Antigua & Barbuda

Reef-lined beaches, rainforests and resorts

Antigua & Barbuda is a country made up of the islands of Antigua and Barbuda and several smaller islands. It is well known for reef-lined beaches, rainforests and resorts. Antigua’s Jolly Harbour, Falmouth and English Harbours are yachting hubs, and English Harbour includes the site of historic Nelson’s Dockyard, now part of a UNESCO world heritage site.

This very special sailing area offers some of the best coastal sailing and passage making you can experience. With an average climate of 27°C / 81°F year-round, the breeze during our holiday season is nearly always easterly around 15 to 20 knots; perfect conditions for sailing.

For a sample sailing itinerary with BlueFoot Travel click the ‘Map’ button at the top of the page.

365 beaches

Antigua is famous for turquoise waters and having hundreds of white sandy beaches – there are supposedly 365, one for every day of the year. So if you are looking for an unspoilt paradise, you will find it here. A cluster of tiny offshore islands, including Great Bird Island, are perfect snorkelling and bird watching spots. Green Island to the east is great for kayaking and paddle-boarding.

Best sundowner destination

Barbuda is around a five-hour sail from Antigua and has some of the most unspoilt beaches. Low Bay on the west coast combines eleven miles of white sandy beach and front row seats to one of the best sundowner destinations. There is also the opportunity for a very worthwhile detour, with a guided boat trip to the Frigate Bird Sanctuary in Codrington. And en route, you may even get to spot some of the wild boar, deer and donkeys (aka stop signs) that roam the island.

Sail in Style

Whether you are travelling solo, as a couple or a group, you will have an unforgettable yacht charter with BlueFoot Travel. Join a shared or private crewed yacht. Relax and recharge. Enjoy delicious healthy food. Get hands-on sailing experience if you wish. And have lots of fun as you sail from one beautiful island to the next. Sail in style with BlueFoot Travel.

Further information

Latest Travel Advisory for Antigua & Barbuda

Antigua & Barbuda’s Official Site

Antigua & Barbuda on Trip Advisor

Antigua on Windfinder

Source: Caribbean Tourism Development Company

Stunning clear waters at one of the beaches in Antigua & Barbuda

Crystal clear waters at one of the beautiful beaches on Great Bird Island, Antigua.

Beautiful 17 mile beach in Antigua & Barbuda

Beautiful Barbuda’s 17 Mile Beach

Nemo anchored of Lower Bay

BlueFoot Travel Guest on Great Bird Island

Guests on Nemo sailing around Antigua & Barbuda

Nothing like a relaxed crew and skipper :-). Very happy guests.

A secluded beach on Green Island. Perfect for paddle boarding. Absolute heaven in Antigua & Barbuda

A secluded beach on Green Island. Perfect for our guests to have their first paddle board practice. Absolute heaven!

Kayaking around the anchorage in Antigua & Barbuda

Skipper Neil providing a bit of kayaking tuition at Green Island.

Jumping for joy on our own private beach in Green Island, Antigua!

Kayaking around anchorages in Antigua & Barbuda

Guests out on the kayak in Green Island, Antigua.

Getting hands-on sailing practice on Nemo around Antigua & Barbuda

Guest working hard as we prepare to tack!

The turquoise waters you always get around Antigua & Barbuda

Incredible turquoise waters and blue skies at Jolly Harbour anchorage, Antigua.

Neil at Devil’s Bridge in Antigua.

Nemo in Jolly Harbour. All ready for her guests and raring to go sailing around Antigua & Barbuda

Nemo in Jolly Harbour. Ready for her guests & raring to go sailing in Antigua!

Antigua & Barbuda local produce at the market

A local market in Antigua.

Nelsons Dockyard, Antigua.

Beautifully restored buildings at Nelson's dockyard in Antigua & Barbuda

More beautifully restored buildings in Nelson’s Dockyard. This one is a hotel.

The Pillars at Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua & Barbuda

Taking a stroll around Nelson’s dockyard before cocktails at Admiralty Inn.

Nemo with her sails out on a beautiful day as we sail around Antigua & Barbuda

Nemo with her sails out on a beautiful day in Antigua.

