There are so many beaches surrounding Antigua & Barbuda it’s hard too narrow down the list to my top five. No matter what beach you go to all of them are beautiful. I can honestly guarantee you the water will be the clearest and bluest you have ever seen. I have been to a few other islands around the Caribbean and none of their beaches compare to the beaches in Antigua & Barbuda.
The water is truly something you only see on Pinterest. Who doesn’t want to vacation at a place with the beautiful ocean as your view and a yummy cocktail in your hand?
They say Antigua offers 365 beaches, but I haven’t even been to half of that number. I really believe that it’s a tourist trap. How is it possible they conveniently have a beach for each day of the year? Regardless though, it is a beauty.
..and if you are a lover of the ocean I would book your next adventure here.
You are able to snorkel through clear blue water, and swim with so many colorful fish it is astounishing. Antigua allows you to take a break from the hustle and bustle and relax. No matter what beach you go to (unless it’s the beach at your resort) you will never find more than 15 people surrounding you. There are so many beaches available to us that they are never crowded. I myself have never been to a beach with more than 20 people. Also my husband’s definition of crowded is quite different than mine. If he sees more than 10 people on a beach he will leave and go to another one.
If you don’t like one beach you are at, there is most likely another beach right around the corner.
Side note: It is illegal in Antigua to not have public access to a beach, so all of the beaches are public. Each beach offers something different, and can satisfy the adventurer and the calm relaxing side of you. Antigua is truly a relaxing environment and it is much more slow pace than the states. So when you come take a breath and don’t become frustrated with the slowness, instead embrace it. Go pull up a lounge chair, jump in the ocean, and take in the all the beautiful shades of blue.
Last side note: None of my pictures are filtered, because I don’t see the point in filtering. Especially travel images. Scenic images don’t need to be filtered, the beauty is already there.
Turners
I always recommend Turners. The water is almost always crystal clear and they also have a simple but delicious restaurant right on their beach. You can order any variety of an alcoholic beverage, take it to the beach and lay out on a lounge chair (which they provide for the cost of 5US). If you are lucky there is also a lady who sells souvenirs in a small shack along the beach.
When you arrive at Turners, if you walk towards the left of the beach you can hike up (slight elevation) and see a beautiful panoramic view of the ocean. You are able to hike up with flip flops. It is not an intense hike, just watch where you step and be mindful of the rocks on the ground. If you want to snorkel, Turners will not be your best option. But if you want to soak up the sun and enjoy the water Turners should definitely be on your to do list.
They also have a public restroom, which is a great bonus because many beaches don’t have restrooms and your only option for relieving yourself is the great outdoors. There are many tour groups in Antigua that offer Turners beach as part of their day tour. So if you are unable to rent a car and get there on your own there are other options.
Darkwood
Im adding Darkwood to the list, because it is only a 3 minute drive from Turners and a good itinerary I recommend is to visit Turners and Darkwood the same day.
Darkwood offers an inflatable water ‘amusement park’ (I use the word amusement park loosely, because it is just some slides, they put in the ocean). It is pretty much a small jungle gym in the water. It cost about 5 dollars to enjoy and it is mostly enjoyed by children. Don’t let stop you though! Let loose your inner child. It’s something different to do than just doing swimming laps in the water.
Stay at Darkwood till after sunset, because if you come to Antigua and don’t watch the sunset at the beach, did you really even come to Antigua? If the skies permits you, you are able to see the silhouette of other islands around the Caribbean such as Guadeloupe and Montserrat.
Galleon Bay
This was my sister in laws favorite beach. She came in October and it was completely deserted, and we were the only two people there. It has breathtaking views and they have floating docks in the middle of the ocean that you can swim to and lay out on them (providing your skin with the best golden tan).
To get to Galleon you have to drive down a steep road and park on the side, but trust me it is worth the drive.
