Best Beach Anguilla | Travel Bug — Shoal Bay Beach, Anguilla

Where Tranquility Meets Luxury in the Caribbean

I’ve traveled all over the Caribbean, and I think Anguilla takes the cake when it comes to the best beaches, food, and hotels. If turquoise water, powdery white sand, and gorgeous oceanfront dining are your thing, then this island is for you. Every year, my husband’s family tries to go on a tropical vacation together. We hadn’t done one in four years because of the pandemic, getting married, etc., so a trip to Anguilla was a pretty epic way to revive the tradition.

Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. Nearby you’ll find the islands of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy (St. Barts). During a past family trip to Saint Martin, before my husband and I were married, we rented a catamaran for the day and popped over to Anguilla. We anchored just offshore from the iconic Cap Juluca hotel, and I immediately fell in love with this paradise. It was so special to return years later, officially as a family, and explore more of this magnificent island. If you’re a beach-lover and a foodie looking for a quieter escape, then add a trip to Anguilla to your bucket list ASAP.

A Few Things to Note

We spent ten days on Anguilla since this was our first vacation all together in a while. That being said, you could easily spend 5-7 days here and that would be sufficient to check out some of the best beaches and restaurants.
You can fly directly into Anguilla, or fly into neighboring Saint Martin and take a ferry. We had a bit of a nightmarish travel experience flying out of Anguilla on the way home, so I’d probably do the ferry from St. Martin next time (more on that later!)
I’d recommend renting a car for your time on Anguilla so you can explore as many of the island’s 33 beautiful beaches as possible. If you don’t want to rent a car, be sure to at least rent a Moke for the day. It’s such a fun way to get around; more on this later!
Anguilla is one of the most expensive Caribbean islands I’ve visited, especially because we wanted to try out so many of the amazing restaurants. However, there are plenty of more affordable options when it comes to dining and accommodations, so you don’t need to take out a second mortgage to make the most out of your visit.

Best Time to Visit Anguilla

As with most Caribbean destinations, the best time to visit Anguilla is in March. Here’s why:

December-April are the driest months. However, prices are high around the holidays, and I prefer to avoid the school break crowds in April.
I like to visit the Caribbean when it’s cold/bad weather back home so I can enjoy a warm escape. Fall in Vermont is beautiful, so I wouldn’t visit Anguilla then anyways, but note that September-October is both hurricane season and when many restaurants close down. In my opinion, it’s not worth risking having to cancel/reschedule a big trip!
Even in March, it was hot (in the 80s every day and didn’t dip below high-70s at night). I love summer in New England, so I wouldn’t visit Anguilla then anyways, but I can’t imagine how much hotter it gets! We only had one cloudy/rainy day out of ten, and the ocean was the perfect temperature to cool off and relax in.
Everywhere we went, we saw very few people. Restaurants and beaches were never crowded, making the island incredibly relaxing and tranquil. No large cruise ships are allowed to visit Anguilla, so that helps to keep the island less busy in general.

I will say that the Caribbean tends to be windier in March, which can make the ocean a bit choppier. I personally prefer the breeze and would be uncomfortably hot without it!

How to Get to Anguilla

Fly into Anguilla-Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA). American Airlines is the only commercial airline that flights direct to Anguilla from Miami, and tickets are pretty pricy. We flew from Boston (BOS) —> Miami (MIA) —> Anguilla (AXA) and I don’t know that I would do it again due to a horrendous customer service experience with the American Airlines agents at the Anguilla airport. See the Helpful Anguilla Tips section for the story!
Fly into Saint Martin-Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) and take the ferry to Anguilla. Honestly, I wish this is what we had done and what I plan to do next time I visit Anguilla! SXM is a far bigger airport and offers plenty of more affordable direct flights to and from major US cities like Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C, and more. Once you land, you have two options for the ferry:
- You can take the public ferry from Marigot on the French side of the island. This is the cheaper option at $35 one way (includes departure tax). You will have to take a taxi from the airport to the Marigot ferry terminal (~15 minutes depending on traffic). Check the Port of Saint-Martin website for departure and return schedules.
- If you’d prefer to leave from the airport/Dutch side, there are a handful of private charter companies that will take you by boat to Anguilla. While more expensive, you don’t have to factor in the added travel time/cost for a taxi to Marigot (plus, flights into SXM are usually a lot cheaper). Calypso Charters is one company that will transfer you between St. Maarten (different spelling because it’s the Dutch side!) and Anguilla. My in-laws did this on the way home and said it was a super smooth experience.

