Interesting Facts About Anguilla:
- A tiny Island located most northerly of the Leeward Islands tucked away in the Eastern Caribbean, between Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Saint Martin.
- It is known to be a quiet, peaceful island with miles of white sand beaches and scenic bays where many go for snorkeling.
- Visitors arrive by air or via St. Martin by ferry and stay in 5+ star luxury villas/resorts with award-winning chefs.
- Known for its spectacular and ecologically significant coral reefs and beaches. Anguillan rums are not made in a distillery but in a factory, as sugar cane is not grown on the Island. (www.ivisitanguilla.com)
General Information
Located on the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, Anguilla is a beautiful British overseas region that consists of the main island and many smaller coral islands and cays. Despite its small size (26 kilometres/16 miles- long by 5 kilometres/3 miles wide), it is home to an impressive array of 30+ sugary shores and powdery beaches to cater to the needs of tourists loving seaside activities.
The country's capital is The Valley, situated in the heart of the main island, its local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (ECD), and its official language is English.
You may also visit the country accompanied by your pet if you abide by specific regulations and rules of the Agriculture Department.
The area code is 264, and you will be pampered with free Wi-Fi in most social and commercial areas besides your hotel or villa.
As for cruising and sailing, you will need to have clearance from the Immigration marine base. To prevent damage to the reefs, though, the government has ordered the installation of moorings in marine parks.
Lastly, the tap water in Anguilla is drinkable, although you may want bottled water or water from a high-end water maker that purifies the water. This is because the majority of the water supply in Anguilla comes from desalination, collected rain, and underground aquifers connected to wells, which have already been pushed to the maximum of their capacity.
Weather and Best Time to Travel to Anguilla
Anguilla experiences a tropical climate, being hot year-round with a muggy period from May through October. Its hurricane season spans from June to November.
Any time between December and April is a great time to visit the country, as you will be far from the hurricane season (June through November), and you will be able to enjoy more pleasurable temperatures to throw yourself in activities like swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, and kayaking. The summer months are amidst the Anguilla rainy season, although the possibility of a hurricane is quite slim. Nevertheless, the great temperatures year-round make Anguilla a hot holiday destination, and the refreshing sea breezes make the high temperatures feel less intense.
Best Anguilla Events
- Thursdays & Saturdays – DJ Kue @Elvis Beach Bar on Sandy Ground by Road Bay Shores
- Sundays – Vere Musiq @ Leon’s Beach Party – Malliouhana
- February 2/2023 – Lobster Beach BBQ with Vere Musiq @ Eventide Aurora
- Aug. 10/2023 – Eyes Wide Shut – Tropikale Kingdom on Sandy Ground Field
- July (end ) to August (first week) – Anguilla Carnival (https://www.anguilla-beaches.com/image-files/anguilla-carnival-jouvert-morning.jpg)
Anguilla Attractions
The country is home to 33 palm-dotted, sugary beaches and idyllic shores such as Meads Bay, Sandy Ground Village, Maundays Beach, and Shoal Bay that invite visitors to exquisite ventures, including all sorts of water sports. Other attractions worth exploring are the Fountain Cavern National Park, which will make your jaw drop with its massive underground cave, the numerous scuba diving spots, such as Meppel, most of which hide shipwrecks and exquisite marine life waiting to be explored, and the endless coves and small islands that dot the archipelago.
However, besides its natural beauties, Anguilla also impresses with local landmarks like the charming Wallblake House, a plantation mansion dating to the 1700s, St. Maarten’s Brewery, the National Heritage Museum of Anguilla, and many more.
And, before you close this page, do spoil yourself with the most romantic sunset views ever seen by human eyes. There are several locations across Anguilla and its surrounding cays to catch the last rays of the sun as they give their final light show for the day!
The Anguilla Dining Scene
Things quickly get exciting when it comes to local gastronomy as the island is influenced by international cuisine, offering visitors culinary masterpiece after masterpiece. Besides the renowned rum punches that you will find everywhere across the island, some of the most popular Anguillian dishes are pigeon peas and rice, rice, and beans, seafood (from grilled red snapper to lionfish), callaloo soup, roasted corn, saltfish, corn fritters, spicy lobster, crayfish, stewed goat, and, of course, Johnny cakes and Tamarind Balls for those with a sweet tooth, paired with local drinks and cocktails like Carib Beer, sea moss, BB&C, and Mauby. However, feel free to expand your dining experience and open yourself to new flavours and tastes that speak volumes of the island’s rich culinary past and heritage.
Getting Around Anguilla
If you want to rent a car, you need to get a local driver’s license by heading to the Inland Revenue Department with a valid driver’s license and getting your local one issued after paying a one-time fee. This procedure can also be done at a local car rental agency. However, driving in Anguilla may be challenging, primarily due to the lack of street names and poor road infrastructure.
Caution should also be exercised when driving or crossing a road because it is customary to leave your vehicle in the middle of the road and exit it without prior warning. The cars may also have insufficient or non-functional signalling devices, so kindly pay attention to that as well.
As for public transportation, you may use minibusses or taxis to get from one place to another. Please note that although the taxis are not metered, the taxi fares are posted at the official Anguilla airport.
Finally, the ferry rides to nearby Anguilla islands are a great way to explore these destinations and come with a low fare, making this a pleasurable and quite cost-effective experience.
Anguilla History
The first settlers of Anguilla were the Arawaks, who came to the island way before the British and French. The petroglyphs in caves across the island prove this history, as carbon dating shows they are over 200 years old. Nevertheless, Anguilla owes its plantation economy to the British. Since the late-1960s, though, Anguilla has been a separate British territory.
