Anguilla Info

Schoal Bay West

Schoal Bay Villas

Pre-School in The Valley

Old Pumphouse

Island Girl

Personal Impressions
Anguilla is one of my favoured islands and probably the best kept secret in the Caribbean. Anguilla's beaches are among the most beautiful in the world. The powdery white sand and the turquoise blue sea are hard to top. There are no cruise ship tourists, no jumbo jets, no food chains, and the beaches are very relaxing.

"The Valley", the capital of Anguilla, is a small town with only one traffic light. The island is safe and quiet with many stunning beaches. There are several high-class resorts, but only a few budget places to stay. The unique hotels attract mainly upscale visitors. Many Celebrities spend their holidays here because of the serenity Anguilla has to offer. Brad Pitt, Celine Dion, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Ethan Hawk, Liam Neeson, Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Uma Thurman and Beyoncé are only a few of them.

There are about 30 brilliant white sand beaches, and everyone is different. You can change the beach every day and won't get bored like in the Maldives. Anguilla's terrain is flat, no mountains force the clouds to rain; so there is plenty of sunshine.

Why do so few travellers know about Anguilla? Well, Anguilla is a small island and not suited for mass tourism. Most hotels are high priced (some luxury resorts charge over US$ 6,000 per night). I found a guest house, but it was simple and far from the beach. The nights were very noisy from dogs and cocks, so I didn't sleep well. I cooked my own meals, but high food prices in the supermarket made my stay expensive. Without public transport a hired car was necessary. The advantages of the upscale prices are no hustle and bustle, and this is worth every cent.

= STRIEWA =

History
Anguilla was first inhabited by the Arawak and Carib peoples, who lived off the land and sea and left behind a rich cultural legacy of art and music. In 1650, the island was colonized by the English, who used it as a base for sugar production and trade in the region.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Anguilla was a center of conflict between the European powers that dominated the Caribbean. The island changed hands several times, passing from the British to the French and back again, and was the site of numerous naval battles and skirmishes.

In the 20th century, Anguilla underwent a period of political and social upheaval. In 1967, the island was granted self-governance within the British Empire, but this was revoked two years later by the British government, sparking a popular uprising.

In 1971, the island declared itself an independent republic, but this move was not recognized by the international community. The British responded by sending in troops to restore order, and Anguilla was placed under direct British rule.

In 1980, the island was granted a degree of autonomy within the British Empire, and it remains a British Overseas Territory to this day. Since then, Anguilla has undergone a period of economic development and modernization, with a growing tourism industry and a thriving financial services sector.

Today, Anguilla is a peaceful and prosperous island nation, with a rich cultural heritage and a strong sense of identity. Its beaches, coral reefs, and laid-back lifestyle continue to attract visitors from around the world, making it one of the Caribbean's most popular vacation destinations.

Attractions

Shoal Bay West
Shoal Bay West is a perfect, crescent shaped beach with relatively calm waters for swimming at the West End of the island. It is quiet, with a beautiful view of St. Martin and Saba. Most "day trippers" that visit Anguilla by ferry from Saint Martin come here, but early in the morning and late in the evening you have the beach almost for yourself.

Shoal Bay East
The biggest beach on Anguilla is Shoal Bay East. It's one of the top ten beaches in the world. The reef is excellent for snorkeling and the calm water makes them easy to enjoy. Schoal Bay East is a stunning beach, incredible beautiful, just amazing. Shoal means reef.

Along the beach stand the white luxury villas of the Covecastles resort like a line of abstract sculptures, in strong contrast to the blue sky. The sixteen villas were built by New York architect Myron Goldfinger.

Road Bay
Road Bay is Anguilla's main port for ships. Here is the village of Sandy Ground located. The long curved beach is lined with high cliffs and a salt pond behind. The harbour is usually filled with all types of boats. It is the best place to find a boat ride to Sandy Island or Prickley Pear Cay. Here are the most night time activities.

Old Pumphouse
Today the Pumphouse is a bar and restaurant in a historic building of Sandy Ground Village. Most nights there is live music. The building was part of a Salt Factory. Salt was a main industry in Anguilla before the tourist boom in the 1980s. During the day the Old Pumphouse is open for visitors. The Salt Ponds are at Sandy Ground and West End.

