Antigua and Barbuda Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Falmouth Harbour to Cades Reef and Jolly Harbour

Board your yacht at Falmouth Harbour Marina by mid-morning. After a welcome champagne toast on the flybridge, cruise west along the south coast to Cades Reef for a morning of world-class snorkelling. Your chef lays out lunch on the aft deck as you drift over 2.5 miles of pristine coral. In the afternoon, continue north to Jolly Harbour for provisioning and a stroll through the shops and waterfront restaurants. Anchor in the calm lagoon or head south to Jolly Beach for a sunset swim on one of the west coast’s longest stretches of white sand. Dinner aboard or ashore at one of Jolly Harbour’s restaurants.

Deep Bay, Five Islands and Dickenson Bay

Cruise north along the west coast to Deep Bay (roughly 6 nautical miles from Jolly Harbour). Snorkel the Andes wreck in the morning – the bow breaking the surface at low tide, the hull alive with coral, eels and lobsters. After lunch, continue to Five Islands Harbour for a sheltered afternoon swim and snorkel, then cruise north to Dickenson Bay – the island’s liveliest beach strip, with a string of hotels, beach bars and water-sports operators. Anchor offshore and tender ashore for dinner, or enjoy the sunset from the flybridge with the lights of St John’s twinkling in the distance.

Green Island, Nonsuch Bay and Return to English Harbour

Cruise east from Dickenson Bay, rounding the north coast and descending the island’s less-visited east side to Green Island and Nonsuch Bay – roughly 15 nautical miles, a scenic 90-minute passage. Spend the morning at Green Island – uninhabited white-sand fringes, outstanding reef snorkelling and a genuine sense of being off the beaten track. Explore Nonsuch Bay’s multiple anchorage spots by tender. Your chef prepares a farewell gourmet lunch on the aft deck as the yacht cruises south to English Harbour, arriving in time for an afternoon at Nelson’s Dockyard and (if your timing is right) a Sunday sundowner at Shirley Heights – steel band, barbecue and the most famous view in Caribbean yachting.

English Harbour to Barbuda

Depart English Harbour mid-morning and set course north for Barbuda – 25 nautical miles, roughly 90 minutes at 18–20 knots. Arrive at the western coast and anchor off the famous 17-mile pink-sand beach. The colour comes from crushed coral and shells, and the sand is so fine it squeaks underfoot. Swim, paddleboard and float in crystal-clear water without another soul in sight. Your crew sets up a beach picnic on the sand – fresh lobster from the morning’s catch, tropical salad and chilled Caribbean rum punches. Spend the afternoon exploring the beach by tender, watching the pelicans dive and the frigate birds circle above. Dinner on the aft deck as the stars emerge over the flattest, quietest island in the Leeward chain.

Codrington Lagoon and the Frigate Bird Sanctuary

Rise early and cruise north to the Codrington Lagoon. A local fisherman guides your group by boat through the mangrove channels to the frigate bird nesting colony – up to 200,000 magnificent frigate birds during the breeding season (September to March), with the males’ inflated red throat pouches creating one of the great wildlife spectacles in the Americas. Even outside peak nesting, thousands of birds are present year-round. After the lagoon tour, explore Indian Cave on the island’s north-east coast – Arawak petroglyphs dating back over 1,500 years, carved into the limestone walls of a dramatic cave system. Return to the yacht for a late lunch and an afternoon of beach time on another stretch of Barbuda’s seemingly endless pink sand.

Return to Antigua – North Coast and Stingray City

Depart Barbuda mid-morning and cruise south to Antigua’s north coast – roughly 25 nautical miles, arriving by early afternoon. Stop at Stingray City in the shallow waters off the north coast for close encounters with friendly southern stingrays in waist-deep water – your guides will show you how to feed and interact with them safely. It’s an extraordinary experience, particularly for children. Continue south to Dickenson Bay for an afternoon swim and a beach-bar sundowner, or cruise east to the sheltered waters of Parham Harbour. Dinner at OJ’s on the Beach at Crab Hill – barefoot dining, fresh seafood and a sunset that sets the entire west coast ablaze.

West Coast, Half Moon Bay and Return to English Harbour

Spend the morning at one of Antigua’s quieter south-coast gems. Cruise to Half Moon Bay on the south-east coast – a long crescent of white sand, backed by low sea-grape trees and washed by gentle Atlantic rollers. The snorkelling around the rocky headlands is excellent, and the beach has a wild, untouched feel. After lunch on the aft deck, cruise west past Indian Creek and Mamora Bay to English Harbour, arriving in time for a farewell stroll through Nelson’s Dockyard. If your charter falls on a Sunday, end with the Shirley Heights party – steel band, barbecue and the sunset view that has been drawing sailors to Antigua for centuries.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Antigua south-coast route with the 4-day Barbuda route for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering both islands, the full spectrum of Antigua’s 365 beaches, Barbuda’s wild pink-sand coastline and the frigate bird sanctuary – without repeating a single stop. For an even grander itinerary, add the 3-hour passage north-west to St Kitts (57 nautical miles) and extend the voyage to 8 or 10 days covering four islands, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and some of the most varied cruising in the Caribbean.