Roy Googin · CC BY 3.0Anguilla
“Thirty-three beaches, no high-rises, and a boat race instead of a carnival parade”
Anguilla is 26 km (16 mi) long, flat, dry and almost entirely beach. It has no rainforest, no mountain and no ruins of note, and it has built one of the strongest reputations in the Caribbean anyway — on the quality of the sand, a building code that keeps roofs below the palm line, and a restaurant scene out of all proportion to a population of 16,000.
The island famously revolted in 1967 against being federated with Saint Kitts, and asked to remain British rather than become independent — the only place in the Caribbean to have staged a rebellion in favour of colonial status. Its national sport is boat racing in locally built sloops, and Carnival week is organised around the races rather than the other way round.
Highlights
Shoal Bay East
Three kilometres of white sand and reef close enough to snorkel from the beach. Regularly listed among the best in the Caribbean and rarely crowded.
The beach restaurants
Blanchards, Veya and a dozen shacks that serve better food than they should. The island eats out seriously and prices accordingly.
Boat racing
The national sport, in wooden sloops built on the island. Race days in August and at Carnival draw the whole population to the shore.
The offshore cays
Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Scilly Cay — sandbars with a bar on them, reached by a short boat ride and empty by sunset.
Entry requirements for Anguilla
Checking your passport…
We don't hold entry details for this passport group yet.
Before you fly
The detail
- Passport validity
- Most destinations want validity beyond your stay, and some want six months. Check yours against the return date.
- Onward travel
- Airlines may ask for a return or onward ticket at check-in.
- Health
- A small hospital in The Valley; anything serious goes to Saint Martin or Puerto Rico. Insurance with evacuation cover.
- Money
- East Caribbean dollar, pegged to the US dollar, with dollars accepted everywhere. Cards work at hotels and restaurants; cash for the beach shacks.
When to go
BestDec–Apr. AvoidSep–Oct.
Dry, breezy, high season.
The band above each month is our editorial verdict - it weighs crowds, prices and access as well as weather. The line is average daily temperature, the bars are monthly rainfall. Select a month for the figures. Climate figures: ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2005–2024 normals.
What it costs
A day in Anguilla
Comfortable · sample day
≈ $227
Line items are real prices we track. The daily budget is an editorial estimate for this level, not their sum.
Where this sits among 244 countries we have costed
The island effectively closes in September and October. December to April carries a heavy premium and Christmas is the peak of it.
Updated Aug 2026 · Editorial synthesis — Anguilla tourist board tariffs, ferry and villa listings (2025–2026) · confidence medium
Excludes international flights - they depend on where you fly from.
Regions to know
5The Valley
The capital: government, the bank, and the Wallblake plantation house.
Shoal Bay East
The signature beach, with reef snorkelling straight off the sand.
West End
Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay and most of the serious restaurants.
Blowing Point
The ferry port for Saint Martin and the closest thing to a transit hub.
The offshore cays
Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Scilly Cay — a boat ride and a bar.
Practical guide
Getting there
Ferries from Saint Martin run through the day to Blowing Point; Clayton J. Lloyd (AXA) handles regional flights and some direct services from the US.
Getting around
A hire car is the practical option — the island is small but taxis add up fast. Buses are limited.
Money & costs
East Caribbean dollar, pegged to the US dollar, with dollars accepted everywhere. Cards work at hotels and restaurants; cash for the beach shacks.
Safety
One of the safest islands in the region. Sun and sea are the hazards.
Health
A small hospital in The Valley; anything serious goes to Saint Martin or Puerto Rico. Insurance with evacuation cover.
SIM & internet
Good 4G across the island.
Driving
Driving is on the left; goats on the road are a genuine and constant hazard outside the settlements.
Rules change - verify with an official source before you rent.
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AnguillaFrequently asked questions
How do I get there?
Most arrivals come by ferry from Saint Martin — either the public ferry from Marigot or the fast boat from the Dutch-side airport. Anguilla's own airport takes regional flights and a small number of direct services.
Is there anything to do besides beaches?
Honestly, not much, and the island does not pretend otherwise. Eating, swimming, boat trips to the cays and the racing calendar are the programme. People who want ruins and rainforest go elsewhere.
Do I need a local driving licence?
Yes. Anguilla issues a temporary visitor's licence, bought at the rental desk or a police station on presentation of your home licence. It is inexpensive and takes minutes.