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Anguilla map
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Carnival
The Summer Festival is Anguilla’s equivalent to carnival and kicks off at the end of July for ten days into the first week in August. Events include the Miss Anguilla Beauty Pageant, calypso competitions, a children’s parade and junior Band-o-rama, a series of boat races, J’Ouvert (an early morning street parade) and the grand parade of troupes, where bands of costumed revellers take to the streets. |
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Casinos
There are no casinos in Anguilla. However, there are in St Maarten, so if you really want a flutter then you can take a ferry across to Marigot in French St Martin and then a taxi to one of the casinos on the Dutch side. |
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Charity Support
It is easy to forget, particularly while enjoying Anguilla’s splendour, that the majority of West Indians do not live the easy life that most visitors go there to experience for a week or two a year. Islanders have to deal with the same social problems as people anywhere else in the world. Problems which are made worse at the moment by the social upheaval the islands are undergoing as they develop so quickly. Anguilla itself has seen unprecedented change over the past 20 years and the knock-on effects on the family and community are sometimes hard to see. Anguilla has been lucky in some respects because it has been very successful, but the benefits don’t reach everyone. The Anguillians’ easy-going nature may belie the difficulties that many of them face.
DefinitiveCaribbean has selected the Anguilla Community Foundation as the charity to support on the island. The organisation, which was was formed in 1999, is devoted to improving the quality of life on the island by making grants to those in need through its Anguilla Cares Programme and by assisting NGOs that wish to work in the island by providing vehicles for tax-deductible contributions. Anguilla has many wealthy home-owners of course, many of whom have already contributed, but there is an ongoing need for assistance to help them put their programmes in place. In addition to specific grants, the Foundation’s ultimate aim is to raise an endowment fund, the interest from which can be used to make grants to community programmes and those in need. |
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Check In/Check Out
As a rule check-out times are around 12 noon and check-in is generally not prior to 3pm, while the rooms are made ready for new arrivals. This is not usually a problem as most people arriving from both Europe and the States do not arrive until the mid afternoon anyway. If you will be arriving earlier than that then let your hotel know and they may be able to let you into your room early. Some properties also provide day rooms/shower facilities subject to availability, or may be flexible on check-in or check-out times by prior arrangement. |
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Children
Anguilla caters well for families, though this is mainly centred on the beach. Its calmer beaches are good for even very small children, though it is worth noting that there is not a great deal of shade on them, certainly not natural shade. Make sure that they wear sun block and a beach cover-up.
Child friendly properties featured on DefinitiveCaribbean are shown below and include Carimar Beach Club, CuisinArt, which has a play ground, and Cap Juluca, which runs an occasional children’s programme during holiday times. There is an adventure playground, the ‘Children’s Place’ at the Malliouhana Hotel, complete with an imitation pirate ship, a 60ft water slide and a warren of climbing frames. Open to outsiders, price US$25 per person. | Cap Juluca
Cap Juluca stands in a line of 18 spectacular Moorish-style villas on its own superb curve of sand tucked away on the southern shore of Anguilla. The atmosphere is upbeat, with activities and sports by day, and then elegant in the evenings, all underpinned by low-key Anguillan charm and reliable service. Cap Juluca is one of the best known and loved hotels in the Caribbean. Several special packages and programmes available. | Carimar Beach Club
An attractive collection of affordable Anguilla condominiums set right on the superb sands of Meads Bay on Anguilla’s north shore. Well presented self-catering units stand in a horseshoe among explosions of bougainvillea. Lovely low key atmosphere in a home from home. | Altamer
Three spectacular, ultra modern villas (and a restaurant) that rise stark white between the blues of Anguilla’s sea and sky on Shoal Bay West, near the island’s western tip. Altamer leads the new generation of Anguilla villa resorts, with top notch service and high comfort in cutting edge style. Also a conference centre and disabled access to the villas. | Shoal Bay Villas
A small group of self catering apartments right on Shoal Bay, Anguilla’s liveliest beach. The twelve studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments are pleasantly furnished and look either over the pool and courtyard or over the sand and fantastic blue sea of Shoal Bay itself. A low key atmosphere right at the heart of the beach. | Cerulean
One of the Anguillian ‘supervillas’, a spectacular private house for 14 guests set on Barnes Bay, a superb stretch of sand on Anguilla’s north shore. With its extreme privacy, spa and top service in a stylish setting, Cerulean has seen plenty of stars in its time. An exclusive retreat on the beach. | Malliouhana Hotel & Spa
Malliouhana is the most refined and elegant of Anguilla’s hotels. All slender columns and arches and angled roofs, it sits on an outcrop above Meads Bay, one of the Caribbean’s finest beaches, where by day a sophisticated crowd gathers at the bistro and the full service spa, later gravitating to the hotel’s excellent French dining room on the clifftop. Good children’s facilities. | Frangipani Beach Resort
A tall, Spanish colonial-style building right on a superb stretch of Meads Bay on Anguilla’s northern shore. About 30 bedrooms and suites in one- to three-bedroom self-catering apartments (there is also a restaurant), all overlooking the sea and sand. | Rendezvous Bay Hotel & Villas
Extremely low key, relatively simple, oodles of old Caribbean atmosphere and Anguillan charm. However, the hotel has been closed for refurbishment since summer 2008. |
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Complementary Health
For such a small island, Anguilla is well blessed with complementary health practitioners. Reiki, the incredibly simple healing technique that is within everyone's ability is there. Reflexology, various massage forms including sports massage, acupuncture and cranio sacral therapy are also all available so there is no reason not to return from your holiday completely feeling rejuvenated in mind, body and spirit.
