Updated November 2021
How do you choose which beach to visit on an island that has one for every day of the year? Well, this post is going to make it all a lot easier for you to find the best beaches in Antigua.
During our week on this beautiful Caribbean island - through visits with friends, chats with locals in the know, and our own two day road trip - we found some absolute gems; the type of picture postcard Antigua beaches which we all dream about when planning our holiday. We also found a few which we didn’t think were worth a visit, so we haven’t included them here as we know how precious your time is on vacation.
If you want to get out of your hotel or resort and find your own slice of paradise, then any beach on this list should be on your Antigua itinerary. Some are a little off the beaten path, some are a little difficult to access and some will be a lot busier than others, but each will satisfy your beach-lust whether you’re an independent traveller, day-tripper, honeymooner, or sun seeker.
Our Favourite Beaches in Antigua
best beaches in antigua
// Hawkshill Bay
// Carlisle Bay
// Darkwood Beach
// Coco Beach
// Half Moon Bay
// Ffryes Beach
// Pigeon Point
// Curtain Bluff Beach
// Long Bay
// Dickenson Bay
Hawksbill Bay
As we explain in more detail in our 'Things to Know Before You Visit Antigua' post, all beaches are public in Antigua but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are easy for the public to access.
The four intimate crescent beaches - Hawksbill Bay, Landing Bay, Pinching Bay and Eden Beach - which can be found just down the road from Five Islands Village in the north west of Antigua, definitely fall under this category.
The beautiful Landing Bay, just off a public road, poses no problems with access and has parking right by the beach. However the other three in this pretty chain of beaches are really only accessible by walking through the private resort grounds (Hawksbill Resort, if you feel like basing yourself here), so you do feel slightly awkward.
However, you can feel reassured that passing through the resort is completely legal, and once you have informed security of your plans, you will not be denied entry (of course though, do respect the paying guests' privacy and space).
Note that Eden Beach is the only nudist beach in Antigua. We were told it could be accessed by a path around the back of the resort, but we couldn’t find it (if you do, let us know how and we’ll update the instructions).
You’ll be happy to know that the other Antigua beaches featured on this list offer no issues with accessibility of this nature.
The Essentials
Location | Find Hawksbill Bay here
Parking | Parking is just behind Landing Bay, here on maps.
Facilities | You are free able to use the facilities at Hawksbill Resort, providing you are buying food or drinks.
Carlisle Bay
It's a little nicer here than its English namesake; in fact, this spot in the south of the island was one of our absolute favourite beaches in Antigua - the hour or two that we spent here could easily have been extended to a full afternoon!
With the occasional wild goat on the sand, a palm tree lined border and exceptionally clear water, the half moon-shaped Carlisle Bay weds the sense of a rustic undiscovered beach with all the facilities you'd hope for right next to it.
Although the very beautiful Carlisle Bay Resort shares this beach, it is very easy for members of the public to access it and enjoy their time on the sand.
It’s particularly beautiful for sunset or and apparently an excellent spot for a bit of snorkelling!
The Essentials
Location | Carlisle Beach is located in Old Road village, on the south coast of Antigua. You can find it here.
Parking | There are a small number of free parking spots at the entrance to the beach.
Facilities | You are only a few minutes walk to a shop, as well as restaurant and bar in the centre of Old Road village. With that said, it’s advisable to bring snacks and water with you as there’s nothing for sale on the beach (this is a good thing!)
Darkwood Beach
We asked our rental car lady which was her favourite beach on the island, and she unhesitatingly told us Darkwood.
Smart woman.
For us, Darkwood's long stretch of perfect white sand and clean clear water, is the most accessible and best set-up beach for visitors looking for a beautiful spot to chill out on for the whole the day, without an attachment to a resort crowd.
The Essentials
Location | Darkwood Beach is located on the southwest coast of the island, here on maps.
Parking | Free parking is available along the road that runs behind the beach.
Facilities | There are a few colourful shacks which we imagine become impromptu bars come the busy season or weekend (we visited in low season), but there’s also an excellent permanent bar & restaurant offering simple meals, cold beers and cocktails, deckchairs / umbrellas for rent and wi-fi for customers. The restaurant owner did tell us that cruise ship groups can turn up on occasion, but we think the beach would still be big enough for everyone!
Alternatives | A short walk, and even shorter drive, from Darkwood Beach, you will find the very pretty Turners Beach (maps) and Love Beach (maps). We put this little cluster of relatively undeveloped beaches in the island's south-west top of the list for independent travellers in Antigua.
Coco Beach
Although the wonderful Coco Bay is attached to the exclusive Coco Bay Resort (where one of Andrew's siblings got married many moons ago), it is actually easy to access and park. The bay isn’t sign-posted - or they're intentionally well hidden - so you may want to use your GPS and off-line Google Maps here, but it’s still quite straight forward to find.
The first section of beach has the majority of resort guests and facilities, so we recommend that you continue up the beach to a quieter section where you can happily lay your towel down out of the way and without feeling awkward.
The shallow water is particularly good for families, an ideal spot to snorkel, and as an added bonus, cruise ships apparently don’t stop off here.
The Essentials
Location | You can find Coco Beach on google maps here.
Parking | There is free parking just behind the beach
Facilities | There are sunbeds etc on this beach, but as far as we’re aware, these are for guests of the Coco Bay Resort only (although we have heard of some people using them and never being asked…). There is a restaurant at the far end of the beach - called Sheer Rocks - which although we were unable to try, does have excellent reviews.
Half Moon Bay
We had high hopes for Half Moon (which is a national park), but were massively disappointed.
After going out to beat the crowds in the early morning, we found a beach that was covered in seaweed and smelled a little rank.
