The Best Anguilla Travel Guide – Anguilla is shaded by coconut palms and sea-grape trees, and filled with colorfully painted, open-sided beach bars serving sizzling barbecues. Sip feisty rum punches and listen to live reggae tunes here in Anguilla. Its crystal-clear waters and vibrant reefs offer spectacular snorkeling, glass-bottomed kayaking, and sailing to tiny islets and atolls scattered offshore. They are ranked #1 in the Caribbean for the best beaches, and as one of the top wedding destinations.
Anguilla is about peace, pampering, great food, and a wonderful local music scene. Once the sun does go down, you’ll be treated to one of the best live music scenes in the Western Hemisphere. And if you like sophisticated cuisine served in a casually elegant open-air setting, this may be your culinary Shangri-la. Or just spend your time “liming” … hanging out, and relaxing with friends. Anguilla is best for the beach, romance, water sports, food, pampering, and just escaping it all.
Anguilla is one of the safest islands in the Eastern Caribbean. But use the same general tips that you would for any beach vacation, such as using the hotel safe to guard your valuables. Anguillans are known to be some of the friendliest people in the Caribbean, and the island is one of the more relaxed islands you can visit. but they are also conservative and polite. Wearing beachwear anywhere besides the beach is frowned upon. The local newspaper even reminds you to “Please shop with your clothes on.” Casual attire is generally accepted everywhere, but call ahead to the fancier dining establishments to determine whether there’s a dress code. To learn more about all the beautiful beaches on the island of Anguilla, visit here, or visit us on Pinterest.
Anguilla Weather – Best Time to Visit Anguilla
The hottest month in Anguilla Island is September when the average maximum temperature is 88°F. The average temperature throughout the year is 84°F. The coolest month in Anguilla Island is February when the average temperature is 79°F.
The best time to visit Anguilla is between May and August, when you stand the best chance of getting a good package deal and also avoiding the worst of the hurricane season (from June 1 to November 30). From September to November you’ll get an outstanding room deal, but selection is sparse, as many hotels and the choicest restaurants close down during these months. Anguilla’s peak season kicks off in mid-December and lasts until mid-April; this is also when the flight deals diminish and the hotel rates skyrocket. But the weather vouches for the influx of tourists with infrequent rain and average high temperatures in the 80s.
Best Anguilla Beaches
Shoal Bay East
Shoal Bay EastIdyllic Shoal Bay East is a shimmering, nearly deserted stretch of brilliant white sand strewn with tiny crushed shells. There’s a handful of small-scale resorts and villas as well as a string of laid-back beach bars along the sand, but it’s surprisingly quiet, even in high season. Bring your snorkeling gear (or rent some on-site), as the glassy turquoise waters are perfect for underwater observation.
Rendezvouz Bay Beach
Rendezvouz Bay BeachThis 2-mile slice of paradise is reason enough to visit Anguilla. With calm enough waters for even the least confident swimmers and the mellow sounds of Dune Preserve in the background, Rendezvous is an idyllic retreat for vacationers looking to escape Shoal Bay East’s hustle and tourist bustle. If you really want to get away from it all, avoid the beach on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday afternoons, when crowds gather for Dune Preserve’s live music.
Sandy Ground Beach
Sandy Ground BeachThis beach is the liveliest of Anguilla’s shores and sits beside the popular Sandy Ground Village. Due to its popularity, you’ll find plenty of amenities on-site. Vendors selling food and drinks set up on the sand, while restaurants welcome those craving a more hearty and authentic meal. At night, the area transforms into a music-infused fun zone as beach goers flock here for a bit of entertainment with the view.
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Barnes Bay Beach
Barnes Bay BeachThis is the island’s best spot to watch a sunset, and is exceptionally romantic and less crowded than other local beaches. If you’re hoping for an amorous place to visit without being bombarded by vendors hawking their wares, it’s here. Due to its proximity to luxury hotels, there are plenty of water activities on offer (like snorkeling, sailing, and kayaking) and a selection of good restaurants nearby.
Meads Bay Beach
Meads Bay BeachMeads Bay Beach is a wonderful spot to relax upon rosy-hued sand. This beach offers a wide expanse of sand so soft, it’s actually challenging to walk on, but a very comfy place for a nap. The vibrant blue water entices visitors, and the serene locale keeps them coming back.
