Anguilla

With more than three dozen beaches on this small island, you would be hard-pressed to find an area without one within close proximity. Here are eight of the most delightful areas in Anguilla:

Blowing Point

This little village is on Anguilla’s southern coast and is the home to the ferry terminal. Its quaintness is a mix of modern, tried, and true. There is no shortage of spots to dine and to enjoy a beverage on those hot Anguilla days. The beaches are superb, and so are the choices of activities such as swimming with dolphins and private boat charters.

Crocus Bay

Crocus Bay is close to the Valley, the capital of Anguilla, and is also the historic site of an invasion by the French in 1745. You will appreciate its quiet and tranquil setting, warm sandy beaches backed by wooded bluffs. Crocus Bay doesn’t fall short in great dining experiences, especially at the waterside restaurants and bars serving fresh seafood. It’s the absolute perfect spot to set up a luxurious home away from home at Ani Anguilla, a lavish estate atop the majestic Anguilla cliffs overlooking the sea.

Island Harbor

The lovely fishing village of Island Harbor also has a vibrant nightlife and cuisine scene. There are many galleries and shops to visit to choose that perfect piece to add to your collection if you love and appreciate art. Scilly Cay offers the most spectacular view of the sea. Soaking up the sun on the beach here is a popular way to spend the day.

Long Bay

The crowds are at bay at Long Bay. When looking for the zenith in a relaxing vacation with your own, private beach access you must stay at Sea Villa in Long Bay. The villa sits on a pristine beach blowing gentle island breezes any time of day or night. It’s just minutes from shopping and is one of the most stunning Anguilla villas for rent. With miles of virtually untouched shores, Long Bay is off the beaten path for many tourists.

Meads Bay

Mead’s Bay is nothing less than majestic, and the same can be said for Villa Kishti located on its shores. There are two spectacular side-by-side villas on this expansive property that sits on Meads Bay's white sands. An easy walk gets you to nearby shops and eateries.

Shoal Bay East

Shoal Bay East is considered the beach in Anguilla. It has been featured in many travel magazines as one of the best places in the Caribbean to visit. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in the area, along with available equipment for snorkeling, scuba diving, and parasailing.

The Valley

The Valley is Anguilla’s capital and, as such, is home to many of the island’s restaurants and shops. It’s a mish-mash of cultures and mind-blowing beaches. While here, you can take in the National Museum exhibits, visit the lush florals in the Botanical Gardens, or soak up some history of the island with a trek to Estate Whim Plantation Museum.

West End Village

West End Village is a pleasant coastal town giving access to Anguilla's most pristine and picturesque beaches. Visitors will find secluded bays and calm waters. A small number of art galleries and boutique stores display and sell the work of locals, with the excellent landscape surrounding the town having a clear influence on the area's art. Villa Ciara in West End Village makes a perfect vacation home base with its understated elegance and contemporary luxuries, not to mention the lovely waterfront view.

For an island that is only 16 miles long by three miles wide, Anguilla sure has many luscious dining spots. Here are five restaurants LVH considers top-notch:

Dolce Vita Italian Beach Restaurant & Bar

This romantic beachside pavilion serves up some seriously delicious Italian cuisine to go with its attentive service. The pasta is made fresh and stars in dishes like linguine alle vongole: linguine with littleneck clams in olive oil, garlic, and white wine. Also noteworthy are the Gorgonzola gnocchi, and pappardelle with duck sauce. For dessert? How about the Nutella cheesecake? Fans of Italian wines are likely to find new favorites.

Hibernia Restaurant and Art Gallery

The setting for the creative dishes served at Hibernia is a gorgeous wood-beam cottage overlooking the ocean on Anguilla’s east end. The Zen garden has a waterfall and artifacts from Bali. This intimate restaurant is known for its delicious yet avant-garde pairings. Try the long-line fish served with gratin of local pumpkin, shitake mushrooms and essence of bitter oranges grown on-site. Have a peek in the wee art gallery stocked with finds from the owner’s travels.

Mango’s Seaside Grill

You can’t beat the sparkling fresh fish dishes at Mango’s Seaside Grill. Light and healthy choices here are teeming with flavor. The spicy whole grilled snapper is a hit, as is the Cruzan rum-barbecued chicken. The warm apple tart and coconut cheesecake are both splurge-worthy. Adding to the luxury of the restaurant are a comprehensive wine list and a Cuban cigar humidor.

Tokyo Bay

This sophisticated sushi and teppanyaki restaurant is lit dramatically for a great ambiance. Chances are you will find local chefs and other restaurateurs dining here on their nights off. Cocktails with names like Eager Ninja and Saketini come from the cool sake bar, while the chefs slice up ocean-fresh fish for sushi. Other menu items include hot pots, rice dishes, Wagyu beef, and yakitori skewers.

Veya

Candles flicker in the night on the stylishly appointed tables at Veya. Soft jazz plays while chic patrons mingle and sip signature cocktails. There are ample portions of eclectic fare such as Jerk-spiced tuna with a rum-coffee glaze on a juicy piece of grilled pineapple or Moroccan-spiced shrimp with roasted tomato-apricot chutney. save room for the warm chocolate cake with chili-roasted banana ice cream and caramelized bananas.

Anguilla has a rapidly growing arts scene. Creativity is thriving on this little island. You might choose to investigate these two venues:

Devonish Art Gallery

Devonish Art Gallery showcases the work of artist Courtney Devonish. Admire wooden sculptures scattered around the gallery, colorful pictures with Caribbean motifs, and beaded jewelry. White walls contrast against the brightly colored art, making for vibrant energy. This is a lovely place to purchase a one-of-a-kind local work of art.

