Please try again. In many cases, you can use day tours for a moderately budget option, or private catamarans and charters if you’re keen for a direct and faster route between some of the less well-connected islands in the Leeward Islands. DESCRIPTION. Sound like a slice of heaven? (More on them below). Or alternatively you can hire a crewed yacht with a professional skipper. Only small propeller planes can land, and only with specially trained pilots. The island is known for its cuisine – a mixture of Spanish, African, and Taino – plus its strong rum and impressive architecture. If you’re looking for a lower profile adapter, however, you can’t go wrong with this one (I carry both!). of Pub. Saba might be a fascinating island I’ve visited on this trip because the geography and culture of the island are so unique. So you can then decide later on which island you really want to spent some time on. TAGS: navigation. With its Dutch Caribbean architecture, turquoise blue waters, picture-perfect sunsets and rolling landscapes that turn from barren desert to lush green hills, this is the perfect place to complete your Caribbean cruise. Here’s how (published May 2018) For U.S. east coast cruisers looking to extend their cruising experience beyond the Bahamas, a Western Caribbean cruise offers an adventurous alternative to the more common Eastern Caribbean destinations such as the BVI and Windward Islands. Although many Caribbean cruises are seasonal, they are perfect for visiting different islands and many are stylish and comfortable, offering world-class service. The Distance Calculator can find distance between any two cities or locations available in The World Clock. After reading this post my next destination is Caribbean region for sure! That doesn’t yet exist though, so even if you go between territories that are in theory controlled by the same country, you need a passport. ha ha ha.. In 1998 Nevis had a referendum to secede from St. Kitts. 7 Caribbean sailing trips with 21 reviews View Map. Plan Your Time in the British Virgin Islands>>. Actually hopping between the islands is by far the most logistically challenging aspect of a Caribbean vacation among the Leeward Islands. Most of the British Virgin Islands has a high end feel to it, and you’ll be hard pressed to find any area that’s truly budget or truly “undiscovered.” For perspective, Richard Branson and Larry Page have private islands nearby. I’d like to island hop the in the Caribbean one day! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. spending your evenings watching the sun set while anchored in a peaceful, protected Island cove. Here’s our guide for anyone who is thinking of going small island-hopping in the, Playa Lagun beach Curacao | © dronepicr/Flickr. The second option is one of the most popular routes – a Caribbean cruise. There are plenty of excellent snorkeling and diving sites, local restaurants and fun beach bars ashore. Although many islands are close, the Leeward Islands are spread all over the place, meaning there is no “logical” route you can plan through the islands—this is in comparison to the fairly linear Windward Islands. If you’re starting south and island-hopping north from the Windward Islands into the Leeward Islands, or simply around that region, then St. Vincent makes a good starting point given the new Argyle International Airport, which offers great international flight connections (this could be also be a great place for island-hoppers to stop on their southerly route given the strong flight connections). Passages between the larger island of St. Lucia and Martinique can be completed in a day, but the big difference between sailing here compared with the Leewards is the greater shift in wind conditions in the passages between islands. St. Kitts & Nevis and Antigua both use EC dollars in everyday usage. They are expensive thats a lot of money for gas. There is a ferry which goes between Nevis – Montserrat – Nevis each Thursday. Love that the islands you’re going to are a bit out of the ordinary too! Of course, you can also determine distances between coordinates (latitude / longitude). The ports and islands in the Caribbean are ideal for those who love adventures, beautiful sights and hot. For a change of pace, spend a winter cruising from Florida to the Western Caribbean and back. The Distance Calculator can find distance between any two cities or locations available in The World Clock. Unsubscribe at any time. Nonetheless, what’s done is done. The BVI have four main islands and over 50 smaller islands that are a paradise for all sailors. San Blas islands are out of the Hurricane Area, which makes it possible to sail in all year long. Many travelers will just plan a day trip to the French side of the island—that’s likely enough unless you’re keen to really explore more deeply. The Caribbean sea is in fact, the most popular cruising and sailing area in the world. edit North and West Caribbean Florida - Bahamas. As with all of the Dutch islands in the Caribbean, very little seems very is Dutch about this side of the island. Once you leave your base in St. Martin, you’ll need some flexibility in your timing because a one-day delay on one island will have a ripple effect through the rest of your schedule. 1. Thanks for the very useful information but I dont know when I would have a chance to ever island hop. The smaller sailing boats are in the BVI’S where the distances between islands are closer. I visited St. Bart’s on a day trip because I couldn’t justify spending over $300 per night on a hotel room (and that was during the low season!). Simply enter any desired location into the search function and you will get the shortest distance (air line) between the points, the route (route planner) as well as all important information. DESCRIPTION. Seems rather expensive, however, going from island to island. On a Caribbean sailing vacation you'll experience your nautical dreams in a unique and thrilling way. You know that “most interesting man in the world” guy? These islands are anyone and everyone’s perfect sailing destination. Travelling between islands in Croatia. St. Kitts is the mother colony for all of the Lesser Antilles. Distances