is a fascinating and alluring paradise-like place tucked away in the Eastern Caribbean. The most charming perk of the island is its pristine white sand beaches, mixed with friendly people, substantial sunsets, yummilicious dishes, spectacular turquoise waters, and a truly cool island vibe that can't be observed in other areas of the Caribbean. You can do as much or as little as you wish due to a peaceful and calm life pace.
Various serenity seekers visit this Caribbean gem to dive or snorkel the fish-filled wrecks and reefs, sprawl on silky strands of the place, play Robinson Crusoe on the offshore islands of Anguilla and swim in turquoise waters. Other than that, visitors usually hop aboard a small plane or ferry and take a one-day trip to witness the beautiful scenery of neighboring St. Barts Island. Plus, people love to explore heritage museums and art galleries and dine at some of the beautiful island's top-notch restaurants.
If you are a fan of summers, there are parades, dancing beauty pageants, and boat races for you to enjoy. All of this comes into life on the calm island in the Anguilla Summer Festival. For visitors who wish to browse the history, they can follow the island's heritage trail in Anguilla's capital, The Valley.
So, if we have succeeded in developing your interest in this stunning wonderland and you want to know more about it, read further and learn the top 10 things that you might not know about Anguilla. We also added some fun facts about Anguilla to spice up the review. Where is Anguilla? What to do in Anguilla? How to get to Anguilla? Make sure to stay with us till the end to get answers to all of your questions. So, without any further ado, let us see what we should know in order to travel to Anguilla.
1. Where is Anguilla?
Let us start the discussion by knowing where this wonderland is. It will be very helpful while you are planning to travel to Anguilla. After getting a sprinkle of the Caribbean gem's beauty and attractiveness, you must wonder where is Anguilla. Anguilla is a British overseas territory and is present in the eastern Caribbean Sea. This point also falls in our complied list of some interesting facts about Anguilla. The island is at the north of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It lies about 100 km northwest of Saint Kitts and 19 km north of St. Martin Island. The longitude and latitude of the island are 18N and 63W, respectively.
2. How to get to Anguilla?
Before you jet off to Anguilla, get some information about how to get to Anguilla. This small piece of heaven appears to be floating between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and things may seem confusing, but they are not.
3. Direct flights to Anguilla from San Juan
The first option is to get a flight and fly directly from San Juan through small carrier planes. Seaborne Airlines, Tradewind Aviation, and Air Sunshine choices are available for visitors who wish for a direct flight. They do land on time at Anguilla airport.
4. Flights to Anguilla from St. Martin
Although travelers can have travel via plane by booking flights to Anguilla from St. Martin, people find the ferry a better, hassle-free option and a more worthy option. It is due to the fact that the flight time is 10 minutes whereas the ferry takes only 20 minutes to take you to the island. The travelers who want to opt for a stress-free experience better book a ticket for their flight from the island to the Anguilla airport and can then rest in any of the Anguilla resorts.
5. Taking the ferry to Anguilla
The first option is to take a ferry from its neighboring Sint Maarten Island to Anguilla. But before that, you have to reach Sint Maarten Island and then finish your journey at Anguilla airport. The ferry departs from SXM Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. Ferry options like Calypso, Funtime, public ferry system, and GB ferries are available but keep in mind that only the last ferry option moves from the Juliana Airport.
6. Anguilla beaches
You can never go wrong with Anguilla beaches regardless of any Anguilla beaches you choose to browse. Lying on the beach and listening to music in a relaxed environment is one of the best things to do in Anguilla. With that being said, you can go west, to face Little Bay, and watch the lovely sunset. Or you can bear witness to the whitest sand and clearest water on the north coast. Shoal Bay has a snorkel-ready reef in the center and is mostly sugary white sand that expands on an area of 4 km. The east end of the Bay is even thicker than ever due to the dumping of extra sand by hurricanes. You will find many spots for various occasions like watching yachts bobbing at the Sandy Ground or going to Mead Bay for dining on the beachfront. Barnes Bay is your only shot at spotting a celeb as it is home to Robert De Niro and Four Seasons' holiday luxurious villa. Many Anguilla resorts can be found near the beaches. How can we forget about the 3.2 km slice of heaven, Rendezvous Bay? It is the perfect swimming place for the least confident swimmers as its waters are so calm.