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Best Anguilla Restaurants
Blanchard’s Beach Shack Under $10
Blanchard’s Beach Shack is just that, it’s a shack on the beach, Mead’s Bay to be exact. The line will start forming before they’re even open. Don’t worry they have a bunch of tables & picnic tables set up. It’s a great place to have lunch and spend the afternoon. It also is home to the cheapest beer in Anguilla. According to TripAdvisor, it’s one best restaurants in Anguilla. Telephone: 264-497-6100 Web: Blanchards.
Sandy Island Restaurant $11 – 30
You can’t get any better than eating on your own private island. This island is a short speedboat shuttle from the main island of Anguilla. The food is fresh and surprisingly good. It is all prepared on the island and not carted over from the mainland. If you love lobster, then you will want to try it here. Telephone: 264-476-6534 Web: Sandy Island Restaurant
Veya $31 – 60
Veya has reveived reviews from The NY Times, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and The London Times. Frommers wrote that “on an island blessed with top-caliber chefs and the Caribbean’s best dining scene, this Sandy Ground “treehouse” is one of the best-and it’s only been around since 2007. The place to be in the evening. Enjoy impeccable food and service. Telephone: 264-498-8392 Web: Veya
Da Vida $11 – 30
Whether you’re in Anguilla for business or for pleasure, this internationally acclaimed beach side restaurant is a must experience for locals and guests alike. From their award winning Main House Restaurant to their Bayside Grill, da’Vida is all about celebrating life! Indulge in a culinary explosion of taste & flavor that is like no other in Anguilla. Telephone: 264-498-5433 Web: Da Vida
Straw Hat $11 – 30
Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you will find appealing, tasty, and fresh choices to mix up or share. Try Anguilla’s only “real” bagel, tuna flatbread, jerk-braised pork belly, lobster spring rolls, or curried goat. Fish of the day is truly caught that day, and vegetarians and kids find many options, too. Big flat-screens with satellite TV make the bar a fine place to catch the game or make new friends. Telephone: 264-497-8300 Web: Straw Hat.
Best Anguilla Bars & Nightlife
Elvis’ Beach Bar
Actually a boat, this is a great place to hear music and sip the best rum punch on Earth. You can also snack on Mexican food (try the goat tacos), play beach volleyball, or watch football on the big TV. The bar is closed Tuesday, and there’s live music Wednesday through Sunday nights in high season—plus food until 1 am. The full-moon LunaSea party doesn’t disappoint. Telephone: 264-772–0637 Web: Elvis’ Beach Bar.
The Pumphouse
In an old rock-salt factory, you can dance to live music most nights, drink craft beers, and snack on pub food. A mini museum has artifacts and equipment from 19th-century salt factories. Tuesday is ladies’ night, and Monday is trivia. Dancing doesn’t kick into high gear till after 10 pm. Telephone: 264-497-5154 Web: The Pumphouse.
Dune Preserve
reggae star Bankie Banx, who often performs here weekends and during the full moon. By day its the quintessential beach bar with BBQ ribs and grilled fresh seafood. At night there’s a dance floor, beach bar, small menu, and potent rum cocktails, of course. In high season there’s a $15 cover. Telephone: 264-497-6219 Web: Dune Preserve.
Johnno’s Beach Stop
There’s live music and alfresco dancing every night and on Sunday afternoon, when just about everybody drops by (on Sunday night, there’s live jazz). This is the classic Caribbean beach bar, attracting a funky eclectic mix, from locals to movie stars. It’s open Tuesday–Sunday from 11 to 9. Johnno’s has a daytime lunch outpost on Prickly Pear Cay, with excellent snorkeling–-it’s a short boat trip from Sandy Ground. Telephone: 264-497-2728 Web: Johnno’s Beach Stop.
Best Anguilla Hotels
I loose track of time when I am on your site. It’s like a mini vacation of the mind and I feel quite good afterwards, and it’s cheaper, lol. I love this site. It is so beautifully done and informative. I was mesmerized by the floating banner on the pages and it works. I picked my next place and it’s St. Eustatius and I am going to get me one of those blue glass bead necklaces as a souvenir. Very informative and you give all the information I will need once I get there to have a wonderful vacation.
Wonderful job. Can’t wait until next month’s destination.
Great Deborah, thanks for visiting the St Augustine Island Travel Guide. You will love St Eustatius! Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you 🙂
It’s kind of charming that they don’t like tourists walking around the island in their beach ware. I wonder if it’s leftover prudishness from it being an English colony? At any rate, it’s so devastating that these hurricanes have destroyed these small, totally tourism-dependent islands. It’s probably really hard for them to recover especially if their grid was wiped out. I hope they rebuild and the tourists start pouring in, I’m sure they need the revenue!