in this table are in nautical miles based on the International Nautical Mile of approximately 6,076.1 feet. In the wake of the carnage that occurred en route to Bermuda in the fall of 2011, Caribbean expert Don Street offers what he believes are far better plans for southbound cruisers. Thank you for it! From Guadeloupe, you can easily access the islands Dominica, Martinique and St Lucia below and Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda above. Forget Bermuda. They pass this way while traveling between Europe and Panama. Actually hopping between the islands is by far the most logistically challenging aspect of a Caribbean vacation among the Leeward Islands. What an amazing trip! Oddly enough, even though Nevis is much smaller than St. Kitts, it seems to have more high-end hotels. The close proximity of the islands makes it the perfect base for island-hopping. The Caribbean is a very convenient hub for multi-island trips. Via “Tools” you can select “Trip planner”. It’s well priced, well located, and offers a fantastic base for exploring. Note that OSM is Open Source and can be downloaded before your cruise.. Distance between Antigua and Calle San Mart n de Porres (518,52 km.) Keep an eye out for freighters, too. Going from the Dutch side of St. Martin to either Saba or St. Eustatius requires a passport, even though they are both in theory part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Curacao charms with its Dutch-influenced architecture. Although many islands are close, the Leeward Islands are spread all over the place, meaning there is no “logical” route you can plan through the islands—this is in comparison to the fairly linear Windward Islands. Sailing the Caribbean Islands is relatively easy. Personally, I really liked Barbados. All major Caribbean islands have excellent mobile coverage. The 11 Best Caribbean Islands for Sailing, Yachting and Boating. All of the islands mentioned above have ferry services that travel from one small island to another. You can do all the island-hopping you want in the Guadeloupe Islands and stay within the same territory. I look forward to your future posts about your experiences there! Most crossings are less than 20 nautical miles. ... sailing from one major area into another. "Seamanship" from our March 2012 issue. If you visit as a day trip, I strongly recommend not going on a Sunday—everything in Gustavia is closed save for a few cafes. For the history buff, step bac… Formerly, they were part of the Netherlands Antilles, which was a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. While the Caribbean Islands are generally a very safe destination, high-profile incidents can quickly leave travelers wondering what lurks beneath its sun-and-fun veneer.British Overseas Territories tend to be the safest among the others. (See conversion table at back of book). – Crewed Charters operate around all the islands between Antigua and Grenada. British Virgin Islands. Ive been wanting to do this before we left for Costa Rica last year! Anguilla uses EC dollars in theory, but everything I saw was priced in U.S. dollars. I stayed at the E Gwada hostel which, believe it or not, was the only real hostel I found in all of the Leeward Islands—that has changed (and the hostel has since closed), but hostels are few and far between when you’re island hopping the Caribbean! You also can’t visit every island by ferry, which adds to the expense and the hassle of getting to the islands. You can go from snorkeling in Dominica one day, to enjoying amazing French and Indian Caribbean cuisine on the island of St. Martin the next. The rest of the best spots in the Caribbean will have to be cobbled together via short flights. In some ways they are similar (climate, geography, and history) yet in other ways they are very different (Dutch islands versus French territories versus British colonies). It changed hands 22 times in its history finally landing with the Dutch. Food prices were high, with normal meals in restaurants going for $20 on average (I never found a simple hamburger for less than US$10 at a non-fast food restaurant). Despite the country being called “St. Not that I am nosy, but I wanna think about what I am looking at if I plan a trip there. In terms of how much it will cost to island-hop independently rather than on a cruise—this region is rather expensive. Here are the top 5 Caribbean Sailing routes that you can add to your vacation for having a delightful experience. Few large planes land in Anguilla and most visitors have to fly into St. Martin. Statistics show that violent crime rarely touches the 28 million or so tourists who visit the Caribbean every year. The ferry ride from St. Marin is quick and easy—it’s a mere 15 min trip and the ferry terminal less than a 5 minute drive from the airport. You should also absolutely reserve time to explore the French side of the island. Many working in the tourism sector will apply a more traditional English accent when talking to tourists, and use a regional dialect when talking to friends and co-workers. The only ferry service to the island is to Montserrat which runs four to seven days a week, depending on the season. The short distances between the islands make for relaxing, line-of-sight sailing. This is thanks, in part, to the relative proximity of the islands to each other. The airport, however, accommodates flights from all over and serves as a regional hub for Liat Airlines. More than 4000 sea ports. The consistent year-round conditions create a perfect Caribbean yacht charter: trade winds, friendly people, perfect weather and warm clear water! The Montserrat Volcano Observatory is open to the public, where you can learn more about the volcano and get a prime view of it. Protect Yourself With Travel InsuranceTravel insurance is the single best way to protect yourself and your trip from unforeseen complications, illness, theft, and more. The British Virgin Islands, a mesmerizing archipelago full of wonderful islands spanning 153 square kilometers. Catching a flight would be the last resort for those who want to go island-hopping. The French side of the island has a more laid back feel and it’s also the least French territory I’ve ever visited. :), Amazing! Distance between Antigua and Gustaf III Airport (142,76 km.) A 20-minute flight from Antigua to Guadeloupe cost me over $200. The island was formerly a Swedish colony and was sold to France in 1878, hence the name “Gustavia” for the capitol. 