How to Capture an Anguilla Sunrise 

I wish that you could see this picture in real size.  You can see it here on Bob Green's Anguilla News website dated May 27, 2002.  I was very proud to see it on his site.  I took this picture in November of 2001. It's a picture of a sunrise on Anguilla taken from Shoal Bay West.  It was the day I was leaving. I'd been out late the night before having a few drinks with a friend at the lovely Sonesta Resort (which was where the new golf course is)  and I have to admit to having a bit of a hangover. When I woke up the room was blazing red. I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head and tried to ignore it. Luckily, a few moments later I thought that I'd better get up and see what was going on. This is what was going on... a magnificent sunrise.

A Truly Unique and Loving Souvenir From Anguilla 

On a visit to Anguilla in June of 2002 I adopted a little kitten.  I had planned an animal rescue as I had to have one of my cats put to sleep and I knew that the Anguilla Animal Rescue Fund was always looking for loving homes for their rescue animals. I took a collapsible animal carrier with me just in case I got lucky. Well, I met a little black kitten with gorgeous green eyes, who I named Hana.  I named her Hana after the island of Anguilla. 

The indigenous people of Anguilla were Amerindian, also called Arawak.  These people called Anguilla "Malliouhana". (Columbus gave it the name Anguilla, which is Spanish for eel). So, I named my little Anguilla girl Hana in honor of her birthplace. You can read about my adoption of Hana on the Anguilla Animal Rescue Fund website.  I later sent them some updated photo's of Hana and my Mom's cat Norman they posted on their website. To this day they remain the best of friends.

Introducing the Spouse to Anguilla 

I've been to Anguilla eight times now. My husband and I just returned from the Cuisinart Resort & Spa. It was his first visit, but certainly not his last. My husband admittedly is NOT a beach person at all, but even he was impressed with the beaches. Our holiday worked out well for both of us. He let me lie on the beach and read all day. (Between waits in airports, flights, and beach time I finished three books!) His only request was that I come in for lunch, and be in by 4:30 or 5:00 for the day. I was glad that I was out on the beach at 3:00 every day for the sorbet! He came out for the occasional swim and stroll on the beach. Otherwise he was lounging in the pool or in the room working on the computer or wandering around the resort.

We did some exploring of the island and I took him to my favorite places. We visited Smokey's for music and lunch, Gwen's for reggae and lunch, and Johnno's. We took a tour of the new Temenos Golf Course. We had a great dinner at Trattoria Tramonto and another great dinner at Oliver's after watching the sunset on Long Bay. We had lunch next door to the Cuisinart at the Dune Preserve. In order to help me satisfy what he called my "driving jones" (it always overtakes me as soon as I arrive on the island), he let me drive him down a few dirt roads and I was able to show him some of the wonderful beaches off the beaten path. All in all it was a fabulous vacation for both of us.

Accommodations on Anguilla 

I have stayed in a variety of places located all over the island.  Cuisinart, Cove Castles, Paradise Cove, 18 Degrees North, Royal Palms Apartments, Ocean Breeze, Allamanda Beach Club, and in 1994, my first visit I stayed at Skiffle's Villas on South Hill.

The beauty of the island is that you can pay a little or a lot for your accommodations and your meals.  No matter what "end" of the island you stay on, the east or the west, it's easy to get around the island.  It's a small enough island that you can become intimately familiar with it quickly.  One year I put 468 miles on a jeep in seven days. (I'll bet the folks at Avis are still scratching their heads about that one!) I drove down every dirt road I could find, some of them twice.  I spent my days between Shoal Bay East and Rendezvous Bay and Elise Bay and Dropsey Bay, and exploring Blackgarden Bay and Windward Point.

Anguilla Resorts, Villa Rentals, Condos 

Anguilla Villas

Anguilla is a small sliver of an island, only 16x3 miles. Her name, Anguilla, is said to have been given to her by Christopher Columbus. As he sailed by taking note of her long and flat topography he named her Anguilla, which is Spanish for "eel...

Anguilla Travel Group 

Anguilla Travel Group

Join the Anguilla Travel Group on Squidoo!

TripAdvisor Anguilla Travel Forum 

Tourist Forum - TripAdvisor

Get info on Anguilla here from fellow travelers who have first hand knowledge of the island.

Listen to Anguilla Radio Live 

Heart Beat Radio 107.5

Heart Beat Radio 107.5 says it offers an "admirable mix of music, news, information and interaction."

KooL FM 103.3

KooL FM calls themselves "The People's Radio"
Kool Sounds - Kool People - Kool Vibes

The Anguillian Newspaper 

Anguilla's Local Newspaper

An online link to The Anguillian, the local newspaper.

