Guide to the Leeward Islands

You will find this British Territory to be an intriguingly different destination on your Caribbean charter yacht vacation. It is the northernmost of the Leeward Islands and boasts a South Seas island atmosphere of coral cays, soft sandy beaches and swaying palms. Shoal Bay East, with its long stretch of sand and a backdrop of beach bars and small resorts, has been voted one of the ten best beaches in the Caribbean. However, if escapism is your calling, then you will probably prefer places like the appropriately named Dream Beach, or Scilly Cay. Scuba divers are in their element in Anguilla as there are seven shipwrecks beckoning to be explored. The island, which has a population of about 13,000, is a well-recognized international tax haven.

ST MARTIN (ST MAARTEN)

Two worlds come together in St Martin: it’s a unique cosmopolitan mix of Caribbean casualness and a fabulously French lifestyle. It is also one half of the world’s smallest territory – a 33 square mile island shared by the French and Dutch since 1648, making it the world’s smallest landmass under the rule of two sovereign states. The French sector covers about 60 per cent of the island and the Dutch territory, St Marteen, the remainder. St Martin would be high on your Caribbean Charter Yacht arranged itinerary if you are seeking secluded relaxation by day, and long, lazy French-influenced dinners by night. While the capital of St Marteen, Philipsburg, offers the rambunctious lifestyle of casinos and ‘fast-ish’ living, St Martin’s colourful capital, Marigot, presents the alternative: an easy-going and elegant lifestyle with sidewalk cafes, beguiling bars, modish dining and excellent duty-free shopping. Once back at sea, you will discover a bounty of beautiful anchorages, beaches and bays, all demanding your presence. This is certainly a memorable destination on any Caribbean charter.

ST BARTS (ST. BARTHS OR ST. BARTHELEMY)

The presence of a flotilla of superyachts docked stern-to along the charming waterfront of St Bart’s tiny capital, Gustavia, and regular sightings of the world’s rich and famous ashore and afloat, suggests there is something very special about St Barts – and there is. St Barts is a fascinating meld of Caribbean informality and French flamboyance when it comes to gastronomic delights, bars, boutiques and culture. It is a fashion lover’s paradise and the place of fabulous waterfront hotels and restaurants. St Barts can also impress you with stunning natural beauty: a tiny, low profile island featuring a captivating coastline punctuated at regular intervals by blissful beaches and enchanting scenery. St Barts is where you can soak up the lifestyle you dreamt of when cruising on your Caribbean charter yacht.

ST. KITTS

Mountainous St. Kitts, the first English settlement in the Leeward Islands, offers a surprisingly diverse vacation experience. Divers have yet to discover all its underwater attractions, history buffs will marvel at Brimstone Hill, known in the 18th century as the Gibraltar of the West Indies, and nature lovers will be pleasantly surprised by the hiking, whether in a rain forest replete with waterfalls or a central mountain range home to a long-dormant crater. There's also now every kind of accommodation, as well as gourmet dining, golf, and gaming, plus white-sand beaches concentrated around Frigate Bay with views onto quiet Nevis.

NEVIS

Nevis's charm is its rusticity: there are no traffic lights, goats still amble through the streets of Charlestown, and local grocers announce whatever's in stock on a blackboard (anything from pig snouts to beer). Nevis is one of the remaining unspoiled places, the quiet sister island of St. Kitts. While its natural attractions and activities certainly captivate—there’s great eco-hiking, windsurfing, and deep-sea fishing to be had—lying in a hammock, strolling on Pinney’s Beach, and dining on romantic candlelit patios remain cherished pursuits. Nevis’ historic heritage, from the Caribbean's first hotel to Alexander Hamilton's childhood home, visitors can look forward to sybaritic plantation inns that seem torn from the pages of a romance novel and scenes of overgrown sugar mills almost everywhere you look. Keeping the charm of a bygone era and today offers a privileged insight in the Caribbean of the past.

