The Perfect Day Trip to Anguilla

 
 

By: Louise Fayet

If you are in Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, taking a day trip to Anguilla is a MUST. It's easy and worth it!

Although we recommend a week in Anguilla, you can get a good taste of the island in just one day.

Let's get started...

Getting to Anguilla From St. Maarten

The most popular way to get to Anguilla from St. Maarten is by boat. Anguilla's public ferry is a convenient option. A quick 20 minute ride from St. Martin's Marigot port, it is reliable with multiple boats per day.

The earliest ferry leaves St. Martin to Anguilla at 8:30AM and the last ferry leaves Anguilla at 6:00PM which gives you over 9 hours on Anguilla!

The Marigot Port in Saint Martin

Want a quicker and more luxurious option? Charter boats will zip you from St. Maarten's Dutch side to Anguilla in less than 20 minutes - with a rum punch in hand, no less! Calypso Charters is one of our favorite charter companies.

More on Anguilla's ferry system and charter boats here.

Once you decide on your preferred method of getting here...

Prepare For Your Trip

Make sure to bring all of your travel requirements and to book your car rental, scooter or taxi ahead of time.

Driving around Anguilla is pretty straight forward. Here are a few things to remember:

• In Anguilla, we drive on the left side of the road.
• Use a map app so you don't get lost.
• Keep your eyes peeled for stray goats!

Beep Beep! Traffic Jam!

Special Tip: When it comes to maps, we recommend downloading the Google Maps app. Be sure to pre-load the offline map of Anguilla. More on accessing the offline Anguilla map here. If you would prefer to have Internet access while driving the island, drop into Digicel to get a SIM chip.

All right, you are on-island in your rental car... where do you start?

The Perfect Day Trip

A perfect day in Anguilla begins with an excellent breakfast. Our top pick for morning treats? Le Bon Pain in the island's East End.

Le Bon Pain is home to THE best croissants on the island, tasty sandwiches, quiches and quality coffee. Owner and baker, Yvonne is there 4 hours before opening to make everything from scratch.

We recommend getting pastries and baguette sandwiches.

Cheers to a Brew-tiful Morning!

Made of an entire baguette that is cut in two, these sandwiches are super high value. Also, your Le Bon Pain leftovers make for a great snack at the beach.

Talking about the beach, and conveniently located just 5 minutes from Le Bon Pain...

Shoal Bay East is first on our "Must Sea" list!

Anguilla's most famous beach, it ranks as one of the top beaches in not only the Caribbean, but the entire world. Its rich blue waters and soft white sand make it the most picturesque beach.

Love Those Shoal Bay Views

It is a two-mile sandy beach that you can walk end-to-end. Still have your leftovers from Le Bon Pain? Find a shady spot and have a snack!

Need a drink? Shoal Bay has got your back. There are plenty of popular restaurants, local bars and beautiful hotels on this stretch of sand.

After a good soak at Shoal, let's head West to another top spot, Rendezvous Bay.

Note: Along the way you will pass a few favorite beaches:

• Little Bay
• Crocus Bay
• Sandy Ground

Stop by one if you have time!

20 minutes after you leave Shoal Bay, you will arrive to...

Rendezvous Bay

This semi-circle of sand boasts incredibluuue views of St. Martin! With gentle waves and brilliant blue waters, Rendezvous Bay is a favorite to many. It has been voted #1 beach in the Caribbean time and time again by travelers.

Rendezvous Bay is also home to one of our favorite BBQ shacks, The Sunshine Shack, locally referred to as Garvey's.

Cheers to The Sunshine Shack

The BEST BBQ Anguilla has to offer, cool & refreshing cocktails, live music and good vibes... is there anything else you could ever need? ;-)

I know it is hard to leave but the next stop begs to be seen...

Meads Bay

Meads Bay’s beauty is one of a kind. Here, the clear ocean floor is unmarked by reef and the shades of blue stretch to both ends of the beach. It is no surprise that Meads Bay has become a destination in and of itself.

Meads Bay is home to Anguilla’s most luxurious hotels, sophisticated villas and five-star restaurants all favored by the jetset and visiting mega-yachts.

Float Your Troubles Away...

You would expect this beach to be packed daily, right? That is never the case. Some days you have Meads all to yourself! That is the magic of Anguilla :-)

We recommend walking end to end, starting from the beach's eastern cove (near Malliouhana) and heading towards the Four Seasons Resort. This will give you a full view of what Meads Bay has to offer.

On your walk, keep your eyes peeled for local favorite, Ocean Echo.

It is known for its laidback, casual atmosphere, excellent beach eats, terrific service and the best rum punch in Anguilla, the Rumzie!

Grab a drink, snack and pull up a beach chair. Listen to the "Ocean's Echo" while you enjoy your final moments at Meads.

The last stop of the day? Just a 5 minute drive away...

Welcome to Maunday's Bay

Perfection in the shape of a flawless little crescent, Maunday's never ceases to amaze us with its beauty.

Maunday's Bay is almost exclusively for Belmond Cap Juluca, Anguilla's crown jewel resort. The resort's suites line the beach, offering spectacular views of the shimmering Caribbean Sea. It's no wonder why Cap Juluca chose Maunday's Bay to be its home...

After soaking in the sun and bathing in the blue, it's time for your bittersweet departure.

The drive from Maunday's Bay to the ferry terminal is ~15 minutes. We recommend arriving ~20 minutes before departure time.

Until Next Time!

And on that note? The only thought that crosses everyone's mind... not enough time!

Check these top spots off your "Must Sea" list and there is no doubt that you will fall in love. Chances are next time you are on this ferry, it won't be for just one day... ;-)

Thank You, Calypso Charters!