Explore Antigua & Barbuda – 1st to 10th May 2027

Price range: €1,800 through €4,325

Sail Antigua’s south coast, then escape to Barbuda’s pink-sand beaches and frigatebirds. No experience necessary.

Beach-hopping sailing. We start and finish at Jolly Harbour and sail round the south coast of Antigua, then cross to Barbuda for three days of empty beaches and wild coast. You’ll sail Ibis V with at most six guests and one skipper, helping to sail the boat and learning as you go; beginners and improvers are welcome. Join a small, friendly crew.

Duration:

10 Days/9 Nights

Sailing Areas:

Antigua & Barbuda

Suitable For:

Beginners & All Levels

All About This SAILING Trip

What Makes This Trip Special?

  • Two islands, two worlds. Antigua is lively and historic, with Nelson’s Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a famous sailing harbour. Barbuda is flat and quiet, with miles of white and pink sand and just one village, Codrington.
  • One of the world’s largest frigatebird colonies. Codrington Lagoon’s sanctuary can only be visited with a licensed local guide, so we’ll arrange that for you.
  • The sailing is the holiday. There’s a real offshore passage to Barbuda, about 30 miles from Nonsuch Bay, plus coastal sailing to some of Antigua’s best snorkelling anchorages. You’ll learn as you go and get the chance to take the helm.

Is This Trip for Me?

This is an active sailing holiday You’ll help sail the boat, and on race days you’ll be part of a small, close-knit crew. Most guests say that’s the best part.

This trip suits you if:

  • You want to explore the little-visited island of Barbuda – the island is quiet and simple with beach access by dinghy.
    You want to learn or sharpen your sailing. The trip over to Barbuda is a long-ish day on the water
  • You like the idea of a different beach each evening.
  • You’d like to make friends in a small group, sharing tasks and meals.

It probably isn’t for you if:

  • You want to be waited on, or to be a passenger.
  • You need a massive space with air-conditioning like a resort.
  • You aren’t physically fit and able to manage your own bodyweight.

What “participatory” means day to day: preparing the boat for sailing, hoisting sails, trimming and winching, steering, putting everything away at the end of the day, keeping shared spaces tidy, and taking a turn clearing dishes. Your skipper teaches as you go, and nobody is expected to know anything on day one.

Travelling solo? Book your own cabin or bunk with an ensuite bathroom (some are shared) and join a small, mixed group.

Have a Sailing Adventure

Our 10-day sailing holiday includes glorious blue water sailing, great home-cooked food, fantastic snorkelling and evenings under the stars. New sailors and improvers are assured of a relaxed and unhurried learning experience, and single travellers will make firm friends amongst their fellow boat buddies.

Our itinerary will take in all the island highlights; you’ll do plenty of sailing, whilst allowing time for relaxing and exploring.

Sunshine & Warm Seas

Warm sunny weather is practically guaranteed; there are often showers in this part of the world but they never last long, and hey, it’s warm rain! Temperatures in the high 20s are the norm, and there’s always a cooling breeze on board. The sea is a wonderful shade of blue, and with some of the best snorkelling in the Caribbean….prepare to be amazed.


Included

  • All Boat Running Costs
  • Cruising Permits
  • Dinghy “Taxi” service ashore
  • Half Board Meals
  • Quality Linens
  • Filtered Drinking Water
  • Use of Boat Toys
  • Use of Snorkelling Equipment

Not Included

  • Flights
  • Airport Transfers
  • Soft drinks, Alcohol & Mixers
  • Excursions & Activities Ashore
  • Meals Taken Ashore
  • Personal Travel Insurance

Sailing With YOU

The following shipmates are already booked on this trip:

Come and join the crew!

Please Note

The following itinerary is subject to changes due to weather forecasts and group preferences.

1 May

Day 1 – Arrival Day

Arrive in Jolly Harbour. Meet Ibis V and your skipper, safety briefing, first short sail.

1 May

2 May

Day 2

Jolly Harbour to Falmouth Harbour. Sail the coast round to English Harbour and see the Classics fleet.

2 May

3 May

Day 3

Falmouth Harbour & South Coast. Practice day: tacking, gybing, starts and crew roles, with swim and snorkel stops. Check safety kit and sail numbers.

3 May

4 May

Day 4

Falmouth Harbour & South Coast. Practice day: tacking, gybing, starts and crew roles, with swim and snorkel stops.

4 May

5 May

Day 5

English Harbour. Registration at Nelson’s Dockyard (0900–1700). Declare sail configuration by 1800. Competitors’ Briefing at 1800.

5 May

6 Msy

Day 6

English Harbour to Stop 1. Race Day 1: one race a day, or cruise in company. Evening event and prize-giving ashore.

6 Msy

7 May

Day 7

Stop 1 to Stop 2. Race Day 2, with evening event and prize-giving.

