A warm and moderate climate and constant trade winds, this is what has made Antigua one of the favorite destinations for sailors and navigation lovers from all over the world.
Its coast is dotted with beaches and in fact, it is said that in Antigua there are 365 distinct beaches, one for each day of the year.
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These features, together with the abundance of safe harbors and an almost uninterrupted protective coral reef, make it one of the British Leeward Islands most visited by tourists.
Discover this small country with us through a boat tour organized by Your Boat Holiday!
Where is Antigua located?
Antigua and Barbuda (this is the full name) is an island state with about 100,000 inhabitants located in Caribbean Central America.
It is located southeast of Puerto Rico and is entirely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east and the Caribbean Sea to the south and west.
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Antigua and Barbuda is a democratic state belonging to the Commonwealth. The official language is English but local dialects such as Creole still survive. It was reached and discovered by Christopher Columbus who gave it its name from the church of S. Maria de la Antigua in Seville. It was subsequently colonized by the British until 1981, the date of independence.
How to get here?
The island of Antigua is easily accessible by air and indeed it is one of the island states of the Lesser Antilles most easily accessible thanks to a considerable number of international flights that connect every day to the convenient CV Bird international airport, located a short distance from the capital. Saint John’s, with the rest of the world.
What is the best time for a boat trip here?
The best time to sail the Antigua waters is the winter months. Between December and May, the atmospheric conditions are quite stable with constant but not impetuous winds that reach 20 knots and temperatures that can reach and exceed 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
During the summer season, between June and November, conditions are less stable with warmer temperatures but also with possible thunderstorms. This does not exclude the possibility of organizing boat itineraries but, in this period of the year, it is good to pay more attention to the weather forecast before setting sail.
Appointment at Jolly Harbor
Thanks to its morphology, the island of Antigua is well supplied with marinas, there are several distributed along the coast. Among the main ones, it is certainly worth mentioning English Harbor, located to the south and also known as a tourist resort, the port of Falmouth, also to the south, and finally, Jolly Harbor, located on the western side and probably the main departure point for charters.
For our itinerary, we are no exception and we set sail from the latter, a well-sheltered port, served by bars, restaurants, and a wellness center to relax before departure.
Here is our week boat itinerary to discover Antigua and Barbuda
- Day 1 Deep Bay and Fort Barrington
Set sail from Jolly Harbor we head north to meet our first stop: Deep Bay is located on the north-western side of the island and offers a beautiful beach with a unique charm, a long strip of soft white sand wet on both sides as it faces on the sea and with a natural salt lake behind it.
The bay is well sheltered from the winds and its turquoise, crystalline waters with sloping bottoms become an ideal place for swimming and bathing. Furthermore, about 100 meters from the shore, is the area where the Andes ship shipwreck took place in 1907; today this area is rich in marine life and is a popular destination for snorkelers and divers.
Not far away, about 10 minutes uphill walk, there are the remains of an ancient English fort: Fort Barrington.
- Day 2 -Barbuda Pink Sand Beach
The day starts early with a two-hour cruise that takes us to the second largest island, Barbuda. Here our first stop can only be the famous Pink Sand Beach, located on the west side and 6 km south of the capital Codrington.
It owes its name to the color of the sand which has pinkish shades caused by the presence of corals. This place is also quite surreal because it is characterized by scarce vegetation and seems to be suspended between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea.
- Day 3 – Low Bay beach
Continuing to circumnavigate Barbuda we meet Low Bay beach, a wonderful private beach located on a small island along Barbuda’s west coast. It is very little frequented that you could feel like a modern Robinson Crusoe while exploring it and walking on its soft white sand. The sea is turquoise and some palm trees are scattered here and there to shelter from the sun. Pay close attention to the shallow coral reefs in this area.
- Day 4 – Princess Diana Beach and Coco Point
The last stops in Barbuda before returning to Antigua are the beach named after Princess Diana and Coco Point’s southern tip. Here you will only have to choose when and where to stop with several miles of white sand beaches, swimming protected by coral reefs and different shades of blue waters. In particular, Princess Diana Beach is bathed by a cobalt blue sea;
- Day 5 – Green Island
After returning to Antigua, we head to Green Island, a thin strip of land not far from the eastern coast of Antigua and uninhabited. It offers pristine white sand and secluded beaches to discover.
Here it is possible to anchor on the north-west side beach and then set off to discover the island like explorers. The island has remained virtually unchanged since it was discovered by European sailors about 500 years ago.
- Day 6 – English Harbor
We complete the tour of Antigua heading south to English Harbor, known above all for being a shipyard and military base where Horatio Nelson, the famous English admiral, lived in the late 1700s. The shipyard is the last of the Georgian era still functioning today.
In addition to enjoying the pleasures of the marina, it is worth taking an excursion to Shirley Heights, the hills overlooking the harbor area, for an exceptional panoramic view and then visiting an old military post and its cannon battery located at 490 feet above sea level.
- Day 7 – Back to Jolly Harbor
We return to Jolly Harbor where we can relax while waiting for our return flight.
Contact now YBH Charter Brokers:
You can contact us by sending an email at ask@yourboatholiday.com or by phone, calling +39 33436 00997, available also on WhatsApp for both calls and texting.
Longing for the Caribbean? Discover our Antigua 7 Days Boat Itinerary!
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