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Antigua Sailing Itinerary

There Are No Bad Days In Antigua, The Sunniest Of The Eastern Caribbean Islands

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Moored boats rest on white sand beach with turquoise water and palm-lined shore in Caribbean location

Antigua Sailing Itinerary

Sail Through The Caribbean Islands Of Antigua & Barbuda

On an Antigua Sailing Itinerary, there is never a dull moment. While Antigua is famous for its gorgeous beaches, there’s so much more to this Caribbean island.

Enjoy the best of both worlds. Explore Antigua’s 365 soft white sand beaches, or it’s capital, St. John, which has a great shopping scene. Play a game of cricket or tour sugar plantation ruins. Whatever your dream vacation is, Antigua is sure to deliver and our Antigua sailing itinerary is the perfect way to do explore the island.

Ultimate Guide to a Picturesque Antigua Yacht Charter

Our Guide To An Antigua Sailing Itinerary

Each of the Caribbean islands is renown for their own distinctly unique cultures, and Antigua and Barbuda do not disappoint! We've carefully designed the Antigua Sailing Itinerary to show you the best of Antigua.

Initially one of Great Britain’s sugar colonies, Antigua flourished. Over the years the island’s landscape, rule, and industries have changed, however - it’s beauty, charm and character have remained.

harbour with boats on an Antigua sailing itinerary

With an intricate coastline, made up of bays and inlets, scattered with coral reefs and shoals, Antigua is the perfect spot for a sailing holiday. The beaches are gorgeous, the weather is some of the best in the world, and it’s blended creole heritage adds an interesting twist. In Antigua, you will find African influences and European influences, combined to give Antigua its own personality. These influences have had huge impacts on Antigua’s language, food, and music. During your time on this lovely island, take some time to uncover it’s deep and rich history to fully immerse yourself in its present-day culture on an Antigua sailing itinerary.

harbour in Antigua with views over the mountains
  • Getting There Good news, travel to and from Antigua is relatively easy. The best way to get to Antigua is by flying to the VC Bird International Airport (ANU), which is about 5 miles outside Antigua’s capital - St. John. Direct flights from many North American cities are available via Delta, US Airways, United Airlines, WestJet, JetBlue, CanJet and Air Canada. If you are coming from the UK you can fly direct with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. For other European countries, Alitalia has direct flights from Milan and Condor flies direct from Frankfurt. If you can't get a direct flight, you could choose to fly into Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, or the Dominican Republic and use LIAT, a regional airline, to get a connecting flight. Find more information on air travel to Antigua, here
  • Weather The best sailing weather for the Antigua Sailing Itinerary is between December and May. This is the period where there is the least rain, however, it is also peak travel time. But still, Antigua is a Caribbean island! Even in the off-season, June to November, the weather is normally around 80°F. You should be wary of hurricanes in the offseason, but the odds remain low.
beach in Antigua view white sand
  • Mooring For mooring on the Antigua Sailing Itinerary, you will find many options, varying from simple anchorages to full resorts and marinas. Dickenson Bay is perfect for overnight stays. It’s got a protected anchorage and with plenty of stores and shops ashore, you will find the amenities you need. When you get to Barbuda we recommend you anchor at Low Bay, where there are ten moorings at Palmetto Pint. Nearby, during your stay in Coco Point, you will find sixteen moorings, perfect for your Antigua sailing itinerary. Moving on to Nonsuch Bay, you will find a beautiful anchorage. It’s tough to navigate the narrow passes and reefs into the bay, but Nonsuch Bay is safe, sheltered and ranked among Antigua’s top Anchorage. For your stay in English Harbor, we recommend Nelson’s Dockyard, which in addition to its historical significance, is a full-service marina. However, if you’d prefer to free-swing, you can also anchor off of Galleon Beach in a protected bay. Lastly in Carlisle Bay you can anchor off the shore in a beautiful palm-lined anchorage. On an Antigua sailing itinerary you’ll find calm and clear waters.

Top 10 Islands to Visit on a Caribbean Bareboat Charter

Quick Navigation

  1. Day 1 Jolly Harbour → Dickenson Bay
  2. Day 2 Dickenson Bay → Low Bay
  3. Day 3 Low Bay → Coco Point
  4. Day 4 Coco Point → Green Island → Nonsuch Bay
  5. Day 5 Nonsuch Bay→ English Harbour
  6. Day 6 English Harbour → Carlisle Bay
  7. Day 7 Carlisle Bay → Darkwood Beach → Jolly Harbour

Antigua Sailing Itinerary

Antigua is frequently visited by celebrities. Some of its most famous guests include Oprah, Giorgio Armani, Richard Branson, and Eric Clapton

The Route

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Day 1

    Jolly Harbour → Dickenson Bay

    Dickenson Bay

    Dickenson Bay, located in the north of Antigua, is a beautiful stretch of white sand. Here you will find one of Antigua’s premier beaches to start your journey. As it is about a mile long, you can enjoy a peaceful stroll along the water’s edge. Aside from gorgeous coast, there are a number of bars and restaurants where you get a nice dinner and watch the sunset.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

  2. Day 2

    Day 2

    Dickenson Bay → Low Bay

    Low Bay

    On Day 2, our Antigua sailing itinarary will head to Barbuda. Visiting Low Bay, the most famous beach on Barbuda, to lay out on the soft pink sand. While you’re here you should visit the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, which is home to about 100,000 birds. You must arrange tours in advance. This can be done through many local hotels and marinas.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