Among the practitioners and facilities on the island are:
Anguilla’s Alternative Wellness Centre, Forest Bay Road, t 497 5798
Run by Margaret Ouehand a Canadian trained practical nurse and certified foot care nurse (trained in diabetic foot care) who is also certified and registered in reflexology, deep muscle therapy and manual lymphatic drainage massage. Practices therapeutic touch.
OM Sweet OM Centre, South Hill, t 497 4721/2922, flemeur@yahoo.com
French born Françoise Le Meur holds a certified professional therapeutic massage licence, has trained in sports massage and is a Reiki master.
The Taino Wellness Centre, South Hill, t 497 6066
Owned by Jill Walker a Canadian registered massage therapist, who specialises in deep tissue massage, and also offers acupuncture, cranial/sacral therapy and reflexology. Spa services available including mobile services. Yoga and body rolling classes. |
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Conservation
The Anguilla National Trust, established in 1993, has a number of projects that aim to protect the ecology of the island. Their Eco-Tourism Project which offers a guided Heritage Bus Tour of the eastern end of Anguilla. Bird books and binoculars are provided on the tour, which costs US$15 for adults and $10 for children.
They also work in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in order to protect the birdlife of the island. Activities include a Christmas Bird Count, looking for numbers and species, and Wetlands Conservation, which aims to conserve Anguilla’s several salt ponds via awareness programmes and educational tours. There are also many birds to be seen in these areas too.
Anguilla National Trust, Museum Building, The Valley, t 497 5297 or axanat@anguillanet.com |
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Corporate/Incentives
There is no doubt that the first class accommodation and cuisine on offer in Anguilla is ideal for a stylish and relaxing retreat for small corporate get-togethers, or for a more intimate style of incentive break.
Venues for conferences include an excellent, state of the art facility at Altamer and meeting rooms at Malliouhana and Cuisinart. There is also a purpose built facility at Paradise Cove Hotel.
Bennie's Travel & Tours, the Valley, t 497 2788
Can arrange incentives, group arrangements and co-ordinate events. |
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Cruises
There are no cruise ship facilities in Anguilla, but a few of the smaller ships are able to stand offshore. These include Sea Clipper, Club Med 2 and the Sea Dreams. |
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Currency/Credit Cards
The currency of Anguilla is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, which it shares with other former British islands and some British Overseas Territories in the area. It is pegged to the US Dollar at US$1 = EC$2.67. All prices on island are quoted in EC dollars, with the exception of hotel, car hire and restaurant prices which are in US only, but practically speaking it is possible to pay in US Dollars everywhere on the island.
Credit cards
Most of the major credit cards are accepted by anywhere that deals with tousists on a regular basis, including the hotels and major restaurants. Do not expect credit cards to be accepted in small restaurants and local shops. If in doubt ask in advance, especially when dining out. Certain credit cards may attract an additional charge or simply not be accepted. |
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Day Sails/Boat Trips
A yacht trip to an isolated beach or an offshore island is the highlight of a visit to Anguilla for many visitors. There are quite a few uninhabited cays, with beach bars to which there are regular trips, including Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Gorgeous Scilly Cay. Lunch and drinks are generally included in the excursions. There is just one sailing excursion, but there are a number of motorboat excursions that go to these islands as well. Each of the hotels has its own operator, so it is probably easiest to go through them.