Yes, I am sure they are wanting to rebuild quickly, because yes, most of these islands depend a lot on tourism for their economy. I don’t know about why they don’t all the beach wear, but I kind of like that idea. Anguilla is a wonderful Caribbean destination, I hope that visitors will be allowed back soon!
My mother would really love to read this post about Anguilla Island. The way it sounds, I’m not surprised it’s one of the most popular resorts in the Caribbean. If I was looking for a good place to travel this year or next year, this post would help me BIG TIME. It has so much information about Anguilla Island and what it has in store.
I am glad you found the Anguilla Island Travel Guide helpful and with the information you were looking for. Time for a family trip to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Anguilla! Thanks for visiting 🙂
I have been wanting to go to Anguilla for quite some time. I decided it was time to start looking at information and begin my planning stage, so I can get on a vacation somewhere warm! Great post. 🙂 I am looking forward to trying out some sailing on a charter boat. Looks like I have a lot of activities that will keep me busy having fun in the sun! Elvis’s Beach Bar looks like so much fun! I like that they have some fun bars and good restaurants, and now I have recommendations that I can try out. I am really interested in staying at the CeBlue Villas & Beach Resort. I do really hope that they can rebuild quickly from the hurricane so that I can start planning the dates for my vacation to Anguilla! Do you know how long it takes to have a passport renewed? This is one thing I can do in the mean time.
Erik
I think you will find that Anguilla will be ready for visitors in the early part of 2018. As far as your passport goes, I would allow up to 8 weeks to receive your renewed passport. You can have it expedited, and receive it in 2 to 3 weeks, but I don’t think that is necessary in this case due to the hurricane damage, unless you want to consider a different Caribbean island. Thanks for visiting the Anguilla Island Travel Guide!
Wow, what a great and beautiful website, I really love it. I have been looking online at different vacation options in the Caribbean. I do believe that you have made the choice hard for me! Anguilla has been one choice I have been considering, it is so sad they were hurt by the recent hurricanes. We are looking at going next June. Do you think that will be possible, or should we consider another island? Thank you!
You know the beautiful island got hit hard by Hurricane Irma, especially with electricity, government buildings and water supply. They have hopes of being able to allow tourists in, sometime in 2018. I think I would probably choose another island for your next destination. There are so many wonderful Caribbean island and some are not in the hurricane belt, so therefore did not get any damage at all. If you need help deciding, please let me know. Thank you for visit the Anguilla Island Travel Guide!
What a great website. It has a sense of peace about it. I love the website, it is so professional! I like that I could find everything I needed for taking a vacation to the wonderful Caribbean Island of Anguilla! You have certainly provided everything that I need. Can you help with vacation packages and pricing?
Thank you Fiona for visiting the Anguilla Island Travel Guide for all your vacation planning needs. Of course I can help you with vacation packages and pricing 🙂 If you will send me your travel dates, I can work on it for you 🙂
The Caribbean Island seems like A awesome place to vacation in the winter months I have never been to an island but you sure make me want to put this on my bucket list, This place is beautiful and all the things you can do here from taking the ferry to having a beautiful evening out to dinner at the Blanchard I love how you offer the best package deals and all the information that you offer about the Anguilla Island ,I will keep coming back to this site for all the information about Anguilla Island, as I really do want to plan my next vacation here 🙂
I agree Alesia. Although, it does not get cold where I live, right now it has been dipping down to low 70s and high 60s, which is pretty cold for us! I am looking forward to a visit to somewhere in the Caribbean this winter! Thanks for visiting!
This place looks marvelous. I am going to keep looking at your post and you are going to make me visit one of these places. The water looks so clear and clean. I have always had wanted to scuba dive, and trying to decide on a Caribbean Island where I can enjoy the beauty and give it a try. Your site has given me so many options! Thanks!
Yes, there are lots of great diving destinations in the Caribbean. Does make it hard to chose which island you want to visit. I guess you just have to take into account what time of year you want to vacation, how crowded or quiet of an island you want, and your budget. Some islands are very budget friendly and not so crowded. If you need any additional information Ronnie, just let me know. Thanks for reading the Anguilla Island Travel Guide.
