The best places to stay and things to do in Anguilla
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While it may be one of the farthest-flung of the British Overseas Territories, surprisingly few British travellers know much about Anguilla, let alone visit. Even Harry Styles and Adele holidaying here together last year didn’t do much to bump it up most travellers’ bucket lists. But the recent addition of this little island in the Eastern Caribbean to the green watchlist is likely to draw more attention to this idyllic spot – as well it should.
Most people come here for the spectacular beaches, all 33 of them, which rarely get busy even during peak holiday times. Anguilla measures just 16 miles from one end to the other, so you can easily visit multiple beaches in one day, stopping off for some great food in between swims. It’s also a very friendly place where you’re likely to be engaged in conversation wherever you go. With only 15,000 inhabitants, Anguilla has the feel of a village – everyone knows everyone else, and you’ll be warmly welcomed.
What to do in Anguilla
Getty ImagesGet on the water with Calypso Charters
People generally come to Anguilla to do mostly nothing, and those long stretches of beach are ideal for lazy days. But there are a few things worth getting off your recliner for. A day on the water is a must, and is easily combined with lunch on one of Anguilla’s offshore cays. Calypso Charters offers both. Ask your captain to take you on a cruise along the coast for views of extremely smart private villas, the diminutive Anguilla Arch and cliffs covered in spiky cacti before heading over to Prickly Pear Cays for barbecued lobster and a beach massage.
Have a treatment at Zemi Thai House Spa
A visit to Zemi Thai House Spa is practically a transcendental experience. Set in a 300-year-old Thai house and rice barn brought piece by piece to Anguilla and reassembled on Shoal Bay East, the space transports you far from Caribbean shores, but somehow it just feels right. Treatments are accompanied by the sound of birdsong and the breeze in the palm leaves, and afterwards you can sit and meditate in the shade of a tree.
Discover The Valley with the Anguilla National Trust
Anguilla’s capital, The Valley, is at first glance a fairly uninspiring place, home to not much more than a handful of government buildings, food stalls and a couple of shopping centres. But the Anguilla National Trust can reveal more than meets the eye on one of its walking tours through the historical Lower Valley. It also offers hikes around the remoter parts of the island, as well as eye-opening heritage tours taking in the island’s Arawak past and colonial history.
Where to eat in Anguilla
Getty ImagesBarbecue classics
Anguillians love to eat, although it’s not a cheap endeavour with most ingredients being imported. Make a note of which restaurants are open on which days or you risk missing out. Dining out is an event, and even the most unassuming roadside barbecue is likely to be grilling lobster and crayfish alongside the usual chicken and ribs. Try family-run B&D’s BBQ, one of the best-loved on the island, just up the hill past the Malliouhana hotel.
Sandy Ground food stroll
The stretch of beach at Sandy Ground is a good spot for a food crawl. Start at Roy’s Bayside Grill for crispy conch fritters or Dolce Vita for an old-school lasagne, then wander along the beach to Sandbar, where the loaded tempura fries are a must, washed down with a selection of affordable wines. Further along, the two-tier wooden deck of Lit Lounge is where Anguillians come to party and where surprisingly good pizzas soak up the cocktails.
Local Flavours at Tasty’s
Head to chef Dale Carty’s restaurant Tasty’s, where the menu focuses on local dishes and the Johnnycakes are some of the best on the island. Carty started as a washer-upper at Malliouhana before training in France and moving to the kitchens of chefs Michel and Jo Rostang – and the finesse shines through in his dishes.
Fine dining at Ember, Cip’s and Celeste
Brunch at Ember is a treat, with chef Marc Alvarez house-curing smoked salmon and mimosas served by the pitcher. For a smart night out, Cip’s by Cipriani’s green tiled bar at Belmond Cap Juluca is a stunner, or head to the breezy terrace of Celeste (aubergeresorts.com) at the Malliouhana hotel, perched above Meads Bay, where Caribbean lobster bisque and conch curry sit alongside charred cauliflower and braised short ribs.
The best beaches in Anguilla
Getty ImagesShoal Bay East
For a tiny island, Anguilla has a wealth of beaches considered by many to be the best in the Caribbean, and there’s always a friendly vibe wherever you choose to lounge.
The powdery white sands and incredibly clear waters of Shoal Bay East are reason enough to spend a few hours in the sun, but the strip of nearby bars and beach shacks provides a reason to stay even longer. The Margaritas at Olas Tacos Bar & Grill) are the stuff of local legend and the perfect precursor to the lobster pizza at next-door Madeariman (madeariman.restaurant).
Meads Bay
Further west, Meads Bay is the ‘main’ beach, spread out between Malliouhana at one end and the Four Seasons at the other. In between is a stretch of smaller hotels, restaurants and bars, including French restaurant Jacala, where steak tartare is prepared table-side by host Jacques and the calamari risotto will have you in raptures.
