# Anguilla Travel Guide

> Plan Anguilla with a travel advisor: getting there via St. Maarten, Meads Bay vs Shoal Bay, the resorts worth booking, best months, costs and a 5-day sample itinerary.

- Country: Anguilla
- Canonical page: https://savvyjetsetter.ca/destinations/anguilla
- Last updated: 2026-10-13
- Author: Bobby Atwal, TICO-registered travel advisor (Fora Travel), Toronto — https://savvyjetsetter.ca/inquiry

## Overview

Anguilla is a 26-km sliver of limestone with 33 beaches, no cruise ships, no casinos, no high-rises and no hurry. It's where the Caribbean's best sand meets its best food — beach shacks and Michelin-trained chefs on the same mile of coast — and where the resorts (Four Seasons, Cap Juluca, Malliouhana, Zemi) are built to disappear into the landscape rather than dominate it. Getting there takes an extra hop; that hop is the filter that keeps it quiet.

## At a glance

- **Best time to visit:** December to April is peak — dry, 27–29°C, breezy, and the villas and top resorts book out for Christmas and February a year ahead.
- **How long to stay:** Five to seven nights. The travel day each way is long enough that a long weekend doesn’t make sense; a week lets you do a boat day, a west-end beach hop and still have slow days.
- **Budget:** Anguilla has no budget tier — it's priced as a luxury island. Mid-range: $500–800 USD/day (a boutique like Frangipani or a villa share, a rental car, beach-shack lunches).
- **Getting there from Canada:** There are no nonstops from Canada. The classic route is YYZ → St.

## Best time to visit

**December to April** is peak — dry, 27–29°C, breezy, and the villas and top resorts book out for Christmas and February a year ahead. **May to June** is the sweet spot: same beaches, 30% off, and the island's restaurants are still open. **Late August to October** is the catch: many restaurants and some resorts close for the season and it's the core of hurricane risk — Irma in 2017 is still a reference point. **November** reopens everything and is excellent value.

## Budget

**Anguilla has no budget tier** — it's priced as a luxury island. **Mid-range:** $500–800 USD/day (a boutique like Frangipani or a villa share, a rental car, beach-shack lunches). **Luxury:** $1,500–3,000+/day (Four Seasons, Cap Juluca, Malliouhana, Zemi Beach House, or a staffed villa on Shoal Bay). Dining runs $80–150/person at the good tables. This is a destination where booking through an advisor pays for itself in upgrades and resort credits.

## Getting there

There are **no nonstops from Canada**. The classic route is **YYZ → St. Maarten (SXM)** on Air Canada, WestJet or Sunwing (~4.5h), then a **20-min shared or private boat** from the Blowing Point ferry terminal, or a 7-min flight on Anguilla Air Services. Your resort will arrange the sea transfer (~$75–100/person shared, ~$500+ private) and meet you at SXM — it's smoother than it sounds. Alternatively connect via Miami or San Juan to Anguilla's own airport (AXA).

## Getting around

**Rent a car** — there's no public transport and taxis are expensive. You drive on the left, roads are quiet, and nothing is more than 25 minutes away. A temporary Anguilla driving permit (~$25) is issued with the rental. Most resort guests still rent for two or three days to beach-hop: Shoal Bay East, Meads Bay, Rendezvous Bay and Sandy Ground are each worth a morning.

## Quick facts

- **Airport:** Via St. Maarten (SXM) + boat; Anguilla (AXA) for regional flights
- **Currency:** XCD (East Caribbean Dollar); USD used everywhere
- **Language:** English
- **Time zone:** GMT-4 (Atlantic, no daylight saving)
- **Plugs:** Type A/B, 110V (Canadian plugs work)
- **Visa (Canadians):** Visa-free for Canadians (up to 3 months)
- **Tipping:** 10–15%; most resorts add a service charge

## Where to stay

- **Meads Bay** — A mile-long crescent of powder sand with the island’s densest cluster of great hotels — Four Seasons, Malliouhana, Frangipani — and Blanchards and Jacala for dinner. — best for: honeymoons, foodies, first-timers
- **Shoal Bay East** — Routinely called one of the world’s best beaches: two miles of blinding white sand, a reef for snorkelling, and Gwen’s and Uncle Ernie’s for lunch. Zemi Beach House anchors the east end. — best for: beach days, families, snorkellers
- **Maundays Bay & Cap Juluca** — The Moorish-white Belmond Cap Juluca resort curves around a perfect protected bay facing St. Martin — the single most photographed stretch on the island. — best for: romance, calm water, splurges
- **Sandy Ground** — The island’s harbour village and nightlife, such as it is — Elvis’ Beach Bar, Johnno’s live music, the Sunday-afternoon scene. Casual guesthouses. — best for: music nights, boat trips, a looser vibe
- **Rendezvous Bay** — A long, sweeping, often-empty beach looking across to St. Martin’s hills, home to CuisinArt and the legendary Dune Preserve beach bar. — best for: long walks, sunset drinks, space