Chocolat, t 497 3394
A 35 ft Edel Catamaran, with 4 private cabins & 2 private heads which goes out with max 12 guests only and offers a 6 hour day sail including lunch and drinks. Trips include Prickly Pear and Sandy Island for swimming and snorkelling (gear not included), a sunset cruise and a round the island cruise. The boat is also available for private charter.
Prickly Pear Cay
Lovely uninhabited cay with wonderful beaches and some good snorkeling. Popular stop for yachts and day trippers from St Martin. There are two beach bars serving food, one of which offers special packages to include snorkeling equipment, kayaks and sun loungers. Boats leave from Sandy Ground for the 15 minute trip.
Banana Boat Cruise to Prickly Pear, t 497 2728
Sundays to Tuesdays departing from Johnno’s, Sandy Ground at 9am returning from Prickly Pear Island at 3pm. Includes open bar on board, snorkelling gear, beach chairs with umbrellas.
Sandy Island
A tiny desert island a couple of miles offshore, dotted with a couple of palms, beach bar which serves BBQ lunch and provides a free boat service from Sandy Ground. Occasional live music on Sunday afternoons. A great spot to chill out and snorkel. Bar closed Saturdays and mid August for 1 month. Sandy Island is entirely made of sand and it has been known to be washed away in hurricanes, but gradually it sifts back.
Gorgeous Scilly Cay, Island Harbour, t 497 5123
Set on a small cay located off Island Harbour, reached by the free boat service which picks guests up for the short journey – just wave from the pier. Run by Eudoxie ‘Gorgeous’ Wallace, it is famous for its lobster lunch. On Wednesday and Sunday afternoons there is live music, closed Monday. Closed Sep-Oct. |
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Departure Tax & Taxes
A departure tax is payable on leaving Anguilla. If you leave by air or sea it is US$20 or EC$53, reduced to US$10 (EC$26.50) for children aged between 5 and 12. For day-trippers departing by ferry from Blowing Point to St Martin the tax is US$5 (EC$13), children under 12 are exempt. There is also a US$5 airport security charge.
Taxes
A government room tax of 10% will be added to your bill and most hotels also charge 10% in service. If you are booking independently this can make a considerable difference to the eventual price of your holiday so remember to factor it in to your calculations. |
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Driving & Parking
With its British heritage, driving in Anguilla is on the left. There are only a few tarmac roads on the island and so many beaches and restaurants are fed by unsealed tracks cut into the island’s scrub and limestone base-rock. These can be quite rough and bumpy, so if you know you will be going off the beaten track then you might prefer to rent a jeep.
The pace of life is slow in Anguilla and drivers generally drivers aren’t in a rush and proceed at a gentle pace. The official speed limit throughout the island is 30 mph, which drops to 20 mph in villages and school areas. You should also look out for a small number of strategically placed sleeping policemen that are not always that well marked. There are no more than a handful of petrol (usually known as gas) stations on the island, so keep that in mind when heading out to remote beaches. Many of the cars in Anguilla, imported from the States, are left hand drive and it may feel a little unnatural driving in them on the left hand side of the road.
Another thing to note is that Anguillians (true of most West Indians) toot their horn as a greeting to passing friends. Sometimes they simply stop in the middle of the road and talk. A warning will come as a longer blast. You may also see locals nodding or raising a hand as a pleasantry, so do wave back.
Be careful driving at night. There are few street lights and there are no pavements, so you need to keep an eye out for pedestrians. Often drivers will forget to dip their headlights, so just give yours a flash to remind them. Not all glaring headlights are necessarily on full beam. Some may be angled for driving on the right side of the road rather than the left.
A visitor’s driver’s licence is required to drive in Anguilla and it is usually issued by the car rental agent when you hire a vehicle. The cost is US$20 and you will need to produce a full drivers and valid licence. |
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Electricity
The domestic electricity supply is 110/220 volts, 50 cycles. Most plugs are in American style two-pin, so take an adapter if need be. |
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Embassies & Consulates
There are no embassies, commissions or consulates in Anguilla, which is a British Overseas Territory. The Governor’s Office will assist British nationals with emergencies. Americans will need to refer to Barbados. |
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