ST. EUSTATIUS

Think of this tiny Dutch Caribbean island and envision quiet times, strolls through history, and awesome diving and hiking. While many of its neighbors are pursuing the tourist business big-time, St. Eustatius just quietly exists. That's what makes this island so charming.

SABA

One of the Dutch Caribbean islands, tropical Saba (pronounced say-ba) explodes out of the Caribbean Sea. Though just south of St. Maarten (if you've seen the original King Kong, you'll recognize its majestic silhouette from the beginning of the film), the island couldn't be more different. While St. Maarten is all beaches, gambling, and duty-free shopping, Saba is ecotourism, diving, and hiking.

ANTIGUA

Antigua is magical: it’s all about maritime history and modern-day adventure. To criss-cross the enticing blue waters that encircle this 100 square-mile island is to sail in the wake of Christopher Columbus and Lord Horatio Nelson. It’s where you can step back in time and appreciate the history-laden shores of English and Falmouth Harbours, or step onto glistening white sandy beaches that are 1000 miles from care. Islanders will tell you there are 365 beaches in Antigua – one for each day of the year! There are also extensive coral reefs that are teeming with sea-life for the fascination of snorkelers and scuba divers. Antigua is the largest English-speaking island in the region – and the sunniest. It is also famous worldwide for its fun sailing events.An excellent starting place for you Caribbean charter yacht, Antigua has direct flights to the USA and Europe. Once aboard your yacht, and having sampled the local tropical landscape, you have the option to make the passage northwest towards the Virgin Islands, or sail south towards the Windward Islands – and while you do, your every desire will be met by your highly qualified crew.

BARBUDA

Breathtaking Barbuda: the island where pristine, coconut palm fringed beaches, some with soft pink hues, stretch uninterrupted for up to 10 miles. Located just 20 miles to the north of Antigua, Barbuda is a perfect destination when cruising on your Caribbean charter yacht as there is a proliferation of sheltered bays and coves that are lined with beautiful beaches. Codington Lagoon, which is seven miles long, is another intriguing feature of this 68 square mile coral island. Barbuba is also a destination where snorkelers and scuba divers will be entranced by an underwater world of extensive reefs and abundant sea-life. Travel brochures trumpet the 365 sensuous beaches, "one for every day of the year," as locals love saying, though when the island was first developed for tourism, the unofficial count was 52 ("one for every weekend"). Either way, even longtime residents haven't combed every stretch of sand.

MONTESERRAT

Montserrat ranks among the Caribbean’s most pristine, serene islands, its luxuriant vegetation and jagged green hills justifying the moniker Emerald Isle. But it’s also one of the region’s most unexpected destinations: In 1995, Montserrat’s volcano erupted, leaving devastation in its wake. Though the volcano still belches, it’s become an ecotourism hot spot. Ironically, other fringe benefits also exist. Volcanic deposits enriched the already fertile soil; locals claim their fruit and vegetable crops have improved. The slightly warmer waters have attracted even more varied marine life for divers and snorkelers to appreciate, along with new underwater rock formations. But it’s a pretty quiet spot: Other than the volcano, the steamiest activities are the fiercely contested domino games outside rum shops and weekend bingo.

GUADELOUPE

Your taste-buds will go wild and your desire for the ultimate in pleasure and freedom in paradise will be sated in Guadeloupe. You will be surrounded by a delightful blend of warm azure seas while onshore there is a plentiful choice of beaches awaiting you – some black sand and others white, and all revealing their own form of unique natural beauty. You will also discover captivating palm-fringed, crystal-clear lagoons where you can drift your day away. It is safe to say you are never very far from a beautiful beach in this part of the Caribbean. Guadeloupe is where, in 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the ‘piña de Indias’ – the pineapple – growing in the Caribbean. Now, modern day explorers aboard caribbean charter yachts can go ashore and discover a land of spices, and all the taste sensations that come with the best of mouth-watering creole cooking. Seafood is the island’s specialty: grilled lobster, queen conch fricassee, fish bouillon and delicious clam chowder are among the myriad of culinary experiences to be enjoyed.