151, Distances Between Ports, supersedes all previous editions. – Bareboat Charters operate from Saint Vincent and Bequia (we also offer the one way option St Lucia – Grenada). It’s not like the movie Pirates of the Caribbean that uses the Black Pearl to sail the different islands for free. More than 4.000.000 distances. He’s got nothing on you. The so-called ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao sit at the western edge of the Leeward Antilles chain. List of Caribbean islands by area; List of Caribbean island countries by population; List of metropolitan areas in the West Indies; References This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 20:41 (UTC). Tranquil bays. While Euros are usually accepted, they’re often only accepted on par value with U.S. dollars—this is a horrible deal. Sailing. The Dutch side has a much more touristy feel all around than the French side. >> navigation is usually very smooth and quiet, and islands are all very close to each other and to the main land (usually only 2 to 3 hours of sailing distance). Don’t use Euros on the Dutch side unless absolutely necessary. 151, Distances Between Ports, supersedes all previous editions. I have experienced island hopping but not cool as yours. The main complaint island hoppers have about St. Thomas is that is it too “developed.” Compared to other Caribbean islands, this might be true, but I still found the development level to be less than the Dutch side of St. Martin, Guadeloupe, and of course, Puerto Rico. Anguilla is the only island in the region that isn’t a volcanic island—it’s a raised coral reef. For a change of pace, spend a winter cruising from Florida to the Western Caribbean and back. With varying levels of experience on deck, some travellers prefer to have a professional crew do the navigating, and others are ready to take on the task for themselves. St John is one of my favorite islands! Shows the distance from Canary-islands to the North Pole, Equator, South Pole and any place in the world. You can reach some groups of islands via ferry, but they will often stop at a specific island, even though another island is only a few more miles away. Print. The measure received 61.8% of the vote but required 2/3 to pass—they were only 197 votes away from becoming an independent country! Distances from Canary-islands. St Martin (St Maarten) is divided roughly 60/40 between the French Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and offer visitors a two-nation vacation. Three options are available for island-hopping in the Caribbean. The island of St Martin is the perfect place to start exploring the eastern side of the Caribbean. Caribbean Distances Between Caribbean Islands Caribbean Turks & Caicos Virgin Islands Leward Islands Windward Islands Mediterranean Mediterranean French Riviera Italian Riviera Greece - Turkey South Pacific South Pacific Fiji US Northeast Newport - St. Johns Canada Cape Breton _____ I am amazed that people are able to live on the island of Saba. I was told there has been drug smuggling issues on the ferry in the past, so they make you jump through more hoops on the ferry than they do if you arrive by plane. The most popular vessel to navigate is the luxury motor yacht. Traveling by air to the smaller islands in the Caribbean is relatively inexpensive; the larger islands are more costly. The distance between these islands are greater. Island Hopping To and From Statia: Despite being closer to St. Kitts than any other island, the only access to Statia, by air or ferry, is via St. Martin. Be prepared every time you leave your base to bring your passport, documents, and debit cards (since you’ll be changing currencies a few times as you island hop, more on that below). Statia used to be the most important port in the Caribbean and was known as the Golden Rock. Let’s dive into what it will take to navigate to multiple islands in Leeward Islands and Lesser Antilles. Guadeloupe is by far the largest and most populous island in the Leeward Islands. Caribbean sailing tips: Chris Doyle on making the most of your time there Chris Doyle’s is a name familiar to all Caribbean cruisers, as the author of best-selling cruising guides of the region.… The rich history of the island is still evident. Prices are predominantly listed in Euros on the French side, although U.S. dollars are usually accepted. Given how many tourists come, I am surprised the ferry system doesnt go everywhere. Each of the links above goes to a specific guide about travel on that specific island, including things to do, transportation, and more. Wow! …still in Costa Rica lol haha but this is definitely something we will do… thanks a bunch for the great post! The region is just begging for a Caribbean Schengen-type zone, where people can travel freely between islands. Saba is one large mountain that extrudes from the sea. The flights are very expensive considering how long they are. That means you’ll likely arrive either by a ferry to St. Maarten or via plane. Why visit some of the smaller islands? The Dominican Republic is also only a very short flight away, to the left of the island. Aruba is a popular tourist destination with several big-name beach resorts. Many of these small Caribbean islands get lumped together in people’s minds—my goal was to learn what makes each island different. Distance between Antigua and Gustavia (142,79 km.) of Pub. How about that take-off and landing on Saba, think it’s the shortest runway in the world, requires a STOL aircraft and a shot of Jack Daniels. British Virgin Islands. As you approach the Virgin Islands from the north, a 1/2-knot current will nudge the boat westward. Keep that in mind when timing your day when you’re hopping between these Caribbean islands. Sailing in the Caribbean. It turns out, sailing the Caribbean can actually be cheaper than paying rent. 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