Where to Stay in Anguilla

Rent a private villa - In my opinion, renting a villa on Airbnb, VRBO, etc. is the way to go with a bigger group in the Caribbean. It’s so nice to have your own pool, (sometimes) private beach access, a kitchen to cook/take a break from dining out, and plenty of space. If you have 6-8 guests, I cannot recommend Bellamare Villa enough. It’s located on Shoal Bay East, one of the best beaches on Anguilla. The view overlooking the private infinity pool out to the reefs and ocean beyond is insanely beautiful, and we could spot turtles right from our spot. It’s an easy walk on powdery white sand from Bellamare to several great restaurants and beach bars (more on that later!) And to top it all off, the host, Kelita, is wonderful. She is so kind, communicative, and had so many great suggestions. She helped arrange a private chef to cook two dinners for us at the villa, and also helped my in-laws in a sticky travel situation. For the view, location, and service, Bellamare is probably my favorite vacation rental I’ve ever stayed in.

Private Villa Anguilla | Travel Bug — Bellamare Villa, Shoal Bay East, Anguilla

Zemi Beach House ($$$) - If/when I go back to Anguilla with just my husband, I’d probably stay here for at least a few nights. While not cheap, it’s one of the more affordable five-star hotels on the island, and it’s located on beautiful Shoal Bay. We walked here from our villa multiple times during our stay. It has a gorgeous pool and beach, multiple restaurants (shoutout to the breakfast buffet), and great drinks. It also has an authentic Thai house spa and a Caribbean beach BBQ every Wednesday.
- Book with me for exclusive perks like room upgrades, daily breakfast buffet, resort credit, and early check-in/late check-out!

Best Hotels Anguilla | Travel Bug — Zemi Beach House, Shoal Bay, Anguilla

Four Seasons Resort Anguilla ($$$) - We visited the Four Seasons for sunset drinks and dinner one night. This is one of the bigger properties on the island, and the most people we saw in one place during our time on Anguilla. While the sleek, modern architecture is less of my vibe, the Sunset Lounge is a beautiful spot to (you guessed it) watch the sunset and enjoy food and cocktails. The food here was some of the best we had on our entire trip; more on that later! And, like you would expect with any Four Seasons, the service here is incredible. Omalie 360 also performed while we were here and he’s amazing!
- Book with me for exclusive perks like room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, hotel credit, and early check-in/late check-out!

Malliouhana ($$$) - This hotel is straight out of a magazine. Located at one end of the beautiful Meads Bay Beach, the setting and interior design are drool-worthy. We went here for drinks one day and lunch another, and while the cocktails and food were great, the service wasn’t the best. We did absolutely love Leon’s at Meads Bay though, their more laid-back beachfront restaurant (more on that later!)
- Book with me for exclusive perks like a welcome amenity, room upgrades, daily breakfast credit, resort credit, and early check-in/late check-out!

Cap Juluca ($$$$) - You know the saying “bury me here?” Well, bury me at Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel. Located on the pristine Maunday’s Bay, everything about this hotel is dreamy. Its whitewashed domed villas line the white-sand beach, and you get views of St. Martin across the turquoise sea. We visited Cap Juluca for lunch and dined outside at Uchu, an incredible Peruvian restaurant. This is the most expensive hotel on the island, but I can absolutely see why. All suites have ocean views, some even have private pools, and each one comes with 24-hour “Villa Host service”, aka a butler. It’s on my bucket list to stay here!
- Book with me for exclusive perks like room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, and resort credit!