Ffryes Beach, Antigua.

BlueFoot Travel guest on the helm as we sail around Antigua & Barbuda

Guest on the help under the care of skipper Neil.

Beautiful blues all around. Tropical paradise at its best, and wonderful sailing.

Palm trees on one of the smaller islands around Antigua & Barbuda

The classic palm tree shot with turquoise waters and blue skies at Great Bird Island, Antigua.

Fabulous sunset with BlueFoot Travel at Great Bird Island anchorage, Antigua.

Guests enjoying time at one of the remoter islands around Antigua & Barbuda

After a small hike up the side of Great Bird Island, this is the view that welcomes you. The place where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea in perfect harmony. And a great place for taking photos!

Sunsets from yacht Nemo as seen in Antigua & Barbuda

You will get to see a lot of these on a sailing holiday with BlueFoot Travel. Stunning sunsets.

BlueFoot Travel guest Don at the helm under guidance from Skipper Neil in Antigua & Barbuda

Happy guest on the helm.

BlueFoot Travel Five Islands and the safe water mark in Antigua & Barbuda

Beautiful Five Islands in Antigua with the safe watermark in the foreground.

BlueFoot Travel guest at helm under care of skipper Neil sailing around Antigua & Barbuda

Another happy guest on the helm.

BlueFoot Travel guests on their last day in Jolly Harbour in Antigua & Barbuda

Last day group photo at Jolly Harbour, Antigua.

Sunset in Jolly Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda

Another sunset, this time from Jolly Harbour in Antigua. Photo taken from the WestPoint Bar.

Pinks sands of Barbuda...Antigua & Barbuda

Pink sands of Barbuda.

17 mile beach on barbuda, part of Antigua & Barbuda

17 mile beach, Barbuda.

Sailing Itinerary

A typical sailing itinerary including Antigua & Barbuda looks like this. Please click the ‘+’ in the chart to zoom in to see anchorage and route details.

Antigua Airport

VC Bird International airport (ANU)

Travel Advisory

Important: Please read the latest advice for travel to Antigua & Barbuda before booking flights for your sailing trip. Please confirm your flight details with BlueFoot Travel before booking your flights.

Airlines & airports

International carriers such as Air Canada, WestJet, Delta, United Airlines, JetBlue, American Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Thomas Cook and LIAT all have direct flights to Antigua. There are direct flights to Antigua from the following airports in:

The Caribbean

Anguilla (AXA), Barbados (BGI), Dominican Republic (SDQ), Dominica (DOM), Guadeloupe (PTP), Nevis (NEV), Puerto Rico (SJU), St. Barts (SBH), St. Kitts (SKB), St. Lucia (SLU), St. Maarten (SXM), St. Thomas (STT), St. Vincent (SVD), Tortola BVIs (EIS) and Trinidad (POS).

USA & Canada

Atlanta, Georgia, USA (ATL), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA (CLT), Miami, USA (MIA), Montreal, Canada (YUL), New York, USA (JFK), Newark, New Jersey, USA (EWR), Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS), San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), and Toronto, Canada (YYZ).

Europe

Frankfurt, Germany (FRA), London, UK (LGW), Manchester, UK (MAN).

Flight times

Flights from London take approximately nine hours, Miami three hours, New York four hours, and Toronto four hours.

Transfers

It takes about 30 minutes in a taxi from the airport to Jolly Harbour and it costs approximately US$24. Further pricing available here.

Hotels

We often get asked if we have any hotel recommendations so that guests can enjoy some time ashore before and/or after their yacht charters.

Here are recommendations from previous BlueFoot Travel guests:

BnB in St John’s – with a lovely view and the accommodations are in a small guest house. This place is owned by Nicole of Nicole’s Table which provides cooking classes which look like fun.

Antigua Village Beach Resort – 1 and 2 bedroom condos that are on Dickenson Beach – next door to Sandals Resort

Sugar Ridge – Across the road from Jolly Harbour. All rooms have their own pool, there is a wonderful central pool and wonderful restaurants. The concierge will take you to the beach and to Jolly Harbour.

Five Senses B&B

The Lodge – English Harbour