The Caribbean is rightly referred to as a yachting paradise. Perhaps no other destination in the world can offer the range of beautiful islands, varied cultures and activities, clear water, and ideal sailing conditions than the arch of Islands called the Antilles. The waters are idyllic, the sights gorgeous, and the activities endless, providing the perfect adventure and holiday.
While you can try to hop many of the islands, especially if you’re in a motor yacht, we normally would recommend taking a leisurely pace to fully explore a few islands and to learn the culture. One of the key aspects of being on Caribbean Islands is to do some “chillin” – to ensure you enjoy the slow, natural and relaxed way of life in these tropical islands.
The islands themselves differ considerably, however they all offer beautiful and sheltered anchorages, palm trees and fine white sandy beaches with crystal clear waters. The character of the local people likewise varies from the charming and unspoiled modest Dominica, to the well-to-do and modern French of Martinique.
Caribbean Islands - the Antilles
Stretching in an arch from Puerto Rico to Venezuela, the names of Caribbean Islands - Antigua, Grenada, Martinique, St Croix - evoke the image of tropical boating paradise.
Caribbean Climate
The Caribbean sun shines almost constantly, 12 hours a day. The climate is nearly perfect – the daily temperatures are fairly consistent all year round, with an average temperature of 80 Degrees Fahrenheit (27 Degrees C). There is actually only a 5 Degree difference between the warmest and the coldest months of the year. You can sail year round – the main difference between summer and winter is the level of rainfall. The period between December-May is the dry season, apart from the occasional shower. During the Summer, conditions are still ideal with refreshing rain showers. There is a risk of Hurricanes during August and September. The Easterly trade winds that blow all year round and rarely exceed force 5, ensure splendid sailing conditions which, combined with the many beautiful and uncrowded island anchorages, have made the Antilles a boating paradise. High Season is the week between Christmas and New Years, and Spring Break time (around Easter).
Information on Specific Caribbean Islands
Island
Description
Antigua and Barbuda
Once the primary port for Admiral Nelson's Fleet, Antigua ("An TEE Ga") is now a charter and vacation paradise that offers a tremendous wealth of secluded, powdery soft beaches, stunning coral reefs and numerous beautiful bays.
Barbuda was once a scavenger's paradise because so many ships wrecked on its reefs. It is now home to one of the region's most significant bird sanctuaries, as well as a fantastic place to snorkel.
Barbados
Barbados is the most eastern island in the Caribbean, with an area of 430 square kilometres. Under British Rule from the 1600's until 1966 - it is a mix of British, African and Caribbean culture.
Barbados is the only all-coral Caribbean island, providing beautiful white sandy beaches and great diving (but fewer bays and inlets). Visitors can explore Colonial Bridgetown, mangrove forests with monkeys, the Mount Gay Rum refinery and of course miles and miles of beautiful beach.
British Virgin Islands
A group of British-controlled islands 60 miles from Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a mecca for sailing and water sports of all kinds. The winds are constant and predictable, sailing is line-of-site in the protected Sir Francis Drake channel, and each island has its own charm and points of interest such as the Baths on Virgin Gorda. Key areas to visit - Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, Peter's Island, Norman Island, Anegada. The BVI is highly focused on sailing, with many charter companies and related shops. Click here for further information and sample itineraries.
Dominica
Because it is youngest island in the Caribbean, there remains a stunning sharpness to her terrain. Beautiful, dramatic angles abound, rivers run clear and fast and forests remain untouched. The uncompromising beauty of the island is everywhere - rolling hills, secluded coastlines, virgin woods. Dominica is often called “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”. Visit Dominica to hike, raft, bike, dive and generally enjoy the multiple wonders of nature.
Grenada
Grenada is a rolling, mountainous island, covered with fragrant spice trees and rare tropical flowers. In the interior of this volcanic island are cascading rivers and waterfalls, lush rainforests, and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful mountain lakes imaginable. The capital, St. George's, is widely held to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean.
Grenada offers plenty of beaches and coral reefs to explore. The island is ringed with miles of picture-perfect strands, including both black (volcanic) and sugar-fine white sand beaches.
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe consists of the twin islands Basse-Terre to the west and Grand Terre to the east along with several smaller islands.
Basse-Terre is a thickly forested mountainous island of volcanic origin. Grand-Terr is a limestone island of coral origin with low hills rising to 150 meters and extending through the central and southern part of the island.
Guadeloupe was a French colony and now offers the height of the Caribbean's Creole culture - a blend of French and African influences. As well known for its sugar and rum as for its beaches and resorts, the archipelago offers an interesting mix of modern cities, rural hamlets, rainforests and secluded beaches.
Martinique
Martinique is truly "A little bit of France in the Caribbean islands." It exudes a distinctly French feeling -- In the excellence of it's caribbean cuisine, the beauty of its language.
The sailing infrastructure of Martinique is well developed, with plenty of charter boats (more catamarans than monohulls) in le Marin. You can explore Sainte-Anne, the southernmost village to Saint-Pierre, famous for the 1902 volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée, sail near HMS Diamond Rock and explore the many wonders the island has along her shores.
St Barthelemy/St. Barths/St Barts
St Barts is more rugged and less lush than islands such as Martinique. Steep hills divide the island into several valleys, usually open on one side to the sea. The shoreline includes around 20 beautiful white sandy beaches, most with a coral reef, and several offshore Marine Reserves.
St Barts is a prime spot for all boats, but it's especially known for its superyachts, as the island is a hideaway for may rock stars and celebrities. It has great cuisine derived from it's French ancestry, but is also quite expensive.