Where to Eat & Drink in Anguilla

Anguilla has the best food out of any Caribbean island I’ve visited. The number of options is staggering, and there’s something for everyone. Here’s where we ate and drank that I’d recommend:

Elodia’s Beach Bar & Grill ($$) - Located on Shoal Bay East, Elodia’s has the best piña colada on the island (and trust me, we sampled a lot of them). It’s creamy, not too boozy, and damn delicious. Two is the max I could handle since they are filling, but I lost count of how many times we came back here during our trip. It’s a casual spot that serves reasonably priced seafood (snapper, mahi mahi, crayfish, etc.) good salads, and fries.

Tropical Sunset Restaurant & Bar ($$) - Also located on Shoal Bay East is another casual beach bar with delicious drinks and Caribbean fare. The conch fritters, coconut shrimp, crusted snapper, and crayfish are all incredible. If you dine here, you can use their beach loungers for free.

Olas ($$) - If you’re craving Mexican food, head to this casual spot on Shoal Bay. We loved the mahi-mahi bites and the quesadillas.
Sunshine Shack ($$) - Sunshine Shack is another amazing casual beach bar located on Rendezvous Bay. While they’re open for dinner by reservation, I’d recommend going for lunch to enjoy the beautiful views of St. Martin. They have delicious piña coladas, mojitos, BBQ ribs, and crayfish (in case you haven’t sensed a trend, crayfish is the thing to order on Anguilla). Sunshine Shack even has the ring toss game, which is equal parts entertaining and frustrating.

Best Beach Bars Anguilla | Travel Bug — Sunshine Shack, Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

20 Knots ($$-$$$) - Located inside Zemi Beach House on Shoal Bay is 20 Knots, and it’s great for both breakfast and lunch. We especially loved the breakfast buffet, which anyone (not just hotel guests) can enjoy. While it might seem steep ($59/person), there are so many delicious food options like fresh tropical smoothies and Johnny cakes (basically mini fried dough).

SandBar ($$) - This was one of our favorite dinners on our trip. Located in Sandy Ground is this amazing small plates restaurant and a beautiful spot for sunset. While it might seem modest as you pull up, it has a gorgeous back deck where you can watch sunset while enjoying dishes like lobster tacos and lollipop lamb chops. We also enjoyed live music from an incredibly talented singer. Her name is Jennique and she performs every Saturday; make sure you book a table to see her! Reservations recommended.

Best Restaurants Anguilla | Travel Bug — Sunset at SandBar, Sandy Ground, Anguilla

Uchu ($$$) - Located at the iconic Cap Juluca is this Peruvian restaurant. We had lunch outside by the pool overlooking gorgeous Maunday’s Bay. I got the Taco Nikkel and they were delicious. Add this to the list of most beautiful places to drink an Aperol spritz! After lunch, be sure to stay a while and enjoy this heavenly beach.

Sunset Lounge ($$$$) - Located at the Four Seasons, this is the perfect spot for sunset drinks and dinner. As I mentioned above, this was probably the best food we had on our trip! We loved the crispy Tso’s chicken, the shrimp tempura roll, and the Pad Thai.

Leons at Meads Bay ($$) - This casual beach bar and restaurant is part of the Malliouhana hotel on Meads Bay. It’s a great place for a toes-in-the-sand meal or piña colada (best on Meads Bay in my opinion!) We loved the chicken wings and tacos.
Savi Beach Club ($$$$) - I’ll admit: the Japanese-inspired menu at this high-end Meads Bay restaurant is really pricy, and you can get just as good, more affordable food elsewhere. However, the ambiance and setting are gorgeous, and the cocktails are really good. We came here for sunset and dinner one night and for live music our last night in Anguilla. And the icing on the cake was another live performance from Omalie 360! I think my mother-in-law is his biggest fan.

