Suggested Itinerary - Antigua

[Seaadventurers]

My wife and I are heading to Antigua for a month in November. We are not familiar with most of the island in that area, but we have heard the best route is north out of Antigua.

Any suggestions on a route, itinerary, or must stop places?

Thanks!

[Zanshin]

Are you going to be aboard a boat or land-based? Antigua has some beautiful beaches and anchorages and if my keel were a bit further away from the bottom I'd have headed off to Barbuda long ago.

From Antigua you only really have the option of south (to Guadeloupe, a wonderful island as well) or north towards St. Barths/St. Martin or going west-ish to either Montserrat or St. Kitts & Nevis.

In Antigua I really like the following anchorages - Deep Bay, 5 Islands, Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour, Green Island.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by Seaadventurers

My wife and I are heading to Antigua for a month in November. We are not familiar with most of the island in that area, but we have heard the best route is north out of Antigua.

Any suggestions on a route, itinerary, or must stop places?

Thanks!

Are you going by sailboat or flying?

Here is a great website on Antigua I refer people to:

Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean Vacation travel and tourism holiday information guide

Shirley Heights on Sundays is not to be missed:

Antigua restaurants: Shirley Heights Lookout

It is a toss up for me if Antigua or Dominica is my favorite island, for different reasons.

[Hud3]

We enjoyed uncrowded anchorages. If you do, as well, I'd suggest...

Great Bird Island on the north side of Antigua




The bay off Spanish Point, Barbuda




and 11 Mile Beach on the west side of Barbuda



This is assuming you'll be on your own boat.

[MarkJ]

I like St Johns. Very pretty town, especially after the cruise ships head out at night. Its a 'real' town after hours. Lovely locals markets and even the supermarkets are 'locals' supermarkets.

The anchorage is as stinky as hell. Really bad. holding is good and totally protected. Its sandwitched between the cruise ship wharfe and just out from the fish market so the fishing boats chug past.

See the triangle on the chart and L&L

Dinghy tie up is the wooden boardwalk which is a hell of a climb, and I went in one day, so if you have old, unfit people with you drop them off at the rock wall, its too shallow to tie up there.

The rest of Antigua is as everyone says, English Harbour tied to Nelsons Dock is a history lesson you'll remember for life.

[hamburking]

The main activity on Antigua is drinking. If you like to drink, you will love it. Otherwise...stay at the secluded anchorages listed above.

[Seaadventurers]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Are you going to be aboard a boat or land-based? Antigua has some beautiful beaches and anchorages and if my keel were a bit further away from the bottom I'd have headed off to Barbuda long ago.

From Antigua you only really have the option of south (to Guadeloupe, a wonderful island as well) or north towards St. Barths/St. Martin or going west-ish to either Montserrat or St. Kitts & Nevis.

In Antigua I really like the following anchorages - Deep Bay, 5 Islands, Falmouth Harbour, English Harbour, Green Island.

We are flying into Antigua and getting a bareboat charter from there.

[DMCantor]

We are huge fans of Nonesuch Bay on the east end of Antigua. Every bit as spectacular as the Tobago Keys in the Grenadines, but much less crowded. If going ashore to a restaurant every night is your thing, this isn't the best place, but if pure natural beauty rings your bell, this is the spot.

In general, there are lots and lots of small and secluded places to drop an anchor on Antigua.

[Cheechako]

If chartering out of Falmouth Hbr, we liked going east (?) to Nonsuch Bay and Mercer's Creek etc part of Antigua. Some nice protected cubby holes there and no one there at all.

[Seaadventurers]

I probably was not clear in my original post. We will be sailing for one month and would like to visit other islands other than Antiqua. We do appreciate all the places to visit in Antigua as we can spend as much time there as we would like. Are there other islands nearby that are must stops? Any to avoid?