Manse Building
On the hill road above Sandy Ground stands this historical stone building. It was originally owned by an Anguillian planter and businessman, who sold it in 1910 to the Methodist Church. The Reverend lived here with his family until 1962. Recently restored, the three gabled building is home to two art galleries, a gift shop and a real estate agency.

Turtle Nesting
From April to November, Leatherback, Green, and Hawksbill turtles nest on several beaches as Maundays Bay, Mead's Bay, Captain's Bay and Limestone Bay. The endangered Leatherback turtle is the largest of all living sea turtles and can grow up to almost 3 m in length.

Bird Watching
This small island is home to a about 120 species of birds. Most live in or around the many salt ponds. The Anguilla National Trust offers birding tours to the best areas of the island.

Anguilla has a number of calm bays andbeaches perfect for snorkeling. Blue Tangs and parrot fish dart among the sea fans, and sea turtles glide between rock formations. Crocus Bay, Shoal Bay East, Junk’s Hole, Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Little Bay are some of the most popular spots for this activity. Anguilla is an excellent spot for novice skin divers and snorkeling equipment is usually available at your hotel or with operators at prime locations.
The most interesting pelagic experiences in Anguilla are for the scuba diver. The island is home to seven marine parks including Dog Island, Prickly Pear, Seal Island Reef System, Little Bay, Sandy Island, Shoal Bay Harbour Reef System, and Stoney Bay Marine Park. Offerings include wall dives, ledge dives, nine wreck dives, both new and historical.
- See more at: http://ivisitanguilla.com/underwater/#sthash.QYmBv2qM.dpuf

Snorkeling and Diving
Anguilla has a number of calm bays and beaches perfect for snorkeling: Crocus Bay, Shoal Bay East, Junk’s Hole, Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Little Bay are some of the most popular spots for this activity. The most interesting aquatic experiences in Anguilla are for the scuba diver. The island is home to seven marine parks: Dog Island, Prickley Pear, Seal Island Reef System, Little Bay, Sandy Island, Shoal Bay Harbour Reef System and Stoney Bay Marine Park. Dive sites include wreck dives, shore dives, mini wall dives, night dives and heritage diving. Anguilla is known for its intentionally sunk shipwrecks.

Events

National Arts & Crafts Exhibition
National Arts & Crafts Exhibition & Demonstration held every year in January at the Anguilla Craft Shop.

Anguilla Yacht Regatta
Every year in early May the Anguilla Sailing Regatta takes place at Road Bay. The competition consists of several races over three days and is being hosted by the Anguilla Sailing Association (ASA). It is a major fund-raising event in support of the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club.

Anguilla Summer Festival
In July and August Anguilla celebrates the Summer Festival with eleven days of carnival and boatracing festivities, musical performances, cultural and kids parades and a number of pageants and competitions like boatracing.

Nightlife
Anguilla night life is pretty laid back, but there are some pubs with live music:

The Pumphouse, Sandy Ground
Johnno's Place, Sany Ground
Elvis' Beach Bar, Sandy Ground
Darvin's Place, South Hill Village
Bankie's Dune Preserve, Rendezvous Bay
Vinceroy's Sunset Lounge, West End Village

History
About 4000 years ago Amerindians from South America arrived on Anguilla. They were fishermen, hunters and farmers and established small villages. Over the following three thousand years, different tribes and cultures lived on the island, including the Arawak Indians. In 1650, English settlers arrived from Saint Kitts and colonized Anguilla. They established plantations where corn and tobacco were grown. The French temporarily overtook the island in 1666 for one year. Until the early 1824 Anguilla was administered by Great Britain, than got under the administrative control of Saint Kitts, itself a member of the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands. Anguillans protested strongly at this arrangement, and several requests were made for the island to be ruled directly from Britain. In 1980 Anguilla finally became a British Overseas Territory.

Covecastles Resort

Covecastles Beach Resort at Shoal Bay East

Covecastles Resort

Road Bay

Road Bay Village

Island Girl