Da’Vida Beach Club ($$-$$$) - Located on beautiful Crocus Bay is this hidden gem. We ate lunch here while we were waiting for our (very delayed) flight home, and enjoyed their salads and pizzas. Da’Vida is also owned by Kelita, our villa host!

Da’Vida Beach Club, Crocus Bay, Anguilla

Private Chef ($$$$) - If you do have a private villa with a beautiful view, why not bring dinner to you! We were extra lucky because as I mentioned above, our villa owner also owned Da’Vida Beach Club, where her brother is the chef! They prepared us the most delicious and beautifully plated meal, and the crayfish, Katouche lobster tails, and surf and turf were to die for.

Crayfish cooked by a private chef, Bellamare Villa, Shoal Bay East

Things to Do in Anguilla

Visit at least one of the 33 stunning beaches - Anguilla is known for its powdery white-sand beaches with beautiful turquoise water. While I wouldn’t recommend cramming a visit to all of them into one trip, here are my favorites/the must-visits:

Shoal Bay - In my opinion, this is the most beautiful beach on Anguilla. Every morning, my sister-in-law and I would walk from Bellamare Villa to the end of the beach, past Zemi Beach House. It has the most beautiful powdery white sand and turquoise water. There are tons of great casual beach bars and restaurants lining the beach, including Elodia’s, Olas, and Tropical Sunset. The snorkeling here is some of the best on the island, and our villa had direct access to a huge reef. We saw turtles, Caribbean lobsters, eagle rays, and more. I felt so spoiled being able to wake up to this view and walk right down to this beach every day.

Best Beaches Anguilla | Travel Bug — Shoal Bay East, Anguilla

Maunday’s Bay - Maunday’s Bay is home to the iconic Cap Juluca and is a very close second to Shoal Bay in terms of its beauty. While it’s technically a public beach, most people you’ll find here are either guests of the hotel or are dining at one of its restaurants. You can rent chairs through the hotel but they’re pricy, so we just brought our own towels and spent most of our time bobbing in the gentle waves and admiring the views of mountainous St. Martin off in the distance. If I could afford it, I’d come back to this hotel and this beach again and again (and again).

Meads Bay - Multiple restaurants and luxury hotels line this beautiful beach, and we came here twice during our stay. The water here is incredibly calm and so warm, and we loved floating in the ocean with piña coladas from Leon’s at Meads Bay. Besides Malliouhana and the Four Seasons, you can grab more affordable food and drink options from Leon’s and Blanchard’s Beach Shack (although Leon’s piña coladas are far superior). It’s important to note that the chairs in front of Leon’s are for guests of the Malliouhana only, but you can rent lounge chairs from Blanchard’s.

Rendezvous Bay - Rendezvous Bay is home to the Sunshine Shack, an epic beach bar and restaurant. Unfortunately the day we visited was the one overcast/rainy day on our entire trip. Nevertheless, Sunshine Shack’s crayfish, piña coladas, and beach games made up for it! Rendezvous Bay is also home to Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve, an awesome spot for live music and drinks. They were nice enough to let us check it out one afternoon while they were closed, and we even saw Bankie Banx, a local celebrity!

Rent Mokes - Originally designed as a military vehicle for the British army in the late 1950s, Mokes are small, colorful open-air cars that you can rent to explore the island of Anguilla. You rent them through Moke Anguilla for $185/day, which includes insurance and delivery straight to your villa or hotel! The “kids” drove one Moke while my in-laws drove the other and let me tell you; it was so much fun. After hooking up my phone to the bluetooth speaker to blast some tropical house jams, we made our way down to the Anguilla Arch. Then we headed to Cap Juluca for lunch at Uchu, and I honestly felt like a celebrity rolling up to the hotel in a Moke. If you don’t get a rental car, be sure to rent a Moke for at least one or two days to explore the island and beaches. This was one of the highlights of our trip.