St Kitts
The combination of natural beauty, great weather, warm waters, and white sandy beaches make St. Kitts one of the most seductive spots in the Caribbean. Christopher Columbus first spotted St. Kitts in 1493, when it was populated with native tribes, but the Europeans did not colonize until the British arrived in 1623. Its strategic location and valuable sugar trade led to an advanced and luxurious development that was among the best in the Colonial Caribbean.
Development of St Kitts has been well controlled, keeping the island uncrowded and unspoiled. If you enjoy nature you can tour lava formations, tropical forests, and seaside lagoons. Plantation homes with a colonial feel have been transformed into nice hotels, and there are several quaint shopping areas. .
St Martin/St Maarten
The smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations, St. Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch for almost 350 years. Each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. You will find comfort and style on the French (St Martin) side, with secluded beaches, plush accommodations, and restaurants that offer some of the finest dining in the Caribbean. St. Maarten is more bustling and has been developed with more of an informal Dutch flavor.
Boat enthusiasts will find plenty of charter boats on the island, as it's a charter hub and there are several of regattas. It's also a great stopover if you are cruising the Antilles on a yacht.
St Lucia
St. Lucia is the sort of island that travelers to the Caribbean dream about--a small, lush tropical gem that is still relatively unknown. St. Lucia has a south Pacific feel to it, with its soaring peaks, rain forests and colorful birds.
St Lucia offers great diving and snorkeling, and exploration of the rainforest and the Soufriere volcano, the world's only drive-in volcanic crater.
St Vincent and the Grenadines are remote (most easily reached from Barbados) and therefore not as touristy or glitzy as some Caribbean islands, but just as beautiful! They are the perfect for travelers searching for quiet, getaways surrounded in natural beauty.
St. Vincent is a very lush island that is spectacular in terms of rain forests, high mountains, deep valleys, and dramatic shorelines.
Mustique is 18 miles south of St. Vincent and 110 miles west of Barbados. It is a very secluded island where growth is controlled by the Mustique Company, and offers quite relaxation, beauty and plentiful possibilities for exploration, both on land and in the water.
There are several other small islands - Bequia, Canouan, Union - all beautiful, secluded and great destinations for beach, diving or exploring.
We're currently recommending St. Vincent and the Grenadines for those who are looking for the perfect Eco-Tourism holiday. Click here for further information
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad can offer both a bustling city - Port of Spain - and quiet seclusion. The island has gorgeous, sandy beaches and dense forest along our North Coast, and miles of protected beaches and wetlands on the East Coast.
Tobago is less developed than Trinidad, offers the oldest protected rainforest in the Western Hemisphere, and of course has plenty of palm-lined beaches, lush rain forests and pristine coral reefs teeming with rich marine life.
US Virgin Islands: St Thomas St John
St Croix
The three major American Virgin Islands are St Thomas, St John, and St Croix. They form part of the Virgin Islands chain adjacent to the British Virgin Islands.
St Thomas - the most developed island - offers all you would want for a Caribbean holiday - beautiful water, green hills, soft breezes, with an American flavor of efficiency and comfort. You can find just about anything you want on St Thomas - quiet villas, night life, white sandy beaches, golf, interesting cuisine. Its international airport is often the starting place for Americans on holiday, and offers easy boat ferries to the other islands.
St. John is just 20 minutes by ferry from St Thomas, but offers a completely different experience. Two- thirds of the island is a protected National Park offering quiet sailing, breathtaking views and beautiful coves to anchor in for the night or diving.
St. Croix, the largest of the Virgins, lies 40 minutes south of St Thomas. St. Croix, besides the beaches, offers ruins and restorations of sugar mills and plantation houses everywhere. It is less mountainous than St. John and St. Thomas, but offers a wide variety of landscapes, from rolling hills to rain forest, to cactus-covered plains.
You can start your holiday nearly anywhere – often determined by availability of flights. Those coming from North America often Start in St Thomas, because of the many flights, and Europeans can often more easily get to Martinique, Barbados or St Lucia. From there the itinerary is up to you, and we recommend you submit a general outline to your captain well in advance so that they can take care of mooring arrangements and suggest additional things to do while there. We have considerable experience in the Caribbean, and are happy to help with suggestions on itinerary. Feel free to contact us for advice.
In just about any case, a Caribbean Island holiday will provide ample sun, activities, and chance for both exploration and relaxation!
A Typical 14 Day Leeward Island Cruise (Starting from Antigua)
Day
Itinerary
1
Embarkation from Falmought Harbor, Antigua. Sail to Green Island and anchor for the night. Do your first snorkelling or windsurfing
2-3
Sail to Barbuda. Superb snorkelling and birdlife
4
Sail to the North side of Antigua, stopping along the way at Five Islands Bay (beautiful beach) or Deep Bay Andes shipwreck).
5-6
Journey to Nevis and St Kitts. See the ruins 1700's sugar plantations and churches.
7- 9
St Barts - take in the food, shopping and ambiance of this Caribbean hot spot.
10-11
Anguilla - for fantastic beaches. Overnight in Crocus Bay
12-14
St Martin. Orient bay and Grand Case Bay. Disembark
If you'd like any suggestions about the Caribbean, please feel free to contact us.
We have plenty of beautiful and well maintained yachts, most are hand selected and we've visited them ourselves. Please browse through these yachts we have on the site, and let us know which one(s) may be of interest. If you don't find the perfect boat or have specific needs, we can search for it for you, so just fill out our custom booking form and we'll get right on it!