## Food and drink

- **Blanchards** (Meads Bay) — The restaurant that put Anguilla on the food map — refined Caribbean-American on the beach. ~$90–130/person. Their casual Beach Shack next door does lobster rolls and frozen drinks for lunch.
- **Jacala** (Meads Bay) — French-Caribbean in an open beach pavilion — the lobster salad and the crème brûlée are the orders. ~$80–110/person. Reserve a front-row table at sunset.
- **Gwen’s Reggae Grill** (Shoal Bay East) — Grilled lobster, ribs and rum punch under sea-grape trees on the best beach in the Caribbean. ~$30–45/person. Sunday afternoon has live reggae.
- **Veya** (Sandy Ground) — Treehouse-style dining in the hills above the harbour — Moroccan-spiced shrimp, jerk-spiced tuna, a serious wine list. ~$90–120/person. Book early in season.
- **Dune Preserve** (Rendezvous Bay) — Bankie Banx’s driftwood beach bar, built from boat wrecks — rum punch at sunset and live music at the Moonsplash festival in March. The island in one place.

## Day trips

- **Sandy Island & Prickly Pear Cays** (10–30 min by boat (half day)) — Tiny offshore sandbars with a beach-bar lunch (grilled lobster and crayfish) and shallow turquoise snorkelling. Boats leave from Sandy Ground; Sandy Island is 10 minutes, Prickly Pear 30.
- **Little Bay & Scilly Cay** (15–20 min from the east end) — Little Bay is a cliff-ringed cove reached by rope or boat with turtles and rays; Scilly Cay is a one-restaurant islet off Island Harbour where you wave for the boat and eat lobster all afternoon.
- **St. Martin / Sint Maarten** (25-min ferry from Blowing Point) — The French side — Marigot market, Grand Case’s restaurant row, Orient Bay — is a 25-min ferry away. A fun contrast day, especially for food.
- **Beach-hop the west end** (All within 20 min) — Not a trip, a plan: Rendezvous, Cove Bay, Maundays and Shoal Bay West in one slow day with a car, a cooler and no agenda. This is what Anguilla is for.

## Common mistakes

- **Not booking the boat transfer in advance:** Arriving at SXM without a confirmed sea transfer means a scramble. Have your resort or advisor book the meet-and-greet and boat before you fly.
- **Visiting in September:** Much of the island closes late August to October. If you want the restaurants and the full resort experience, go November to early July.
- **Expecting nightlife:** A beach bar with live reggae on a Sunday is the peak. If you want clubs and casinos, that’s the St. Maarten side; Anguilla is for early nights and early swims.
- **Underestimating costs:** Nearly everything is imported and priced for a luxury clientele. Budget realistically, or make lunch the beach-shack meal and dinner the splurge.

## Sample itinerary

### Day 1: YYZ → SXM → boat → Meads Bay

- Morning flight to St. Maarten
- Met at SXM, 20-min boat to Blowing Point
- Check in on Meads Bay, first swim
- Sunset dinner at Jacala

### Day 2: Shoal Bay East

- Morning on the island’s best beach
- Snorkel the reef
- Lobster lunch at Gwen’s
- Lazy afternoon, resort dinner

### Day 3: Boat day: Prickly Pear & Sandy Island

- Sail out from Sandy Ground
- Snorkel and swim at Prickly Pear
- Grilled crayfish lunch on Sandy Island
- Sunset rum punch at Elvis’ Beach Bar

### Day 4: West-end beach hop

- Rendezvous Bay walk at sunrise
- Maundays Bay swim
- Lunch at Blanchards Beach Shack
- Sunset at Dune Preserve, dinner at Veya

### Day 5: Little Bay → departure

- Boat to Little Bay for turtles
- Final swim on Meads Bay
- Boat back to SXM
- Afternoon flight home

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I get to Anguilla from Canada?

Fly nonstop to St. Maarten (SXM) from Toronto, then take a 20-minute boat across — your resort or advisor arranges the meet-and-greet and sea transfer. Total door-to-door is about 7 hours.

### Is Anguilla worth the extra cost over other islands?

If beaches, food and quiet are your priorities, yes — nowhere else in the Caribbean combines all three at this level. If you want nightlife, budget options or an all-inclusive, look elsewhere.

### Which resort should I choose?

Four Seasons for families and facilities, Cap Juluca for pure romance, Malliouhana for classic style, Zemi Beach House for Shoal Bay access. All four are properties where advisor perks — breakfast, upgrades, credits — are significant.

### How many days do I need?

Five to seven nights. The travel day each way is long enough that a long weekend doesn’t make sense; a week lets you do a boat day, a west-end beach hop and still have slow days.

## Plan this trip

- Have a TICO-registered advisor plan Anguilla (complimentary; the hotel pays the commission): https://savvyjetsetter.ca/inquiry?destination=Anguilla
- Free AI itinerary for Anguilla: https://savvyjetsetter.ca/plan?destination=Anguilla
- All destinations: https://savvyjetsetter.ca/destinations · Site index for AI agents: https://savvyjetsetter.ca/llms.txt