Heritage Museum

Thanks to the curator of this museum, Colville Perry, pieces of Anguilla’s past have been lovingly salvaged. In fact. Perry received the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth for his outstanding contribution. A wide range of artifacts from Anguilla’s past are housed in the library, including tools from the Arawak occupation, slave shackles, and 19th century household items.

Anguilla locals love to have fun, and they love to include visitors. For a relaxing cocktail or some island vibes, check out these four popular spots:

Dune Preserve

Dune Preserve is perched on the edge of Rendezvous Bay. Local reggae star Bankie Banx built the bar out of mismatched driftwood, salvaged boats and beach wreckage. Banx often joins in the live music performances on the weekends.

Four Seasons’ Sunset Lounge

The Sunset Lounge is the beating heart of the Four Seasons resort. Here, you can find light fare and an adults-only infinity pool. Sip vintage rums while relaxing with a fine Cuban cigar or some light bites while the band entertains. This open-air lounge over Barnes Bay provides romantic, divine sunsets.

Lit Lounge

Enjoy the great sound and ambient lighting at Lit Lounge’s lower or upper VIP decks, or choose to relax in a cabana with personalized service. Lit has a lounge, bar, grill, and pizzeria. Get lit with delicious food prepared by award-winning chefs and imbibe in the cocktails created by Taffy Hodge, one of the island’s top mixologists.

Ocean Echo

Ocean Echo provides a spectacular panoramic view of the ocean. It’s a restaurant/bar/lounge with mixologist Chief Dillon creating some of the most swanky and delicious signature cocktails on the island. If you don’t see something on the beverage menu that appeals, the Chief will create a personalized cocktail for you! However, you may want to try the Rumzie, Ocean Echo’s signature cocktail. Or for a bigger bang, the Dirty Bird is made with rum, crème de banana, Galliano, orange, and pineapple juices, topped with black seal rum.

Music, boating, and culture are important aspects of the Anguillan lifestyle. There are many festivals on the island to celebrate what Anguilla is all about. These are five of the most popular:

Anguilla Day

Anguilla Day is a public holiday when locals pay homage to their beautiful island and commemorate the Anguillan independence day of May 1967. The day is celebrated with a colorful parade and a round-the-island boat race.

Anguilla Regatta

Sandy Ground hosts the biggest and best-known of Anguilla’s many boat races during three fun-filled days in mid-March. Not only do visitors get to watch Anguilla’s finest race to the finish during this celebration of the island’s national sport, but they can also party the night away at one of Sandy Ground’s bustling beach bars. All regatta proceeds go to the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club, which has taught the sport to more than 400 of the island’s most talented young sailors over the years.

Festival del Mar

Each April, Anguilla honors its maritime heritage with this festival dedicated to the sea. Competitions in triathlons, seafood cooking, fishing, swimming, and boat racing all play an important part in this popular Island Harbour event, also featuring dry land activities such as volleyball and concerts.

Moonsplash Reggae Festival

Famed Anguillan reggae artist Bankie Banx has hosted this annual reggae festival at Rendezvous Bay’s Dune Preserve at the end of March for many years. The event consists of two days of lively performances by some of the world’s finest reggae musicians, followed by an even livelier beach bash at Dune Preserve.

Summer Festival

Anguilla celebrates its own vibrant Carnaval between July and August. This Anguilla holiday's loudest and liveliest event is J’ouvert, a giant street party beginning at the crack of dawn and lasting until noon. J’ouvert participants follow live soca and calypso bands down the streets until the parade ends with a massive beach party. The Miss Anguilla Queen Pageant and Swimsuit Competition winners are crowned during the island’s largest event, and other activities include boat races and calypso contests.

Activities and experiences in Anguilla can be as unique and customized as guests would like them to be. Here are four adventurous choices:

Deep sea fishing

Go deep-sea fishing in style with a private executive fishing charter. The charter includes an onboard chef, cigars, special premium rums, and entertainment. Prepare to catch Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and other species. After the fishing expedition, head back to the chef’s restaurant, where your catch will be prepared to your liking and then return to the boat for live entertainment.

Helicopter tour

A private helicopter tour gets you up close and personal with Anguilla’s azure-blue waters. Get swept up into clear Caribbean skies and get a new perspective of Anguilla’s off-island cays. Fly over Rendezvous Bay, Cove Bay, and Maundays Bay and swoop over Anguilla's North Shore to West End Bay and Meads Bay. The pilot takes time flying over each beach, pointing out sights and landmarks along the way.

Horseback riding on the beach

If you have dreamt about riding a beautiful horse on a deserted beach or gliding through warm waters on horseback you can have that dream realized in Anguilla. Even if you have never ridden a horse before, you can experience this magical moment. Choose from 30- or 60-minute rides on a horse from Seaside Stables. Horseback riding down the beach is incredibly relaxing, the horses' pace and movements soothing and meditative.

Private charter diving excursion

The turquoise waters of Anguilla are a diving paradise. Travelers who are diving enthusiasts can charter their private vessel to take them to Anguilla's most fantastic dive spots. With seven sunken ships, 20 reefs, and five wall dives, divers have many options to choose from. All equipment is included. If you want to stop off at Prickly Pear for lunch, you can enjoy this off-shore key with a feast of lobster, ribs, chicken, fish, shrimp, and all the rum punch you can drink.