Recent Trip to Anguilla
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 11:57 am
I know, I know. I cheated on my beloved St. John. This was the first May trip since 2001 that my husband and I were not on STJ. I love STJ, but we were both itching to try something new. So, we went to Anguilla. If you'd like to read the trip report, you can find it here:
http://vicki-h.travellerspoint.com/
If you'd like to see photos of Anguilla, you can find them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42427255@N ... 033473716/
If you'd like my opinion of how Anguilla compares to our favorite little island, read on.
Pros:
Anguilla is similar to STJ in that it is small, has minimal development and no real "town" to speak of, and is a little hard to reach so visitation is minimal. The island has 33 beaches which are definitely as beautiful as the beaches we all know and love on STJ. A distinct advantage that we enjoyed on Anguilla as opposed to STJ was the fact that each beach has some restaurants and bars on them. Each bar/restaurant offers nice chairs and umbrellas for use, allows you to eat and drink the day away, and usually has live music. They are few and their presence in no way detracts from the beach or the natural beauty. Think White Bay on Jost without the hoardes of people or all the party boats....that is a good description of a typical Anguillan beach. Simply divine.
We may have hit it at a particularly slow time, but on almost every single day...we were virtually alone on the beach. Not another soul in sight. When some other folks did show up, it was usually after 1:00 pm and at most, maybe 4 other people would be present on a 1 mile stretch of beach. Crowds did not exist. I felt like I was on a private island at times.
The dining kicked STJ dining in the tookus. Seriously. The number of dining options and the quality were simply phenomenal. The food was to die for.
The Anguillan people were simply the sweetest, most generous, outwardly kind and friendly people I have ever encountered on any island anywhere. They were the #1 reason I will definitely return to Anguilla. Beautiful, wonderful people. On more than one occasion, they left us awed and amazed at their kindness.
Anguilla is also very easy to navigate. Easy to get around. It's small, flat and the road system is simple.
No direct flights. No cruise ships. No cattle catamarans. No yellow vest people anywhere.
Cons:
Lots of hotels, few villas. Anguilla has a great number of resorts, many more than STJ. There were fewer villa choices and villas were a bit more expensive than the ones you can find on STJ. On the positive side, the resorts were low key, small, and tasteful. You almost didn't notice they were there.
The interior of the island lacks St. John's lush beauty. It is flat. It is dry. It is scrubby.
Forget snorkeling. The few areas we tried that were supposed to have "excellent snorkeling" were pretty bad compared to what we are used to on STJ.
It's also a little more expensive. Accommodations and food seemed to cost a little more, but you got what you paid for. The quality of everything was excellent.
Will I go back? ABSOLUTELY!
Did I love it more than St. John? No.
Did I love it as much? Yes.
http://vicki-h.travellerspoint.com/
If you'd like to see photos of Anguilla, you can find them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42427255@N ... 033473716/
If you'd like my opinion of how Anguilla compares to our favorite little island, read on.
Pros:
Anguilla is similar to STJ in that it is small, has minimal development and no real "town" to speak of, and is a little hard to reach so visitation is minimal. The island has 33 beaches which are definitely as beautiful as the beaches we all know and love on STJ. A distinct advantage that we enjoyed on Anguilla as opposed to STJ was the fact that each beach has some restaurants and bars on them. Each bar/restaurant offers nice chairs and umbrellas for use, allows you to eat and drink the day away, and usually has live music. They are few and their presence in no way detracts from the beach or the natural beauty. Think White Bay on Jost without the hoardes of people or all the party boats....that is a good description of a typical Anguillan beach. Simply divine.
We may have hit it at a particularly slow time, but on almost every single day...we were virtually alone on the beach. Not another soul in sight. When some other folks did show up, it was usually after 1:00 pm and at most, maybe 4 other people would be present on a 1 mile stretch of beach. Crowds did not exist. I felt like I was on a private island at times.
The dining kicked STJ dining in the tookus. Seriously. The number of dining options and the quality were simply phenomenal. The food was to die for.
The Anguillan people were simply the sweetest, most generous, outwardly kind and friendly people I have ever encountered on any island anywhere. They were the #1 reason I will definitely return to Anguilla. Beautiful, wonderful people. On more than one occasion, they left us awed and amazed at their kindness.
Anguilla is also very easy to navigate. Easy to get around. It's small, flat and the road system is simple.
No direct flights. No cruise ships. No cattle catamarans. No yellow vest people anywhere.
Cons:
Lots of hotels, few villas. Anguilla has a great number of resorts, many more than STJ. There were fewer villa choices and villas were a bit more expensive than the ones you can find on STJ. On the positive side, the resorts were low key, small, and tasteful. You almost didn't notice they were there.
The interior of the island lacks St. John's lush beauty. It is flat. It is dry. It is scrubby.
Forget snorkeling. The few areas we tried that were supposed to have "excellent snorkeling" were pretty bad compared to what we are used to on STJ.
It's also a little more expensive. Accommodations and food seemed to cost a little more, but you got what you paid for. The quality of everything was excellent.
Will I go back? ABSOLUTELY!
Did I love it more than St. John? No.
Did I love it as much? Yes.
