4 reviewed party hostels · from €8.25/night · Hostelworld rated
Antigua's nightlife runs hot and compact. Most of the action clusters around St. John's, the capital, where Redcliffe Quay and Heritage Quay draw a loose mix of cruise passengers by day and backpackers by night. Rum punch is practically a food group here, and the bars that stay open past midnight tend to do so loudly. The weekly party at Shirley Heights Lookout every Sunday is the island's most talked-about social event, with steel pan, barbecue, and sunset views over English Harbour that are genuinely hard to beat. English Harbour itself has a handful of bars and restaurants around Nelson's Dockyard that fill up whenever a sailing regatta rolls through. The hostel scene is small but it exists. You won't find the bunk-bed party factory experience of Southeast Asia, but a few solid spots cater to budget travellers who want more than a resort pool to stare at.
Rated by Hostelworld score · Prices per dorm bed per night
Maya Papaya is a fun party hostel with multiple indoor and outdoor hangout areas. Guests are welcomed to enjoy free traditional Guatemalan breakfast. In the evenings, travellers like to gather in the on-site bar and taste their famous mojitos. You can also enjoy daily Guatemala group dinners with great conversation and new friends.
Located in the heart of a party area, this hostel is great for party maniacs. When you are not exploring the city, you can chill at the colourful outdoor terrace or by the pool. In the evenings, grab some local rum cocktail from the on-site bar and join the madness of a beer pong tournament or pub quiz.
Selina Antigua is a versatile hostel for party people and for the ones who want to relax. There are always some arts and culture events held and yoga classes. There are even a homely movie room and a swimming pool. It is pet friendly.
Nestled just steps away from Antigua's bustling nightlife, Somos offers the perfect blend of comfort and excitement. Enjoy its lively outdoor bar and hot tub area where you can mingle with fellow travellers against a backdrop of stunning colonial architecture.
How Antigua's nightlife zones break down
The capital sits on the north-west coast and is where most budget accommodation, transport links, and late-night bars are concentrated. Redcliffe Street and Heritage Quay are the main strips for eating and drinking, with several rum bars that stay open well past midnight. The city has a lived-in, local feel that the resort areas lack.
About 20 kilometres south of St. John's, English Harbour is home to Nelson's Dockyard, a Unesco-listed Georgian naval base that now houses restaurants and bars right on the water. The crowd here skews slightly older and wealthier during regatta season, but the Sunday evening party at Shirley Heights Lookout just above the harbour draws everyone from backpackers to yacht crews. Taxis from St. John's cost around EC$40.
Dickenson Bay sits on the north coast, a short drive from St. John's, and is lined with beach bars and low-key guesthouses along a long stretch of calm water. It's quieter than St. John's after dark but several beach bars run live music and bonfire nights at weekends. A good base if you want sand at your door without paying resort prices.
Where the hostel pub crawls end up, and where to go on your own
The Sunday party here is an Antiguan institution. Steel pan bands play from around 4 pm, a barbecue fires up, and the whole thing carries on past sunset with soca and reggae until late. The views over English Harbour from the old fortifications are spectacular, and the rum punch comes in strong and cheap. It gets genuinely packed by 6 pm, so arrive early to claim a spot near the edge.
A long-standing open-air bar and restaurant in English Harbour that stays lively well after dinner service wraps up. DJ nights run on weekends and the dancefloor fills with a mix of locals, expats, and backpackers. Rum-based cocktails are around EC$18 and the outdoor setting means it rarely feels too crowded.
A relaxed, sports-bar-style venue in St. John's that's popular with locals and travellers alike. Cold Wadadli beers are cheap, there's usually a game on, and it's one of the few places in the capital that reliably has atmosphere on a weeknight. Good spot to start an evening before moving on.
Right on the sand at Dickenson Bay, this open-sided bar serves rum punch and grilled food throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Live music pops up on Friday and Saturday nights and it draws a younger crowd than most of the beach bars nearby. Feet in the sand, cold drink in hand, hard to argue with.
A St. John's institution on Commissioner Alley, beloved by locals for rum, grilled fish, and late hours. It won't win any interior design awards, but the drinks are some of the cheapest on the island and the outdoor tables fill up fast on weekend evenings. Worth visiting if you want to drink where Antiguans actually drink.
Set at Redcliffe Quay in St. John's, Cocorico is a stylish bar that works well as an early-evening drinks spot before heading deeper into the night. They mix proper cocktails and the outdoor terrace on the quay is a pleasant place to watch the city wind down. Gets busy from around 7 pm on Fridays.