Spa and Beach Vacation Guru

Superb, dazzling white sand beaches put Anguilla on the tourist map. There are dozens of them, plus another handful on the outer cays, all in all 33 beaches in Anguilla. The island’s land may be barren, but one cannot deny the beauty of its shores. Its stretches and stretches of pristine, powdery white sands open into crystal-clear, turquoise blue waters. All the beaches are open to public, yet you would have walk through the lobby of deluxe resorts to reach one.

Northeast Coast

Captain’s Bay

If you make the grueling four-wheel-drive-only trip along the harsh dirt road that leads to the northeastern end of the island towards Junk’s Hole, you will be rewarded with peaceful isolation. At Captain’s bay, it is better for wading, sun tanning and enjoying the sand more than for swimming. Here, the waves hit the sand with a vengeance and the undertow is strong and dangerous.

Rugged and pictureque, Captains Bay is lined with dramatic coral cliff formations. The beach is a wide stretch of white sand cornered at both ends by rock cliffs. It is now possible to reach the beach by walking the cliff road east of Island Harbour. The waters off this beach often carry a strong under toe and it is not recommended for swimming. It is ideal for a picnic lunch. Take along a pair of hiking boots and wander through the rock formations along the coast or take the dirt track all the way to the eastern end of the island. Watch out for Abadam hole along the way. This giant cave was exposed to the surface when the thin rock roof collapsed.

Island Harbour

Calm and tranquil, the amazingly blue waters of Island Harbour Beach attract both locals and the odd visitor or two. For centuries, Anguillans have ventured from these shores in colorful handmade sailing boats to haul in Anguillan lobster. There are several bars and alfresco dining rooms (Arawak Café and Smitty’s are best for casual lunches) here, and from here, you can take a 3 minute ride to Sicilly Cay for a day trip. At Sicilly Cay, there is a thatched beach bar which serves seafood.

Northwest Coast

Barnes Bay

This beach is filled powdery white sand and opens into clear blue water. It is a superb spot for windsurfing and snorkeling. In high season, this beach can get crowded from day trippers from St Martin. It usually gets less crowded after lunch.

Little Bay

Set against steep cliffs embroidered in greeneries and creeping vines, Little Bay Beach is one of the most dramatic beach in Anguilla and is almost never crowded. Its sand is grayish and favored by snorkeler, scuba-divers, bird-watchers and picnickers. Road Bay The clear blue waters of this beach are often dotted with yachts coming from St. Martin. Several restaurants, water sports center with its ample windsurfing and waterskiing activities make this place a commercial one. The snorkeling here is not great but the sunset is spectacular. This place is also known as Sandy Ground.

Sandy Island

Located about 3 km from Road Bay, this small little islet seems occupied only by a few palms and surrounded by coral reefs from far. Once here, you will find modern day comforts of a beach boutique, a bar, a restaurant and a place to rent snorkeling gear and underwater cameras. Daily trips from the pier by Johnno’s Beach Bar at Sandy Ground are provided by Sandy Island Enterprises (at Sandy Ground, Tel: 264/772-0787). The cost of a round-trip ticket is US$20, with the first boat leaving at 8:30 am and the last boat departing at 3pm. No service is available from late August to September and only one weekly trip is available in October.

Southeast Coast

Shoal Bay ☺☺

One of Caribbean’s most beautiful and picture-perfect beaches is Anguilla’s 3km long Shoal Bay Beach (also known as Shoal Bay East). With silver-white, power-soft sands, it also boasts some of Anguilla’s best coral gardens and is home to hundreds of tiny shimmering fish, making it great for snorkeling. The waters are usually luminous, transparent and brilliant blue. At noon, the sand is blindingly white while at sunrise and sunset, they become pink like those of the Bermuda beaches. Restaurants such as Gwen’s Reggae Grill, LeBeach and Upper Shoal Bar serve seafood and tropical drinks. Souvenir shops selling T-shirts, suntan lotion and water-sports center offering diving, sailing and fishing trips are available on the beach.

Southwest Coast

Maundays Bay

The island’s most popular beach, this 1.6 km long white sand beach is the site for the famous Cap Juluca. Known for its good swimming and snorkeling, the waters are calm and clear. On a clear day, you will see St. Martin across the way.

Rendevzous Bay

This 4 km stretch of pearl-white sand has a view of St. Martin. The rockier stretch provides excellent snorkeling. It water is calmer, warmer and shallower than Shoal Bay West. With its alfresco beach bar, it attracts all kind, from families to romantic couple.

Shoal Bay West

Next to Maundays Bay, this beach has pristine white sand is rimmed with mangroves and has coral reefs not too far from shore. It can be crowded with day trippers from St. Martin.