Over a rum punch at the bar in Verandah Resort later that evening however, Kerry-Anne swore to us that we had simply visited in the wrong season (May) and that Half Moon was without doubt one of the best beaches in Antigua. As it’s a little out of the way and undeveloped, it’s also certain to be less busy than many others throughout the year.
Given her ability to make the best rum punches ever, we do not doubt Kerry-Anne. The pictures we’ve since seen of a seaweed free and sun-soaked Half Moon, make us confident that it's worthy of the list - let us know if we’re wrong!
There were a couple of colourful beach shacks which looked like they would operate as bars / restaurants, but we'd recommend you bring your own drinks & snacks just incase. There's a small car park right by the beach.
Tip | Want to taste some of the best food in Antigua? Then take the excellent 'From the Sea' cooking class.
Ffryes Bay
An alternative to Coco Bay is the nearby Ffryes, another stunning, long stretch of white sand beach which didn’t appear to have a resort attached to it.
Although cruise ship parties can sometimes descend upon the shore, this is generally a good bet for a quieter Bach experience than others on the island.
The Essentials
Location | Ffryes Bay is located in the southwest of the island, easy to access via a dusty track, just off the main road. You can find it here on Google Maps.
It’s also possible to walk there from the popular resort of Jolly Beach.
Parking | There is plenty of nearby parking, just behind the beach and within sight of the water.
Facilities | There is a bar/restaurant at the end of the beach owned by a chap called Dennis which is a popular place for food, as well as somewhere those less keen to plop down on the sand, can rental a lounger for the day.
Otherwise you will need to bring supplies with you should you plan on spending more than a couple of hours there.
Pigeon Point
We visited Pigeon Point during May Day and Sailing Week parties, so there was lots going on. With beach restaurants offering up barbecue meals, pop-up bars keeping the mood going on, and lots of people learning to sail on the water, this was a really nice spot with a chilled-out vibe.
Its tree lined backdrop reminded us both of a few beaches we visited in Costa Rica.
Due to its proximity to English Harbour, it’s one of the island’s more popular places; it’s only a 10-15 minute walk up and down a hill to get there from the centre. If you’re visiting Nelson’s Dockyard and then want to head to a nearby beach, then this is your spot.
The Essentials
Location | Pigeon Point is located next to English Harbour, here on maps.
Parking | There is a large free parking lot right next to the beach.
Facilities | There are a couple of restaurants on the beach, but its location in English Harbour means that you’re super close to a supermarket to stock up on beach snacks and drinks before you get there. They have several wooden tables to enjoy a picnic.
There are also a variety of waterspouts rental companies that operate from the beach.
Alternative | If upon arriving it seems a little too busy for you, consider walking the extra ten minutes or so to Winward Bay, a wonderfully isolated little spot. To find the path, head towards Catherine’s Cafe (maps)
Tip | Given its home to yacht week, Antigua is a fantastic place for anybody to test out their sea legs and charter a sailing boat for the day, with several options leaving English Harbour. They're not cheap, but become significantly better value if you can get together a group of six - eight people together. Check out this half-day tour, or this full-day one. Naturally, they both come with rum included!
Curtain Bluff Beach
During our little road trip around the island, this stunning beach was the first we saw - and it takes some beating as the most photogenic viewpoint in Antigua.
However, we hate to break it to you, but we’re not actually sure that the general public can access it as the appears to be no entry point besides through the luxurious Curtain Bluff Resort.
Which means you’re probably wondering why it has made it into this list?
Well, if you happen to be reading this post before booking your accommodation, we guess it’s a subtle nudge to consider Curtain Bluff. We can imagine waking up there during your holiday would be extra special!
The Essentials
Location | You can find Curtain Bluff on the south of the island, not far from Carlisle Bay. It’s here on Google Maps.
Long Bay
Although it’s attached to the excellent Pineapple Beach Club (a good resort choice for young couples and groups), Long Bay is easily accessible to the public and has a few shops, bars and restaurants on its stretch (Mama Pasta and La Tartaruga are recommended), so you don’t have to worry too much about bringing your lunch or drinks with you.
The snorkelling is good, the water is divine, and there is plenty space for everyone on this white sand beach.
During our time in Antigua, we stayed at Verandah Resort, which is an excellent, peaceful and expansive 'all-inclusive plus'. It has two private beaches on site, which are both very nice, and absolutely deserves its position as one of the best resorts in Antigua.
The Essentials
Location | Long Bay is located the west of Antigua; you can find it here on maps.
Parking | Parking is available if you drive past the Verandah entrance on your right hand side, and the Pineapple entrance on your left, until you reach the end of the road.
Dickenson Bay
This one mile stretch of beach is one of Antigua’s most popular due to its size, accessibility and range of activities / services offered. As it has a number of hotels attached to it, we imagine it becomes quite crowded at peak season.
It certainly didn't feel as special as the other beaches we visited, but that's because Antigua puts one's standards quite high.
However, if you like your beaches to have more action, be more commercially developed, fancy a jet-ski, or want to hang out at a bar or two when taking a break from the sun, then this will be a great choice for you. If you like a quieter time on the beach, head to the southern section.
The Essentials
Location | Dickenson Bay is located in the Northeast of the island; you can find it here on Google Maps.
Parking | We found free parking and access easiest on the small road that leads off of Anchorage Road, which takes you towards the beach and Halcyon Resort.
Facilities | You name your facility, you can find it here. An abundance of sun beds and parasols, bars, restaurants, shops and recreational rentals (boats, snorkels, jet skis etc).
Think we missed one of the best beaches in Antigua? Let us know in the comments!