    • Barbuda Museum, Codrington, Barbuda
    • Uncle Roddy Beach Bar & Grill, next to Barbuda Cottages, Coral Group Bay, Antigua & Barbuda

    Guided Enquiry

  3. Day 3

    Day 3

    Low Bay → Coco Point

    Coco Point

    Next stop, is the famous Coco Point. Here, on the southernmost tip of Barbuda, you will find a 2.5 mile stretch of white sand. The beach is a great length and width. The waters of Coco Point offer safe, reef-protected swimming and snorkeling.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

  4. Day 4

    Day 4

    Coco Point → Green Island → Nonsuch Bay

    Green Island

    For day 4 of the Antigua sailing itinerary, you will split your time between Green Island and Nonsuch Bay. Green Island is completely uninhabited. Here is the perfect place to find peace and harmony under the sun. Rest, relax, and enjoy your Antigua sailing itinerary.

    Nonsuch Bay

    After spending some time on Green Island - it is onward to Nonsuch Bay. This stop will be more populated and you will find plenty to do. Visit 40Knots for kitesurfing lessons, and then grab dinner and drinks on the island.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

Antigua Sailing Itinerary

Antigua’s highest point, Boggy Peak, was renamed Mount Obama in 2009, paying tribute to the United States President Barack Obama

  1. Day 5

    Day 5

    Nonsuch Bay → English Harbour

    English Harbour

    Day 5 will be spent at English Harbour, which is a major part of Antigua’s colonial history. There are a number of forts that can be toured. These give a great insight into Antigua’s past military defenses. You will dock at Nelson’s Dockyard, which is the only surviving 18th-century naval dockyard in the world. There is a museum, as well as many old buildings to be explored on an Antigua sailing itinerary.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

    Guided Enquiry

  2. Day 6

    Day 6

    English Harbour → Carlisle Bay

    Carlisle Bay

    Heading south, to Carlisle Bay. Home to Carlisle Bay Resort, here you will find plenty of activities and amenities. They are very welcoming to charter guests, and their facilities give you everything you need for a relaxing day, and maybe a special evening. Snorkeling is a great way to spend the day, and then you can head to the resort for a delicious dinner on an Antigua sailing itinerary.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

  3. Day 7

    Day 7

    Carlisle Bay → Darkwood Beach → Jolly Harbour

    Darkwood Beach

    For day 7 of the Antigua Sailing Itinerary, you’ve got two stops. First stopping at Darkwood Beach, you’ll find another unpopulated space. Take the time to soak up the natural beauty, as Darkwood feels like a wonderful escape. Removed from all tourist centers, you will love the sound of tranquility.

    Jolly Harbour

    Sadly, as it is your last day on our Antigua sailing itinerary, it’s time to return your yacht. Head back to Jolly Harbour by the end of the day. Once you’ve checked out, make sure to see the sights in Jolly Harbour. Home to several bars, restaurants, and duty-free stores, it’s a great place to rest and refuel before concluding your Antigua sailing itinerary and begin heading home.

    Recommended Restaurants and Activities:

Call Us Today To Book Your Antigua Sailing Itinerary

Bethan, Yacht charter adviser at SailChecker

BethanYacht charter adviser

Happy to Help

I'd be happy to help turn this route around Antigua into a week afloat. Get in touch and tell me what you have in mind.

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Where Charters Went in Antigua and Barbuda

The map brings together overnight stops from charter yachts tracked by AIS during the 2025-26 winter season, across round trips from Antigua and Barbuda. It shows past trips, not a forecast, and only includes yachts transmitting AIS.

Round Trips From Antigua and Barbuda

Deep Bay and Nelson's Dockyard led the overnight stops, followed by Falmouth Harbour and Pauls Bay. Dickinson Bay was the most common last night. The furthest straight-line point from base was under 20 nm on 59% of trips, with another 24% reaching 20 to 40 nm.

Past trips from Antigua and Barbuda can help you weigh up where to sail.

1234568910
Place names © OpenStreetMap contributors
Charter areaAntigua and Barbuda

Where trips from Antigua and Barbuda went

Overnight stopTrips %
  1. 1 Deep Bay 51
  2. 2 Nelson's Dockyard 37
  3. 3 Falmouth Harbour 29
  4. 4 Pauls Bay 29
  5. 5 Dickinson Bay 27
  6. 6 Winthropes Foot Creek 24
  7. 7 Barbuda 22
  8. 8 Ffryes Bay 20
  9. 9 Ricketts Bay 20
  10. 10 Grace Bay 17

Marked places have limited evidence. Their figures may change as more trips are recorded.

2025-26 season.

Destination Groups

  • Antigua and Barbuda 81%
  • Other or mixed 20%

Furthest From Base

  • under 20 nm 59%
  • 20 to 40 nm 24%
  • over 40 nm 17%

The furthest point reached on each trip, measured in a straight line from base in nautical miles. This is not the distance sailed.

Last Night Stops

  1. Dickinson Bay 13%
How We Worked This Out

Boats at sea broadcast their position through AIS, a ship-tracking system. We combine the overnight stops of many charter boats based in Antigua and Barbuda, so the figures describe the whole area and never one boat. Distances are measured in a straight line from base.

Aggregated AIS ship-tracking data for the sailing area. No individual boat is shown, and these patterns do not predict future routes.

Planning Your Antigua and Barbuda Route

Start by looking at the trips that stayed within 20 nm of base, then compare them with the longer routes. Dickinson Bay is worth checking when putting the last night into your plan.

Open the Charter Activity Map

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