Getty ImagesRendezvous Bay
In the south of the island, with views over the green hills of neighbouring St Maarten, this cove is a long strip of white sand as fine and soft as flour, perfect for lazy swims and beach walks punctuated by a cocktail or two at the SunShine Shack.
The best beach shacks in Anguilla
SunShine Shack
Pick your stretch of Anguillan shore based on your favourite beach shack. All offer food and most have live music at least a couple of days a week.
The SunShine Shack on Rendezvous Bay is exactly how a beach shack should be with its soundtrack of reggae; red, yellow and green umbrellas; and jovial owner Garvey who is confident that his fried snapper is better than any you’ll taste elsewhere. He’s not wrong – it’s exceptional, as are his barbecued pork ribs. Add to that cold beers and the occasional friendly dog who’ll accompany you for a post-prandial stroll along the beach, this is one of the best afternoons you can spend on the island.
Elvis’ Beach Bar
Over on Sandy Ground and dressed in his trademark red with gold chains and shades, co-owner Elvis Fleming has been turning out beers, rum punch and goatchos – nachos with cheese, jalapeños, sour cream and slow-cooked goat – at this bar, made out of an old Anguillian racing boat, since 2007.
The Pelican Bar
This spot in Island Harbour is a hit most nights of the week, with Sunday evenings often reserved for live music. Locally known as Everett’s after its owner, this friendly little bar is as loved by domino-playing Anguillians as it is by holidaymakers who sit on the sand and sip Carib beer at sunset. When you get peckish, friendly fisherman Nunch cooks up mahi-mahi bites, crispy chicken wings and pasta with lobster that he’s caught himself from the little kitchen next door.
Where to stay in Anguilla
Malliouhana
If St Tropez and Palm Springs had a love child, it would be Malliouhana, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. A 63-bedroom retreat perched above Meads Bay amid gardens of coconut palms and flamboyant trees bursting with orange petals, it’s the epitome of an island escape. Yellow pool umbrellas, mosaic, mirror-embedded floors and hidden coves exude jet-set glamour. Rooms are light-filled and airy, with large terraces offering perfect sunset views.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Curving around a point between Meads Bay and Barnes Bay, this property has two long stretches of beach, four restaurants, live music by local favourite Omalie 360 and a spa with treatments incorporating island ingredients such as Anguillian salt. Don’t miss the boutique, an outpost of LA-based brand Wheat.
Courtesy of Frangipani beach resortFrangipani Beach
Family-owned Frangipani is made up of 19 rooms and a four-bedroom villa, plus a dreamy swimming pool set right on Meads Bay and a row of shady palapas. Its guests-only catamaran allows for beach-hopping trips around the island, and the owners have a strong commitment to supporting local community organisations as well as the environment, generating power for the property through an onsite solar-panel system.
Getty ImagesAnguilla entry requirements
Anguilla has done a remarkable job of keeping Covid-19 at bay, with strict entry and quarantine requirements in place for visitors and residents. As of Sunday 18 July 2021, there have only been 113 cases on the island with no deaths. It is currently on the UK’s green watchlist, and as of Thursday 1 July 2021, only fully vaccinated visitors, with 21 days having passed since their second jab, can enter. The only exemptions are pregnant women and children under the age of 18, though the latter are expected to take a test four days after arrival. All visitors are required to complete an application and submit a negative RT-PCR test three to five days before entry via ivisitanguilla.com. You will also be tested on arrival, and will need to stay in your hotel or other accommodation until a negative result is delivered, usually within 12 hours. Bear in mind that when transiting through another country to reach Anguilla, you’ll also need to meet their entry requirements.
Anguilla weather
The weather in Anguilla is pleasant year-round, with an average annual temperature of 27 degrees Celsius, blue skies, little fluffy clouds, and refreshing breezes. The driest months are February and March, with September and October being the rainiest. Hurricanes can occur between June and November.
Getting around in Anguilla
At only 16 miles long and three miles wide, this is not a huge place to get around. There’s no public transport in Anguilla and taxis are fairly pricey, so the best option is to rent a car (Island Car Rental is a reputable option) or a Moke car. Driving is on the left as in the UK, but depending on where your car is imported from the steering wheel may be on the left or right, which can lead to some interesting moments until you get used to it. All visitors planning to drive need to purchase a temporary Anguilla driving licence at a cost of about £15 – your rental company can arrange this. Speed limits are low and roads rarely busy, but they can be very bumpy. Look out for goats, dogs, cats, crabs, chickens and the occasional tortoise, all likely to be sharing the road with you.
Getty ImagesHow to get to Anguilla
There are no direct flights to Anguilla from the UK. It can be accessed on Air France or KLM Royal Dutch Airlines via Paris or Amsterdam to Sint Maarten. From here, it’s a short boat ride, or you can connect to the world’s shortest international commercial flight which will have you in Anguilla in less than 10 minutes. Alternatively, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways connect London and Antigua, from which it’s possible to catch an inter-island flight direct to Anguilla.
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