6 Reasons Why You Need to Consider Anguilla For Your Next Beach Vacay

Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory, has some of the best beaches in the Eastern Caribbean. Pictured here are a few of my favorites.

Meads Bay is a sheltered beach, long and wide for early morning or evening strolls. The water is a beautiful sea green that shimmers prettily in the sun, waves nonexistent in the summer. Depending on the season and weather conditions, the water at Meads Bay does however tend to get wavy for those who enjoy that. Shacks such as Blanchards are perfect for inexpensive meals like burgers, rice bowls, jerk chicken, and street tacos that are delicious.

Shoal Bay East is for those of us who want a perfectly still ocean no matter the weather. Blindingly white sands beckon to you while beach shacks like Tropical Sunset are a perfect spot to rent your chairs and grab a bite to eat. The Caribbean coconut shrimp and a Mango Colada are all you need to complete your day at the beach here. If you’re not eating here however, chair rentals with umbrellas will cost you $10 for the day. Known as Anguilla’s #1 beach, there are several stretches where you may be the only person around. Don’t miss this beach on your visit to Anguilla.

Maunday’s Bay beach is gorgeous and an absolute must while visiting Anguilla. The water is a sparkling green, still and perfect for swimming. The only resort that adorns this beach is the famed Cap Jaluca so there are never too many people at any given time on the beach. The Cap also has a stunning restaurant that enjoys a premium position on the beach, and is a perfect spot to grab a drink or indulge in some wicked Lobster rolls. The beach did have some seaweed when I went recently this November, but it's wide and long to walk on. The water is actually quite clear and devoid of any of the seaweed. While the beach is public, the chairs are not for rent for non-Cap Jaluca visitors. There is however a portion of the beach where you can find shade under some trees to spread out your towels when you’re not frolicking in the ocean.

Rendezvous Bay is probably my least favorite beach in Anguilla simply because of the amount of seaweed in the water and on the shore. The water is extremely gentle and wonderful to be in. You will find long stretches of the beach where you will be the only person around. If you plan on visiting this beach, depending on the season, check for seaweed if that plays a factor in beach selection.

Anguilla is so tiny you can drive around it in 2 hours or less. They do drive on the left side so for those of us from the United States, this might sound daunting, but if I can do it, anyone can! There is only one main road and the lack of traffic makes it that much easier to handle the driving. Trust me, it’s a pleasure driving around the island and getting a feel for its people and culture. I didn’t expect it to be such a piece of cake!

Anguilla has all sorts of hotels to fit your needs. From the well-known and exclusive Cap Jaluca, to CuisinArt to the Four Seasons, you have choices. My favorite is the Mallihouna - an Auberge Resort which has just 44 rooms that I often wondered where the guests were. It has an incredibly inviting lobby that opens out to the ocean, one of the best infinity pools I’ve ever seen, perfect for sunsets, plus beach service at Meads Bay, and self-service at a private beach called Turtle Cove where you might very well be the only person most of the times. How’s that for a day on a deserted beach? The nice part is that the resort leaves a set of lounge chairs, umbrellas, towels, bug spray, sunscreen and an ice chest filled with water, coke and sprite at all times so you don’t have to give up your creature comforts to experience the seclusion. You also don’t have to fight for lounge chairs or come early to save a spot both on the beach or at the pool - truly a pleasure.

Anguilla is less commercial and harder to get to than some of its neighbors. Tourists typically fly into St. Maarten before flying or taking a ferry into Anguilla, many times just for the day. Being less commercial means less nightlife action but it also means even the best beach is deserted at some point during the day. Surprisingly I didn’t see too many high-rise hotels on any of the beaches.

Anguilla’s cuisine may be typical of all Caribbean food but I found myself enjoying the flavors more than some of the other islands I’ve visited in the recent past. Smokey’s at the Cove offers a delicious coconut coriander grilled Mahi and a lovely lobster pasta while Ocean Echo has an even more mouth-watering take on the lobster pasta and a wonderful setting right on the beach. Lots of Cajun, Creole, and Jerk spices are used in many of the foods and the types of hot sauces each restaurant has is mouth-watering if you like spicy food like I do.

The local people can often make or break a destination. In Anguilla’s case it’s a definite make. The locals are warm and friendly and happy to have a conversation with you whether you are asking for directions or engaging in conversation about their work and lives. A few of the people I spoke to when driving around the island talked with pride about being Anguillian and what they loved about living on the island - peaceful, quiet, low-crime, best beaches in the Caribbean. That about sums this beautiful island up in a nutshell.