Anguilla

Attractions:  Anguilla has some incredible beaches – in fact, this small island probably boasts some of the best beaches in the world – and Shoals Bay is no exception.  One of the most popular beaches in Anguilla, Shoals Bay is a 2-miles long with soft pure-white sand and turquoise calm waters and is rarely busy.  Visitors can also enjoy snorkelling and diving just off the shore.  Anguilla has a buzzing live music scene – try to catch a gig with one of the local bands at the Pump House and The Dune Preserve.  Anguilla has the perfect conditions for Kite-surfing ideal for both beginners and experts.  If you fancy a short hop to another island, St Martin is only a 20 minute boat ride away.

Events/festivals: Moonsplash Music Festival in March is a hosted by local reggae star Bankie Banx and sees thousands flock to the island to enjoy this special event.    Anguilla Summer festival takes place in July and is an 11 day festival of parades, boat races, reggae and much more.

Sports:  Visitors can enjoy some great diving, snorkelling, parasailing, windsurfing and kite surfing on the island.  There is a 9 hole golf course at Sandy Ground and a championship golf course at Temenos.

Nightlife:    Nightlife on the island fairly casual, although there are some great hang outs with live music where you can have a few rum punches and a fun night out. Most of the hotels and bars offer live entertainment in the form of steel drums, reggae and calypso bands but some of the best live music can be heard at The Dune Preserve – owned by local Reggae star Bankie Banks who often performs there.   The Pumphouse is also a great bar especially on Thursday nights when there is live music and Smokey’s on Cove bay has dancing on a Sunday night.

Eating/Drinking Anguilla boasts some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean – indeed it is known as ‘the cuisine capital of the Caribbean’ and is a true paradise for food-lovers.  You will find some fantastic seafood in Anguilla including local lobster and crayfish. It is generally advised to drink bottled water on the island as opposed to tap water.

Shopping:   Anguilla has some great art galleries and a few good tourist shops and boutiques, but isn’t renowned for its shopping possibilities in general.

When to go:

Anguilla enjoys great all-year round weather.  Even in Anguilla’s ‘rainy season’ between Sept to Oct is mostly sunny and the annual rainfall on the island is a mere 35 inches.