Wow. The scenery is beautiful!!! I have been interested in Anguilla, as I have only been there for a port stop. I need to be adding this place to my ‘Places to Visit’ list. I would love to spend more time on the island for sure! Thanks for sharing all of your valuable information on Anguilla!
You are so welcome Marlinda. Yes, I love to cruise, but I don’t consider the port stops as enough time to really get to know a Caribbean Island, or where ever they stop. It is kind of like a small taste 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
I lived in the Caribbean for two years and Anguilla is one island I didn’t get the chance to visit, and I wish I had. It sounds like an amazing place and I have no doubt that they will recover after the hurricanes. These islands have such a wonderful community spirit.
I agree that they will recover and be just as beautiful as they were before. You will have to find your way to this wonderful Caribbean island for sure. Thank you so much for reading the Anguilla Island Travel Guide!
I have traveled the world. From Alaska to Australia. This is exceptional, I really enjoyed reading it. It’s really informative and clear. It’s all a traveler needs to know. I would love to try the Elvis’ Beach Bar ! I like how you rate the restaurants as well. The $ sign method is super effective for a reader.
Great presentation and amazing website. Makes me want to get on a plane and leave!
Great Felix and I am glad you enjoyed visiting BeachTravelDestinations.com! You can plan your trip, get on a plane and leave! I would also be more than glad to help plan it. I know that I could find you some really good deals. Just shoot me a message when you are ready 🙂
Amazing! I’m planning on getting engaged very soon and this seems like the perfect place to celebrate (if she says yes haha). I can’t imagine a more beautiful setting and nothing else young love like open beaches and gorgeous sunsets.
Ok, I sold. Thanks, the post is very informative.
You are very welcome Jean, and I am sure she will say yes! And oh boy, this would be the perfect Caribbean destination for a honeymoon 🙂 Thanks for reading the Anguilla Island Travel Guide.
I have not been to the Caribbean for over 30 years and from your reviews I can see Caribbean is still a great place to visit.
Anguilla is one island that I did not have the pleasure to visit before and now you have really whetted my appetite to once again head back to the Caribbean.
Anguilla and Saba are definitely on my list to visit possibly this winter.
Thank you for an amazing review and helping me decide where to go this winter.
You are welcome Moni and if you need any help planning your trip, please let me know. I would be more than happy to find you the best deals. Thank you for visiting the Anguilla Island Travel Guide!
You paint a beautiful picture with your descriptions of this gorgeous island. Now, not to detract from that, my favorite part of this post came toward the end: THE FOOD! I love food, and I love variety. What you’ve described on offer from the restaurants here, that’s enough for me. This island getaway sounds… Delicious! Oh, and the beaches sound pretty nice too!
Nathan, thanks for reading my Anguilla Island Travel Guide! Yeah, I am a foodie too and I like the sunshine, love a good beach and interesting things to do. But I also have to have great food and good tropical drinks 🙂 You will get all of that on Anguilla Island.
I have been researching Anguilla as a possible vacation getaway, and this looks perfect for me! You have provided an awesome review, with great information to certainly help me plan the entire trip. The images really say all that there is ever to know about this location and the video confirms that assessment. Its a peaceful looking tourist resort, plenty to do and see and I would suggest that this place would be a great spot for kids also. Exactly what I have been looking for!
The beaches have such amazing white sand, the seas have the turquoise waters and the temperatures that you quoted for this area, suggests that its an all round sunny location. Thanks again for the great post, and helping me determine that Anguilla is definitely where I want to go!
Best wishes PB
I am glad I could help you in your decision process! You will absolutely love Anguilla for all the reasons you have mentioned. It is a perfect Caribbean vacation destination. If you need anything else from me, such as finding some great package prices for you, just let me know 🙂 Thanks for reading the Anguilla Island Travel Guide!
The Caribbean islands have such beautiful scenery. I have never been but would love to someday. You mentioned the cost of transportation and some food. I would be curious what one would expect to spend on lodging in the May-August time frame. It’s so sad they’ve had to deal with hurricanes this year. Hopefully they’ll be back up to full operation soon!
Thanks for visiting my Anguilla Island Travel Guide Jen. The busy season is during May thru August, so expect to pay somewhat more. It really depends on the lodging. You can get a room anywhere from about $75 a night, on up for a luxury room. If you book in advance, you fair quite a bit better then waiting until the last minute. You would love visiting the Caribbean, and I think that Anguilla is one of the islands that should be visited first.