7. What to do in Anguilla?
The most obvious answer to what to do in Anguilla is lying on the beach. Other than that, most of the time will be spent revolving around the crystal clear waters. You cannot count the things to do in Anguilla. You can opt for a day trip with a sailing service and travel around different islands witnessing breathtaking sceneries. Or you can set a trip for Prickley Pear Cays, which is Robinson Crusoe all-over, but the lobster lunch of the beach cafe is not included. You are always welcomed to join, but Skipper Laurie and his crew can do all the hard work for you. You will find a variety of restaurants on the island to enjoy numerous delicious dishes and seafood. Then you can always party at night while dancing and singing with your trip partners. Go buy some new dresses for your get-together from the adorable shops. For people who love history, they can go to the Heritage Collection Museum. Horse riding at Cove Bay cannot be ignored. Go play some water sports at Maundays Bay. For diving and snorkeling, you can take the assistance of scuba diving services. You will definitely get your eyes popping out after seeing big spectacular Anguilla resorts. Many seagulls, tropical hummingbirds, and brown boobies can be spotted if bird watching is your bag. So, as a whole, there are satisfying things to do in Anguilla for everyone on the island.
8. Places to visit in Anguilla
There are plenty of places to visit in Anguilla. It is one of the interesting facts about Anguilla. Some of these top-rated places which are must visit are:
- The Valley
It is the political center and capital of the island. It has so many art galleries and is a great place to have a look for art lovers. You will find so many bright colors across different places around here.
- Dive Sites
A double reef system wreaths Anguilla, which is a great sign for divers. You can find a large variety of corals here. The island has also got some popularity due to its wrecks, including intentionally sunken ships.
- Island Harbor
The Island Harbor is a sheltered fishing village that can be spotted on the island's northeastern side. It is the launching point for every fisher that resides there. A slice of local life can be caught here. So many vibrant colored boats can be spotted along the narrow beach.
- Fountain Cavern National Park
It is believed that the Fountain Cavern is the place of pilgrimage and the crucial site where Amerindians used to worship. Other than a worship site, it is an impressive archaeological site of Anguilla as well.
- Sandy Ground Village
Last but not least, a Sandy ground village is a must-visit place. It has been made to our list of best places to visit Anguilla because it is the best spot for experiencing the extraordinary nightlife.
9. Fun facts about Anguilla
Facts are something that provokes you to check the thing out. So, if you think Anguilla is all about water and sand, you might be wrong, as here are some fun facts about Anguilla.
- Anguilla is a British overseas territory and is totally governed and ran by Britain's government. They run all the foreign relations and defense departments.
- Anguilla is the only country that has a dolphin on its flag. Before dolphins, mermaids were featured instead.
- Anguilla was called the snake island due to its elongated shape on the map.
- Although the language used here is English, it differs from American English and is more like British English. Plus, some of their words have different meanings and use different grammar as well.
- The island has so many seagulls that sometimes they appear to be more than people on the island in number.
- The island also has a significant number of goats residing there, and it is feared that they will also outnumber the people living on the island.
- There are no more than 20 hotels on the island.
- The whole island stretches on 4.8 km and 26 km long only.
- It is home to many famous celebrities, and many celebs visit it on their vacations.
- It is home to some of the best beaches in the world.
The list of fun facts about Anguilla is never-ending, but we would like to move on towards some of the best places to stay in Anguilla.
10. Best places to stay in Anguilla
When we talk about the best places to stay in Anguilla, the options are limited, but all of them are excellent places to stay. Check out the following list and choose a place to stay during your adventurous trip:
- Quintessence Hotel, Anguilla (9 rooms)
- Anacaona, Long Bay Village, Anguilla (27 rooms)
- Belmond Cap Juluca, West End Village, Anguilla (70 rooms)
- Carimar Beach Club, Anguilla (24 rooms)
- Covecastles Resort, Anguilla
- Shoal Bay Villas, Anguilla
- Malliouhana, Anguilla (46 rooms)
Conclusion
Before you leave us for the trip, we would like to say that Anguilla is the dream vacation spot for those looking for somewhere idyllic to chill out. While going on the trip, never miss to unwind on lovely stretches of Anguilla beaches, see what's under the sea on a diving or snorkeling excursion or get a bike and travel around the picturesque place. You can see almost each one of Anguilla beaches if you can somehow get a cycle. The best way to reach Anguilla is to go from St. Martin. Happy vacations!
