down with a traditional Antiguan rum punch, served over crushed ice.

Where’s the catch?

You’ll need to install a water cistern in case of water shortages. Special care must be taken when building a house on the island. A site in the lee of a hill may be windless and insect-ridden. Check the cost of bringing water and electricity — add 50 per cent to the estate agent’s estimate.

Hidden extras

Foreigners need an alien landholder’s licence to buy a home on Antigua, which costs 5 per cent of the property value and can take up to six months to obtain. The buyer pays 2.5 per cent of the transfer fee; the seller 7.5 per cent plus legal fees of 1.5 per cent. Those who buy a property and live there for over six months a year qualify for resident status. A permanent residence certificate costs $20,000 (£12,500) a year.

Estate agents and developers

Re/Max (Antigua) Ltd, Tel: 00 1 268 462 1873, www.remax-antigua.com

Tradewind Realty Ltd, Tel: 00 1 268 460 1082, www.tradewindrealty.com

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