Anguilla

After an adventurous week on Saint Martin we were excited to relax on the beautiful beaches of Anguilla for a few days. Anguilla is a short and easy ferry ride from Saint Martin. It’s known for its white sand and very clear blue water. It’s a quieter island in the Caribbean with no crowds. Cruise ships can’t stop there and there’s no casinos or huge hotels. Check out our Anguilla travel guide below!

How we traveled there

To get to the island, we took the Funtime ferry from Saint Martin. It was $70 one way and leaves from a dock right across from the SXM airport. Note: I took the public ferry from Margiot to Anguilla the first time I visited Saint Martin and was seasick. I would recommend taking the private Funtime ferry even though it costs a little more.

Our hotel made arrangements with a taxi from the ferry to the hotel.

When we left the island, we flew out of Anguilla (AXA) and connected in San Juan, then Houston, and finally landed at home in Denver. Note: When you leave Anguilla, there is a departure tax of $36/pp.

Where we stayed

We stayed at Tranquility Beach in Meads Bay.

They offer one, two, and three-bedroom apartments with kitchens and private hot tubs. They will do your grocery shopping ahead of time for you for a 20% fee of the total grocery bill. We liked that they were available for anything at any time via WhatsApp. We paid approximately $500/night which is on the lower side cost-wise for Anguilla.

What activities we experienced

We spent most of our time in the Meads Bay beach area. The beach is beautiful and there are good restaurants within walking distance.

Where we ate

• Blanchards Restaurant – a sit-down restaurant on Meads Bay Beach. We had the Lobster and Shrimp Cakes, Tuna Poke Crisps, and Lemon Panko-Crusted Grilled Shrimp which were all amazing. There is also a more casual option called Blanchards Beach Shack next door.
• Leons – casual restaurant on Meads Bay Beach
• Savi – a beach club with a nice atmosphere and great food/drinks. Try to go when they have live music!
• Sunshine Shack on Rendevous Bay – a casual barbecue spot on the beach. They had great drinks (we loved the rum punch) and reggae music playing. After eating we laid out on the beach chairs and went swimming. Make sure to ask for a marker to sign the bar!

We also ordered a good amount of groceries which our hotel picked up for us ahead of time.

Where we drank

• Straw Hat – restaurant on Meads Bay beach with views of the water
• Four Seasons – we sat in the open-air sunset lounge and listened to some great live music from 8 – 11 p.m. Our friend, Omalie360, was playing with his band and we had a lot of fun listening to them play. Anyone can go to the sunset lounge, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. At our waiter’s recommendation, I had the berry bliss which is a non-alcoholic drink containing fresh blueberries, pressed lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, cranberry juice, and I added Titos. I would highly recommend this drink!
• Lit Lounge – on the eastern side of Sandy Ground, this is a fun beach bar for late-night drinks. It seemed like more locals were there than tourists which we liked. It’s open til 3 a.m.

Rum punch is the local drink – be sure to try it!

What we recommend knowing/preparing

• People speak English and it’s easy to communicate/get around
• I felt very safe
• December – April are the best times to visit (the wettest months are July-Nov)
• Dollars are accepted everywhere. We used cash for taxis and tips, cards were accepted in most other places.
• Tip 15-20% (some restaurants add this automatically so check your bill)
• There is no Uber/Lyft on the island so you should use the local taxis. Taxis are very expensive, expect to spend a minimum of $20 even to just go down the street.
• It’s a British Island so they drive on the left side of the road
• I found it easy to eat here with dietary restrictions
• You can drink the water here
• This is a quieter island so don’t expect much to be going on after 10 pm
• Check out our travel tips page for general recommendations

What we didn’t do but looked into

• Boat tour to Prickly Pear Cay – we heard it’s great for snorkeling 
• Little Bay – a cove only accessible by boat or hike
• Ocean Echo – restaurant for lunch or dinner
• Palm Grove Bar and Grill (Nat’s Place) – casual family-owned restaurant on the beach
• Tour the island on a quad bike – a great way to see the inland areas of Anguilla
• Anguilla’s Summer Festival is in July/August
• Easter weekend is Festival del Mar which is a celebration of all things related to the sea
• If you’re interested in being a puppy transporter for island dogs that have been adopted by people in the US, please apply here. We submitted our info but we were not needed.

What we packed

Bring warm-weather clothes only.

Check out our recommendations for travel clothing and essentials.

We hope you enjoyed our Anguilla travel guide. Leave a comment below or contact us for any questions. Check out our travel guide on Saint Martin to explore the closest island to Anguilla.

-Jessica