Anguilla Weather Forecast 

Anguilla 7 Day Forecast

Anguilla weather forecast on concierge.com

Anguilla Rainbow

A lot of people get concerned when they see rain forecast for Anguilla. Generally storms on Anguilla blow over quickly leaving lovely rainbows in their wake.

Shoal Bay East Anguilla 

There are two Shoal Bay's on Anguilla. Shoal Bay East and Shoal Bay West. They are very different beaches. With very different accommodations and personalities.

Shoal Bay Anguilla

There are 33 brilliant white sand beaches on Anguilla, and you'll find that each one has it's own personality. The biggest beach on Anguilla is Shoal Bay East. It's the most well known and written about. It's got a large number of great beach bars, r...

Vote for your favorite Anguilla beach! 

Visit the Anguilla Travel Group lens and tell us what beach is best!

It's All About The Beaches Headquarters

Anguilla is a very special destination. Not everyone who visits there will fall under her charms, but those who do fall long and hard. Although we all have a special affection for the same place we see it in different ways. We each have a favorite...

Anguilla Moonsplash Festival 

Anguilla-Moonsplash Music Festival

One of the most beautiful beaches on all of Anguilla has to be Rendezvous Bay. A perfect 2 mile long crescent of brilliant white sand lapped by crystal clear Caribbean water. As you walk along the beach, past the Cuisinart Resort you'll notice a smal...

Golf on Anguilla 

These courses are sure to become premier all inclusive Caribbean golf vacation spots.

Temenos-Golf-Club-Anguilla

Anguilla's first golf course opened on November 3, 2006 to much fanfare. This golf course project was undertaken by Troon Golf Course Management Company. Troon says they are "the world's leading luxury-brand golf management, development and mark...

Fairmont Anguilla & Jack Nicklaus Golf Club of Anguilla

The Fairmont has now announced it plans to build a Fairmont Residences on Anguilla in conjunction with the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club of Anguilla. This new resort will be in the Forest Bay area of Anguilla which is on the southern coast in an area of 40...

Anguilla Restaurants 

Cafe Mediterraneo at Cuisinart

After this last visit I must add Cafe Mediterraneo to my list of favorites. Large portions, friendly service. The restaurant chef takes full advantage of the ultra-fresh hydroponic produce grown in the resorts own greenhouses making spectacular vegetable dishes and salads. A lovely poolside location at the Cuisinart doesn't hurt either!

Cove Castles Restaurant

I was lucky enough to stay at Cove Castles many years ago. The staff and service at Cove Castles remains unparalleled, and the restaurant without a doubt the best I've experienced on the island. If you want to have one memorable meal, this is the place.

Hibernia

On the east coast of the island with wonderful views overlooking Little Harbor. Asian and French influences mix delightfully with local Anguilla fish and lobster. The owners are as colorful as the food.

Johnno's Beach Bar

Johnno's on Sandy Ground has always been a popular spot with locals and tourists alike. Johnno's jumps on Friday's with live music. Jazz plays on Sundays from noon till 4. Johnno's offers seafood such as grilled lobster, snapper and kingfish, steak and chicken. Try the stewed conch.

Olivers Seaside Grill

Along with a fabulous menu (try the Poached Fillet of Snapper) Olivers is the place to watch the sunset. Located on Long Bay.

Tasty's

Tasty's Restaurant is both a local and tourist favorite. Hard to miss as it's located on the Main Road in South Hill.

Trattoria Tramonto

Fine Italian dining on the shore of Shoal Bay West. Nobody goes just once. Try the homemade lobster ravioli in truffle cream sauce. Don't eat pasta anywhere else!

More Anguilla Restaurants 

Some of the quintessential restaurants on Anguilla don't have websites.

On the beach: Smokey's at The Cove. Smokey's also has live music on Saturdays. Try the stewed pork, my favorite. My husband says it's the best hamburger on Anguilla.

On the beach: Smitty's Island Harbor. I remember the first time I went to Smitty's. It was June 1994. It was much different then it is now. It had a stage and a dance floor area. Unfortunately Hurricane Luis destroyed Smitty's building in 1995, but it didn't destroy Smitty's spirit. He is the ultimate host on Anguilla. He has the best grilled crayfish on the island and serves a killer rum punch. Don't miss Smitty's.

On the beach: Gwen's Reggae Grill on Shoal Bay East. Gwen's has live music on Sunday's. Gwen offers hamburgers, cheeseburgers, grilled fish sandwiches, snapper, crayfish, lobster, all served with rice and salad.

On the beach: Palm Grove on Junk's Hole. Another place we first visited in 1994. We spend most of the day talking with Nat and watching the guys play dominoes. We enjoyed the deserted beach. We watched Nat's sidekick catch the fish that Nat then grilled it up. It was fantastic.

