Antigua! Seriously one of our top Caribbean cruising spots, and here’s why:

The landscape was a cool change-up from the previous islands: flatter and noticeably drier. For once, the daily downpour took a break! The island was an ideal size as it is big enough to explore over a week or two (weather permitting!), but still “small” enough to feel quite intimate. Plus, all those little islands dotted around, the incredible water colours, kite spots and the snorkelling gave us a variety of activities to do. The island vibe was just chill and happy, and Sundays at Shirley Heights are a MUST – live steel drums and reggae, yummy Caribbean food, and some dangerous rum punch!

We also loved the little glimpses of history, especially when we first sailed into English Harbour. The restaurants and bars were a great surprise scattered around the island, with The Loose Cannon and Little Jumby Hut becoming instant favourites.

One anchorage we enjoyed and ended up spending some time in was Green Island – super protected and right in front of a white sandy beach. We anchored just around the corner from the kite beach, close to some great snorkelling spots that were just a quick dinghy ride away. Great Bird Island was another gem, with more snorkelling nearby, including Hell's Gate. Prickly Pear was a probably the highlight when it comes to snorkelling as even on a rainy day, paddling and snorkelling around the island was incredible – and when the sun peeked through, it was simply gorgeous!

We timed our arrival in Antigua perfectly to have dinner with friends the day before New Year’s Eve! The next day, we sailed over to Green Island to meet them near their hotel for the big night. We had a great day swimming turtles, then rang in the New Year watching the fireworks over mainland Antigua from Green Island, which was pretty special!

Our friend Megan was arriving for a visit, who joined us for a week from Sydney – definitely not long enough, but we packed in as much as possible! We also managed a quick two-day trip over to Barbuda and stumbled upon an incredible anchorage we almost missed – Gravenor's Bay! Anchored in the sandy patches surrounded by reef, with crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life, we were so glad we made the detour.

We did a loop of Antigua, hitting all those great spots again, and enjoyed a stop at Jolly Harbour. Max had a tennis lesson, Maddie had a swim lesson, and we stocked up at Epicurean, probably one of the best-stocked supermarkets on the island.

Our last day in Antigua rolled around way too fast, and it was time to say goodbye to Megan. We then sailed over to Falmouth Harbour, arriving just before sunset, and made a last-minute decision to taxi up to Shirley Heights after hearing so much about it – and we were so glad we did! What a beautiful night to end our Antigua chapter! All around great vibes and a beautiful sunset was what we needed on our last night.

The next morning, we set sail for Guadeloupe, ready for our next farewell – Julia was leaving us the following day after 2 months aboard!