The water is always calm at Galleon, with no rough waves. It’s the perfect spot to pack a picnic and enjoy your food (possibly some liquor) and sit back and enjoy the sounds of the ocean. It’s usually not windy at Galleon, so you don’t have to worry about sand going everywhere and destroying your picnic; because that has happened to me before somewhere else and it wasn’t an experience I would like to repeat.
If you enjoy hiking there is a viewpoint around the coast to the left of the beach called the Pillars of Hercules.
It is doable in flip flops, and it is fairly easy to access the view. The pillars are breathtaking and most likely you will be surrounded by the beauty without any other people around you. It is a hidden gem and a treasure you should check out. Galleon Bay is about a 5 minute drive from Shirley Heights (mentioned in my article Antigua & Barbuda Viewpoints). I highly recommend visiting Galleon Bay and Shirley Heights the same day. Go to Galleon later on in the day and drive up to Shirley Heights to watch the sunset.
Half Moon Bay
If you like to ride the waves this is your beach.
The majority of Antigua’s beaches are flat so there are hardly any waves. However if you enjoy rough waters Half Moon Bay is your best option. It is called Half Moon Bay, because when you view it from above, the beach resembles a crescent moon.
Even if you don’t love rough waters this beach can satisfy you. It has something for the adventure soul part of you and the calm zen part. The beach is beautiful, and if you love to hike you can hike around the area… if you are planning on hiking here I would pack crocs. The hike requires you to walk through the water and it becomes very rocky. I have done it in flip flops before, but I don’t recommend it.
The beach is huge, so even if you don’t want to hike around it, I suggest you at least walk the beach. One part of the water is rough, and if you walk about a quarter mile to the left the water is flat and you can see fish swimming around you.
There is also a restaurant right next to the beach, called Beach Bum Bar and Grill (mentioned in my article Top Restaurants around Antigua) and I swear they have the best chicken burgers on the island. I’ve been here a minimum of 20 times and every time I get the chicken burger with fries. It’s that delicious. They have their own homemade zesty sauce they put on their burgers and it’s so good that everyone just needs to take my word and go try it. If chicken burgers don’t spark your taste buds, they have a variety of other options. Mahi mahi burger is my husbands favorite and they also have a variety of salads, wraps, and so many side dishes.
Barbuda
Barbuda is Antigua’s adjoining sister island. It is about an hour in a half away by boat (if you are lucky you can sometimes make it in a little over an hour).
Your best option for transportation to reach Barbuda will be the BARBUDA EXPRESS FERRY. They operate 6 days a week with two trips daily. They depart Antigua at 8am and leave Barbuda at 4pm. The trip each way last approx. 90minutes and you will board at the ferry dock in St. Johns Harbour.
The Barbuda express ferry also offers a Barbuda Day Tour; which includes snorkeling, diving, pristine white and pink beaches, visiting a bird sanctuary and Two Foot Bay cave, and more. For adults the cost is $145US and for children under the age of 12 is $100US. The tour runs Monday through Friday and they depart at 7am! If you are interesting in booking this tour the link above has their contact info!
Now even though Barbuda and Antigua share the same ocean, arriving in Barbuda you will feel that you have just been transported to Bora Bora. The water is always sparkly blue.
My husband and I traveled to Bora Bora a few years ago, and came to the conclusion that Bora Bora’s water is only 10% better than Barbuda. So trust me when I say that making the trip to Barbuda is worth it.
The water is so blue and clear, it is something that the majority of people only see on Pinterest. The only adventure Barbuda offers are their beaches. hey don’t have many restaurants so if you do decide to venture out pack a lunch.
I highly recommend making the trip out.
If you are a lover of the ocean you won’t regret it.
I would tell you to bring a snorkel, but the water is so clear that you honestly don’t need one. Bring one just in case though, because if you venture out to the reefs you will need a snorkel to see all the fish.
Barbuda is a perfect day trip to fit into your itinerary. When you get to the beach make sure you do your body a favor and rub the sand all over yourself- Best natural exfoliator.