7 May

8 May

Day 8

Stop 2 to Stop 3. Race Day 3, with evening event and prize-giving.

8 May

9 May

Day 9

Stop 3 to Falmouth Harbour. Race Day 4. No race start after 1300. Final prize-giving around 1900.

9 May

10 May

Day 10 – Departure Day

Breakfast on board and say our goodbyes!

10 May

Choosing a CABIN

We will be running Ibis V on this trip with up to 6 guests and 1 skipper.  To find out more about Ibis, please follow this link.

The prices below reflect the sizes of the cabins on the boat; please make your selection when Booking.

Boat NameCabin TypePrice (EUR)
Ibis VShared Twin Cabin (Up and Down Bunks – same gender allocations)€1,800
Twin Cabin for Sole Use€2,750
 Double Cabin with Ensuite for Sole Use (2 available)€3,250
Double Cabin with Ensuite for Couple (2 available)€4,325

Insurance

You should ensure you have a good travel policy that covers you for flight delays and lost/delayed baggage – this is particularly important if any part of your travel includes a LIAT or Air France flight!  During this sailing holiday we will never be more than 12 miles from shore and coastal sailing like this is usually part of the standard travel cover for most policies; please ensure that your travel policy doesn’t specifically exclude this.

Expenses & CURRENCY

The currency on Antigua is Eastern Caribbean dollars; however US dollars are accepted everywhere.  Make sure you do have a small supply of cash; the ATM’s are not as frequent as you might think!  Credit cards are accepted in most bars and restaurants but not all.

We provide filtered drinking water on board and we carry fruit juices for breakfast time.  You will need to provision with any soft drinks, alcohol and mixers you need when you arrive and there are small supermarkets in Marigot where you can do this.  Guests often club together and have a kitty for these costs, but you may prefer to buy your own.

You should budget for between $15 to $35 for a main course in a restaurant when we eat out plus drinks and service charge.  The restaurants serving in US dollars often add 10% or more to the bill automatically (grrr) and with local taxes the supplement to the menu prices can be as much as 25%!!  French restaurants operate a more European tipping system – add what you feel is justified.  We promise to take you only where we’ve had good value for money!

Participation

Unless otherwise stated, sailing holidays with Yacht Ibis are participatory and you should expect to get involved.  We don’t carry passengers!  This will include:

  • Preparing the boat for sailing
  • Hoisting sails, pulling ropes, winching, steering and generally sailing the boat
  • Putting all the ropes away at the end of the day
  • Helping to keep the communal spaces tidy and clear of personal belongings
  • Taking a turn on clearing away dishes after a meal

This is all part of living aboard a sailing boat 🙂

Other Questions

Hopefully any other questions you may have are covered in our frequently asked questions here or in our Pre-Arrival Booklet which can be downloaded here.

Booking TERMS and Conditions

These can be found at this link and you should be familiar and comfortable with them before making a booking, thank you.

FLIGHTS

We recommend that you organise a flight in and out of ANU – Antigua’s Princess Juliana Airport.  AMU is a central hub with connections within the Caribbean and internationally.

If you prefer not to use a travel agent, Flight Connections is a great starting point to find out about flights.  From here, you can contact the airlines directly, or use a flight search engine like Bravofly or Skyscanner to find alternative routes that may work out cheaper.

Getting to the BOAT and Back Home

Firm details will be notified nearer the time, however please note the following for arrival to Antigua.

The airport in Antigua is around a 40-minute taxi ride from Jolly Harbour, where our boat(s) will be Moored.  Please ensure you provide your arrival information as soon as you can and keep us updated of any changes; we will try and hook you up with fellow crewmates who might be arriving at the same time so that you can share a taxi.  Please pack light, and using a lightweight, collapsible bag with wheels if possible.  Hard suitcases must not be brought on board, we simply have no room to store them!

ARRIVING and Departing

You should aim to arrive around midday on the first day of your trip, and we will aim to finish at midday on the last.  To facilitate travel, we offer a complimentary extra night on board at either the beginning or the end of the trip.  Additional nights can be provided at a cost of EUR €95 per person per night on a bed and help yourself continental breakfast basis.  If you’d like to stay for any additional nights please add them to your booking.  We do need the days in between trips to prepare the boats for the following trips, so please keep this in mind, thank you!

Accommodation Nearby in Antigua

Arriving a night early? Jolly Beach Resort is a beachfront all-inclusive within walking distance of Jolly Harbour marina. Staying on after the regatta, or joining us in English Harbour? The historic Admiral’s Inn sits inside Nelson’s Dockyard, where regatta registration takes place. Book early: regatta week fills up.

What’s a SAILING trip with us like?

Check out the video:

The number of places on this trip is very limited. Be sure to let us know of your interest so that you don’t miss out…

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