Interesting Facts About Anguilla:
- A tiny Island located most northerly of the Leeward Islands tucked away in the Eastern Caribbean, between Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Saint Martin.
- It is known to be a quiet, peaceful island with miles of white sand beaches and scenic bays where many go for snorkeling.
- Visitors arrive by air or via St. Martin by ferry and stay in 5+ star luxury villas/resorts with award-winning chefs.
- Known for its spectacular and ecologically significant coral reefs and beaches. Anguillan rums are not made in a distillery but in a factory, as sugar cane is not grown on the Island. (www.ivisitanguilla.com)
General Information
Located on the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, Anguilla is a beautiful British overseas region that consists of the main island and many smaller coral islands and cays. Despite its small size (26 kilometres/16 miles- long by 5 kilometres/3 miles wide), it is home to an impressive array of 30+ sugary shores and powdery beaches to cater to the needs of tourists loving seaside activities.
The country's capital is The Valley, situated in the heart of the main island, its local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (ECD), and its official language is English.
You may also visit the country accompanied by your pet if you abide by specific regulations and rules of the Agriculture Department.
The area code is 264, and you will be pampered with free Wi-Fi in most social and commercial areas besides your hotel or villa.
As for cruising and sailing, you will need to have clearance from the Immigration marine base. To prevent damage to the reefs, though, the government has ordered the installation of moorings in marine parks.
Lastly, the tap water in Anguilla is drinkable, although you may want bottled water or water from a high-end water maker that purifies the water. This is because the majority of the water supply in Anguilla comes from desalination, collected rain, and underground aquifers connected to wells, which have already been pushed to the maximum of their capacity.
Weather and Best Time to Travel to Anguilla
Anguilla experiences a tropical climate, being hot year-round with a muggy period from May through October. Its hurricane season spans from June to November.
Any time between December and April is a great time to visit the country, as you will be far from the hurricane season (June through November), and you will be able to enjoy more pleasurable temperatures to throw yourself in activities like swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, and kayaking. The summer months are amidst the Anguilla rainy season, although the possibility of a hurricane is quite slim. Nevertheless, the great temperatures year-round make Anguilla a hot holiday destination, and the refreshing sea breezes make the high temperatures feel less intense.
Best Anguilla Events
- Thursdays & Saturdays – DJ Kue @Elvis Beach Bar on Sandy Ground by Road Bay Shores
- Sundays – Vere Musiq @ Leon’s Beach Party – Malliouhana
- February 2/2023 – Lobster Beach BBQ with Vere Musiq @ Eventide Aurora
- Aug. 10/2023 – Eyes Wide Shut – Tropikale Kingdom on Sandy Ground Field
- July (end ) to August (first week) – Anguilla Carnival (https://www.anguilla-beaches.com/image-files/anguilla-carnival-jouvert-morning.jpg)
Anguilla Attractions
The country is home to 33 palm-dotted, sugary beaches and idyllic shores such as Meads Bay, Sandy Ground Village, Maundays Beach, and Shoal Bay that invite visitors to exquisite ventures, including all sorts of water sports. Other attractions worth exploring are the Fountain Cavern National Park, which will make your jaw drop with its massive underground cave, the numerous scuba diving spots, such as Meppel, most of which hide shipwrecks and exquisite marine life waiting to be explored, and the endless coves and small islands that dot the archipelago.
However, besides its natural beauties, Anguilla also impresses with local landmarks like the charming Wallblake House, a plantation mansion dating to the 1700s, St. Maarten’s Brewery, the National Heritage Museum of Anguilla, and many more.
And, before you close this page, do spoil yourself with the most romantic sunset views ever seen by human eyes. There are several locations across Anguilla and its surrounding cays to catch the last rays of the sun as they give their final light show for the day!
The Anguilla Dining Scene
Things quickly get exciting when it comes to local gastronomy as the island is influenced by international cuisine, offering visitors culinary masterpiece after masterpiece. Besides the renowned rum punches that you will find everywhere across the island, some of the most popular Anguillian dishes are pigeon peas and rice, rice, and beans, seafood (from grilled red snapper to lionfish), callaloo soup, roasted corn, saltfish, corn fritters, spicy lobster, crayfish, stewed goat, and, of course, Johnny cakes and Tamarind Balls for those with a sweet tooth, paired with local drinks and cocktails like Carib Beer, sea moss, BB&C, and Mauby. However, feel free to expand your dining experience and open yourself to new flavours and tastes that speak volumes of the island’s rich culinary past and heritage.
Getting Around Anguilla
If you want to rent a car, you need to get a local driver’s license by heading to the Inland Revenue Department with a valid driver’s license and getting your local one issued after paying a one-time fee. This procedure can also be done at a local car rental agency. However, driving in Anguilla may be challenging, primarily due to the lack of street names and poor road infrastructure.
Caution should also be exercised when driving or crossing a road because it is customary to leave your vehicle in the middle of the road and exit it without prior warning. The cars may also have insufficient or non-functional signalling devices, so kindly pay attention to that as well.
As for public transportation, you may use minibusses or taxis to get from one place to another. Please note that although the taxis are not metered, the taxi fares are posted at the official Anguilla airport.
Finally, the ferry rides to nearby Anguilla islands are a great way to explore these destinations and come with a low fare, making this a pleasurable and quite cost-effective experience.
Anguilla History
The first settlers of Anguilla were the Arawaks, who came to the island way before the British and French. The petroglyphs in caves across the island prove this history, as carbon dating shows they are over 200 years old. Nevertheless, Anguilla owes its plantation economy to the British. Since the late-1960s, though, Anguilla has been a separate British territory.