Moke Rental Anguilla | Travel Bug — Moke Anguilla

Best Things to Do Anguilla | Travel Bug — Anguilla Arch

Visit one of Anguilla’s offshore cays - A cay (pronounced “key”) is a small, low-elevation sandy island that sits on top of a coral reef, and there are several just offshore that you can visit. Some of the most famous include Sandy Island, Prickly Pear, Scilly Cay, Scrub Island, and Dog Island. If you want to visit all of them, you should book a private boat charter (Rum & Reel, Open Seas, and GoodLiving Charters all have great reviews). Most include rum punch, beer, soft drinks, light snacks, snorkel gear, and floats. We decided to pick one to visit (Scilly Cay) and it was such a cool experience. Scilly Cay is a family-owned island that serves lunch on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. You can take the $5 roundtrip ferry (really it’s a small boat) from the Island Harbour pier (you can put Falcon Nest in your GPS) and in just two minutes you’re there. Make sure you order the grilled crayfish and the (deadly) rum punch. It’s a tiny cay so there’s not much to do other than eat, relax, and maybe snorkel or play some beach games. But that’s what a Caribbean vacation is for after all! When you’re ready to head back, just wave down the boat captain.

Golf at Aurora Anguilla Resort and Golf Club - This sprawling resort and golf course is located on Rendezvous Bay. My husband and father-in-law played a round here, and although they said it was a challenging course, the views were stunning. It’s also ranked the #2 golf course in the Caribbean. They were able to get a tee time no problem once we were on the island, only a few days in advance.

Helpful Anguilla Tips

Most restaurants automatically add a 15% service charge to your bill, so be sure to double-check before adding a tip. You can tip an additional 5% for exceptional service.
Story time! Here’s why I won’t fly into AXA again: To try to make a long story short, our flight home was delayed by five hours, so instead of sitting in the tiny airport with limited seating and minimal food, we instead spent a couple of hours at our host’s beach club. When we arrived to the airport two hours before our newly scheduled departure time, the AA ticket agents told us that they were no longer accepting checked baggage (each couple had a large suitcase with them) and our only options were to board the flight without our luggage (or in other words, throw all of our belongings in the trash) or rebook to a later flight (the next flight out with available seats wasn’t for another 3 days and we all had jobs/dogs to get home to). The AA ticket agents could not point to anywhere where this “policy” was documented, and I couldn’t find it anywhere online or in any confirmation emails from American Airlines. My amazing mother and father-in-law volunteered to stay behind with the bags since they’re retired while the four of us (me, my husband, his sister, and her husband) flew home. We spoke to another family on our flight who found themselves in the same situation, didn’t have the option to not leave, and threw all of their belongings in the trash! To add insult to injury, when my in-laws tried to rebook to a later AA flight (and mind you, accommodations on Anguilla are not cheap), American Airlines made an error and their computer system said they had departed the country already (surprise, THEY HADN’T LEFT). Therefore, they were not even able to rebook on a new AA flight! They were forced to spend an extra night on the island, take a ferry to St. Maarten, and fly home on a different airline (luckily it was Delta, the best!) It took months of fighting with American Airlines customer service to get reimbursed for their missed AA return flight, extra night in Anguilla, etc. I’ve traveled all over the world, through plenty of tiny airports, and on multiple budget airlines, and I’ve never experienced such poor customer service. Anyway, I digress…

Even our nightmarish travel experience on the way home did not detract from our visit to Anguilla. This island is so incredibly beautiful and special, and I cannot wait to go back someday. If you’re looking for more Anguilla recommendations or want to take advantage of exclusive perks and discounts at one of the hotels listed above, reach out to me! Here are some other favorite pictures from our trip:

Anguilla Travel Guide

Where Tranquility Meets Luxury in the Caribbean

Cape Town Travel Guide

Blyde River Canyon & Kruger National Park Travel Guide