Antigua boasts 365 beaches and the beautiful Caribbean Sea lapping at them. A visit to Antigua quite frankly doesn't make sense if you don't give yourself time to enjoy the various watersports that Antigua has to offer. The island has excellent conditions for sailing with many small coves, bays and beaches dotted all over the coastline - great for dropping anchor and going for a quiet swim and a snorkel. On the northeast coast the Trade Winds provide great conditions for windsurfing. For those that like to dive, Antigua has reef, drift and wreck dives with a pleasing array of marine life that you don't often see on other islands in the Lesser Antilles.

Just one of Antigus's 365 beaches...

Antigua has a historical tradition of sailing and many places like Nelson's Dockyard, Falmouth Harbour and the large marinas at English Harbour and Jolly Harbour continue this tradition with distinctly marine-oriented communities. Both marinas offer a range of marine services and one can always see many boats from both sides of the Atlantic moored up at any particular time of year. Sailing really reaches its peak around Antigua Sailing Week in late April early May when hundreds of boats from the region and from North America and Europe converge on Antigua for a vibrant week of racing and festivities. If sailing and cruising appeals to you there are catamaran and sailing cruises available day and night offering you cruises of varying length and at different times of day. Food and drinks are provided as well as snorkel gear (daytime cruises). Moonlight cruises are a more romantic affair and give you the chance to see the twinkling lights of the stars and those of the houses across Antigua as the sun sets and the light quickly fades. If you like to surf then conditions at Galley Bay and Turtle Bay are good in the months November-March. Windsurfing is best off the north east coast but there are several other areas in the south at Half Moon Bay and at off St. James' Club. If you like sportfishing, conditions in Antigua are truly excellent. The many bays and coves make in-shore trawling alot of fun with barracuda, jack and mackerel up for grabs. Deep sea trawling is good too with the chance to catch really big game fish such as kingfish, wahoo and marlin as well as the fast and feisty (though smaller) dorado. All make good eating! The sportfishing charter captains know all the fishing grounds well and it is a very rare occasion indeed when you don't catch. Charters are either full or half day with food and drinks laid on accordingly. The Antigua and Barbuda Sports Fishing Tournament is held in May every year and boats from across the Caribbean compete for EC$100,000 in prize money. Catches are BIG.

There are simply more white sand beaches than you could possibly hope to visit during your stay in Antigua. The calmer beaches are on the west coast with the most popular beaches at Dickenson Bay and at Driftwood. There are, however, good beaches everywhere with generally calm waters and they are uncrowded and unspoilt. Beaches are arguably Antigua's best natural asset.