On it's own island. Gorgeous Scilly Cay. Scilly Cay sits on it's own island in Island Harbor. All you have to do is walk onto the dock, wave, and someone will be there within a few minutes to pick you up. It's a two minute ride by boat. Scilly Cay is known for it's lobster. It's Expensive, with a capital "E". Scilly Cay has live music on Sunday and Wednesday. It's a popular day trip. Be aware it can get crowded with excursions from Cap Juluca, Malliouhana and Cuisinart. This means it can take a while for your meal to be ready. Watch those rum punches-they're killers!

English Rose in The Valley. Located on the main road. It has American and island dishes. Large portions at great prices.

The Last Flight Restaurant in the airport. My favorite spot for goat curry. I would always get to the airport early so I'd have plenty of time to enjoy lunch at The Last Flight. And, it may be one of the only air conditioned sit-down restaurants on the island!

Le Bon Pain Bakery in Island Harbor. It's worth waking up early for the croissants, and you'll want to get there before they sell out.

Gee Wees Bakery South Hill Shopping Plaza. Great cakes, pies and baked goods. They always have a tasty and reasonably priced lunch.

Shopping on Anguilla 

Anguilla and St. Marten are only about 20 minutes apart by ferry, but they're worlds apart when it comes to shopping. Anguilla is not known for being a shopping-mecca, but those who visit don't seem disappointed at all. You'll find more then enough souvenirs in the small shops that are located all around the island.

Many are art galleries, such as Devonish Art Gallery, and Cheddie's Carving Studio, both located on the west end of the island. These art galleries feature a variety of sculpture, carvings and paintings. The Devonish Art Gallery includes the works of local Anguillian Courtney Devonish. Cheddie's Carving Studio features the carvings in driftwood and hardwood by Anguillian Cheddie Richardson. Local artists such as Michele Owen-Vasilis specializing in paintings of local landscapes and Anguilla scenes.

The Anguilla Arts & Crafts Center is a great place to pick up inexpensive Anguillian-made souvenirs. It's full of pottery, wood crafts, crocheted works, paintings and much more.

Bartlett's Collections on the main road near the Sandy Ground round-about is a shop full of unique souvenir items including jewelry, clothing, Christmas ornaments, and artwork. You can find tee shirts and souvenirs for everyone on your list at the Anguilla Drug Store in The Valley. For more unique tee shirts check out Caribbean Silk Screen on the main road in South Hill.

Irie Life Boutique has two locations, one on the backstreet in South Hill and one on the beach at Sandy Ground. Irie Life carries a wide range of tee shirts plus the Jams World line of clothing, sandals, hats, beach bags and more.

For more upscale resort clothing, gifts, and jewelry check out the shops in the Cuisinart Resort and Spa and the Malliouhana Resort. Cuisinart Resort and spa has two boutiques, one is Blu' which carries exclusive women's clothing, bathing suits, hats and shoes. The Capri Boutique in the Cuisinart carries jewelry by David Yurman, Roberto Coin, Alexis Bittar and more.

Next to Hana, my favorite Anguilla souvenir is one that keeps Anguilla close to my heart. It's a 14 kt. gold charm in the shape of the island with Anguilla stamped on it. I purchased it on my first visit in 1994 from a wonderful store called Sandals n' Such, which has unfortunately recently closed.

Shopping next door on St. Maarten 

I'd visited Anguilla five times before I could bring myself to leave the island to shop on St. Maarten. I must admit that I enjoyed the visit and got some incredible jewelry buys. We had lunch in Marigot, which is where the ferry lands. It's the French side of St. Martin. We took a taxi ride to the Dutch side to Phillipsburg, where all the shopping action is.

Anguilla has a public ferry that is easy to find, and has a convenient schedule. The first ferry departs (Blowing Point Ferry Port) Anguilla at 7:30AM, with boats departing each port between 30 - 40 minute intervals. The price is $12.00 US per person one way.

Links to discount or FREE vacations! 

Bahama Cruise Vacation

Cruise to the Bahamas for as little as $59 per person!

FREE Caribbean Holiday for UK Only

For our friends in the UK an opportunity for a FREE Caribbean Holiday!

Become a Travel Agent

Work from home, make your own hours. Get up to 80% off on travel, sounds like a dream job to me! Find out how you can become a travel agent.

Anguilla Videos 

Videos of beaches, sunrises and sunsets. Plus my favorite, an Anguillian Alarm Clock!

Sunrise Surf Anguilla

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Shoal Bay East Anguilla

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Sunset on Meads Bay Anguilla

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Sunrise over West End Salt Pond Anguilla

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Anguillian Alarm Clock

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Sunset on Long Bay Anguilla

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Anguilla photos June 2007 

Some of our favorite Anguilla pics.

