Jumby Bay Island Resort
A 300-acre private island where hawksbill turtles outnumber cars and everything is included.
Why Go
Two miles off Antigua's northeast coast, Jumby Bay is the kind of place where you arrive by boat, ditch your shoes at check-in, and pedal a bicycle everywhere for the rest of the week. There are no cars, no day-trippers, and no menus to squint at prices on ΓÇö this Oetker Collection retreat is fully inclusive, so the only decision left is which of three white-sand beaches to claim as your own.
The Experience
The vibe is barefoot-billionaire rather than buttoned-up resort. Guests are met planeside at V.C. Bird International, whisked through a private customs channel, and ferried across in about seven minutes on the resort's launch. Once on the island, you settle into one of 40 suites, a beachfront villa, or a multi-bedroom residence tucked into the sea-grape groves. Days drift between the main pool at the historic Estate House, snorkel drops off Pasture Bay, sunset sails on the resort catamaran, and long lunches at the Verandah where the trade winds do the air-conditioning. Service is anticipatory in the Oetker way ΓÇö your preferred rum arrives before you order it, your bicycle is waxed nightly ΓÇö but the tone stays island-loose. From July through November, the property doubles as a research station: Pasture Bay is one of the Caribbean's most important hawksbill turtle nesting sites, protected by the Jumby Bay Hawksbill Project, the longest-running privately funded turtle program of its kind.
What to Try
Book dinner at The Estate House, the 230-year-old plantation manor turned candlelit restaurant, and start with rum punch on the wraparound veranda. Catch the weekly West Indian Spice Night at the Pool Grille for jerk, curries, and steel-pan, and the Sunday White Night beach barbecue if your stay lines up. Ask the concierge to arrange a private snorkel with the marine biologist, a sunset cruise on the resort's Beneteau, or ΓÇö if you're visiting between July and November ΓÇö a guided nighttime turtle walk to Pasture Bay to watch hawksbills nest. Circle the three-mile perimeter path by bike at dawn before the sun gets serious.
Insider Tip
Rooms and villas are not created equal ΓÇö request one on the north (Pasture Bay) side if you want quiet and turtle access, or the west-facing beach suites if you want sunset from your plunge pool. Standard inclusions cover almost everything, but reserve wines, top-shelf spirits, and spa treatments are extra; pre-book the spa on arrival because the two-room hilltop Sense Spa books out fast in high season. Bring reef-safe sunscreen ΓÇö the resort will confiscate the rest to protect the turtles.
The Practical Stuff
Access is via the resort's private boat from Jumby Bay's dedicated dock on Antigua's northeast coast, roughly 10 minutes from V.C. Bird International Airport; transfers and meet-and-greet are arranged automatically once you book. Rates are fully inclusive of meals, non-motorized water sports, bikes, and most drinks. Peak season runs mid-December through April; the property typically closes for a few weeks in late summer for maintenance. Dress code is elegantly casual ΓÇö no jackets required, but the Estate House prefers long trousers at dinner. No day passes; the island is guests-only.
Pair It With
- Adventure Antigua — Eli Fuller's family-run outfit runs the best full-day circumnavigation of Antigua by powerboat ΓÇö a perfect pre- or post-Jumby day if you want to see the whole island from the water.
- Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority — Stop in for maps and current festival calendars if you're extending your stay on the main island after a few days of Jumby seclusion.
- Antigua Hikes and Tours — For an active counterpoint to Jumby's barefoot pace, book a guided hike to Shirley Heights or the Rainforest Zipline before you retreat back to the island.