I was up at 4AM the first day I was so excited to be there. Sunrise is my favori...

We'd film and take pics of many sunrise and sunsets on this trip.

Every morning we had our continental breakfast delivered to our room and set up ...

We visited Smokey's on Saturday for lunch and to listen to live music.

Although we had no rain there were black storm clouds overhead.

We took some sunset pics on Long Bay before enjoying dinner at Oliver's.

I left the Cuisinart about 4:45A and drove to the west end. I stopped on the roa...

Lounge chairs Shoal Bay East.

We walked from Cuisinart to Cedar Grove for lunch. While we were walking back a ...

We had about 4 minutes of rain and this lovely rainbow.

This is Rex. His home is the Rendezvous Bay Hotel. Rex met up with me at Cuisi...

An Anguillian Alarm Clock at Gwen's. He had a taste for french fries.

Golf anyone?

Rendezvous Bay, the most gorgeous walking beach in the world.

Shoal Bay East.

Take a Plane or a Boat to Anguilla 

There is more than one way to travel to Anguilla. I always chose what I thought was the quickest way.

My favorite way was always to fly directly into Wallblake Airport on Anguilla. All I had to do was grab my bag, go through customs, get a taxi and I would be headed to the beach! I'd take American Airlines from BWI at 7A. I'd arrive around 11:15 on San Juan and have a short lay-over. The plane would leave San Juan around 2:15. I'd be on Anguilla around 3:15 or so. I could be on the beach by 4:00P.

Unfortunately, the best laid made plans of mice and men are subject to revised airline schedules.

In December of 2004 the Wallblake Airport was enlarged and the runway lengthened. This meant that American could fly bigger planes onto the island. At this time some of the mid-afternoon flights were canceled, leaving only flights to Anguilla from San Juan leaving at 8P. Way too long of a lay over.

On our latest visit, June 2007 we flew into Juliana Airport on St. Maarten. We took FunTime Boat Charters from the airport to Anguilla. They met us at the airport, drove us three minutes to the dock and took care of all the paperwork. It took about 30-35 minutes to arrive on Anguilla. We also used them to return to St. Maarten. You will need to contact them at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a spot on the boat.

Some folks who land on St. Maarten take a taxi from the airport (which is on the Dutch side) to Marigot (which is on the French side) and then take the public ferry to Anguilla. From Marigot the ride is 20-25 minutes.

Whether you choose a private charter boat or the public ferry you will be taken to Blowing Point to go through customs on Anguilla. Taxi's are waiting there to take you to your accommodation. Taxi rates are set by the government and are posted.

How to get to Anguilla 

Cuisinart Resort & Spa 

The grounds of the Cuisinart are so lush you may think you're on a Hawaiian Island, but you're actually someplace much better...

Cuisinart Resort & Spa Anguilla 

Books about Anguilla from Amazon 

For other Anguilla "stuff" click on see more results

Frommer's Portable St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla & St. Barts (Frommer's Portable)

by Jordan S. Simon

Amazon Price: $9.59 (as of 05/16/2008)

A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean

by Melinda Blanchard, Robert Blanchard

Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 05/16/2008)

Anguilla: Tranquil Isle of the Caribbean (Macmillan Caribbean Guides)

by Brenda Carty, Colville Petty

Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 05/16/2008)

It truly is all about the beaches.... 

Sign our Anguilla Guestbook! 

docwoman Hiya Kathy! You have some great lenses, and I LOVED reading about Hana! Thank you for visiting me! Posted April 29, 2008

thomasz Interesting lens. Nice info. Posted February 12, 2008

Olivia

Great page. The island looks lovely. Especially like the idea that you rescued a kitten.

Posted January 28, 2008

poutine Now I feel like going there. Posted January 28, 2008

Jeff Z

I Love your site! There is no place on earth like Anguilla. Great information, Great pictures, thanks for letting me daydream for a while. *It was also nice to see Rex once again, the day we played with him is the day we left our camera in the room. June 2008, we will be returning for our 3rd time.

Posted January 02, 2008

This is a great lens. I appreciate all the useful info.Build Niche eBay Affiliate Stores That Make You Money Posted October 24, 2007

irishlass Maybe you could nominate your favorite course to be listed on my new lens http://www.squidoo.com/great-golf/ anguilla looks beautiful Posted October 12, 2007

Piksychick I love islands! Great first-hand information, 'cause it's all about beautiful beaches... Posted October 03, 2007

sportie Great pics. < href="http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-discount-travel/">Discount Travel Posted September 27, 2007

mehdi

awesome i wasn't sure it was in the carribean!!
i guess not a lot of people go there. thats one reason i should go.
from fellow lens: www.squidoo.com/bigsaveontravel

Posted September 23, 2007

 

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